ktughill

I have been shooting deer for some time now. My question is tonight I took a nice buck at short distance broadside right before dusk. I believe that it was a lethal shot. We did not find any blood trail. My husband thinks I missed because we could not find any blood after dark with our flashlights. However the deer seem to slump and appeared it want to drop, then stood almost upright and started to slump and went into the woods and heard a some crashing around. We are going out in the morning again to continue hunt since it was too dark to really search. We did not find any hair at the site of the shot either. I shot a big buck a few years ago with "no" blood trail at all and found the deer not to far in the woods. It turned out this shot was a liver shot. What are your thoughts of no blood or hair and missed shot vs lethal shot. I am pretty sure it was lethal.... this was nice buck!

Bocajnala

Let us know what you find. I've had several with very little blood. There is typically hair at impact site though. Possibly you misjudged where he was standing and didn't see the hair. Go back in the daylight and see what you can find
-Jake

Mr. Slim

the 243 will kill a deer but it still is small in diameter. it doesn't make a very big entrance hole and unless it passes through it wont leave much of an exit hole either. could be the reason for finding no blood. depending what bullet you were using could be the reason too. hope you find your buck before the critters do.

kidoggy

I hope you are out looking at this moment. if so good luck and let us know how it turns out

bronko22000

You didn't say what you were using and if you were on the ground or in a tree. All that would help.
Either way, it is your responsibility to look as long as it takes to determine if the shot was lethal or not.

kidoggy

as I recall, from another thread , they found it the next day.

super_hunt54

Yep, she went back the next morning and found it. Wasn't far and it hadn't gone in the direction she had first thought that evening.

jerseyhunter

I once took a shot with my bow , the deer was walking from my right to left. After the shot I saw my fletching's veer sharply to the left , the deer took off to the right. After searching and finding nothing I called it quits and as long as the deer headed towards my truck I followed kicked up leaves, eyes to the ground. After 70 yds and so intent on the trail I found a drop of blood, looked forward and there was the doe with my arrow sticking 6" out of it's butt hole. Evidently upon the shot it jumped the string but my arrow was already inserted, thus when it swung around to run to the right all I saw was my fletching's veering left, like I said I thought hit a twig or branch. Happened all so quick I thought I missed. End up being never give up on the trail, stranger things happen. Good luck with the recovery.