Greg, I'm confident you will find him. Don't beat yourself up about taking a walking shot. To be quite honest 1/2 the deer I have taken have been walking. I have rarely tried to stop a deer, only if they were moving fast.

The shot sounds exactly like the one I took my doe with.....a little far back and too high to hit guts. Because it started pouring down rain I had no choice but to take up the trail immediately. Fortunetly for me I found her within 40 yards and put another arrow into at 10 yards.

Well Greg...its the morning so you are probably out there looking for the buck already or getting ready to go out.

Whichever it is...Good Luck man, I'm thinking about you!!

I'll bechecking in throughout the day. I hope my boss doesn't catch me.

I guess all us old-timers get to learn that less this year, huh?

I'll never shoot a walking elk at 33 yards again, either! They'll either stop when I cow-call to them, or bolt and I won't hit them far back. Either way, I can live with that result better than hitting them back like I did in Colorado.

Good luck, Greg... I know exactly what you're going through.

These kind of shots while hunting are,unfortunately, a fact of life. It just proves the fact that this is not target archery. I was a successful target archer for many years, hunting is a whole new game. Knowing what to do after the shot is a skill learned from experience. While learning, I've made the mistake of trailing too soon. It usually turns out for the worst. By waiting over night before tracking, I have leaned toward the extreme side of caution. Hopefully he'll be right where I think he is. I'm leaving in a few minutes to go look. Either way, I'll report back with the results later today.

I posted my situation in hopes that others could use it as a learning experience. For both shot placement and tracking techniques. Nobody wants to come on here and say,"Darn it!, I wounded a deer. Now what?" The difference is that I know what to do. It is a continuing process of honing your skills as a hunter. Even after hunting for over 40 years, I learn something new every season. Hence my signature.

Thanks to all for your encouragement.

GregH

When you look up Hunterin the dictionary, there is a picture of GregH

Class and Respect

Greg:

Believe me....I commend you (and I know a thing or two about this) for your decision to come on here and let us in on your situation with this deer. I think there are lessons to be learned in MANY of our everyday situations....and when it happens to involve someone as seasoned as yourself.....the subject matter (and the ensuing lessons) takes on a higher level of importance.

From me, personally.....Thanks, again.

Now go get your buck!

I think you will find this deer, I don't know if you have read it or not, I made a very similar shot myself last night. I gave him 2 hrs and found him 150 yds from where I shot. I believe this is what separates veterans from beginners, the tracking stage of hunting. I have made mistakes and learned from them over the years, thanks to guys like yourself. I took some heat last night on here from a few people, but overall most were supportive. After looking at the insides of my deer, I did hit his liver and maybe some lung?, but the liver shot is what really took this creature. When I found him he had been dead for a while. Good luck!!

Greg - take your gas mask for the field dressing job. I let mine go overnight, and he was bloated like a blimp when I found him the next morning. That's definitely not fieldwork for somebody with a weak stomach.

Good luck again, I know eachof us wishes we could help you on the recovery. Can't wait to see him!