Did you find a blood trail from where you hit him to where you seen him last over the hillside? If so was it heavy or light? No one can say you didn't try to find him must have been a really good buck to search for 20 combined hours.
No blood. At all. Another characteristic of a liver shot from what I'm told.
It was a good buck but, honestly, I would have done the same for any deer. I deeply respect these animals and feel like they deserve my best effort for their sacrifice.
well dont give up yet. i dk where you live but watch the sky. if you start to see buzzards circling in the next week or so near where u hunt. go that way and look. u might be able to get the horns at least. good luck. go get another one.
Thats the plan
i shot a deer years ago. i looked and looked and looked. the blood went right up to a pond a stopped. i couldnt make myself believe the deer would have jumped in the pond, but damn if it didnt. so he may have gone in some water and sank to the bottom.
He very well may have gone into the river. It runs across the bottom of the property about 200 yds from where he was shot. If he did, there is no way I could find him. It's over 6 foot in the middle.
Another interesting piece to the puzzle is that the friend that came over to help me find him said that on his way over he saw a buck... about half a mile from where I was, "dancing" on the side of the road and then ran into the woods on the other side of the road. I have a hard time believing that was him but who knows! Seems like quite the coincidence
i shot a deer years ago. i looked and looked and looked. the blood went right up to a pond a stopped. i couldnt make myself believe the deer would have jumped in the pond, but damn if it didnt. so he may have gone in some water and sank to the bottom.
that happens a lot. Even if they are just being run by a dog or dogs. They will run to water to escape the dogs, but then drown cause the dog wont go away from the water, or simply cause they are too exhausted to make it across the pond.
hate it....but it is part of the circle of life......good luck on the next one, .
Czoubek, I enjoyed reading your post. It makes me very proud of you that you care about the big picture of hunting game. You are the kind of guy I would want to be hunting with. The loss of this buck will pass but try to hold on to your value for all game wether big or small. You did good. Just wasn't meant to be this time. It will make he next one sweeter. Once again, I'm proud of your ethics.
czoubek,
I am at the three score and ten mark and will tell you that bad stuff happens to good people. Someday I may tell you about the time a Ranger drove up just as I was preparing to go back in the woods and track a buck that my arrow had passed through, lost that one due to a real dumb ass move on my part, But I blame it on the Ranger (lol). Now get back out there!
Something along the tracking information: I used to keep a fold of 20 or 30 sheets of toilet paper with me. It did not take up any room at all and it might come in handy for a couple of things, but I used it more than one in tracking a blood trail.
Just tear off one sheet ever so often depending on how thick the brush is. When the trail gets thin or you lose it, look behind you and you may see a pattern showing where the deer is headed. You will find it easy to double back and pick us the trail again. If you have to start over the next day, it makes it much easier to find the trail and where you stopped. A dozen or so sheets of toilet paper will be gone in a few days, so no litter problem.
Hope this tip helps someone save a deer from being lost.
Czoubek, I enjoyed reading your post. It makes me very proud of you that you care about the big picture of hunting game. You are the kind of guy I would want to be hunting with. The loss of this buck will pass but try to hold on to your value for all game wether big or small. You did good. Just wasn't meant to be this time. It will make he next one sweeter. Once again, I'm proud of your ethics.
Thank you.... I'm not a trophy hunter. Never will be. I hunt for food for my family. I deeply respect the animal which is one of the reasons I hunt and teach my children to hunt... So we don't get detached from the value of the food that is on our plates. I believe that when you do the hard work and see the pain and sacrifice that went into the food... It is more appreciated at the table.
Like I said, I would have searched as much for any deer.... but I have to admit, it was a little bit harder to swallow after seeing the majesty of this creature in his full splendor and pride.
czoubek,
I am at the three score and ten mark and will tell you that bad stuff happens to good people. Someday I may tell you about the time a Ranger drove up just as I was preparing to go back in the woods and track a buck that my arrow had passed through, lost that one due to a real dumb ass move on my part, But I blame it on the Ranger (lol). Now get back out there!
Something along the tracking information: I used to keep a fold of 20 or 30 sheets of toilet paper with me. It did not take up any room at all and it might come in handy for a couple of things, but I used it more than one in tracking a blood trail.
Just tear off one sheet ever so often depending on how thick the brush is. When the trail gets thin or you lose it, look behind you and you may see a pattern showing where the deer is headed. You will find it easy to double back and pick us the trail again. If you have to start over the next day, it makes it much easier to find the trail and where you stopped. A dozen or so sheets of toilet paper will be gone in a few days, so no litter problem.
Hope this tip helps someone save a deer from being lost.
Thanks Ed. Great tip. Hope to have some blood to follow next time!
Ask around and see if you can locate someone with a track Dog... Me and my father have found several nice deer this way that were hit bad with the bow. We dont have a dog, my cousin has one but we are way up above roxboro...
Sounds like the deer was gut shot, I think this is the same dude that whaood his foot. Seriusly, sorry about your deer. I've killed 200 plus and deer control for the gov. at srs with my walker hounds, my daughter can shoot better than me, take a kid hunting, you are doing the right thing.
i shot at my biggest buck a week ago a huge ten pointer I shot him with a 270 he ran 20 yards and went down I went over to him he had his head on the ground I grab his horn to drag him out he jump up and ran away no blood no nothing still haven't found him
i shot at my biggest buck a week ago a huge ten pointer I shot him with a 270 he ran 20 yards and went down I went over to him he had his head on the ground I grab his horn to drag him out he jump up and ran away no blood no nothing still haven't found him
Wow... That must have scared you half to death! Sorry man. Thanks for the story. I hate that it happened to you but makes me feel better that it doesn't jus happen to me!
Did teh same thing to a mid 160s deer last year with the crossbow. Qtr facing shot that I knew not to take but got lost in teh moment and took a bad shot. Hit shoulder bone, in about 2-3". Saw deer 30 mins later, whole rt side covered in blood eating fawkin acorns like nothing happened. Never found him or a single spec of blood on the ground. Deer was never found but a 180 class is on a camera within 1/2 mile this year. I find it hard to believe that is the same deer but i will know when I see the pic or deer this year. Still think about that deer every other day. Lesson is dont get hyped up and make bad shots!
Damn things are tough that is fo sho!
have shot many deer and the bullet will graze the top of his backbone and he will drop like a ton of bricks only to get up and haul ass with only a small puddle of blood.just keep going hunting and you will get another chance at a nice buck and it will go in your favor next time.every shot is different and every blood trail too just take your time after the shot and things will work out most of the time just like some fish come unbuttoned for no reason.