psebwhntr16

Yes it does, its called hypovolemic shock.

Hoyt_Viper

I had one practically hide in the creek while tracking his blood trail. I walked past the spot where I eventually found him several times. Either he drug himself out or something pulled him out because when I found him there was nothing left but hide, blood, ribcage and his rack. It was less than 14 hours...overnight that he was there.

I hunt near a river and several creeks. Ive shot and had to go to the other side of a river to retrieve him. I always believed that it was a soothing thing, not thirst

I have found several deer floating in the creek from hunters in the hunt club that failed to retrieve them.

neb

I have found deer dead in creeks after winter has pasted. Last year I bow killed a muley and left the area for awhile and came back to find him in the creek. He layed down and then moved to the creek. It's the only times I've seen it happen.

LittleChief

I read somewhere, and I'm pretty sure it was here on the HNI forums, that Florida's populationis proof that dying humans also migrate to water. I thought that was funny....... cold hearted, but funny.

MichiganWhitetails74

Magic - Great post..I had a discussion similar a few weeks back. The water is a fact. I've had deer die in water many times. If there is no water around I find that they will dive off the deer run under a fallen tree into the thickest cover around...Water Water Water...they go there if its in the radius in which they die in....They'll go there first if they have the opportunity,

OHbowhntr

While I'll agree, their initial response ISN'T going to be geared towards thirst, I believe if they are not killed in short order (all but 2 of the deer I've killed died within 15 or so seconds, therefore it's not something I've had to deal with much), but if they do live for a spell longer, I think 2 things come into play. First, WATER is usually DOWNHILL, which makes for an easier "escape," though they are not really going to escape, just like us, they will take the path of least resistance. Pull a hamstring, and are you gonna want to climb a mountain, or head for the vallley and follow the easy terrain out??? But secondly, if they do live longer than a few minutes, then YES, hypovolemic shock will set in and they will go for water due to their body telling them they are thirsty. That being said, I've seen wounded deer take to the hills on a couple occasions, but I believe they were only mild flesh wounds, due to the fact that I've been on a couple nearly mile long track jobs, and if the deer is still going after that long, many times you'll never find it. Just my $.02 though....

Rickmur

The wateris just in the way of where they are running leading to "the run to water theory"

bloodcrick

so far i have had only one die in the water, she swam out in the middle of a pond before dying [:@]I had to drag a john boat through the woods and boat her out []

wallhangr

Have to go along with the water theory. The 8 point I arrowed last season was headed to a pond (and fortunately my truck) and a couple years ago10 pointer that was actually shot by two different hunters was found lying next to another pond on the same property.

wisbowhunter2009

Well most of the deer i shot head back where they came from which is mostly a swampy area, very thick and theres water there. Next year im hunting on a ridge with a swamp on one side and a crick on the other side with thick pines by the crick so most likely that is where they will head but im not sure.