[LostHawg]

...as the dart impacts the tightly coiled muscle and hide you see you've made a near perfect hit. All in microseconds you're watching the flight and impact and exclaiming inside of a successful hunt. BUT, what's this? That arrow sure didn't seem to penetrate as well as I'd expected. The deer bolts in shock of the jolt just delivered to his ribcage. He runs for the nearest trail of fastest egress. You know you made a good hit, but you force yourself to sit there for the recommended 30 minutes to an hour. Meanwhile all the different though blossom through your head. Questions of if the arrow was really as good a hit as it appeared to be. 45 minutes and you can't take no more. You find the point of impact. Awesome only 12 yards. There's blood, but the dust and grass is so fine and thick dry you can't make out the quality of blood. So you track. 48 steps through the thick CRP grass and there lies your quarry, it's last breath spent.

As you field dress the deer you find to your relief, the arrow sliced through the hide, the ribs, and heart as it punched through the lungs. All veins and arteries it contacted were severed. You had done your part. Just last night you took down your file, stone and oil, or your preferred method of honing and keened the edge. A necessity of a successful hunt.