Last night my buddy shot a 8 pointer. He shot it at 6 yards with a slight quarting away. We waited 3 hrs before tracking just to be sure even though he felt great about the shot. We found bright red blood right away and followed it steadily for about 200 yrd into a marsh with shin deep water we then lost the blood and had nothing to go on. It poured hard last night and wiped out any chance of a little blood that we might of missed. We searched for 6 hrs today to no avail. We checked the wood lines he could of gone to to bed and we checked his sancuary that he spends his time in and searched the marsh hard between last blood and his sancuary. We did not find any more sign. Just wondering what people think I think the shot was a little forward and just missed the lungs but my buddy says he hit behind the shoulder and the angle the deer was at should of made it perfect. So dont know if the deer will live or we we find it. We will be hunting tomm. and the next week and if it is dead hopefully the crows will lead us to it but I think its still walking around. let me know what you think
thanks
jOE

if you all found bright red blood, seems like a good shot, hes probably around there some where, i wouldnt give up on him, keep searching

good luck

I have NEVER in my life heard of a true confirmed double lunged ANYTHING going 200 yards. His shot was not what he thinks.
Heart shot animals can run a bit further than a double lung but even then 200 yards is farther than anything I've heard as well.
They just don't get that far before stopping and succumbing to such injuries and loss of blood or air.

He quite possibly hit a bit low and back of the heart area catching the nearside lung only. Thats an animal that will bleed well with lung blood but can cover some serious ground.

All I can say is that you need more manpower to search that marsh and surrounding areas. Hard hit animals can be prone to sudden changes in direction and many times just aren't where you expect them to be.
IMO you need to skip the hunting tomorrow and do more searching.

That's a bad deal hoser, but every hit can't be perfect. In my neck of the woods, no pun intended, we have alot of turkey buzzards that will always circle over a dead animal and give away its location after enough time.

I was thinking the same think!! If the deer is 6 yds away he should be able to see where the arrow hit. Might want to try those glow nocks!!!

hoser, do they allow blood tracking dogs in WI, if so, why haven't you utilized one of them. They can be found on sites like http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1665984 There are two known trackers in your state according to the site.

was he shooting out of a stand or off the ground? IMO, shots 10yards or less out of a stand are terrible shots to take, greatly increasing odds of hittng animal and missing vitals. Sorry to hear that the buck hasn't been found, I'd just keep on looking

I agee with Matt on this matter .I'd take tomorrow off as well a sdo a grid search ,don't be surprised if he's closer than you think ,wounded deer have a funny way of doubling back .

nubo

Ditto! I'd keep looking as well! Good luck and don't give up!

The deer was shot from a tree stand about 15 ft up in the tree. Last that i knew deer dogs were not allowed in wisconsin and a dog would have a hard time in that marsh it would be up to its belly the whole time in mud and water.