arrow penetration on big bull

Dougisnow

New member
Sep 11, 2021
1
need some pro advice. I hunted this morn and had a big 5x5 bull come within 15y but the brush was too thick to shoot, and he spun around before my shooting lane. Fortunately my buddy watched it all from 40y away and when the bull trotted past him at 15y he cow called and stopped him, then stuck him good from 15y.  he ran 50y and looked back and we saw the placement was perfect, he was leaking with half the arrow sticking out... we waited almost an hour before we started looking for him, and we found him bedded 300y away.  he was alert, head up and looking around. we posted up and glassed him from 200y for 3 more hours.  he was standing the majority of the time, but laying down too.  he was clearly hurting, lifting his front legs often, but alert. and it appeared he had stopped bleeding and the arrow was gone (we found it later, 8" missing).. then, after 3hrs and assuming he was almost done, he got up and walked away from us, into woods and we lost sight of him. 
3 of us have been looking for him ever since.  :(  no blood trail (other than where he bedded), nothing.  i can only think that even though it looked like the perfect double lung shot, it may have hit a rib and only got 1 lung?  is that possible when half the arrow is bloody and 8" is still inside him?  we just gave up the search for the night and will resume first thing tomorrow, we haven't lost hope yet but things have gone from elation to near devastation... any advice or suggestions are appreciated! 
 

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I'm far from a pro but I know they can live a long time with one intact lung. If placement was good on a broadside bull I would guess it must have hit a rib and turned. I can't tell from the photo. Is the blood on the ground frothy? I think one lung is enough to be fatal but it might take a while. He will probably have to cough up blood that is leaking into a lung even if he isn't bleeding on the outside.
If he bleeds enough he will eventually need to replace that fluid and will get thirsty so if you don't have any luck trailing him and have to start grid searching I would poke around the nearest water source first.
 
I?m no expert, but I am a Veterinarian. Animals are tough, especially Elk. I have seen many animals with what should be fatal wounds do just fine.
That being said, what was his setup?
Heavy arrows with high FOC and the right head, should have been a complete pass through
If in the ribs.
His set up?
 

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