Dennis, I'll be heading back down state tomorrow. I can swing by if want want another set of eyes looking. I know it sucks but Chit happens, there is a reason they make the bumper sticker.
Sir Backwoods Savage I am not here to give you advice and want you to know many of us have been there, myself more than I care to remember but as others have said, it comes with hunting and it sucks. In 2014, I hit a 12pt with a muzzleloader that would have challenged the state record in that category. Of course I've lost them with a bow too. I just want to ask a couple questions-What did he do physically on impact, I trust no mule kick? Did he tuck tail and walk away slowly? What did the blood look like? Were there any bubbles, bright red or darker? Any other matter (fecal or otherwise) witnessed on the trail? You say more than quartering so a liver shot is very possible and can take quite awhile to be terminal. I know first hand as my bow best 144 2/8 was a liver hit and he lived some 6 hrs with the blood trail disappearing in first 300 yds. I finally jumped him up out of a thicket and he ran out of gas. Dont give up, I know it hurts but we owe it to the animal and you have nothing to feel as a failure. "Ole Sway Brow" is either alive or recoverable still. Now go get him.
All hunters have been in tough spots. Your among friends here with nothing but support and encouragement. Your going to find him, just going to take more work. I have never lost an animal, I have made excellent shots, bang flop, I have had tougher tracking. As in 4-5 days could not sleep and just sick of not doing better. But I always found them, and you will too. Hunting is my life and it was difficult getting back in the swing of things. Looking back I can’t fathom what I would have missed walking away. I have meet great friends had adventures some may find hard to believe. Give this adventure your best, and don’t give up hunting. On Saturday I am going on an epic moose adventure, will have pics to share. Maybe even come home with one. Backcountry mountain snow mobile moose hunt another trip of a life.
That's a nice buck, Sav. It's a shame you didn't find it, but don't give up yet! My baby brother hit one with his crossbow last week during that snowy day we had here, I went up after work and we tracked the thing over 3 miles, the blood never stopped but it wasn't a heavy pattern.....just spots... Never once did the deer sewm to arm Le or falter. We quit an hour after dark and he went back up the next morning and started again. He found two beds with very little blood, and eventually the snow melted and he lost it altogether. But not after putting another 3 miles of tracking in! I told him it was safe to say that the deer wasn't mortally wounded. But it still stinks to hit one and not find it. Hate the thought of that animal suffering.
i ain't perfect, clipped a white tail in Horicon Marsh about 10 years back , literally flipped and kept on going- it was hit hard blood spray 3 ft up the 9ft tall cattails which were covered in Hoar frost, sun broke through frost melted washed every sign away- left me flat footed as the Marsh was not frozen yet. couple other hunters on a small island that i tracked up to never saw or heard it. did a couple pin wheel searches from that point to no avail. Them white tails be smarter- than us mere humans.
One thing that is tough too is that it seems most people around here when they have problems finding a wounded deer come to me. Needless to say, I've helped tracked many deer and have been hunting them now for 60 years. Over time we've learned a few tricks and fortunately we have found many that others have given up on. I fondly remember last year when a friend called as he was really having trouble tracking one. We eventually found more blood (very little though) and over time it crossed the road and came into our place. But we lost it soon after it came here. 3 of us searched for a long time and finally he gave up several hours after we started. My wife called me on the 2-way radio to tell me that he was leaving. I told her to tell him to wait as I would be right there. But there was one spot I had not checked and I would check that on the way. Sure enough I found where he had laid down. Soon we picked up the trail again, however weak. Over 1/4 mile from there I finally spotted the buck laying but not down for the count. That was taken care of though and he had his buck. That was a tough one but worth it when we got the prize at the end. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Thanks all for the encouragement and the advise.
I so bad want to see you with that buck proudly showing him off. I really hope you can find him. Someone with a tracking dog? I know it's been days now though. How long after the shot did you wait to go find him. I now try to make myself wait 30 mins after a shot after pushing a deer and then not finding him till the next day after jumping him after like 10 to 15 mins and shooting from the hip...actually hitting him that time.
Well, Dennis... Sorry to hear that. Cant add a whole lot, except some stories of deer blood trails and what deer are capable of... The best case scenereo is that you hit high in the no mans land he bleeds to clean the wound and lives another day. But I'd search a bit later on tonight or go out tomorrow for a while, they do do weird things... But dont be to hard on yourself, Sir...
Nah, you ain't no failure, anyone that has hunted long enough has done the same. I have always found them when blood was present but a few were a few hours put in to find. I have missed some I would swear I hit. Last year I shot at a nice one and sit back and breathed a sigh of relief. just knew he was out there dead. I never touched him, I seen him again later and didn't get another shot but he wasn't hit.I put him in the freezer before I put him on the ground. Keep lookin for him, if there's a creek nearby look in it. I had to follow a creek a very long way to find one it in onetime. I done looked all over dry land and nothing. blood trail had done run out so he had to be in the creek or crossed it. It is hard to lose an animal as good as he was, but you may have not lost him yet. he still may be out there somewhere. Also never give up on hunting. It happens to us all.
Man I wish it was in the cards to jump on a plane. I would be there! I was supposed to be on my moose adventure, decided to postpone. No one has been near where I was going. The closest report was that the ice is thin and they broke through 5-6 times on lakes. I had a bunch of river crossings, being alone I erred on the side of caution. Got home at midnight to a dumping of snow. After clean up I will prep for a trip tomorrow to a different location.
Just reading all this now... I really hope you come across him maybe even still on the hoof! I also hope you’ve got good neighbors who you can put the word out too that would be nice and honest enough to tell you if they come across him...
I read this the day it was originally posted and was hoping to read a follow up with some good news just now. Bad break Savage. How many more days are left in the season?
