I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

OMG.....I told Duke I was gonna walk into an area I'd never been in, today......and I walked up on a dead buck, 8-pointer....wound on the right side....dead.

He looks like he's the one....but I'm a "little" perplexed by only ONE thing. He doesn't seem to have decomposed as much as I would think in a month. His eyes are gone....face is sunken.....and hes really deflated. But he's not eaten up by anything. I don't know what to think....unless he lived for a while until he expired.

I'm going to get him.....and as much as I hate it....I'm gonna take a knife and see if my BH is inside.

If it's him....I'm still sorry it's worked out this way....but I'll be happy that I can finally give him his proper due.

Look at this photo. White line is the blood trail after I shot him. I found him in the thicket right behind where I shot him. With where he'd gone on the blood trail....I never dreamed to look, there (see X where I found him).

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

As disgusting as it sounds, I would have to know too.

There is no picture in thepost.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

i wouldnt wanna smell that when you startin cuttin away.. shew weeee....

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

I can't see a deer going back to where he was hit to find comfort before he dies. But like you, I would just have ta know.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

If it is him, he lived for a while and returned to his bedding area where you shot him. Is that possible? Also, if it is him, a description again of the shot and the actual impact etc...if you find your broadhead will be a learning tool. Interesting and there is two sides to look at, 1. I hope it's not him and the possibility of yours being alive and 2. It is him and you have some, although sad, closure.

I'll watch for updates.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

Have a metal detector to check for metal in him before you dig in?

...If not, bring gloves! ;)

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

Jeff im betting it is him. Id say he was alright for awhile and returned to where he felt safe, his bedding area.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

thats one good idea! i would never thought about that!!!

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

Id bet that is him, at least you will know for sure. Some closure is better than no closure

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

A wounded animal willalways try togo home, if they can make it.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

OK....I have a couple questions/statements....

1. What would a deer look like that had been in a cooler for 1 month? We've had temps here in the teens, 20's and 30's at night.....and highs in the 40's and low 50's most. I suppose a LOT of freeze/thaw.

2. I didn't find my BH.....but I gotta be honest....I didn't spend a ton of time in there. I figured the entire arrow could've easily been pulled. It stunk to high heaven. His crotch and everything inside, cavity-wise, was gone. The rest of his body, I gotta be honest....don't look terrible. Eyes are gone. But...his coat doesn't look that bad.

3. There's a wound where I thought my arrow entered....but I can't tell you for sure it was my arrow.

When I shot this buck it was in the low 20's .....and I glassed him. I had fog on my binos....and I couldn't make his rack out DEFINITIVELY. But it looks to be the same one. I told everyone he was a 90-100" buck....and that's what he is. I might be fooled and he could go a little higher.

I dont know what to think, really. It's not that I'm happy. I'm not. I'd just like to know if its him....and I don't know if I can say that for sure. If he had no wound....there wouldn't be a question. He has one....right where I thought it was.....and that's what makes me think it is him.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

thats a big coincidence if its not him. Are you 100% that thats the spot you saw your arrow hit, or are you just telling yourself that?

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

Rob....

The shot was at 30yds or so....quartering away. I hit him in his right side...angling towards the vitals. I won't lie, though....it was a bit back....but it needed to be.

When he left....I thought I saw the arrow fletching sticking up.

Other than that.....I fond this buck...which fits the description and the area.....this morning. I went back and did a little investigating....and still I can't be 100% sure.

I know it's sad I didn't recover the buck the day or so after I shot him....but what's sad about finding a buck you killed (at any date)? Honest question.

What do I do? Do I tag it? Is this my buck? If I had to make a call I'd say the wound locationmakes it way too coincidental. But I can not say with 100% certainty that this is my buck. He looks like I remember him (only saw him for 20 seconds or so). He has a wound where I hit him. He was recovered really close to where he was hit.

I'd like to know what protocol is.

Bowman....You can go back and read the original thread. I've never faltered from where I thought I saw the entrance wound. I'm not, now. I had to peel back the fur to see it.....but this buck has a wound where the one I hit should have one.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

I'd keep the rack either way. Do some more CSI work for closure, sounds like it is your buck, but who knows.

I would have a hard time claiming a deer as my own without knowing 100% certain that it was mine. Finding one later that could be it, is awesome, but without proof (knowing the rack for sure, finding arrow, noticing if wound is a BH wound) I'd be a skeptic.


The wound....would it not be rather easy to tell if a wound was a Rage hole or not? Just asking.

Awesome find regardless, sounds like he is your deer, but I'd look around some more to be certain. If in your mind, you are already sure he is yours, that is all that matters.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

Sure he would, that's his bedding area and home. Allot of these deer don't have a clue of what just happened when that arrow was released.

This should be Interesting Jeff. In saying this I hope BC Is right and It's not him and yours Is still alive and well.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

Schultzy.....I don't understand your and Rob's point. WHY would it be "better" if my buck was alive and well....v. this one being my buck?

Thanks.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

I wouldn't tag It If It was me Jeff. Reason being you gave up and did all you could do to find this guy, you moved on and rightfully so. Take the rack and do a Euro or something. Stuff like this happens, that's hunting for ya.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

I just want to know what the consensus is for protocol. I'm serious. If I keep this buck/rack as my own....I'll tag it and be done with buck hunting this year. If I don't tag it......he ain't mine...and I'll keep hunting.

I just wanna know what the right thing to do is.

TEmbry....I'd rather have closure and know.....v. an unknown. If a deer is dead, anyways (there's definitely a dead buck. That I know).....I'd like to put some closure to this.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

Because this one went to waste. Sure you got his antlers back, but all the meat was ruined, and he had to suffer for, well however long it took him to die. If your buck was still alive, well he made it, no meat wasted and no suffering.

All that said, in your situation, I am HOPING that deer is my buck. To each his own, I would be hoping that 8 was mine.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

Kind of a yes and no thing.;) It's good that If It's him and you now have closure. It would also be nice knowing he made It for closure also.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

Crazy... Can we see a picture of the rack?

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

Only YOU can answer that one. What does your gut tell you? Is that your deer or not?

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

Jeff, its your deer. Everything points to it being yours.

If you want to "do the right thing," tag it and hunt does the rest of the season.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

When I shot the buck I shot Halloween morning.....I told everyone I thought he was a 90-100" buck. I rough taped this one at 105". And like I said.....I was looking through foggy binos. After I decided I'd take him.....I never looked at the rack, again.

Here he is....

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

Would you tag a road kill? If you kill an unedible deer in most states the DNR will give you another tag. I don't think I'd try to get all bent out of shape about tagging a deer that died weeks ago and the meat was wasted. It's a FOUND deer. If the law there says to have the rack you must tag the deer, well hell, I'm leaving him lay. The rack is nothing special and hunting is much more fun than looking at the one that got away.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

Jeff,

I wouldn't tag it unless I found the broadhead. I like the metal detector idea.
I would do a euro on the antlers and tell the story as it happened. Some stuff just never gets figured out.
This is hunting not stem cell research. It doesn't have to bethe huge ethical issue/debate that is brewing.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

I'd have to agree with you Jeff that it'sgot to beyour buck. Seems to me he circled back to his bedding/core area where you originally shot him. How many other nearly identical 8 point bucks are there in the area that got shot in nearly the identical spot on the right side and ended up in the very location you shot yours. No doubt in my mind its the deer you hit. He looks about like a deer would look that has been laying there in cold weather for a month. Congrats on the recovery. Glad he wasn't a completly lost deer. Don't worry about losing the meat. There are plenty of other does to be had for eatin'. He looks like a nice one at that, now tag him up and enjoy your success this season!

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

Hey Kevin.....that's logical.Thanks.

_Dan.....I think he's mine, too (or...the one I shot).

I won't likely ever know, though.

I can see the ehtics police reigning down if I took another buck, though. Call me a skeptic.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

You inserted the can of worms into the openerwhen you asked what the correct protocol is.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

Why is it a can of worms? It's an honest question.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

You know what I would tell the ethics police.[8D]

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

There is your answer. It only matters what YOU think/feel. Logic points to this being your deer. So does your gut instinct. If you do keep it, I too would tag it and move on...chalk it up to one successful season. If you don't keep it, go thwack another.:) Don't fear the ethics police eitherway.

I do have a question though, did the wound appear to be a gaping Rage gash wound?

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

The wound appeared to be about a 3" gash. I could easily see it as a rage 2 blade wound. I tried sticking my knife down in it....but it honestly wouldn't go down in there, freely. I had to push a little to get it to go.

Just being honest.

Whether decomposurere had anything to do with this....I don't know. No expert.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

The can of worms comes from this. You brought up the question of what the correct protocol is in this situation. Do you tag it or not was your concern. Then afterwards you became concerned about potential ethical issues should you decide not to tag. At least that's how I read it. Combining those two concerns it looks to me like a can of worms is all I was saying, since this is a public forum.

I really don't care one way or the other what you do. Only you know if that deer is yours or not and only you can decide what the corrrect course of action is. It doesn't affect me either way.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

I think the issue (if there is one) comes in whether or not I claim this deer as mine. How can I keep hunting for bucks if I claim I've taken two (the limit, here)?

That's my dilemma. If I killed it.....and I claim it.....I'm gonna tag it (unless someone tells me a legitimate reason why I shouldn't....AND why it's OK to keep hunting for a buck. I just don't see it being a choice (to keep hunting AND claim this deer as a bowkill).

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

I look at it as you didn't take two, even if it's the one you shot. It got away, died, spoiled and you didn't recover it. Oh sure, you found the bones weeks later, but you lost this deer if it's yours. If the coyotes had been on the job you probably wouldn't have found anything. To me it's just like the biggest fish that always seems to get away. I don't care if he swallows the hook and dies, you didn't get him. And like I say, as far as keeping the rack, that becomes a legal thing state by state.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

That really blows Jeff, but at least you're gonna get the facts if it is him.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

Would there be any difference if you found the buck in a couple more months when the season is over and you are not able to tag him? I say just do a nice euro mount and forget about the tag!!

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

No....There wouldn't. I just had a phone conversation with Rob and I'm gonna euro mount him (after talking to Chris....my GW) and keep hunting.

I appreciate everyone's honest opinions. I'll clear my intentions with my GW and move on.

RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
 

Wow, I should have read the whole thread[&:]. Jeff, if I were you, and you are almost certain it's your buck (it seems to me like you are), I'd be tagging him, and hanging up the bow, or getting some more does for meat. That's just what I would do, and feel the right thing to do is. Let us know what you end up doing.