Gutshot deer, whats your opinion? UPDATED!!
09-24-2006, 07:38 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,840
Gutshot deer, whats your opinion? UPDATED!!
Hi all,
Well tonight I connected with one of the deer I have been chasing. A good 5x5. And for a reason I don't know I hit back from where I wanted. The deer bounded off 50 yards and was slowing down when he went out of sight.
I waited 30 minutes before getting down and retrieving my arrow quietly. No surprise the green slime on the shaft with zero blood. I stuck the arrow in the ground and backed out of there quiet. I did not push him at all and he never knew I was there.
I am embarrassed to a degree, but realize it happens if you hunt long enough. I have been fortunate to take a few good bucks and this is the first bad hit for me. So what I want is your opinion, will this buck certainly die? And if not pushed whats the average distance traveled when gut shot? If hes dead, I WILL FIND HIM. Any help or advice would be great. I am thinking of going tomorrow afternoon to look for him. I shot him at 6:40pm this evening.
Well tonight I connected with one of the deer I have been chasing. A good 5x5. And for a reason I don't know I hit back from where I wanted. The deer bounded off 50 yards and was slowing down when he went out of sight.
I waited 30 minutes before getting down and retrieving my arrow quietly. No surprise the green slime on the shaft with zero blood. I stuck the arrow in the ground and backed out of there quiet. I did not push him at all and he never knew I was there.
I am embarrassed to a degree, but realize it happens if you hunt long enough. I have been fortunate to take a few good bucks and this is the first bad hit for me. So what I want is your opinion, will this buck certainly die? And if not pushed whats the average distance traveled when gut shot? If hes dead, I WILL FIND HIM. Any help or advice would be great. I am thinking of going tomorrow afternoon to look for him. I shot him at 6:40pm this evening.
09-24-2006, 07:44 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: pa.
Posts: 1,115
RE: Gutshot deer, whats your opinion?
It does happen and I believe what you did was right. Going back tomorrow is a good idea as he will surely lay down and if he does not get pushed may dye by then. Good luck.
09-24-2006, 07:49 PM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Hughesville, PA USA
Posts: 18,322
RE: Gutshot deer, whats your opinion?
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1665984
Deer normally when fatally wounded and not pushed, will bed within 250 yards. You definately did the right thing by backing out and I wish you the best of luck.
It happened to me on my best buck in 01. Same thing, I saw the arrow hit to far back, I glassed him and verified the hit. I shot him a 7:30 in the morning, stayed in the stand until 11:00 and then snuck out. I returned late in the afternoon, roughly 8 hours or more later and found him not 50 yards from where I saw him enter the woods.
Again, good luck, I look forward to seeing the pictures.
Deer normally when fatally wounded and not pushed, will bed within 250 yards. You definately did the right thing by backing out and I wish you the best of luck.
It happened to me on my best buck in 01. Same thing, I saw the arrow hit to far back, I glassed him and verified the hit. I shot him a 7:30 in the morning, stayed in the stand until 11:00 and then snuck out. I returned late in the afternoon, roughly 8 hours or more later and found him not 50 yards from where I saw him enter the woods.
Again, good luck, I look forward to seeing the pictures.
09-24-2006, 08:01 PM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Mifflin Co. Pa
Posts: 829
RE: Gutshot deer, whats your opinion?
You did the right thing by backing out right away. I think he'll beddown within the first 150yds and die there unless pushed(hopefully not by coyotes). Gutshot deer also will head towards a water source to drink, so if you you're having trouble finding him check some local streams. Good luck, I wish i was there to help you look.
Zach
Zach
09-24-2006, 08:03 PM
#6
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location:
Posts: 218
RE: Gutshot deer, whats your opinion?
Happend to me once also, you definitly did the right thing. I saw mine lay down on a powerline 80yds from where i shot him and thats right where i found him the following morning. Good luck hope you find him.
09-24-2006, 08:41 PM
#10
Typical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Starlight, Indiana
Posts: 547
RE: Gutshot deer, whats your opinion?
I wondered if you had a liver shot, which will leave maroon blood, but you stated there wasany blood, you made the right choice. A liver shot deer will leave darker blood than a heart or lung shot but will always result in a fatality. They might run 200-300 yards but they will die usually in thier first bedding area as long as they are not pushed.