My buddy called Thanksgiving morning before I'd left the house to join him at our "spot" saying he'd shot at a nice buck in the corner of a field. He spotted the buck on the way there. He's disabled with severe arthritis and has a hard time walking on rough ground and needed help to look for the animal. He thought he'd hit him but wasn't certain.

When I got there about a half hour later, we found where the deer had been standing and then found his tracks where he ran into some real thick alders. No sign of blood or hair though. His tracks led to a hemlock thicket. When I entered into it, I heard a deer take off and assuming it was the buck I headed in the direction of the noise, picked up fresh tracks and followed them back into the woods until I lost the trail.

I'd promised my wife I'd be home by 10:00 to help with Thanksgiving dinner and it was already after that so I headed out disappointed I couldn't find the buckfor my friend who was waiting in his truck. I was committed for the rest of Turkey Day. Instinct told me to loop back through the hemlocks where I started in and guess what I found - a freshly killed 8 point 155 pound whitetail laying about 75 yards from where he'd been shot. The bullet lodged in the animal and there was no blood anywhere. We had to search for the entry.

Needless to say my friend was more than happy and I was more than a little late getting home. I had assumed the deer I heard bust out was the one my friend had shot at. It was obviously another and I hadn't finished looking close by. A near miss and a lesson learned.

PS: My wife even forgave me for being late.

well congrats on finding the deer for your friend,and for not getting sent to the doghouse.

Great recovery of the animal, always listen to your inner thoughts, more often than not it's right.

Good job thumper on helping your friend in his time of need. No blood only means they are a lot harder to find.

Great job and you need to give the better half a hug for her being understanding.

cool. Way to stick after him with the pressures of your wife waiting at home with the wooden spoon. This was the first Thanksgiving I didn't have to sit in the other room in the corner!!

Good deal, and a good lesson, don't always assume the deer you kicked out is the one that is shot.

You Da Man Thumper! Good Job!!!

I'd say you and your pardner had a darned good day. Congratulations.

Congrats on finding the deer--good thing your wife is understanding, if not -maybe metal spoon rather then wooden--just kidding--congrats on deer just the same!!