Sleepless night ahead

Rizzo · Oct 7, 2015

Well I took a shot at a buck I have been after for the last three weeks. The thing that is really bothering me is I can't find my arrow and I did not see the impact. I was so focused on my point of aim that I didn't even see the arrow leave the string. I was hunkered down in a cornfield so I couldn't hear anything with the wind.

He turned and ran back in the direction from where he came from tail down. He went 60 yards and slowed down, rear end started to dip and sway. I thought he was going down and the buck he was with ran by him and he started moving again looking off balance. The other buck headed into a slough with my buck lagging behind. That was the last I saw of him. His body language after the shot is really bothering me because I watched him go 200 yards before he got into the willows.

Looked everywhere for the arrow and it's nowhere to be found and finding blood was impossible in the fading light not to mention it's nothing but dirt and green tumbleweeds. So I just backed out and going to wait for good daylight.

Yoby · Oct 7, 2015

Hope you find him. Radar looks clean so you shouldn't have to worry about the rain covering/washing the blood trail.

svnmag · Oct 8, 2015

Good luck man

dust in the wind · Oct 8, 2015

Hard to say, if it was a good hit, you should probably find him close to where you last saw him.

I hit one a couple of years ago - he was broadside at the time i released the arrow but I think he turned. My arrow went in by the front leg bone above the heart and came out the opposite hind quarter hitting just about all the vitals (lungs, diaphragm, liver, intestinal tract) - he still managed to go about 150 yards and just fell over mid step.

He took off on a run with the tail down too. After 10 yards though, i couldn't see him any more due to the thick cover he went into.

Good Luck!

Nanky · Oct 8, 2015

Good luck, hope you are able to find him, keep us updated!

Kickemup · Oct 8, 2015

Good luck take your time when walking. Even if u got the guts he will be dead by now.

JMF · Oct 8, 2015

Good luck, hope you find him.

KDM · Oct 8, 2015

Without any more info like angle of the deer, distance to the target, weight of the arrow, type of broadhead, bow poundage, uphill vs. downhill, water locations, coyote populations, etc, etc, etc. My guess is that if he was wobbly that quick, not matter how far he walked, I'm 98% sure he's DONE!! Go get your deer!! My rule of thumb is to wait 30 minutes and track'em until I find a body or an EMPTY bed. The thought process being if the deer had the strength to lay down and then GET BACK UP. He probably wasn't hit in the most optimum location and should be left until morning. We have WAY to many coyotes around my hunting location to allow a dead deer to lay overnight. I've even stayed up all night in the general area to keep them filthy butt sniffers out of the vicinity. Post pics when you find'em!!!

espringers · Oct 8, 2015

Just watch for turkey vultures. They will lead you to the carcass or something like that.

seriously. ..good luck! Pics where he lays please.

Bri-guy · Oct 8, 2015

What part of the state are you in? Do you have people going with you? The more eyes the better. Good luck and stay positive! The mind can play tricks on a guy in your situation.

jpv · Oct 8, 2015

Stay positive and walk slow with patience following blood if you find any. Two of the biggest things I have problems with when tracking a deer. A guy gets so excited to get his hands on them. Good luck and likes others said post pics when you find him.

Duckslayer100 · Oct 8, 2015

The anticipation is killing me!!! Rizzo, you better come through...one way or another.

Positive thoughts heading your way!

tsioux · Oct 8, 2015

Post pics when you find him. When, not if.

sd fisherman · Oct 8, 2015

Good luck Bro. My guess is he's dead in his first bed.

Davey Crockett · Oct 8, 2015

espringers said:
Just watch for turkey vultures. They will lead you to the carcass or something like that. seriously. ..good luck! Pics where he lays please.

Actually true but it's magpies. Unless there aren't a lot of magpies all around the state ?? They are spookier than anything I know of so you have to watch from a long ways away as you approach the area.

Rizzo · Oct 8, 2015

Thank you guys for your words of encouragement and confidence. I made it back out at 9 and made a quick search again for my arrow and came up with nothing. So I headed to the last place I saw him and combed the entire area for blood, checked at least 30 beds all with no blood. I thoroughly checked every little piece of cover within sight, over every dike, and the creek for a half a mile in both directions with no sign. Then went back and combed everything over again still nothing. Now the sun was up higher in the sky I went back to where I was sitting and started another search for my arrow. I set my backpack where I was sitting and walked to where I thought he was standing and couldn't find anything. So I rechecked again. I walked the field edge and finally cut his track and followed it back to where he was standing with no blood. Now I finally had some relief. He was a mere 20yards from where I was sitting. I shot for 40yards, so I just flat out shot over the top of him no doubt in my mind. Now what I can't explain is his body language after the shot and it still has me scratching my head. So with all that I am pretty happy that he's not out there dead and rotting or worse yet wounded.

bucksnbears · Oct 8, 2015

if he was moving like you say he was after the shot, you hit him!!.
sound like a gut shot

guywhofishes · Oct 8, 2015

bucksnbears said:
if he was moving like you say he was after the shot, you hit him!!.
sound like a gut shot

agreed

Davey Crockett · Oct 8, 2015

I'd recreate the shot on a target and see how it plays out in inches above the aim point to determine if it's likely that you could have ever so slightly grazed the top of his back. 1/8 '' lower he might have dropped in his tracks. Good luck , Hope he shows his face and gives you another shot.

guywhofishes · Oct 8, 2015

yeah - unless your draw weight is really low can holding 40 on a deer at 20 really clear his back?

Sleepless night ahead

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