Gut shot Help

Horncrazy

Horncrazy

Member
I hit a buck tonight but the shot was way low and back just in front of the back leg. But there is at least 8 inches of guts hanging out but very little blood. So I backed out immediately. So I was wondering how long I should wait and what I should look for. Any help would be appreciated.
Thank you
 
wait until tomorrow. if there is water close look there. they think they have a stomach ache and go to water to drink. my brother shot about like your saying and bedded down with in 100 yards. we went out 4 hours later and it wasn't long enough. he got up and ran again and we haven't found him yet. my brother said he thought the shot was better then it was.
 
If it were me I wouldn't go look for him until mid-morning tomorrow at the earliest. You'll find him if you don't jump him out of his bed. If you jump him you'll most likely lose him forever.

I'm guessing if you didnt spook him when you left that you will find him bedded up and dead not too far away.

Keep us updated, and I hope to see some harvest photos.
 
Dad arrowed a buck low and way back last year. We didn't start looking until almost 15 hours after the shot. There was very little blood, and the trail would have been nearly impossible without snow. The buck traveled 1000 yards even without pressure, and was still alive (although barely) when we found him 17 hours later. The first place he stopped was a pond 600 yards from the shot. There were half a dozen beds in a very small area, and he was able to watch his backtrail from most of them. From there he did a bee line for the river. He made it to the water and either walked or floated 100 yards downstream. After he left the river, he bedded down several times, but he circled and his final bed was in a nasty tangle of dead falls where he was watching the spot where he initially entered the river.

Lessons learned:
Gut shot deer can travel a long way, even when unpressured. I think that applies doubly for rutting bucks. They will go to water if they can make it, and they'll bed so they can keep an eye on there backtrail.

Hope you find him!
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sureshot1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If it were me I wouldn't go look for him until mid-morning tomorrow at the earliest. You'll find him if you don't jump him out of his bed. If you jump him you'll most likely lose him forever.

I'm guessing if you didnt spook him when you left that you will find him bedded up and dead not too far away.

Keep us updated, and I hope to see some harvest photos. </div></div>

yep,
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24 hours minimum for gut shot deer. I'f you don't jump him, you;ll find him.
 
A hunting partner made the exact same shot last year. I found him one week to the day later still alive but couldn't move. Shot him at close range to close the situation. It would be very hard to do but if you think he'd bed down, I'd be apt to wait up to 2 days to go after him and definitely not until tomorrow as late as possible.
 
I appreciate the replys. Last I saw him he was entering the timber heading towards the river which is about 200 yards into the heavy timber. Do you think it would be alright to go in and look for him tommarow afternoon. Which would be about 24 hours from the shot. Or would it be better to wait anothe day.
 
Wait till noon or a little after is what I'd do. If he has guts hanging out he's going to be hurting pretty bad. I shot a doe like that a few years back. Jumped her after 3 or 4 hours and lost her. Neighbors found her later that afternoon stone dead. Total elapsed time was about 10 hours till she died.
 
Gut shot a nice one Sunday morning at 7:30. Wacthed him bed down 60 yards from the tree. Left him till Monday morning. Went to where he was last bedded and nothing. With no blood,ended up walking to the nearest creek, 200 yards later we found him next to creek bank. I think leaving him that long was a good decision problem was the coyotes got into him pretty good and there was not much left of him. Thats the chance one takes I guess. One thing that I did figure out was the deer made a very straight line directly to the nearest water. I am sure if you did not push him you will find him. Its a matter of where.
 
From what you have said you are tracking a dead deer. It is just a matter of time. I would get out there tomorrow and take a couple of friends if you can round them up. The search will be tough because you will probably have no sign especially if it has been raining where your at. Start where you last seen the deer and search as hard as you can. Gut shot deer will sometimes go to water sources so don't count those out. In my opinion he is dead somewhere out there it is just a matter of finding him. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.Another thing how did the arrow get out enabling you to see the guts hanging out?
 
Well me and my nephew went out after the sit this morning and tried to to find him,we went from where we last saw him enter the timber and each took a draw that leads to the river.When we got to the river bottom we walked up and down as far as we could and found nothing.Needless to say I'am not very happy with my self and not finding him is not helping.I'am thinking he may have crossed the river were I don't have permision to go but I will see if the land owner will let me go look,only thing is I have to work Thur.and Fri.so it will be a bit before I can look again.Thanks for all the ideas and I will let you know if I come up with him.On a good note my dad shot a 130" 9pt. on Monday in which I was the camera man.To say the least that has been the highlite of my season,his second best buck ever.Thanks and good luck to those still holding tags alot of good days to come!
 
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