I know this has been beat to death, but you did the right thing. I wouldn't worry to much. If he hasn't been pushed go get your buck in the morning, and good luck!!! Keep us posted.

Again, you did the correct thing. Also the comment about a deer heading to water is extremely true. Another thing is that a very large portion of the time a deer will make a "J" or fish hooked patter from where it was shot. I think that doing the right thing will pay off for you tomorrow. Good luck.

To bad on your shot....but it happens......the good thing is you got out of there carefully. Wait til tomarrow and bring back some help. Your going to need some help....Methodically follow the blood trail.....don't guess where it may have gone. I'd guess 250 to 500 yards but the key is when it layed down the first time....heck, it may be at 150! You will find it! By late morning it will be dead and or laying down and not able to get up. Get some help and you will find it...go get'em!

Good Luck

I know what u mean man, ive did that once, and you made the right choice wait til tomarr, to start to find him, i would say he will die just will take him a while, if there is any creeks or any kinda water around your hunting area i would check there forsure, most of the time a deer will go to water if they have been gut shot, or back to there bedding area, well wish ya luck on finding him

wait at least 12hours not pushing him at all was the very best thing to do. i have actually never hit a deer behind the ribs but my brother is always back on the deer and have been on many tracks with him. if he hunched up after running only a little this is very typical of a liver shot but still could be all stomach. ive foudn deer still alive but unable to get up after straight liver shots 12-15hours later i couldnt believe it. so if its a cool night wait as long as possible. if its a stomach shot the deer can live ive seen deer that were gut shot weeks later alive and well but one had a lump were the arrow hit. just do your best to find it and if no blood get some friends and do a big search and dont be afraid of searching 360 degrees. we found a few of my brother totally oposite of there first path. good luck

Kepp your nose to the ground and keep trailing him!
You will get him, just DONT give up

he'll die but i wouldnt look forward to field dressing him

Yes, give him some time. Be prepared for a long search and if its a short one you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Several years back I shot a big buck to far back during the rut while he was chasing a doe. He split from the doe and traveled 3/4 of a mile and died next to a stream. I shot him at 230pm and we didn't take up the track until the next morning. From what we seen in the trail he didn't bed down once, but the last 100 yards we had no trail but we found him because he was headed towards the stream. Funny thing he had just come from a bigger stream, about 100 yards away when I shot him.

Good Luck, you'll find him.

Dan

couldnt agree more with everyone you did the right thing ,gut shot deer wont go to far ,good luck on the search

I think Bradkoz gave some good advise.

From the info you gave, I wouldn't say stomach hit, but intestine hit. If this is true, it one of the toughest recoveries. Wait it out a long time John Trout (IMO he is THE expert) I believe recommends 24 hours.