Ok i need help with what happend today. I shot a buck today in his broad side, it was about a 70 yard shot, he fell straight to the ground and couldnt get back up, he was moving his head and seemed like he couldnt get up. I couldnt see if it was his front or back legs that he couldnt move or both, but he keep trying, then he started to crawl a little bit. Then he finally got out of sight slowly from crawling. So i sat for a few minutes then got down to go try and find him, he was gone! He had torn up the ground where he dropped from trying to move and run away but the only blood i found was a few drops where he dropped and that was it. I looked all morning for blood and him and never found him. But what makes me wonder more is that when i shot him he couldnt hardly moved because he was paralysed or something, but in order for him to get out of the area he had to jump a fense that was atleast 5 ft tall, or jump aditch that was atleast 4 ft across and 5 ft deep. How could he have gotten away if right after i shot him he couldnt hardly move? Is there any way i maybe shot high and just barely hit his spine only paralyzing him for a few minutes? someone please help me!!

I've heard similar stories, and I think one explanation offered was that a shot barely above or below the spine won't kill or even severly wounda deer but the impact may cause temporary paralisous. I may be wrong about that though.

I don't know what cover was around etc. but crawl through the thickest stuff you can find cause that's where he will be if he didn't get up and take off.

I would guess it was just a temperary paralize as you stated. Not too sure, never had it happen.

I looked all through the woods all after noon and never found anything. It just seemed like after a few minutes he started to move more. If i was thinking i would have shot him again while he was trying to move around.

The hydrostatic shock of a bullet hitting near the spine can indeed produce enough pressure to momentarily shut down the nervous system from that point rearward. Sometimes it's permanent, and sometimes it's not.

You see the temporary effect with neck shots too. They are knocked flat, and then get up in a few minutes and run away like you missed. I hear many hunters are so surprised to see the deer get back up that they don't shoot again to bring down the already wounded deer.

Gotta be ready to take that second shot. If one goes down like that again, I'd close in quick and be ready to fire.

Sorry about your buck. There is a good lesson here about a quick finishing shot. I have lost a couple because I didn't close the deal quickly. Now I keep the scope on them and if there is ANY chance they will get up I shoot again.

My bet is just below the spine. I lost a nice 8 point that way on a NY hunt. Dropped him like a stone at 125 yds and I could see him crawling through the goldenrods while I emptied my slug gun trying to anchor him. (all I could see was his head and antlers through the weeds.)After he went out of sight I climbed down from the tree stand and went over there and could see the marks where he belly crawled through the snow. I let him rest since it was now getting dark and took up the search the next day. I could see in his bed where I shot him (high on the back) and he stopped bleeding and wandered off to live another day.

I would keep looking throughout the property one more time get a few friends and sweep the land.

Always take finishing shots. One more example of a missed oppurtunity. Probably watched too many Hunting shows on tv where they shoot and admire their shot. They can do that in High Fence. In the real world it is always pertinent to put a second shot in them. Just my not so humble opinion.

peace.

I think another possibility is that you hit him at the base of the antler, knocking him sensless for a few minutes. My uncle did that once. He shot and the buck dropped instantly and lay motionless for a few minutes. He of course assumed it was dead so he started down the tree. As he was coming down it slowy got up after several failed attempts, stagered around a bit and then took off. All he found was antler fragments though. No blood at all. But if your bullet creased a little deeper than his did maybe that could explain the small amount of blood. Anyway, just another possibility.