I arrowed my biggest buck and can-not see how I lost it.
02-03-2010, 05:49 AM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: N/W WI.
Posts: 814
I arrowed my biggest buck and can-not see how I lost it.
I need someone to tell me how I could arrow a buck through what I thought was a double lung shot and still loose it. I shot a little high and a little back. There was great blood at the start, however it quit within 200 yds. I did find the buck about two weeks later, but it really eats at me . It was hard to tell from the carcass as to where I hit it. Could it be that I shot over the lungs and nicked the Liver? It ended up killing the buck but I'll never know what did him in.
Maybe someone may have had a similar experience to share.
Maybe someone may have had a similar experience to share.
02-03-2010, 06:02 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manassas, VA
Posts: 3,612
How long did you wait before tracking the buck after you shot him? It could have been a single lung shot and if you picked up the trail too soon you might have pushed him. Was the buck quartering away/toward/broadside? How high were you hunting in the tree?
02-03-2010, 08:25 AM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 275
A lot of things could have went wrong.. If you did liver it you should have been able to tell from the blood were the hit was... liver and lung blood are two different things.. If it was a liver shot and you tracked him within the 5-7 hours you probably jump him and pushed him, which they will then run pretty much until dead.. If you doubled lung him then he would have been dead within 100 yards of your stand.. A single lung shot generally should be left alone as well, they will sometimes die and sometimes live.. It all depends on what else you hit in the shot.. A thing to remember is when in doubt back out, go in the opposite direction, walk the long way around if you have to--this helps not to jump the wounded buck.. Generally speaking a liver shot buck that is not spoked or pushed will lie down within 100-150 yards and expire (it takes hours though)... What kind of angle was the buck at, distance of shot, hieght of treestand, most important what kind of blood did you have (pink and bubbly, dark red, was fatty or not, were there any clots in it?)
02-03-2010, 03:56 PM
#5
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: N/W WI.
Posts: 814
I tracked him 50yds the nite I arrowed him and then left him till morning. My son and I tracked him an aditional 150 yds or so and lost the blood trail. We went in circles around where we last had blood the rest of the day but never found him.
The buck was slightly quartering toward me and on a ridge about even with my height when I arrowed him. There was a load crack so I know I hit Ribs going in. The arrow had brite blood on it and was a pass through. We never found any places he layed down which really surprised me.
The buck, as it turned out went about 500 yards total from where I last had blood. He circled back to about 200 yards from where I hit him. My lab found him in a dead fall when we were out for a walk. I have'nt lost many deer and this one really haunts me.
The buck was slightly quartering toward me and on a ridge about even with my height when I arrowed him. There was a load crack so I know I hit Ribs going in. The arrow had brite blood on it and was a pass through. We never found any places he layed down which really surprised me.
The buck, as it turned out went about 500 yards total from where I last had blood. He circled back to about 200 yards from where I hit him. My lab found him in a dead fall when we were out for a walk. I have'nt lost many deer and this one really haunts me.
Last edited by mr.mc54; 02-03-2010 at 04:01 PM. Reason: spelling
02-03-2010, 07:04 PM
#6
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 159
What kind of shape was he in when you recovered him? It is truly amazing how much drive a mature whitetail buck has to live. I have seen a buck with a arrow through one lung and an obliterated liver run for over a mile and a half. It has a lot do do with the scenario. For example if you live in an area with lots of predators the buck might be reluctant to bed down knowing he is injured and not wanting to be overcome by coyotes. Or if he is outside of his comfort area, he might try extra hard to get back home. It sounds to me like a slight quartering to shot. Which probably was a one lung liver shot.
02-04-2010, 05:13 AM
#7
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: N/W WI.
Posts: 814
He was in rough shape when I found him. The whole rear end was ate by coyotes as well as mid section. I think the area where we found him was his home area cause it is thicker than hell in there. I'm thinking, as you said, maybe one lung and slight liver. I would of thought he would have been piled up within 100 yds or so.
02-04-2010, 07:00 AM
#9
Spike
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Bureau County IL
Posts: 5
Not sure I understand. If you lost blood at 200 yards, how do you know that he went another 500 yards. Also you found him 200 yards away. How far was he from the last blood. Is it possible that he was over looked the next day? The night that you took the shot, how long did you wait before getting out of your stand to mark blood and track 50 yards.
