opinion on shot reaction
 

I am just looking for some opinions -

It is late black powder in S. New York and I took a shot at a doe tonight.

It was a broadside shot at about 50 yds.

The doe took off running after the shot into another field - seemed like full speed w. its tail tucked.

After going back I found a splinter of bone - about 1.5 inches to 2 inches long and about a 1/2 inch wide.

When I started to search...I jumped her - she had bedded down almost immediately upon making into a small patch of woods. She jumped up and crossed a road and I called it off for tonight.

When I found the bone, all I can think of is a leg shot - would she bed down that quickly? At any rate, Ill be back out tomorrow morning to see what I can find.

RE: opinion on shot reaction
 

sounds like a leg to me.

RE: opinion on shot reaction
 

It sounds like a leg shot, but it's strange that she'd bed down so quickly after that. Most deer that are leg shot take off running and don't stop for awhile. I would go back in the morning like you are planning- if you hit vitals, it'll be close by, if not, it's probably long gone and still alive.

RE: opinion on shot reaction
 

Sounds like leg also to me.

RE: opinion on shot reaction
 

Sounds like a leg to me. My buddy shot one this year in the middle front leg. We left it be for about 30 minutes before trailing it and jumped it 60 yards away on some tall grass. Backed off for a couple hours and tracked her down about 200 yards later. Give her time and she'll stiffen up and track slowly, but be ready for a shot at anytime. When we found my buddies she was laying and when she tried to limp away I dispatched her. Of course, she was laying with a monster buck that I couldn't get a shot at! The Blood trail will be tough, but you should have some spots here in there. Good Luck!

RE: opinion on shot reaction
 

I haveseen this happen with leg hits.

What you won't know for sure until you find the deer, is which leg you hit. There is a chance that the deer was hit through some part of the body along with a leg. That would make the deer bed and watch its back trail.

Take up thetrail carefully. you may get a shot at it coming out of its bed again. May find it dead too.

RE: opinion on shot reaction
 

Did you check her bed for blood? If so what color was it? Did she jump/hunch up on the hit?

RE: opinion on shot reaction
 

Well...I went out today and pulled into the field where I usually park - I glass the field I last saw her run into and I notice some crows in the back corner. So I make my way over and sure enough there it is.

Coyotes got to her- all that was left was the head and legs. On closer inspection it was a small buck.

No luck on this one- If I pursued after daylight I am sure I would have pushed it into the swamp...wait a night and the coyotes get a free meal.

Thanks for the help.

RE: opinion on shot reaction
 

Were you able to determine where you hit the deer?

RE: opinion on shot reaction
 

If i got shot in the leg i wouldn't make it very far either.:D