RE: Shot an 8 pointer, Cant find Em'
 

Not cool when that happens... sleepless nights, anxiety, frustration - you'll run the gamut of emotions but in due time, realization will set in and all will be well.

I've been in your boat several times, and follows is my plan:

First, track him, making constant mental note of where he's heading. A wounded deer will seek refuge in a safe area. Statistics show that, more often than not, they head for water, downhill and where they feel isolated and safe.

Day2 - go back, with reinforcements - You've been there, done that. Day 2 is probably your last chance to find an edible, non-decomposing carcass.

If unsuccessful, wait a few days for the temp. to rise (1 wk in 50-70 degree temps, 3-4 days if over 70 (decomposition speeds at higher temps)). Go out on a warm, dry, non-windy day. Stay downwind of where you think he is and keep sniffing. In SW Pennsylvania, we have buzzards, which are a dead giveaway. At this point, all you will do is get your rack and ease your mind. Still better than nothing.

Keep in mind that rain will beat the scent down, brisk winds will dissipate the smell too thin to detect.

RE: Shot an 8 pointer, Cant find Em'
 

What don't you understand?

You can hit HIGH, above the SPine, which is actually Below the top of the back of the deer, get a passthrough and it look like you went through the chest cavity, when it turn you didnt...

This is especially true if your on the ground... or at lower elevations and longer shot ranges..

RE: Shot an 8 pointer, Cant find Em'
 

I'm not trying to be smart###, I really want to know. A deer's spine is lower than the top of the back, right., and the ribcage connects to the spine , right, And the lungs fill a portion of it's rib cage ,right, so how is it possiable to hit a deer high behind the shoulder and not get some type of lung hit and kill the deer?

RE: Shot an 8 pointer, Cant find Em'
 

matthews boy your deer must be different than mine

RE: Shot an 8 pointer, Cant find Em'
 

And why is that?

What did I say that is wrong?

RE: Shot an 8 pointer, Cant find Em'
 

If you hit too high, you wont go through the rib cage.. you'll go over the spine or through the vertabrae

RE: Shot an 8 pointer, Cant find Em'
 

So that's what I'm calling no man's land, the vertabrate below the spine, but would'nt that still paralize the deer and drop them ?

RE: Shot an 8 pointer, Cant find Em'
 

I don't see how this is so hard to understand, Mathewboy has spelled this out in pretty plain letters. You need to hit the spinal cord to paralyze the deer.

RE: Shot an 8 pointer, Cant find Em'
 

The VERTEBRAE make up The Backbone(Spine).. The Spinal Cord runs the them...the vertebrae protect the spinal cord from damage...It runs THROUGH the Vertebae

RE: Shot an 8 pointer, Cant find Em'
 

Here...