ORIGINAL: Splitear_Leland
I always fuigured blood loss caused them to dehydrate, making them thirsty. I have shot 4 deer that have died right next to a small pond after going for three or four hundred yards.
No way, the physiologic mechanism responsible for thirst does not kick in when there is blood loss due to trauma, at least not right away.
My theory based on 4 years of college biology classes is that most of their natural predators, i.e. wolves and coyotes can't swim as well as they can and even if they could they can't kill and swim at the same time.