Frustrated with archery hunting;

[Goex2Fwithroundball]

I am a lifelong rifle/muzzleloader hunter. As a kid I constantly heard my dad and his hunting buddies critisize and complain about archery hunters wounding and wasting game.
My 13 year old son has been shooting competitive archery for 2 years. Last year he told me he wanted to try deer hunting. For the past year he has been shooting 3d targets and competitions to prepare. I felt very confident in his ability to consistantly hit the kill zone/vitals on targets.
A couple of weeks ago we were out hunting. Right before dark he got within 40 yards of a big whitetail doe. He stuck it right behind the front shoulder, exactly where he has been taught. It ran off.
We waited about 30 minutes and went to get it. We looked for about an hour but could not find any sign. We went back out at first light the next morning. 3 of us spent 5 hours combing about a 2 mile area. Not ANY sign of that deer. Not One drop of blood not anything. I feel sick knowing that deer is wasted. I am trying to keep my son positive but he is very frustrated.
I will take him back out in November for his late season and try again.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
He currently shoots a Hoyt Ignite compound , 50 pound draw, 500 grain carbons with 100 grain Muzzy 4 blade broadheads.

[elkhunter1977]

Did you find the arrow?

[Goex2Fwithroundball]

No arrow.
We did not find any signs at all.

[Lucky1]

If he hit "no mans land" above the lungs and below the spine, the deer is probably ok. It happens often and people blame broadheads, archery itself as the reason they didn't get the animal. I have killed more than 30 deer with a bow and arrow. Some kills were ugly, but most are quick and clean. Don't let him get discouraged. It will happen and there is nothing more exciting and satisfying than getting one with a bow. Pictures of this years deer. He went about 40 yards and piled up. Used a schwacker mechanical head.

[High Climber]

No offense to you but if that deer was broadside and hit behind the shoulder at a proper height we would be looking at pictures and congratulating you guys. My thought is either the deer was quartered towards him and entered the guts or possibly a clean miss under the deers belly and the arrow is buried in the dirt.  Did you see the arrow in the deer as it ran off? Thick country at all? If it was indeed a double lung hit that deer is most likely dead within 100yards of the shot. Probably preaching to the choir but quartering angles are a much bigger deal with a bow than with either a rifle or muzzy.

[h2ofowlr]

You should have found some blood if you connected. Might have looked good, but just didn't connect.  Or hit a rib, shoulder, bone.  40 yards at 50lbs with a 4 blade, may not have had the penetration you thought it did.

[greenhead_killer]

My buddy shot a doe last year and there was almost no blood. We were on our hands and knees for almost 400 yards. It took us a solid 5 hours of tracking but we found her piled up. When we found her, was a high shot but complete pass and had hit both lungs. And there was blood everywhere right before where she piled up. I think the shot was just high and kept the blood in. Was a kill shot but I was very skeptical we would ever find it. One of the hardest tracking jobs I have ever done but we stuck with it and did it. Gave me confidence for future tracking jobs. Even if that blood trail is non existent, you follow something. Tracks, broken grass, trails following general area the critter ran.

[Goex2Fwithroundball]

No offense to you but if that deer was broadside and hit behind the shoulder at a proper height we would be looking at pictures and congratulating you guys. My thought is either the deer was quartered towards him and entered the guts or possibly a clean miss under the deers belly and the arrow is buried in the dirt.  Did you see the arrow in the deer as it ran off? Thick country at all? If it was indeed a double lung hit that deer is most likely dead within 100yards of the shot. Probably preaching to the choir but quartering angles are a much bigger deal with a bow than with either a rifle or muzzy.

No offense taken.
The deer was standing direct broadside. The arrow stuck behind the front shoulder. I saw the lighted knock as it ran off.
After very much thought I am guessing the shot was high. It obviously did not hit vitals.
The area was thick brush and open grass. We looked high and low for signs. Crawling under brush and logs. Looking for any clue of the arrow scratching as it ran by, a track, blood. We found nothing.

[D-Rock425]

It sucks but it happens with every style of hunting eventually.  Best thing to do is get him back on the horse as soon as you can.

[D-Rock425]

Was the deer looking at him when he shoot?  Whitetail will most likely always duck to the sound of a bow.

[pianoman9701]

Nothing is wasted in nature. If the deer didn't survive, he fed some predators which would've killed something anyway. It happens in archery. Hopefully, not often.

[waoutdoorsman]

It sucks but it happens with every style of hunting eventually.  Best thing to do is get him back on the horse as soon as you can.

It sucks when it happens but it does happen. I lost a deer hit solidly with 180 grains from a 30-06 once. Its a frustrating gut wrenching feeling but as d rock said get him back on that horse.

[BLDtraLR]

This sucks when it happens but as d-rock and others said eventually it's gonna happen doesn't matter what weapon it happens. REASSURE him that as long as you did everything you could possibly do to find her and looked every where twice maybe three times chances are she is still healthy and alive. Keep positive and keep practicing keep shooting take him to as many 3-d's as you can don't let him get too discouraged lesson learned you did all you could do to find the deer build his confidence back.Maybe that was his unlucky shot and from now on he will kill everything he shoots at.Oh and btw when that happens and you have done everything you can go back and start over from the shot. Than put a shout out on here alot of knowlege and helpful people on here that would be willing to come help. I am one if you EVER need help don't hesitate to ask. And i know i'll get alot of guff for this but---  Throw away the muzzys and go get some shuttle T's.  BEST broadheads out there.

[Special T]

I wouldn't worry too much but it could be a good opportunity to do a bunch of study on tracking. It's amazing  to me how much you can tell from just a little sign if you have a heads up how to look for clues.

[mburrows]

If the angle was steeper than anticipated it could have slide between the shoulder and rib cage out and out through the brisket.

Did u ever find the arrow?