what happened to this deer?
 

First morning blackpowder. 6 pointer comes in at 50 yards. Grunt him to stop. Aim pretty well although nervous. Hit in chest, maybe a little far back? Runs up hill with tail down then walks across field a hundred yards into woods.

Wait 30 minutes. No blood anywhere!!! Cross field and search all runs. Finally find a large drop 2 hours later. Dark, dark red. A drop every 10 yards or so for 100 more yards. Then lose trail.

Please help, this is my first buck.

Thanks,
Pierce

RE: what happened to this deer?
 

Sounds like you hit high and hit the liver or diaphram. His fur soaks alot of it up. But if you hit the liver, he can't be far. It would fill up the the cavity and he won't make it far.

RE: what happened to this deer?
 

Another case for www.deerpsychic.com.

RE: what happened to this deer?
 

Countrys right.You probably hit him in the liver.Keep wlaking in the general direction of the bllod trail.He wont be but about 50-100 yards

RE: what happened to this deer?
 

Sounds like a liver/gut shot. Get a couple of friends to help make a grid search of the area. Take a roll of tissue paper and every time you find blood or other sign of the deer mark them so you can have something to help keep you going in the right direction. He will be down somewhere, may be a quarter of a mile.

RE: what happened to this deer?
 

dark red blood= liver shot

RE: what happened to this deer?
 

Don't forget to check the leaves of bushes and low trees along the trail, not just on the ground. Blood from a wound high on the deer's body can get soaked up by the fur before it reaches the ground, but it will get wiped onto leaves and branches the deer's furcomes in contact with, usually about 2 feet off the gound.

Hope that it hit the liver, but if the blood was VERY dark, it could also be high in the stomach, or both organs. Either way, the deer will die, and should be dead by now (the next day).

Do the tissue paper thing mentioned above, and get some buddies to help you search the area well with an organized search pattern. Pay particular attention to the thickest growth in the the greneral direction he went, as that is where he'll have wanted to bed.Also, remember to look around you 360 degrees often, as you may see the white of his belly from one angle, but only his well camoflaged back from another. Since it's been 24 hours, watch for scavenger birds. I've read that theycan home in on a dying animal's locationeven before it expires.

He's there somewhere, and he's dead. Just got to find him.
Not an easy task, but possible if you go carefully.
Good luck.

RE: what happened to this deer?
 

I agree with the other posts but since this is your first buck, stop to think how long after the shot did you pursue him. If you pushed him he will be more than 100 yards. A liver shot may take a little longer for him to expire. If you pushed him just do what was explained in the other post but maybe you may need to expand the size of your search grid. Good luck there is only one first buck. Keep us posted. We are all on your side.