BigBuckFrenzy10

So i was out in my ground blind tonite. Around 5:00 i decided to tickle the tines together for a bit...about 5 minutes later a nice 8 point comes across the field with the sieways swagger going on..so he stops and is sniffing the ground and eating some corn ( its a cornfield). So im like hes a shooter, but everytime i go to stand up he looks my way...so i decide to take a sitting down shot which im normally quite comfortable with...i see hes around 30 yds so i draw set my 30 yd pin and shoot, to my horrer the arrow deflects off a twig on a little sappling in front of the buck, al i here is CRACK! see the arrow hit the dirt and the deer runs off favouring his front leg, so i hit him in the lower leg, the crack i heard would have been bone. I go to check my arrow and broadheads all bent, blood on the arrow. I could here him going through the bush...but no blood leading across the field....so im gonna go first thing tomorrow and have a look around..So question, anybody ever hit a deer in the leg? Will he have a good chance of surviving with a bum leg....I feel awful, any advice would be greatly appreciated
Thanks
Pat

John Deer

How low on his leg do you think you hit him? If you hit him low on the leg, he'll probably be alright. Unless you cut the artery that runs down the leg and in that case you'd know it. There would be alot of blood. It sounds like you probably fractured the bone if he was favoring his leg. He'll probably be hobbled but live from his wound.

AF Hunter

There's a buck down at my aunt's place that has had a bum front right leg for 3 years now. When he showed up, my aunt took pity on him and started to leave food out for him. Now he's a regular yard ornament there. So they can survive even with a bum leg, but I'd want to watch for him and see if you can finish the job. Good Luck.

Finch

Thats some tough luck.

I am sure the deer will survive. Its a shame that had to happen. I have also heard of deer having 3 legs. So its a good possibility that he'll live another day.

MOTOWNHONKEY

Well he could bleed to death easily with that shot. You did the right thing backing out. Go to the last spot you saw him and start trailing. Hopefully you will find him.

BowHunter46

This EXACT same thing happned too me just last week. Okay well i hit him in the back leg so i guess it wasnt exactly the same, but anyway, he stepped out at 30 yards, i put the pin on him, released the arrow, and watched it as it deflected off a branch and went down and i heard a cracking sound. At first i thought i missed, but as he ran by me, he was collapsing on his back legs, so i figured that i must have hit him. About 10 minutes later, i went and looked at my arrow. There was some blood splatter and one of the blades was bent. I thought it would be best just to get out of the woods and wait till morning to track him. *Fast forward to the next morning.* I get up at 5:30 and am in the woods by 6 looking to see if, by any chance, he walks by. 10:00, No luck so far so i go back to the house and get some help to look for this deer. 10:30Gotowhere i hit him and find some blood splatter. We followed it for about 20 yards when the trail peetered out. we found some spots here and there where it looked like he might have stopped and some blood hit the ground, but no real blood like you would see in a lethal shot. we eventually picked up a decentblood trail and followed it for about 20 yards before it too dried up. Wesearched and searched but never found the deer or any more blood. Just tonight i thought i saw himwalkin around in the cornfieldthat ican see from mystand location.I was not completely sure though. I do believe that this deer is fine and i may get another shot at him. It was a 4 point.

Go back tomorrow and look as hard as you can foryour deer, but i would guess that youprobably will not find himdead. I think he should be fine.

BigBuckFrenzy10

thanks for the help so far...John Deer, he was hit just below the knee i believe so hopefully hell be ok....im going to make it my mission to try and finish the job....not a good feeling hitting a deer like that thats for sure.
Pat

BigBuckFrenzy10

Thanks for the advice Bowhunter46...wow pretty similar situation thats for sure

dww

its only my opinion but the buck should be ok low light conditions at 30 yrds makes it a bit more difficult to see any small branches or twigs in your intended shot path but again it is only my opinion when it comes to a shooter i have found it best to pass on the shot and wait for the buck to give me a higher percetage at a kill shot if not today maybe the next day but after being hit he may not appear again in the same area that you are hunting best of luck and happy hunting.

wi_buckstomper

if it makes u feel any better one of my friends shot a big buck last year in the leg with a shotgun on a drive.we chased him over 4 miles, made a huge circle. The shot didnt actually brake the leg just kinda grazed it. We never did get him, but i saw the same buck this year and he is all healed up.