I' ll agree with Rack on this one........ Finding the dead deer later only makes it worse in my opinion..........I' d rather hope the deer survived the shot.


On the second buck I ever shot with a bow (15 years ago) I had a single lung, 10 yd shot - jumped the deer bedded in Goldenrod 2 hours later - and never saw it again - till 2 weeks later.............. when I found it dead 1/4 mile away. I took 2 days off work and SCOURED about 400 acres but never found it. When dogs pulled it into a field 2 weeks later........I did find it with a tip from a neighbor......... I saved the antlers - but refuse to keep them with the other racks of deer I took.

In fact the antlers hang in obscurity at the cabin, and everytime I look at them - I' m reminded to LET THE DEER LAY!!!!!!! - at least 6 hours when not sure of the hit. When new hunters come to hunt out of the camp - I point out the decent rack and tell the story........hopefully it has helped others not lose a deer in a similar way.