Got an opportunity to take my nephew out to get a couple days worth of hunting in, and he really made the best of it. This year for the first time, I let him place the stand where he wanted to, and he hunted more or less solo.... The first sit on that stand, he arrowed a doe, which for a starving college kid equal free meat... We got her taken care of, got back out for the afternoon hunt, and he said he kill the first buck that came by him, since he's never arrowed a buck, he's pretty excited about that opportunity, so around 5pm a smallish 6 comes strolling through, too quick for and opportunity the first time by, then a doe shows up, and brings the buck back to him, he shoots it, likely got near side shoulderblade, but still had a good 15-16" of arrow penetration, we sit tight until sun down, and then pick up the trail..... The buck headed towards the river and then travelled along the river until at some point he decided never to be seen again, and walked into the river to be swept downstream. Never to be seen again.... All in all a pretty good weekend, for this old veteran, and an Air Force ROTC cadet future officer and veteran on Veterans' Day Weekend. Only his second ever bowkill as he only gets to hunt occasionally, but also his first lost deer....
Go to the first sharp bend in the river and scour the opposite bank...if nothing go to the next one...I'd check the first three...if nothing than that deer didn't get swempt but crossed the river where you last had sign. Check opposite bank and you could get lucky.
Darn, he started off great until the river took the second one. No doubt if that current was strong enough with one bum shoulder. Did you walk the other bank at all to make sure he didn't squeak out somewhere?
Yup, If you're sure he went into the river check the first few big outside bends downstream. Especially if they have big lay downs or root wads to get caught up in. It's definitely worth a shot.
