We are hunting an area that is Bow Only and have had several opportunities for shots. The problem we have run into is we are hunting at night and after a shot has been taken there has been no blood trail. Also, we are adjacent to a heavy area of brush which is where they are coming from and where they go. We have had no luck with recovery. What would you suggest to help with recovery? I've thought about trying to shoot right at the base of the skull, any thoughts?

Bow hunting pigs means you have to take a shoulder/behind the shoulder shot. I would also want deep penetration, which means no light-weight arrows. The super fast, light weight arrows do not have the penetration of the heavier arrows going slower. I used to shoot some huge tree trunk arrows with 125 grain Muzzle broad heads, and I'd go clean through a large boar. Also, some illuminated knocks would help see where your impacts were, and maybe see the path the pigs go once hit. You could also set up some type of a bow fishing reel on your bow to pull out fishing line, to help follow a line trail. With a good hit, hopefully, they would go close enough to follow the line without tangling or breaking off.

When we hunted pigs at night many years ago with bows, we would rig up a small flash light to help see pins and shine a little light on the pig. Distances were really close, about 15-20 yards max. We hunted out of a pop up blind, and it would get your adrenaline pumping for sure.

Also, if you shoot a big pig at the base of the skull, most arrows would easily glance off.

A thermal monocular, while not a cheap accessory, would help find hogs in the brush assuming they don't run too far. Perhaps this is an application where something like the FLIR Scout TK would be useful.

I've never even SEEN a FLIR Scout TK so I'm just mentioning it as a possible idea.

you missed!

Maybe so, but I've never seen a pig pickup an arrow with a Lumenok and run off with it. Twice.