hvyhitter19

Well it was an awesome morning the woods today nice and Cold... I bought a Redi Doe decoy this year, but have not taken it out until this morning... Decided to go for it... So I got her setup looking and smelling all sexy and got into my stand... About 7:00 I hear steady walking towards the stand... It's a nice Shooter Buck, Tall Tines Mainframe 8 from what I could see... After I decided it was a shooter I never looked at the rack again... He spots my decoy and here he comes, circles downwind to about 15 yards of me and the Decoy... He's looking hard be kinda knows something isn't quite right... But it was too late... I got drawn and took a nice broadside shot after he stepped out...

This is where it could get bad... I am 95% sure that hit him back pretty far... At least that is what I think I saw... So he Jumps and starts walking off... Just walking... I hit the Can Call, and he stops and looks back... And then continues walking... I watched him walk out of sight, last time I saw him he was about 100 yards away and just walking... So I stayed up there for about 2 hours, I got down grabbed my arrow and crept out of there... The Arrow looks PERFECT... Blood from one end to the other, no foriegn matter, or bad smells... Just dark blood from one end to the other...

So I am not sure if I hit him back or not... From what I think I saw... I hit way back... But from the looks of the arrow, it looks good... I guess I just rushed the shot a little... This is the first bad shot I have put on a good buck... So I am going to give him 8 or 9 hours, and go see what I can find... It's plenty cold today so shouldn't be a problem... What do you guys think...?? is 8 hours enough time..?? I want to look in the daylight, so that's all I can give him unless I wait till tomorrow... Anyway give me some feed back... I really hope I find him, just scares me...

Thanks...

highcountrysp

With the dark blood and no foul smell Im gonna say a liver shot. I would give him at least 3-4 hours. I wouldnt wait to long and then have to wait because it got to dark. Did you see a blood trail at all when you found your arrow.

BobCo19-65

I agree, with a blood soaked arrow, dark blood, and the way the deer left, it was proably liver. Yes, eight hours should be enough. But be sure to bring your bow. I have seen them still alive in a bed seven hours later. If you run out of blood, he is proably bedded down real close. Good luck!

Personally, I'd wait five hours and go after him.

G2 Shooter

Dark blood from broadhead to nock? No bubbles? I agree with the liver shot. If the blood trail is only droplets then it was probably a liver shot. Wait the 3-4 hours and go look for him.

I had a doe go down within a minute from a liver shot but don't rush it.

icedern

I agree, probably liver shot. He is bedded down right now and probably dead.

hvyhitter19

Well when I got down I just got my stuff went and grabbed the arrow and got out of there... I didn't see any serious blood on the ground where I shot him... So I am unsure about a Blood Trail... But I did see him walking down an old loggin road about 100 yards away so I am fairly certain I know where he was at least heading...

Well that makes me feel a little better about finding him... I have to work till probably 3:00, and then I have a few guys that are going with me to look so we should be able to get on him before dark if he's down... And if not we have some good tracking lights... So I guess we'll find out... I can't wait to get my hands on him, I think he has ALOT of character i.e. kickers, stickers, ect...

BobCo19-65

That's typical of a liver hit. It may take up to 30 yards until the faucet is turned on.

Just don't get too frustrated if he bedded down and gets up. Picking up the blood trail may get tough, but he should start bleeding again. IMO if you didn't push him, he should be within about 300 yards.

TWIRPY

Good luck in finding him. I think you did the right thing in backing out. Send some pictures of him.

G2 Shooter

After that discription, you have to post pics when you find him.

tschammel

Hey,

Don't wait just 4-5 hours!!!! I lost the biggest deer of my lifetime last year becasue I didn't wait on this exact same situation. I shot him at like 6pm and waited to go and get him at like 12pm. He was liver hit and he went and bedded about 100yards from where I shot him. We kicked him out of his bed and he never bled a drop after that and we never found him. I still loose sleep to this day over that deer. I know its hard but what do you have to loose expecially if its cold enough out. Wait 10 hours just to be safe thats 5pm, again why not be on the safe side. Liver shot deer can live a long time expecially if they bed down right away and arent that spooked, and it sounds like that is your case. Good luck and let us know!