RE: Up and Down day...and the world's smallest 11 pointer...Long!
1.5 yo buck aged by teeth (me and DEC region 8 bio).It wasweighed, and it was 155-7 lbs the next morning.
We lost the doe.I backed out because she got up and was moving without falling. Yeah, she was moving slow, but she was consistently moving without any interruption. At the spot of the trail, we had great blood, indicating she was fatally wounded. She was 50 yards due E in the woodlot when she bumped. Backing out, and giving her the chance to bed for good was the best option instead of running through the woods, branches, etc.attempting to catch up to her and managing a clear shot. I'm in the process of teaching a younger hunter how to do things right, and making a call like that would have only confused him as to the "normal' way you give a deer time to expire before heading after it. With 6 people wecircle searched the woodlot, which is sub-20 acres. She was well into the hedgerow before losing the trail, somewhat away from the woodlot, and she had been walking straight for quite some distance without any circling back indications.