'Interpreting Your 'Arrow Message':

by Joe R. Bumgardner, M.D.

This buzz word simply means obtaining or procuring all the information that the arrow gives us regarding arrow shot placement and the nature of the hit. Obviously to try to properly interpret all the information "left" on the arrow requires arrow recovery. If we have both entrance and exit wounds, with a complete pass through, arrow recover presents no problem. If the arrow remained in our quarry, then this scenario presents a greater challenge. We obviously must at some point during the tracking process recover the arrow to try to properly "read the arrow". Once the arrow is recovered it can be very informative if we know how to interpret its message.

First we should simple just visually inspect the arrow in its entirety looking at the broadhead, the shaft, and, finally the fletchings.

Note the nature of the materials on the arrow i.e., blood, hair, intestinal or paunch contents, muscle material, fatty tallow, small bone fragments, etc. Is there blood present and if it is, is it (1) bright red "oxygenated" blood, or is it (2) dark, venous, desaturated blood? Is the blood present throughout the length of the shaft or is it limited to only a portion of the arrow shaft? Answering this question can give you information regarding the depth of arrow penetration if your shot was not a complete pass-through hit. Are there any bubbles present in bright blood indicating a lung hit?If the blood is bright red, it suggests blood loss from either a lung hit, a heart shot, or a large or medium size artery that carries bright red oxygenated blood. The presence of bright red blood on our arrow is encouraging as it carries a better prognosis for a lethal injury and eventual recover of the animal. If dark venous type blood is present on the arrow, it suggests either a liver hit, a major vein injury or venous blood loss from a muscular or intestinal vein injury. Unless the venous blood loss came from the liver or from a major vein, the prognosis for animal recovery lessens. Next you should check for the presence of hair on the arrow. For example, if only white hair is present, it suggests a hit on the lower part of the deer's torso or abdomen. Generally only white hair on our shaft lessens our recovery odds. Next note if there is tallow or waxy fatty type material on the shaft. If tallow is present with or without bits of muscular tissue, with minimal or no blood present, there is a good chance the arrow passed through the tenderloin or backstrap area and transversed no vital structures. Next check your arrow for the presence of intestinal or paunch contents. Paunch contents usually appear as greenish particulate or fiber matter and it usually is accompanied by a foul odor.

Don't be timid, have a good close smell of the arrow contents. Intestinal contents usually are liquid in nature, brownish rather than greenish and are finer and smaller than paunch contents. Again there is usually an accompanying odor. When paunch or intestinal contents are noted on the arrow shaft that tells us that a lethal shot was made, but we should not push the animal by blood trailing it too soon. It is well known that a "pure" paunch or intestinal shot causes demise of our game by bacterial infection and dehydration and this may take 4-12 hours.

If the weather permits, we should allow this much time before "taking up" the blood trail. If we proceed too soon after a "gut" shot, we are likely to jump a bedded injured animal that may run (after jumped) for hundreds of yards before bedding down again. Unfortunately, a "gut" shot animal leaves little or no blood trail because the entrance and exit wounds are frequently plugged by loops of small intestine.

If we recognize that the arrow indicates a "gut" shot, we should "back-off" and allow the animal to succumb, which as previously mentioned may be 4-12 hours.
By properly interpreting the information on our arrow shaft after we make a hit, it gives us very important information that will enhance our odds toward achieving a successful recovery of our game.

In closing, I would encourage you to apply the above addressed principles upon arrow recovery. When appropriately applied, I feel that "Interpreting the Arrow Message" properly will enhance your odds of successful animal recovery.

I hope the season has given you many memorable and safe hunting experiences. May you continue to practice safe and ethical bowhunting principles.