I'm a new hunter and new member here. Shot a doe so far this season.

Wednesday evening, just after sunset, I shot a buck from my stand from about 30 yrds with buckshot, chest shot. My stand is on an incline just below a ridge. The buck tore up the ridge and disappeared out of sight. The way it took off I thought I missed. I searched where I thought it went, didnt see any blood so I thought I missed.

Get in my stand yesterday and I see vultures and foxes about 100 yrds from where I was searching. I was really upset. It was a nice 6 pointer too. Can't believe I didn't search more.

I know I messed up big time and I've been real hard on myself ever since for screwing it up and fear I lost my last chance at a buck this season. Let this be a lesson!

I aint gonna ride ya hard, but you should put your tag on that deer!
Then it will be more of a lesson learned, instead of someone unsure about his shooting skills, or lack of going to every extent to recover game, but is out there anyway makin swiss cheese outta everything, cause he cant find a deer to tag it, because they are layin down dead every where!using the same tag to kill 20 deer and not recovering it.
By all means i aint sayin that is you, you just need to pick a side.
**** happens....we've lost deer too.
I made my daughter tag one she shot, never recovered, and was taken by another hunter the following year. Shouldn't take that shot unless your absolutely sure!!!
Go find your head, make a skull mount, thats tagged!!! Be proud of that 6 point, he gave his life so you could...(i usually say eat here)....have a nice skull mount.

agree,
should tag that deer,
not the greatest feeling using a tag on a deer cant consume,
but the right thing to do nonetheless,
i know people who have spent weeks//entire seasons trying to recover a deer to tag

I'm am not familiar with buckshot, but if it's like regular shot but bigger 30yrds is a long shot. Why are you not using slugs?

on your way to becoming a better hunter, all this will happen to you and more....i leave you with this quote:
An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made in a very narrow field. ~Niels Bohr

Don't tag the deer. You do need to use it as a serious lesson though. Always assume the deer is hit and exhaust every possibility before you give up on it. Don't let anyone make you feel too bad though because there isn't one person on here that hasn't "missed" a deer and possibly had the same thing happen to them.

i have extra copies of beyond fair chase which summarizes the right thing to do in such situations,
gladly mail you a copy,

Unfortunately I know how you feel. I shot my best buck, a 6 ptr, at about 40 yards with a 30-06. I didn't get a pass through and there was no hair or blood. My father-in-law and I didn't search much because we thought I missed. We found it a few days later. I have since switched to Noster Partitions and get pass throughs. I also don't get deer running out of site with my rifle either.

The only other deer I have had to search for was one I hit with a bow. It took my brother and I an hour and a half to find it but I wasn't about to lose it.

Think of this as a lesson and just remember it from now on. Also, don't feel too bad, while you didn't get to eat it, other critters did so it isn't going to waste.

I use buckshoot but I got a buckshoot tube and I shoot up to 80 yards with it but I shoot them till they fall down most the time 1 will do but somtimes 2 or 3 is needed. I never shot with buckshot unless I know I have time to get anouther shot off because it is really hard to find blood when you are useing buckshoot.

Terasec, I hope you tear up your tag when you "miss" a deer.