Official Live From the Stand Thread 2023

Since you've probably killed way more deer than I have, let me ask this question Dave: Since there is no gut grit, what could I have hit that would make splashes of brown liquid that has the consistency of blood? I always thought gut was green, not brown.

 

I really don't think that's the case unless my eyesight has totally failed me. I didn't hit anywhere near the hindquarter. Like I said before, I've made my fair share of gut shots and I have never seen this much leakage at the impact point on a gut shot. Also, while I can't explain the color, the liquid is the consistency of blood. It's not watery and doesn't stink like gut. It smells like blood.

I'll find out for sure in the morning.

 

Unfortunately I'll be alone and I can't take Elly May and my bow at the same time. If we jump her we'll just have to either go back or call her a loss depending on what I see.

 

Well, you're right. A liver shot IS a gut shot, but it's much better than pure gut. I really think I hit liver. Like I said, I'll find out in the morning.

As far a leaving scent goes, Elly May can track a deer by scent even when it isn't wounded. That's why she has to stay on a leash.

 

Elly May stays on a short leash.

Honestly, given the amount of liquid the consistency of blood at the impact point I believe that Elly May will go straight to a dead deer in the morning. I can't explain why it's brown except it has been suggested that its bile mixed with blood. That might explain the blood consistency (not watery) of the liquid and the absence of gut material in that liquid. I'm telling you it feels and smells like blood. I'm totally at a loss. I've never seen or heard of anything like it.

 

I’ve been sitting in the same tree since 45 minutes before first light. I probably won’t see anything. I really wanted to be here to watch for vultures and listen for coyotes. If a buck walks by I can’t shoot. I have a buck tag but it was dim last night and there is a very small chance that deer might not have been the same doe I had been watching. If it was a different deer there is always a chance it was a small spike. I realized this while I was trying in vain to go to sleep last night.

I tossed and turned quite a bit last night for obvious reasons but also because I was baffled by what I saw at the impact point.

I also realized last night that I hadn’t adjusted my sight back to 20 yards after in shot and made a mental note to do so as soon as I got up the tree. When I grabbed the bow to turn it from 30 back to 20 I saw that it wasn’t on 30. It was on 25. I sure screwed up there if that’s where it was set when I shot. That makes my hopes dwindle quite a bit.

My wife’s doctor appointment got cancelled so when we head out to track she will be able to hold Elly May and I’ll be able to carry my bow.

We will start tracking around 8:30.

 

It’s finally light enough that I can range the arrow I left sticking straight up out of the ground. It’s at 27.5 yards so either I’m misremembering yesterday evenings events or I got very lucky because she would have been standing at 25 yards.

 

I’m really bad about second-guessing my instincts. Now I’m wondering if it wouldn’t be wise to try tracking without Elly May at first so if she’s still alive I might have a better chance at a finishing shot.

Elly is a silent tracker though. She doesn’t bark or bawl on the trail so she won’t make any more noise than us I guess.