I've been bowhunting since 1978, and have killed a good many does and small bucks, but never a decent buck. About 8:50 this morning a decent buck was headed to my stand. Everything looked perfect - he was coming thru thick stuff and would break into the open at 15 yds. I was gonna draw when he went behind a big oak, but he spotted me just before he did. He looked at me a few seconds and then bounded back the way he came.

But he stopped at 30 yds, so I drew on him. There was a lot of brush, but I had an open shot at his back, starting about the middle of it to his neck. He was well below me, so I had a decent angle on him. I let it fly and heard the arrow hit him. He ran off kinda slow, and about 150 yds away, I heard him go down. It didn't sound like he crashed dead, just went down. I heard him move a few seconds later, then again, then silence. I'm not sure if he died there or just laid down.

I slipped down after about 20 minutes and went over to where he was standing. I found the arrow - it was broken in half, and the fletching half must still be in him. The Muzzy looked like it could be used again this afternoon. There was good blood on the arrow, and no sign of guts.

So 2 questions - where do you think he is hit? I think I probably hit to one side of the spine and it penetrated all the way thru, but I'm not at all sure.

And 2, how long should I wait? I don't want to wait so long that the meat could spoil. I'm thinking 3 hours.

All opinions welcome.

sit down have a good lunch and a nap. I know its gonna be hard with all of that replaying in your mind over and over but it will give him time to expire.
was there a decent blood trail in the direction he went?
I would also agree that you are MOST likly in the vitals and you will find him just give him plenty of time.
you did the right thing by waiting and not pushing.

He was decenter than I realized.:)

Gotta clean him, more later, he is 21" wide.