last night about dark i was headin bac to the truck when my dad called me on the radio and said that he had shot and hit a doe. So i went over there and he showed me the arrow,,which was coverd in blood,,then we started track her. she did bleed much to start,,then after about 30yrds she really started to bleed and then we ran in to her and she was bedded down. unfortunetly we ended up pushing her,,so we started trackin again this time only following spots and specks. we track for another hour,then my dad basically gave up,,and said he was goin home,,unfortunetly i did want to leave yet and kept lookin,,then he was half way to the truck i decided id better go cause i am pretty sure he would have left me there. and since my dad had to work today we werent able to look for here this morning,,and i feel terriable about leavin her out there,,but there is nothin i can do now

I feel your pain and know how you feel. I imagine pop is sick also, but it happens to the best of us. thats a part of bowhunting! Ive lost one since ive been bowhunting and I was sick for days, but She might have lived and if she died other wildlife benefited from it, thats how I look at it. Dont beat yourself up over it, You need to get pop back out there and try again. Wish ya luck

YEP THAT CAN HEPPEN TO THE BEST BOWHUNTER, I EXPERIENCE SOMETHING LIKE THAT LAST YEARS SEASON, GOOD LUCK!

I'm not being a smart arse but if dad don't have time to track than dad shouldn't hunt. Just my opinion. The deer was bedded down and going to die when you jumped her. Right then you should have backed off and gave her time to die. Just learn something from your expierence, it will all add up to making you a better hunter. Good luck

he does have the time,,,he just did last night cause he had to work this morning,,i wouldnt have shoot it either being i knew he had to work and it was almost dark when he shot it,,but i think we should looked longer but hte farther we got the lest blood we found,,and he decided to give up and that was only at 8:30,,that is what sux about bein a farmer u have to work on the weekend,,,hopefully we can get out this evening,,but i think he was goin to hunt up by the farm,,,or hopefully tomarrow,,and since i don have schoolmonday we get one sunday evening i tell my mom to take me up there if we dont find it hopefully it wont happen though,,
i just feel terrible to know that she is dead and we did find her and how close we could have been to her,,,but i dont think she laid back done on our property,,course id have to agree wit smoky,,she wont go to waste

I can tell you from experience that those sparse drops of blood are likely from the doe running away. Lesson learned - next time back off and let her lay down.

Well .I hope you learned not to push a deer like that.Quess some of us are more stubborn.But If itwas me I would of waited and went back a little later.And if it took till morning work would of had to wait or when I found it went to work tired.We all must totally follow thru. Lesson learned

So many opinions, so many different thoughts, I'll throw my nickel in and be done. When my father started taking me hunting, he had a few simple rules to follow:
1. If you shoot it, you eat it. If you don't intend to eat it, DON'T SHOOT.
2. If you wound it, you stay and finish the job no matter how long it takes.
3. The only exception to rule 1 is if it shoots at you first or if a wild animal attacks you (i.e. rabid coon).
4. If you are tracking a wounded animal and have to cross onto another property, even though you have the right to track unarmed (Iowa law), still notify the landowner prior.

That's it......Now you have to decide what is right and wrong for yourself.

AF hunter,,,,,
i have to agree with u,,just to get my dad to would be the thing,,,this is when i wish i had my licesece cause i would have been lookin for it this morning,,,,,few more months though

I am not sure if I agree with AF Hunter on his lesson#2 stay until the job is done no matter what, My question to that is what is the definition of done, does that mean until you find her ,because you may not, I have looked literally for days and come up with squat.