Bull stopped bleeding?

[Devil Diver Down]

Newbie archer released his first arrow at an animal today - 5x5 bull. Shot looked good. Cow called him and got him to stick around the general area for a moment. He walked off downhill and I hear a crash a couple minutes later. Spend some time collecting myself and look for the arrowat (not found ). Wait another 30 minutes and find blood. Lots or so it looks to me. More - about the length and width of my bow in a few spots, looked like someone left the hose running in others. Bright red (wouldn't say pink) but appeared to have bubbles. Suddenly (about 150 yards ) it slows to a drip, then nothing. Can't send pix up now. Spent 7 hours looking for it and no luck. Thoughts?

 

[BiggWimm]

All I can say is that the elk sounds dead. Need to start doing an expansion search off the end of the blood trail. Probably had some fat or other tissue occlude the wound. Look for signs of scavengers in the near future, it can't be to far.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Sounds dead.

 

[streamer]

Try to get a direction and look for heavy cover, I've been on my hands and knees to just find a small spec of blood. If he stays on a trail and has his mind, it might not have been as good as you thought but never give up sounds like good blood

 

[streamer]

Good luck hope you find him

 

[ismith]

Sounds like hes dead to me, good luck!

 

[kansasdad]

He slowed bleeding as his pressure dropped and the clotting factors were trying to clot/occlude the wound/s. Loss of enough blood and he is not going to recover, so of course the question is : was there enough blood loss to do him in? Sounds like you are at go to last blood and direction of travel and search concentric or grid search. Any dogs to "hunt dead" for you? Sure sounds like he's down for the count, found the little hidey-hole that you "already searched" Hope you find him

 

[kmf]

Sounds dead. 150 yards isn't that far. Easily could go about 500.

 

[Devil Diver Down]

Thanks for the replies. I did 7 hours of expanded grid search. My dad helped out for a few if those. There's so much deadfall in there it makes it tough sledding. Theres a canyon a half mile away and didn't find any sign there.Hiked back in after an hour at my truck to listen for blood hounds (yotes) but didn't hear them nearby. Shot him at 8am. Daytime temps have been north of 75, so I might be looking in the sky for a hot air balloon with antlers.

 

[AZ402]

Thanks for the replies. I did 7 hours of expanded grid search. My dad helped out for a few if those. There's so much deadfall in there it makes it tough sledding. Theres a canyon a half mile away and didn't find any sign there.Hiked back in after an hour at my truck to listen for blood hounds (yotes) but didn't hear them nearby. Shot him at 8am. Daytime temps have been north of 75, so I might be looking in the sky for a hot air balloon with antlers.

Wish I had time to run up and help track. Keep me posted, like Dink said, sounds dead.

 

[devon deer]

As previously stated blood loss and clotting has taken place.
Obviously the meat will be ruined but it won't take long before it starts to smell, that is how i eventually found a stag i shot and lost last year, i could smell him way off, in fact he had run 400 yards in a direction i hadnt seen.
Cheers
Richard

 

[L. I. Yankee]

Keep looking he sounds dead...look and listen for the birds.....

 

[thecrittergitter]

Good luck man, most of us know the sickening feeling. We found a 340 bull two years ago that we shot and lost 3 years ago. We noticed that our grid pattern had flagging literally 30 yards from the carcass, meaning we gridded both sides of that bull within 30 yards and missed it. Was piled into downfall as you say you have. I would just suggest tight grids, no more than 30 yard total........

 

[Horn Seeker]

From the little blood trailing experience I have, I have to agree with most of what is said... If its thick in there, you are likely just missing him. It doesn't take much to walk by one that is buried in a thicket.

Good Luck... and Better Luck Next Time! It happens. It sounds like you are doing him justice....

 

[montanadogs]

Wish I would have read this earlier. I have family down there with hounds.(don't know if its leagle in AZ) We've used them to a few times tracking wounded animals back east.

 

[Lv2hnt]

If dead, ravens in the air by now for sure; also 'yotes in the a.m./eve. Don't overlook possibility the bull did a 180! I'd come up to help but as of last night caught sickness you don't need ...

 

[sbhooper]

Good luck man, most of us know the sickening feeling. We found a 340 bull two years ago that we shot and lost 3 years ago. We noticed that our grid pattern had flagging literally 30 yards from the carcass, meaning we gridded both sides of that bull within 30 yards and missed it. Was piled into downfall as you say you have. I would just suggest tight grids, no more than 30 yard total........

A friend of mine in NM did the same thing. He shot the bull with an arrow and searched what he thought was every inch of the area. He went to the unit squirrel hunting later and found the bull within 30 yards of where he had looked. It is amazing how something that big can disappear in thick cover.

 

[elkfarmer]

I have to ask, Where was the shot? Did you see where you hit him? I say this because 3 years ago I helped 3 different people track whitetails they shot. Blood for the first 100 or so yards was great like someone opened up a gallon jug and just poured it out. And then it stopped, On all 3 deer. Absolutly amazed me each time. Come to find out, we heard that front shoulder shots do this. Puts a great wound hole in the animal but the animal just quits bleeding. If he was quarting away from you that might have been what happened. Good luck

 

[CoryG]

Not to disagree with anyone but this sounds like a muscle or brisket hit to me... I've seen this several times and on two occasions the bull was found alive and in relatively good shape later in the hunt... In all cases, there was a ridiculous amount of blood initially and then nothing.

Also, I've seen single lung hits that did the same thing, but there was obvious pink lung blood in those, not just a few bubbles... those however did not end as well as the above scenerio...

 

[Devil Diver Down]

Matt - I felt like hanging my bow on the nearest tree and walking out. In the evening I even waved my arms to spook a small 6 point that drifted out in front of me at 25 yards on my hike out. Up to that point I was having the time of my life - passing several marginal shots at good/great bulls and good/great shots at marginal bulls.

Of course it's all in the books now, but I'm back and would like to learn/read input. Any of the scenarios posted could be what happened - never did find him (buzzards, crows or yotes) and I covered that same exact area for about 5 more days.

As I wrote in the beginning, the shot looked right on target to me though I was in the shade and lost the arrow when it reached the bull in the sunlight, at impact. My best guess (or rationalization) is that it stumbled over deadfall when I heard the post-shot crash and dirt clogged the wound, stopping the blood enough to blank the trail and allow him to create some distance. Then he made the canyon before lights out.

Keep in mind these pictures are from well after an hour after the shot.

Appreciate any input on what you see, PM or otherwise.