Hello my buddy shot a nice buck this morning around 8:00am, he hit him in the lung with a 243. 80grain bullet, we walked up to the buck 5 mins after the shot and he got up and started running toward the river, would he have crossed?, there was a wooden fence he could have jumped and we didnt find any blood on it would there be? i am not sure if the deer would have jumped the fence or not but would it rather go across the river into the thick bush or into an open field? please help

Thanks

I'd doubt he'd cross a river if hit hard.

Look for any thick areas in the direction the deer was headed. Wounded deer will bed where they think they are hid. It could just be hid in a place where the weeds are a little higher.

Are you sure he hit lung and not the space between the spine and lungs?

Did you find much blood?

Did it have tiny air bubbles it it and was it bright colored?

not for which way he went, but if water is near, he's bound to head that way, my son shot a buck last year three times, i managed to catch the buck,he was laying in the edge of a small river, there were alot of logs piled up and he couldn't get over them.the buck had two broke legs and a big hole in front shoulder, guess the bullet just grazed him,

This is why the 243 gets a bad wrap as a deer cartridge. Your friend had no business hunting deer with an 80 gr bullet. Had he been using a 100 gr bullet, you'd be loading your freezer right now, and not worrying about where the deer is.

Addressing your question however, you've gotten some really good advice from the other posts. Start walking semi-circles in the direction the deer was last headed. Also, you and your friend should look for any possible sign....kicked up dirt, broken branches, hair, blood.

I doubt he would have jumped the fence. Most often, deer don't jump fences after they've been hit. But just in case, look just on the other side of it b/c landing would have taken a lot out of him.

Also, in the future, give the deer 20 mins minimum after the shot.

Good luck

thanks for the help we haent found it yet, and yes windwalker the blood was very bright and was bubbly

Last year I shot a 150+ class buck with a 243 - lung shot - I could tell because of the blood color - The buck crossed a fence and hit the ground - I went back to the barn for 1 hour at least - as I made my way back to the fence I believe he jumped - I could see a deer run off! Not sure if it was the one I shot - I went to the fence were the deer flipped over - Huge pile of blood but no deer - I track him for at least 100 yards - the blood trial went dry - after 2 more hours of circling the spot - I found him near a log trail in the wood some 100 yards were the blood trail ended - I counsider myself very lucky to recover such a fine animal - that deer your talking about if the lung shot was on target and there is a lot of blood present should be hip deep into some huge cover! I was sick about this deer until I saw rack above the weeds - never give up - the blood trial was reduced to a trickle - I mean pin size blood drops and then nothing - what gave me hope was the amount of blood lost at the fence! Look for cover!

I have had that happen to me the past two years it sucks.

i dont know any tips that havent been said so far, but for future reference: wait longer. even if you see him go down, keep him in the scope for a while and dont walk up to him so soon.

Bigger gun needed with practice.Myself Have went to a 10 guage with slugs.knocks them down like a cannon

tough break........always study tracking skills and practice