RE: do deer really go to water when they are wounded?
 

I don't think it's water so much as it is gravity.

Simply put: You have a wild animal with a grievous wound, maybe his intestines turned inside out,and a laundry list of toxins coursing through his veins- so it stands to reason that, when in hilly country, that animal will use the available energy to escape the danger and lie down.

If he's hurt - and he knows he's hurt - What he doesn't want to do is uselessly expend copious amounts of energy fighting his way upsome gigantichillside.

So, from my experience - the more time he has to deliberate about where he's going, the more likely it will be that he's thinking about changes in elevation and self-preservation. If he's hurt bad, he'll just scramble to the nearest cover. If he's sick, he might start sidehilling it with a destination in mind.

To say "he's looking for water" is a misnomer. The fact is, usually when you recover a deer near a watersource - he wasn't "looking" for water - he just lost the war against the force of gravity and angled down into the creek bottom - with nothing left in the tank.

Although, I have read that certain types of wounds do cause an animal to experience a sensation of dehydration and voracious thirst. But let's be real here.Fifteen seconds after the shot - as he's slinking through the woods with his guts hanging out and blood pouring out of both sides- he's probably not thinking "Golly gee - I sure am thirsty."

RE: do deer really go to water when they are wounded?
 

When I shoot a Deer they head to my Freezer pretty quick.

Anybody wanna argue with that?;)

Dan

RE: do deer really go to water when they are wounded?
 

What???? You don't give any to Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry?[8D]

RE: do deer really go to water when they are wounded?
 

A farmer once told me he'd just as soon eat his Black Angus. I told him that was fine. I've helped him out in other ways;)

Dan