I'm totally devestated!
 

Ok, here goes. This morning at about 7:30, I took a shot at a very big 10 pointer. He was standing broadside at 30 yards when I released and watched the arrow hit right on the money. He ran about 30 yards, then stopped. I watched him for the next half hour just pace back and forth and lay down a few times. He finally got up, and walked out of sight. I sat in the treestand for about 2 hours, got down and snuck out of the area and went to my truck to put my treestand in. I ate, and waited till about 12:30 or so to take up the trail. When I got back to where I shot him, I found my arrow fully covered in a light, pinkish blood. I figured lung shot. I went in the direction he headed and picked up decent blood. Then, where he layed down a couple times, there was a lot of blood. I picked up blood on the other side and followed it very slowly being quiet and looking ahead. Soon, the blood trail faded to just a drop here and there and then nothing at all. I started making circles from there getting bigger and bigger when I run across a little blood again. I followed drops till I realized I was headed into a deep hollow where a stream ran. I thought, bingo, he headed for water. I got to the stream and began the search up and down it. I must have looked for him for a good 3-5 miles. Nothing.


I dont understand what went wrong. The shot looked great. How can a deer get away like this? Do you think by chance I could have hit the "No mans land" between the vitals? I hope this deer survives, I'm heartbroken right now over this. He would have been my best buck to date with a bow. He looked like a 140-150 class animal.

I'm going to go back up tomorrow morning again and look.

What do you guys think??

[Deleted]
 

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RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

muzzyman I am no expert on tracking, but I think you may want to try to retrace your steps back to the point "till I realized I was headed into a deep hollow where a stream ran". Go back to the point you made this realization and rather than heading straight for the stream, either try to continue following the little blood you have found, if there is none then start your circle search again, until you either pick up blood or find him. I have a strange feeling he may have in his final moments wondered off to on side or the other and expired very close to where you headed for the stream. Correct me if I am wrong in my assumption. BTW if it is legal you may want to take a dog with you. Good luck.

The Tazman aka Martin Price
Founder and President of
Virginia Disabled Outdoorsmen Club

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RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

When tracking a sparce blood trail there is only one thing that you can be certain of - Where the last blood was found. This is your cosest link to him and should be the center of your attention. The idea is to move this center closer to him as you find more blood.

To many times a hunter tries to move this center himself, through frustration and second guessing what the animal might do. It's all in the blood trail and the further you can follow it, the longer it takes you to abandone it, the better your chances are.

Go back to you where you last marked blood ,forget about looking for the deer, look for blood. Your looking for a drop, a smear on a leaf or branch. Get on your hands and knees, look at low lying branches that could rub against him.

"Your deer is dead, he did not go far, he is laying on the ground waiting for you to find him - he is huge and he is yours!!!"

These are the only thoughts that you allow in your head.

Now go get him!!!!


Edited by - Rack-attack on 11/13/2002 13:11:53

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

Yep look from where you saw last blood and if that is on the creek bed look for path of least resistance on the other side. Good Luck finding him. And if you don't find him soon follow the buzzards.

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

I agree with the others... there is a GREAT chance that deer is down for the count. "The Perfect Shot" can sometimes really throw you. One of the first things I tell students in Bowhunter Ed. classes is that what you saw or think you saw... will turn out to be something entirely different to often. I've taken 70 deer with a bow and I've lost 3 or 4. Of the 70 I recovered I've really had some wierd things happen. Things I was positive about turn out to be far from the truth. A perfectly hit animal(no matter how tough he is) isn't going anywhere. He'll be down within a matter of seconds. A marginally hit deer can put you through the ringer. Who ever said go back to the last blood is correct. People get in trouble by trying to rely on one of these "Truths" that we read in books. In your case, "he went to the water because he was wounded". In someone elses case... he's not hit in the leg because he went up hill. Maybe he did actually go to water..... but exhaust the blood trail, food prints even game trails before you resort to "Take a shot he went to water". The "Truths" should be a last resort. Circles should be a last resort. Grid searches should be a last resort. Patiences and dogged discipline are the keys. I feel you probably wasted lots of time searching up and down a creek for 5 miles. The time would have been better spent within 100 yards of the last blood. 5 miles is killing time and hoping for the best. 100 yards is your best chance. Inch along and when you're done you should know every inch of that 100 yards. Every step you took up or down that creek probably just put you further from your deer. Every hasty step has a good chance of destroying the next bit of evidence.

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

Well, I have to wait till morning now, but I'll be back at it early. Its the thickest area I hunt, and its pure hell at times in there having to crawl on your hands and knees, but I'll be there. I gotta find this deer. Its just really strange how he really didn't bleed heavily. I hope like hell I find him. Thanks guys.

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

Good luck.... watch for crows, foxes and all those other forest vacuum cleaners.

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

After waiting over night the blood may no longer look like blood. It will dry and sink into whatever it landed on.

Here's a cheap trick I can recommend. Take along a spray bottle full of Hydrogen peroxide and spray it on any spots that might be blood. If it's blood the peroxide will foam up, if not it won't. Before starting out, go and find some definate blood from the day before and spray some on it so you can get a feel for what it's gonna look like.
You can use any old spray bottle (I'm using an old washed out febreeze bottle) and peroxide is cheaper than bottled water. I think I paid .88 cents for ~32 ounces.
It works great and will help you to know if your looking at blood or just a brown spot.

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

If you cant find blodd. Try looking back in the direction the deer came from a lot of times a deer will make a big huge circle and head back to the spot he came from!!!!

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

Don't give up, just take your time and you will find him. Wish I could help.

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

you must have caught the "Slippery Spot". That is very odd to do though out of a treestand but when your bowhunting, anything could just about happen and if it is a big buck, than chances are better that something will go wrong!

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

The best chance of you finding it that i would recommend and is very affective but some would say that is is unsportsman like. Find a friend that has a hound or 2 and put one of them on the trail. Its best to do it within 24 hours of the kill because the scent will soon clear up. Dogs can smell a wounded animal very well and chances are they will find your deer for you if you got it! Good Luck!

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

Your deer is dead.He is there near by.I agree with the others you hit slightly back and hit the liver.I lived this nightmare last year on a quartering shot.As I released the buck turned.I hit where I aimed but that made him more broadside and back slightly to far.He acted like your deer.Mine bedded within 50 yards and got back up.When the blood trail died out we searched everyplace we thought he would go.Mostly toward water.Not !He circled back and walked up hill onto a neighbors property and died.My buck spoiled in the extreme heat and long search,but I found him.Don't give up.Good luck

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

I have had deer the same exact thing except for the bedding down in the area thing. i have watched them wonder aroudn with someitmes my arrow sticking out of there vitals. wut happened on 95% of the time was they run right down the middle of the creek and expire in the water. Check in the water tommoorw and dont leave a leaf unturned.

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

davidmil said what i was going to say,look or listen for crows.if you cant find no blood.

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

The deer is more likely to be dead. I would not give up on it. I feel likes its near. When you recover it, you can still do it justice and still get a Pope/Young citation. Good look, Bobby

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

Some good advice above! If you do have access to a good tracking dog , use it! I nor anyone I know would consider that unethical even if law dictates otherwise. I would use all resources available to find that buck.
Good luck! I hope you find him.

P.S. If you know anyone who has a daschund or miniature daschund , they make great deer trackers. My buddy has a minature daschund and after losing the trail of a wounded buck one year , he remembered reading about how daschunds were originally breed for tracking deer so he figured what the heck. He took his dog out into the woods and got him on the blood trail. The dog lead him directly to the buck. Since then , his dog has found deer for two other people besides finding a doe I shot last year.



Edited by - bowfanatic on 11/13/2002 22:23:13

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

Muz,
You have a good chance of finding him......Get back to the last blood and start there. DON'T let your legs get in front of your eyes and mind. Piece it together and take the trail to the deer.....don't invent one on assumptions.
The sign will be there, go a drop at a time on your hands and knees.....you'll find it, and I have a feeling it might surprise you where it goes. Don't make blind assumptions until you've worn your pants to the bare knees......it only takes a few drops to point you in an entirely different direction than you expected.
DOn't just assume downhill and water......keep all options open.

ANd again above all else don't rush ahead HOPING to find him.....track him. That animal has 360 degrees of options to work with.
Good luck and keep us posted.

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

Don't walk on the blood trail if you find it,walk beside it.Mark each blood drop if your not seeing much.Look for leaves that have been kicked up.Crows may tell you right where it is.Good luck

GUNS AND KNOWLEDGE ARE THE BEST PROTECTION AGAINST TERRORISM

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

great stuff guys,

Best of luck Muzzy! Go slow and be patient, you'll find him if he is dead!

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

We're rootin' for you Muzzyman.... good luck this AM. Please let us know what happens.

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

You may rely on your own nose. The longer you get into this you should have a window of opportunity for you to be able to smell the deer. This may mean going to the woods everyday but it will be worth it. DON'T GIVE UP, YOU DESERVE THIS DEER.

Good luck,


Searching

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

Good Luck in finding this big boy. The Peroxide is a great tool, works just like he said and eliminates following false sign. Use it with confidence.

10 Pointers

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

Good luck Muzzyman. I think if you hit him even close to where you think you did....he's dead. Hunt for him with all you have...he's probably out there somewhere close to where you've been. I think most of us that have been at it a while have been in a similar situation at some time or another....you can find him.

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

Nothing I could add that hasn't already been said but good luck and take your time.



Shoot often - Hunt always

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

Not that I can even pretend to know diddly after what happened to me this year, but we marked every speck of blood we found with sticks and the next day when I went back to look again it gave me a clearer visual picture of what the deer might have been thinking. (I'm sure that toilet paper or marking tape would work better, but that is all we had at the time) It didn't help me recover my deer, but maybe it will help you somehow.

Believe me, I know your anguish over this!

RE: I'm totally devestated!
 

ttt..... Muzzyman....... wazzzzzzzuuuuuuuuuuuuppp?????????