Went out today about 2:30 and was in the stand for about 15 minutes. In walks the buck, stops broad side for a perfect shot, heads down and I pull the release and as I do he takes a step forward arrow goes right in the gut. I wasn't sure it went that far back till I started trailing it and was finding bloody corn in the blood trail. I looked and looked and still haven't found him or the arrow. How far and long could he go like that or even survive? Do I have a dead deer?
Guaranteed dead, wouldn't go far if you had backed out and allowed him to expire, now that you've pushed him your chance of finding him are grim. I'd wait until morning, look into a tracking dog, and hope he bedded sooner than later. Good luck.
I backed out for 3 hrs, went back and tracked for about 100 yards and when I seen the corn that was bloody and looked like it had been sitting in his stomach I decided to call it quits for the night thinking I'd do more harm then good if he was still alive but my nerves are going crazy now thinking about everything over and over just wondering what you guys thought. I hoping I find him in the morning.
If you're seeing food mixed with the blood he's probably in real rough shape. Did you find any beds in the 100 yards you've tracked so far? I had a neighbor gut shoot a buck two years ago, he pushed him over a mile ending the tracking in our property. Came back and searched never finding it, that spring I found it about 100 yards passed where they backed out. They don't want to move, and will bed if allowed to. The trail just gets extremely difficult to follow. Its not going to be easy but he's out there, hope you put in the work to finish the job. Good luck.
The second you suspect a gut shot, back out for at least 8 hrs. Your best bet is to try and pick up the trail this AM. If it peters out, start a grid search.
Found him this morning right when I got there, ended up hitting a lung he must have been quartered more than I thought. I've been trying to get pics loaded but it's not working on my phone right now. Must have passed him 3 times looking lastnight found him in the middle of the creek.
Awesome buck... I am so glad you backed out. When you said corn AND blood, I was thinking you got more than just stomach. Congratulations.
One of us is doing something severely wrong....deer are dryland...ducks are water based hunting. Then again, hard to argue with that pic. Congrats, great deer!
Anyone care to help me score it, I've never scored before and would like to get it right. I've read the how to threads in here but could still use some help
