Deer Down, Deer Down...
 

Hey I'm new to bowhunting and had a question about it. After the shot and a good hit, how long do you guys usually wait before going to look for the deer? I know that you don't want to go to soon and jump the deer up so ittakes off running again, but on average how long before you go to get it? Thanks in advance!

RE: Deer Down, Deer Down...
 

Unless I can see the deer drop I usually wait at least 30-45min.

RE: Deer Down, Deer Down...
 

30 minutes...unless it's raining- then depending on how hard it's raining....




B.

RE: Deer Down, Deer Down...
 

30 minutes to an hour...good luck finding your deer!

RE: Deer Down, Deer Down...
 

I am very new into bow hunting and actually got my first deer last night. http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1164980 has all the information you need. Did you hit a deer? or just wondering for when you do[8D]? GL!!


Sparrowhawk

RE: Deer Down, Deer Down...
 

Depends on the shot and where I saw or think I hit the animal, the weather, rain etc ... but normally I wait the same, 30 to 60 minutes. If I dont find a good blood trail immediately and its getting dark I'll pull out and go back the next morning to pick up the trail. If I dont find a good blood trail and I shot it in the AM then I'll wait an extra hour or 2 and continue the search.

RE: Deer Down, Deer Down...
 

No deer yet, passed up a few does, but waiting for that buck to show his face yet...hopefully soon andjust didnt know how long to give it before going after one if I get one...

RE: Deer Down, Deer Down...
 

Awesome.. Im hoping to get my first buck also.. It all depends on where you shoot it.

I hit my doe last night broadside about 18 yards it was a perfect shot, arrow blew right through her and was covered in blood. I had some buddies come out cause we could not find one drop of blood!! I say i pry wanted 45 minutes before i started looking.

I was about to give up with no sign of blood and come back early morning. On my way out i thought well ill just walk and guess in the direction where i think she went. Sure enough 40 yards away from my stand and not one drop of blood untill where she laid down. The angle i was on caused her to bleed internally.

RE: Deer Down, Deer Down...
 

With a good double lung shot 30 minutes will do it. If your not sure of the shot do yourself a favor and wait a couple of hours.

RE: Deer Down, Deer Down...
 

1 hour if I dont here a crash or see it drop.Depending on rain or other hunters sooner .People will steal your deer around here

RE: Deer Down, Deer Down...
 

Are you freakin kiding me. OMG that is messed up, that is unheard of where i hunt. Some guys actually saw my 152" 8 pointer fall over dead, and started yelling hey is there a hunter up there, your deer is down here. geeze what is this world coming too. I bet they go home and tell there family that they shot the deer, to make them look like the bigbad hunter that they are not[:'(]

RE: Deer Down, Deer Down...
 

That sucks. How could you take pride in that. You could argue some people take no pride in hunting, they're just after the meat. But I'm talking about the pride of of not stealing from someone.

In any case, took my first deer ever yesterday. I thought I had a pretty good shot on a doe in the vital area but couldn't see exactly where she landed after she ran off. I knew it was close but thanks to this board I waitied an hour before heading over. As I got near, she struggled to get up and fell down so I hit the ground and waitied another hour. That did it.

RE: Deer Down, Deer Down...
 

Usually 30min to an hour for me. It really depends on shot placement. If i feel I made a good shot I will take up the trail in that time frame. If the shot is questionable, I will wait till I feel I wont be pushing the deer.

RE: Deer Down, Deer Down...
 

You definately don't want to jump your deer right after shooting it ,if you do ,you have a greater chance of not ever finding it,or making the job of getting it out alot tougher on yourself when you do find it.These animal's can really travel if it's jumped and wounded,I've seen it happen too often.
A buddy of mine made this same mistake 3 year's ago on a bull moose,it would of dropped close to the road if he hadn't started yelling ,when he yelled about his hit the bull got up and traveled500yrds through some of thethickest bush and across a 40ft wide river ,luckily it got stuck in the mud and finally dies of asingle lung shot ,but if it had not been stuck in the mud who know's just how far this brute could have gone ,I'm guessing wemight not have ever found him.The bull was beside a road after the initial shot laying down ,but after my bud started screaming that he hit him he ran like hell ,believe me when I say this became an all day job of getting him out apposed to an 1hr or 2 ,if he had just kept quiet and let him die .The first thing an animal will do is look for a place to lay down after being shot .
I agree if your sure it's a good shot 30 minute's should be enough ,butI'd sooner give the animal an1hr if I haven't heard or seen him go down.

nubo