wounded deer question

barrierreef1972 · Post by **barrierreef1972** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 8:13 pm

Need some help guys. I shot a nice buck this evening with me Equinox. I thought that I had placed a really good shot on him. His front legs buckled underneath him and he was pushing with his back legs. He was trying to get up but having trouble keeping his front legs under him. I heard him crash down thru the woods and thought he had piled up.When I went to retrieve him, he was not there. I found bright red and somewhat frothy blood, quite of bit for the first couple hundred yards and slowly tapered off to a drop here and there. It starting getting dark so I marked the last spot I found blood and decided to go back in the morning.

I waited an hour before trailing the deer, so I did not push him and I did not jump him up. I tracked him a total of around 300 yards. I was wondering with his front legs buckling and pushing his chest along the ground with bright red blood, what kind of shot do you think I made. I felt the shot was good, but now I am worried while sitting at home. Thanks for any info.

The buck on the right is the one I shot.

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 8:21 pm

Give us some details on your set-up, broadhead, arrow weight, speed, distance, where you were aiming. You in a tree or on the ground?

Sounds like you broke the legs . . hit forward maybe?

Great looking buck . . .sure hope you find him. Know anyone with a dog?

Boo · Post by **Boo** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 8:34 pm

Sounds like a lung shot. A double lung shot deer won't go far but a single lung shot may survive or go a long way.

Migabby · Post by **Migabby** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 8:39 pm

I agree that you might have got a leg hit and a throat, neck combo.( foam in the Blood) It's hard to leave them being hit like that, but hopefully you'll walk up on him in the Morning!

Migabby

barrierreef1972 · Post by **barrierreef1972** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 8:40 pm

I was on the ground. 20 yards aiming just behind the shoulder, using 20 inch firebolt with bolt cutters, 336 fps. I was using the excalibur set up more or less. Both deer were there but chose the aged one.
I hope I find him too because he is the only buck I have seen this year that is old enough to take. Letting the rest grow.

DesertRat · Post by **DesertRat** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 8:40 pm

I have seen many people try and guess what kind of shot was made based on the animals reaction. Some claim mule kicks are heart shots etc... Not sure that deer know there is a script. I once had a deers front legs collapse and never did get that deer. Judging by the blood in the beds, I hit it back a bit, probably liver. Not sure whythat caused the front end to buckle but that was how that deer reacted.

I know this is not much help for you but in all honesty, no one here is going to be able to do anything more than guess at what type of hit you got. Even if they were right, it will not change how you have to approach this situation.

Firstly, You did the right thing. You waited before you tried to track it. Once you went 300 yards and it wasn't there, backing off was again the right move. If you had a good hit, he should be dead now and will still be dead in the morning. If your shot was liver, stomach or the likes, the overnight wait should give him time to die or at least stiffen up in a bed and allow you to dart him again.

Either way, at this point, no one will be able to predict what morning will bring you so all you have to do is go through the long agonizing night that follows such a hit. I have been there and it sucks! I have found that anytime I pushed a bad shot animal, I greatly decreased my chances of finding him. When I finally learned to back off and go back later, I had 100% success.

Trust your knowledge and do the right thing. Wait till first light and get in there and find your deer. I am betting that he will be down within 150 yards of where you stopped tracking him.

Good luck!

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 9:07 pm

Firstly, You did the right thing. You waited before you tried to track it. Once you went 300 yards and it wasn't there, backing off was again the right move. If you had a good hit, he should be dead now and will still be dead in the morning. If your shot was liver, stomach or the likes, the overnight wait should give him time to die or at least stiffen up in a bed and allow you to dart him again.

Either way, at this point, no one will be able to predict what morning will bring you so all you have to do is go through the long agonizing night that follows such a hit. I have been there and it sucks! I have found that anytime I pushed a bad shot animal, I greatly decreased my chances of finding him. When I finally learned to back off and go back later, I had 100% success.

Good advice there!
Last time that happened to me I found it the next morning about 50 yards from where I quit the night before.
I hope you are as lucky in the morning!

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 9:15 pm

did you find the arrow?

I'd guess it was to far forward in the front shoulder area. More than likely low on the front shoulders. If his front legs went down, then you hit the front shoulders. If you hit liver and stomach then the deer would have just hunched up and ran slowly or trotted off with its tail up in a sick looking fashion.

But my money is on a low front shoulder shot.. ive done that a few times. Lost a deer once because the blood ran out. It was bright red blood and very good for the first 200 yards. Then it faded to nothing.

You did right, just let it be and go back in the morning. But just in case, trail slowly and look ahead. If you did hit to far front or even to far back the deer could still be alive. You would be surprised how long they can live even with buckets of blood on the ground.

did you happen to hear a very LOUD whack? Louder the whack upon hit the more the chance of bone contact

barrierreef1972 · Post by **barrierreef1972** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 9:18 pm

Didn't find the arrow and it sounded like thumping a ripe watermelon.

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 9:22 pm

as everyone said, its impossible to guess the shot... you did about all you could do. Hopefully he's bedded up tomorrow close by:)

barrierreef1972 · Post by **barrierreef1972** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 9:24 pm

You know how it is Farmer, always second guess yourself afterwards. I let you know how it turns out tomorrow.

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 9:34 pm

dont worry.. ive been there and done that more than enough. The sleepless night suks! If you cant find him, you cant find him. But its better looking for him when its daylight. I lost a buck 2 years ago and ended up finding him after season 40 yards from where I had stopped. Atleast I got his antlers but I hated losing the deer.

You find some and lose some:) best of luck and keep us posted

wildman · Post by **wildman** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 9:48 pm

Be there at first light in the morning and listen and watch for crows ,if the blood trail is thin or he stops bleeding out the crows will find him quick if he's dead and I'm betting he is ...

michiganman · Post by **michiganman** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:20 pm

hopefully you can have about 3-4 of you to look past were last blood was.sometimes the shock of the hit,up the spine does that too.you did best thing by stopping and marking the spot.we tracked a buck at night last year due to rain,and knew we were pushing him.we marked the spot and found him 75 yards next day from the marks.if we dont have a double lung,heart shot,we never go in at least 3-4 hours minimum.good luck,and hope you recover that buck

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 11:44 pm

crazyfarmer wrote:But my money is on a low front shoulder shot.. ive done that a few times. Lost a deer once because the blood ran out. It was bright red blood and very good for the first 200 yards. Then it faded to nothing.

X2 . . . Good luck tomorrow and let us know how it turns out.

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