Coues79 Report post Posted January 26, 2006 That sucks man. Sorry to hear about that bad news. That is one of the worst feelings that a hunter can go through, to know that you have wounded an animal and cannot locate it. I've had that happen a couple of times. One was very similar to what you are describing. I stuck a little spike at the end of the year to just try and get a buck. Well, I stuck him and he bled like crazy. I watched him for about 2 or three minutes go down the canyon and up the next set of hills. They were steep too, but he handled it like he wasn't hit at all. All of the blood was in big pools about the size of the perimeter of a basketball. I was sick not to be able to find him. His blood eventually fizzled out to nothing. Then, this year, I drilled a really nice bull on the November hunt. Found blood at the close of the day, went back the next day got on the blood again. About 1/2 mile later, completely no blood. I had a lot of eyes helping me look, but no blood. Nothing. It's hard to say where the buck could be. Deer and elk are pretty amazing animals. When they have that adrenaline in them, they can go for a long, long way. Good luck if you try to find him. I'd spend a couple hours looking for him at the last place you found blood. If you can't find him, you gotta move on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan H Report post Posted January 26, 2006 If he ran uphill thoe whole time he probably was not hit that hard. What color was the blood. Did it look like a lung or main artery puddles? He is probably laying there within 100 feet of that last spot. In all the excitement and trudging you probably just overlooked the smallest sign. I'd be heading to that spot first thing tomorrow. Dan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SouthernCouesHunter Report post Posted January 26, 2006 I understand your situation perfectly. January 16th 2005, my buddy shot a nice 4 point. I saw the shot, heard the shot, and saw the animal run off. After about an hour, the reenforcements showed up with spotlights and we began to search for blood. We found the last 6 inches of the arrow and it was covered in blood. We tracked blood for about 300 yards down the trail that I saw the buck run. With the amount of blood that was on the ground we were sure that he was just around the corner. After about 350 yards the blood just stopped. We continued to scour the area for more blood but came up empty. It was about 11:30PM by that time and we decided to call it a night and would resume searching first thing in the morning. We marked the last spot of blood and came back the next morning. Three of us searched the area for three more days (8-10 hours a day) and never recovered the deer. My buddy felt the same way that you are feeling now. He didn't hunt anymore that January. We occasionally went back to the spot this summer looking for any signs of the deer but nothing. Sorry that is so long. But the good news is on January 15th 2006 my buddy took a nice 6x4 that went about 60 yards and crashed. My buddy wanted to quit like you do right now, but with some stiff encouragement kept at it and you will be rewarded in the long run, as long as you do it ethically. Brian Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coocoo4coues Report post Posted January 26, 2006 If he ran uphill thoe whole time he probably was not hit that hard. What color was the blood. Did it look like a lung or main artery puddles? He is probably laying there within 100 feet of that last spot. In all the excitement and trudging you probably just overlooked the smallest sign. I'd be heading to that spot first thing tomorrow. Dan <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The blood was bright red. The puddles of blood ranged between 2-4 inches in diameter. Most of the trail I found only a few drops here and there, and grass smudged with blood. The last sign I found was blood smudged grass, no more drops. I know I hit him in the shoulder, because I saw the arrow. After recovering the broken piece, it seems that it penetrated about 12 inches. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZP&Y Report post Posted January 26, 2006 cooc4cous, I really feel for you man. You've made what sounds like a shot that should/may have taken him down. You now know that you can't push the animal again, and that is a tough one to live with. Is it possible for you to gather any friends , even if it's late or night is approaching to assist with tracking?? Someone with experience would be a great assett, so you can develop a strategy , after the shot. I would suggest even after Jan archery bow season is over to spend some time studying the vitals of the whitetail. Here is a tool that helped me truely understand what I was aiming at and where my mind was telling me to shoot. It's a cut away of all of the organs-bone structure- skin etc. PUT out by NBEF National bow-hunter education foundation. They have Whitetail deer- Elk - Bear http://www.bowsite2.com/nbefstore/product1...&Product_ID=173 Good luck and I'll be watching you post for what I hope is you finding him! Respectfully, AZp&Y Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowcrazy Report post Posted January 26, 2006 I have had a few wounded animals double back on the same trail for about 50 to 75 yards before and then turn off the trail in another direction it seems like the blood trail just ends, so i followed it back and found the trail leading off in another direction,just something to think about. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TREESTANDMAN Report post Posted January 26, 2006 I've been in that situation as well. It is not fun at all. In my case I gut shot a buck that would go close to 100" with my bow. Right after I shot him I went after him because it was raining. I should have just waited a few hours instead of pushing him. Never found him. Chances are, your buck has probably expired. I would go out again looking for crows and hoping the wind carries the stench of rotting flesh to your nose. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowhuntinmaniac Report post Posted January 27, 2006 I wasnt trying to be funny..........we have recovered animals before by going back and following the smell. In fact, last year, my friend shot a Coues and had great blood then nothing. he searched for hours and couldnt find it. He went back 3 days later and followed the smell to his buck. The deer was less than 100yds form where he was looking. He was able to recover the antlers, which he tagged and eventually scored 98 2/8. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TREESTANDMAN Report post Posted January 27, 2006 I know you weren't trying to be funny. I have found dead animals that way as well. I was being serious. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coocoo4coues Report post Posted January 27, 2006 Well, I went back out today, and found nothing. I saw a group of does hanging out where I originally shot him. They ran up the same trail the blood was on, and out of sight. I followed their path, hoping to find my buck, but found nothing. I had my brother-in-law go help me look. I gave it my best shot. I feel like shoot, man. He was a nice one. I think I'm hanging my bow up till August. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az4life Report post Posted January 27, 2006 Well, I went back out today, and found nothing. I saw a group of does hanging out where I originally shot him. They ran up the same trail the blood was on, and out of sight. I followed their path, hoping to find my buck, but found nothing. I had my brother-in-law go help me look. I gave it my best shot. I feel like shoot, man. He was a nice one. I think I'm hanging my bow up till August. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I think you made the right decision to go again today. If you put in a full day with help, You did give it the effort the wounded deer deserves. Sorry you didn't find him though. Don't give up bowhunting, just hone those skills till the next season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues79 Report post Posted January 27, 2006 Sorry to hear you didn't find him man. Don't hang it up though. That's just part of hunting and what makes you a hunter. You care about the animal that you shot. Hunting is not just about going out there and killing anything you see. You respect the animals and care about them enough to not want to make them suffer. Sometimes, even with the most careful placement on a shot, it just so happens they slip through your fingers. Hang in there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
singleshot Report post Posted January 27, 2006 Losing an animal is a very heartwrenching moment in every bowhunters life. Unfortunately it seems to happen to everyone at some point in time. One thing to consider is that wild animals are very tough and have a strong will to live. Your buck could have very well survived. I once shot a forkie that piled on impact and slid down the mountain about fifty yards. He struggled to his feet and slowly staggered off. We followed good blood to the bottom of the canyon, up the other side, jumped him from his bed and lost him. Two weeks later a man I know killed a forkie in the same area with a heart shot. When he butchered the deer he found a three blade rocky mountain broadhead buried in his spine. Same deer, were sure. A friend shot a big mulie a little high behind the shoulder. The broadhead was sticking out one side, the fletch the other. While tracking the buck the next morning in the flats he noticed several coyote tracks trailing the buck. Eventually the coyotes caught the buck. All he found was his arrow broken in two, the scene of a tremendous fight, and deer tracks going one way, coyote tracks the other. The guys that set up the mobile coolers during the elk hunts get quite a few elk carrying old well healed arrows and broadheads. It sounds like you gave it your best effort to recover the animal. Be at peace with yourself. I put what I thought was a great shot on a big carp one morning, only to finally find him two weeks later, HUMPING a doe!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
runningbird Report post Posted January 27, 2006 I would still go out and look. at least you could get your antlers. it is amazing how these things can blend in. I once walked right next to my dead deer following a blood trail. it was my first buck and wasn't positive on the hit. very little blood so I was looking close to the ground trying to follow tracks thru a thick area. I looked back at my buddy who had come over to help and he was just standing there. I asked what he has doing and he said waiting for you to find your buck. He said to come back to him and we would talk about the shot and figure it out. I went to him and he say which way did he run, I pointed over a scrub oak thicket and he says to go check it for sign. he comes with me and just stopped I again asked what he's doing he say's the same thing. anyway the buck was laying right of the trail the whole time. it was a quarting away heart shot where the broad head ended up in the other shoulder. no blood trail and the buck only went 60 yards. anyway go back and look you may have overlooked the obvious. good luck!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Reynaldo de la Torre Report post Posted January 27, 2006 This morning, I called in sick to work (NOT) and took a drive out to the hills. I spotted a herd of does feeding about 1/2 way up the hill. Then, out of nowhere, I see a beautiful 3 point buck. After parking my truck, I managed to stalk them to within 50 yards. I waited for a while, and crawled hands and knees to within about 40 yards. He was broadsided, and looking right at me when I let one fly. I got him. I saw him run about 20 yards or so up the hill, and he fell down under a tree. I assumed that was it. I made the stupid mistake of trying to go over there. As I got closer, a doe spotted me, flagged her tail, and bolted. The buck took off too. I walked to the last place he was, and found a pool of blood. I waited for a while, then started to follow the blood trail. I spent over 6 hours tracking that buck up the steepest and rockiest terrain I'd ever hunted. I marked every spot I found blood with orange tape, and successfully followed the trail for over 1/2 a mile. About 1/2 way up, I found my arrow, bit in half, and full of blood. Next to it, another puddle of blood. Apparently, it didn't go all the way through, and the deer bit off what was sticking out. Yet, a good 12 inches stayed in him. At the ridge of the mountain, I saw some blood on some grass and then, NOTHING. I searched from that point for some more blood for over 2 hours, and found nothing. The blood just stopped. I walked in circles, hoping to see my buck, but no luck. By this point, I had fallen down about 5 times, and was exhausted. Has anyone ever been through this? Now, I feel so guilty, I don't even want to hunt anymore. Disgusted in Sierra Vista, Cookoo4coues <{POST_SNAPBACK}> If you really want to find him - go back. I think that he is some place close. If he lost that much blood he can't go far. They are hard to find when they are in the brush (as we all know). When they are alive they are hard to find and when they get into the thick stuff to hide and die they are harder to find. Some times when I get frustrated I have to back off and start over later. Good luck but don't beat yourself up. It is a lesson we all learn and sometimes we have to learn the same thing over - give them room/time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
