K, gut shot a buck today at 12:30, he ran off about 40 yards and stood there till I shooed him on with an arrow, shooting a bow is so much easier when you aren't shaking like a leaf. But I did see that arrow go in a couple inches past the last rib, and I am betting that it was as close to a broadside shot as a person can get. I watched him run off another 40 or so yards, then over the next 30 minutes he made it maybe another 70 yards or so, I lost site of him, did he wander where I couldn't see him? or laydown in the brush he was walking through? (brush is about as high as a deers head) Marked where I saw him last, and headed home. Went back out at 4:30, from the opposite direction of where I saw him last, jumped him, he ran about 70 or so yards, and layed back down, as we were trying to back out he got up again, went abotu 20 yards layed back down, then we backed out and came home. So, I know about where he is right now, the arrow was a pass through, and it had the smeary pink blood tinge to it, with what looked like fecal matter on the white dipped end of the arrow. As he walked away, it didn't look like he was hunched over, but the brush didnt allow a really good look at him outside of seeing his horns moving away from me. Looking like another nite of mid 20's temperatures, (low of 27) Any advice on how to approach him? will be going out again around noon (24 hours after the shot) Was planning on coming in the way we did in the evening, trying not to disturb the whole property, It was a tough 15 yard shot, broadside (or as close as you can get to broadside) nothing in the way, total operator error (thinking the operator peeked, along with the deer wasn't entirely stopped, equipment was shooting fine yesterday evening) how many times can you say this sucks?
Leave him lay !!! Go out tomm. and approach from behind at the last spot you bumped him from. Do not worry about disturbing the entire property, focus on finding your buck. Since you know were he finally layed down stop well short of that area and glass closely with the bino's. Goodluck buddy !!! Dave
That sounds like a dead deer to me... provided you give him time to die. The only and BEST thing you can do at this point.
You did fine Wi..... he'll likely be within 60 yards of where you last saw him.. and dead. His own blood is slowly poisoning himself... and it sucks that it won't be a quick death... but he'll expire none the less. It does suck though... just try and get some rest. Try.
Sounds like he was hurting pretty bad. He'll be dead where you saw him lay down last, probably by midnight.
+1, if he keeps bedding down, LEAVE him alone, he's dying, no need in running him, unless you want to get a final shot in to end it more quickly.
just let him lay you dont want to push him out and make it harder than its going to be already..good luck
Sound advice from everyone! Best of luck to you tomorrow when you go out looking for him and I'll be anxiously awaiting an update post.
The only other thing I could think of, since you know where he is and can approach from two sides. Is to have someone on the other end ready to put a finisher on him just incase he is somehow still alive which sounds doubtful. For a bad hit it sounds like you have a fairly good outcome awaiting. Already know where he is and the temps are ideal for giving him all the time he needs. Good luck on your recovery tomorrow.
If he is bedding that fast after being bumped you have to think that he is hurting pretty bad. I think you have done a pretty good job of leaving him be and not pushing him too hard after he has been bumped up. If you can go first thing in the morning I would as there are always lots of predators anywhere where deer are and I personally am very concerned with letting any animal meat spoil that I shot seeing as the main reason I hunt is for the meat. Good luck, I hope you get some good luck tomorrow. When going back after him don't forget your bow and make sure you are very quiet and ready to put another shot in him if necessary.
Thanks for reaffirming what I thought. If it was up to me, I would not even have gone out when we did. We will be approaching it the way we did this evening (he was probably 50-60 yards from the property line, great relations with them, but better to push it back onto our little slice of heaven) Still trying to figure out what happened with the shot, if I would have pulled some @*^&$ like this in the backyard, i would be pulling the arrow out of the shed with a pair of pliers......shoot right handed, deer was going from left to right, with the head on the right, I lift my head (peek?) would that push the shot to the left?
Would love to head out early, the land owner requested that we hold off a bit, along with my 'help' is not available till about noon. There was some talk about me setting up on the opposite and having those two do a slow drive in towards me, but I am leaning towards a quiet stalk with the guy that saw exactly where he bedded up last directing me in with a earphone and a radio. At noon today it was still only 40 degrees out, so the meat should be good as long as the coyotes don't find him, if they do, it will get really interesting trying to find him....
I am pretty sure I know what you did on the shot as I did the same thing last year. 15yards, perfectly broadside and I stopped the deer. He was walking from my left to my right and I am a right handed shot. When I hit the deer I hit just inside the diaphragm but was back of any vitals (about 8 -10" left of where I was aimed). Even on a bad shot when I'm practicing I might miss by 3-4" max left or right on a bad flinch or rough release. What I did with my shot is that I was watching the deer from my left for a while and watched them come across in front of me. What I didn't do was adjust my feet, I just twisted my body. At 15 yards I didn't even think about those little things as I figured it was just a easy shot. When I was releasing I think my body un-twisted a little and pushed my shot left. I was confused for a little while at how I could hit that far back at 15 yards.
I have taken oddball shots, but this one, it felt like such a slam dunk (well as close as one as you could get) had time to orientate properly, not 100% ideal, but not a torquing type shot, I think he may have been walking a bit faster than what I judged, but there still had to be some major error on my end to hit that far back.....
I did it last year, peaked as I shot, and pulled on back, almost exactly as you did it except she was a little quartered away, I got guts, liver and one lung... Shot at about 5pm, at 11pm, she was still alive, at 0730, she was dead in the bed I last saw her in. Sucks, makes ya feel like an arse, but sometimes it happens that way. If that area is heavy in predators coyote/bear, I might be out there in a couple hours getting him and gettin' him cleaned out and home before "they" get him.... Meat was still good on my doe, and it was a cool night as well temps in the high 20's!!! I'll await the pictures...
Wait until good light in the morning. You and one buddy would be best. Carefully stalk up to him, bow in hand and ready. Hopefully he'll be dead but it helps to be prepared. Good luck.
Yeah, from the sounds of how he acted, hes a gonner by daylight. I'd do like Greg said and wait till good good light.. approach from behind and find him dead I hope the best for ya. Good luck man!
I am tenatively holding a glimmer of hope that we find this guy first thing tomorrow, only thing that is kinda bumming me out (well couple things outside of the obvious) is the landowners nephew is up for the week to hunt, and I really don't want to blow his week by tromping around the property gridding it out looking for a dead buck (I got 9 more days of vacation not counting the weekends) and I think that buck will be out there dead somewhere if not where I think he is right now......
