Lost a deer for the first time
12-12-2015, 11:33 AM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 592
Lost a deer for the first time
I got her at about 60 yards. Clear shot right in the lungs. The herd ran south and she ran north, after rearing up first. No trail, no blood, nothing. I looked for about an hour. Nothing.
Sucks. First time for everything, I guess.
Sucks. First time for everything, I guess.
12-12-2015, 12:09 PM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Allegan, MI
Posts: 8,019
"About an hour" looking for a wounded big game animal and giving up is absolutely ridiculous! You should take the time and cover every square inch of land within a large area where the deer was hit and quitting after an hour tells me you didn't do any such thing. One hour is not enough time to thoroughly cover anywhere near the area you need to. If this just happened today, I would strongly suggest you get your rear back out there and do the job properly and maybe take some others with you that know how to track or what to look for if that's possible.
12-12-2015, 12:26 PM
#3
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 592
I knew someone would say that. I did look as much as I could. Walked, drove, glassed from a knoll, etc. There are private land boundries that I had to consider. The land I was on was searched completely. No traces at all.
12-12-2015, 12:27 PM
#4
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: idaho
Posts: 2,773
x2 what top said. and if you don't find it today go back out tommorrow.
if deer ran off property you should go try and get permision from neighboring landowner. if refused I GUESS NOT MUCH YOU CAN DO but you don't try you have no business hunting.
if deer ran off property you should go try and get permision from neighboring landowner. if refused I GUESS NOT MUCH YOU CAN DO but you don't try you have no business hunting.
Last edited by kidoggy; 12-12-2015 at 12:30 PM.
12-12-2015, 12:34 PM
#5
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 592
No business hunting. Whatever.
I've been hunting for many years. I'll tell you that I have had tough retreveals, but never no evidence of where she went before. That was the part that got me. No blood trail, nothing. Not sure what happened there.
I've been hunting for many years. I'll tell you that I have had tough retreveals, but never no evidence of where she went before. That was the part that got me. No blood trail, nothing. Not sure what happened there.
12-12-2015, 01:05 PM
#7
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 592
Thanks. I am, and would gladly look more if I had any evidence of anything at all. Never happened before, so I don't know what the next step is. Hate killing a beautiful animal for no reason. Sucks.
12-12-2015, 02:27 PM
#8
Typical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Northern WI
Posts: 853
Well that is odd. A lung shot without a trace of blood? How long did you wait after shooting to trail it? I am guessing you may have been a little high of the lungs - too high for the lungs and too low for the spine. You then hit nothing to bring them down and little blood is lost, and they can even heal up and live. This can happen from the ground, although from a tree stand it is less likely because of the angle. See http://www.fieldandstream.com/answer...nd-below-spine . And you are sure you hit it?
Last edited by MZS; 12-12-2015 at 02:30 PM.
12-12-2015, 02:30 PM
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Up on the Milk River
Posts: 459
First, thanks for being honest and sharing. I might think about asking someone with a good tracking dog, take 'em to where you shot the deer, perhaps they can pick it up. Making circles around the area where you shot has been the best method I have found...good luck.
12-12-2015, 02:58 PM
#10
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 592
Thanks brother. I tried that circle thing. She was close to the boundary of the farmer's land and the huge ranch to the east. My guess is that she went that way, but no blood trail.
