you know that is a pretty sad thing to see, however I would take the antlers and make me an antler call. You know put a mistake to good use

that is exactly what i did. Actually, i used them yesterday afternoon while i was hunting. They have a real good sound eventhough one point is broken off each of them.

Good use of the antlers and even though I hate to see the animal go that way-everybody's got to eat so it is good for the scavengers

could you see the wound? where it was shot.

bad shots happens and is a fact of hunting. if u dont practice and then go hunting and make bad shots, that is another story. anyone can make a bad shot no matter how much practice. practice makes it less likely

no....i am just assuming that it was shot. It is too mangeled to be able to tell where and if it was shot. It basicly looks like 2 uneaten back legs, the entire mid section is gone along with the guts (kinda weird...but the guts were lying about 5 ft away....figured they would have been eaten first) the chest, front legs, neck and head is all intact. Alot of hair is missing and it seems to have cuts through the skin on the front shoulders, but that could have happened after he was dead. Anyways, I got some antlers out of the deal and several other animals got a good meal. I just wish he had died by my hand and I could have enjoyed the whole thing. Oh well....life goes on.

Yes it not a good feeling when you find a deer in this state and all kind's of question's run through your mind about the buck's demise,but as Charlie has said it definetly didn't go to waist .
As for a bad shot ,well we all make them doesn't matter whether your a good shot or an excellent shot ,if the deer jumped the string he could make any of us look bad with our shooting .
What get's me is when a deer die's in the wood's and the predator's get to them they alway's go between the leg's into the rear area or the gut's first ,and usually leave the front and back till last .
At least you were able to salvage the rack for good use ,and you now have another story to save in the ole memory bank.

nubo

Yall also have to understand that in north alabama where treehunter and myself are from a 6 point buck is a VERY VERY VERY good kill. The deer get real big further down south and on the georgia line. But i agree with you treehunter I'd much rather have killed the deer and have ate his meat rather than finding him dead rotting in the woods after the coyotes have gotten to him

You got that right. There are not that many bucks out in this neck of the woods. I couldn't tell you how many does i saw this season, but i have only seen 4 bucks and one of those was dead.

shoot yeah buddy. Every dang season i might see close to 150 does and maybe something under 10 or 15 bucks. I mean I kill them to eat them so i dont mind getting myself a big ol mama doe but there aint nothing like taking that one in a thousand 8 or 10 point roaming around the tennessee river :-) goodness talking to ya about this makes me home sick buddy :-) Naw but i'm glad to have met someone from back home on this hunting forum. now i actually have someone that knows the land around me on here as well