wack

I had a pretty good opening day. I started the day chasing demonds from my bow. The demonds gone, I went hunting. Saw A doe and fawn, was able to draw on her 5 or 6 times but her fawn looked to be about 30 lbs with spots. I knew if I killed the doe, I'd better shoot spot, so I let them both walk. Was good practice and a free adrenalin rush.
I saw a few more deer, got busted from down wind by 3 bucks, had a Hawk to watch for a few hours, was a pretty good day.
I got back to my truck and my 2 hunting buddies each had a buck down. MWe went out and got my best friends buck, a 4 pointer. His uncle, my mentor, hit an 8 pointer a little far back so when we were done with the 4 pointer we went out to track the 8.
Not 1 drop of blood to be found. We fanned out and walked the direction the deer went and couldn't find any sign at all. I was standing on a trail, the wind was pretty light and I could smell what smelled like a gut shot, but take 4 stepps and the smell was gone. We looked around for 2 hours, Nothing. We gave up, started heading back towards the truck and when I got to that same spot I could smell it again. This time I said I smell it for sure. I could see my breath, dialed my flashlight in that dirrection and sent my mentor into the thick stuff using my flashlight as a guide. The thick stuff is black cap or black berry bushed, hawthorns and looks like no human could get through. He got in about 20 yards and I dropped my flashlight. He yelled to turn it back on and point it again where I thought the smell was coming from. When I pointed the light again he caught sight of an eye ball 5 yards in front of him, EXACTLY were I was pointing him to.
I do not claim to have a great nose. lol My mentor never said anything about a gut shot, was actually deffensive when I said I smell gut shot. When we couldn't find ANY blood I kept saying, you gut shot it, and I think he was getting mad at me. He's got a new bow this year and has been tearing up the archery ranges and is shooting a lot better than with his old bow....at the range. lol When I finally hacked a path to the buck and saw where it was shot....I was pretty nice about it. I remember making a simular shot and getting my butt chewed by him for it exept my quartering to shot actually got into the boiler room, his took out the stomach and liver. yuk. My best friend wasn't so nice, and I enjoyed every minute of it!
The 3 of us have a little bet every year and both have played there cards. A 4 pointer and an 8 pointer with 9" spread and I have all season to shoot a bigger 8 pointer. Like taking candy from a baby, this year is smelling good. lmao

bhensley

Nice tracking job man! Good call on passing on the first doe with the fawn.

Rob/PA Bowyer

You blood hound err buzzared you..[8D] Good nose and a great tip. Fortunate for your "mentor" the wind direction was right. Good luck on your own buck.

BowKnutt

Way to go --Like the old saying goes "THE NOSE KNOWS"--maybe you want need it on your buck--But if you do just inhale--LOL

OGW

Congrats on finding the buck!
"The Wizard of Schnoz"

Ben / PA

Congrats on finding the buck. I know the smell. Had a similar experience a few years back, I wasn't quite as exact as you but could def tell it was a gut shot.