LOST DEER....

[Jethro]

Guy's i need your advise and expertise on maybe some of your past experiences. Last night i shot a doe. She was 20 yards and quartering toward me. The arrow entered just above and behine the shoulder blade and exited low and behind her rib cage. I watched her as far as i could and waited ten minutes before i started trailing her because of the wet weather. I followed a good blood trail for about 60 yards into a thicket patch were i found a 12" spot of lung blood were she had evidently stopped, after that there was nothing. I can't find anymore tracks ar blood. I looked around that area until about 8:30 and still nothing. My Arrow smelled like it exited through her intestines. I'm sure she has expired by now. But my question is what do deer normally do in this situation? Do they head for thick cover? Do they back track? This is the first this is happened to me. Any suggestions or advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[muddy]

I've had them go downhill or towards water or both. She'll probably take the easiest route to make the pain a little less. It's too bad you had to get on her right away otherwise you'd have found her right where you found that puddle of blood. Good luck finding her and keep yer chin up, it can happen to anyone.

 

[Limb Chicken]

10PTBKM,
Sounds like the hit was good. It is a tough call when it is raining... I may have waited a little longer. Unless I see the animal expire I wait a minimum of 1/2 hour (again rain factors in).

The only thing I can tell you is that a deer that is hit back will usually end up in water somewhere. They get dehidrated and head to a pond, stream or some body of water. I would check out any known watering holes if you have exhausted all other options.

All you can do is your best. Give it your best shot to find her. Call a couple of friends and let them help. I know from personal experience when you think you have lost a deer it helps to have someone with a fresh outlook. You will find her. Good Luck.

 

[RIFLEMANZ]

All the stomach shot deer i shot did not travel very far.They usually stop and bed unless pushed.I would try to find the direction she headed and then fan out the search.Good luck! I bet she's within 200yds.

 

[bowhuntinfool]

i had the same problem on oct. 12th i shot a 5 pointer that friday night and decided to track it on sat. and not push him couse the shot wasetn't that good of shot but we found the blood and lost it then we walked along the corn and found blood and their he was 2nd row in the corn!!!! DONT PUSH HER and get a group of guys and push it like u would shotgun hunting and i'm sure you'll find her within 150 - 200 yards GOOD LUCK never give up !!!!

 

[wisco kid]

At the spot you had last blood, look in the nearest thickest cover. Even better if that is slightly downhill. They can bury themselves pretty good.

If you can't find her this fall, go out in the spring, near a time when the snow is almost melted off. The scavengers will have spread the hair and bones all over and you'll be able to find where she went and possibly see enough to piece together exactly where you hit her. A few years ago, hunters in my party lost two deer, both does. One was lung shot and the other was gut shot. Neither went more than 150 yards, yet both deer were lost. One was due to rain washing out the blood trail (in very warm weather) and the other was just in thick swamp with a lot of deer trails). We were within yards of both deer but they were buried so good we just didn't see them. In any case, by searching in the spring and finding those deer, it gave me some clues about wounded deer behavior and its helped us find other deer since.

 

[Jethro]

Guy's thanks for all your input and advise. The last place i seen the blood was entering a thicket. It was thick enough i couldn't walk through it, i was on my hands and knees crawling. And back to what limb chicken said about the water, the puddle of blood was only about 15 yards from the creek bank. I am getting off work early today to go look for her. I will start were i let off and search the thicket patch next to the creek bank and so on untill i find her. Thanks again for boosting my confidence. Like you guy's all said NEVER GIVE UP. I owe her that much!