will this buck return ?????

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Tue Nov 11, 2008 8:43 pm

deer have been killed here in shotgun season with arrows stuck in them from the previous bow season lol.. it just depends on the hit location. But no matter what, he's not coming back to that spot even if he makes it. I killed a deer during ML season last year that had been shot 3 days before and just grazed onthe bottom of his neck. I talked with the guy that had shot at him and he said he trailed blood for 200 yards. It was a open wound on the deer when i shot him but it was starting to heal and he was in perfect shape.

like said, it just depends on where you hit him. Look for buzzards in a few days

mikej · Post by **mikej** » Tue Nov 11, 2008 8:50 pm

it sounds like a shoulder hit to me. the arrow likely stayed with him for and while and then he would have broke it off. i think he will survie but you won't being seeing any of him for a while except for maybe trail cam pics at 2am. good luck

Fishn-Hunter · Post by **Fishn-Hunter** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 2:09 am

Yea I agree with everyone, it is a really tough call not knowing exactly where he was hit or how deep the arrow penetrated. If there was no spraying then I would say you did not get Vidal's or major artery so he may recover and if he is still alive and I think there is a good chance, he will stay close to water but will likely only move after dark. I would say like the others have said continue your search around any water, set up some trail cams along nearby water every few hundred yards. Good luck and keep us posted on your findings and don't dwell on it. Look for him until you are satisfied you have made the best effort you could to recover him. Most hunter's will loose an animal at some point for uncontrollable reasons and some that could have been avoided. You will never forget the ones you lost, not many ever get closure it is very unfortunate but it does happen, all we can do is try to analyze what went wrong and do our best to avoid a similar scenario in the future.
Fishn-Hunter

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 8:32 am

Fishn-Hunter wrote: Look for him until you are satisfied you have made the best effort you could to recover him. Most hunter's will loose an animal at some point for uncontrollable reasons and some that could have been avoided. You will never forget the ones you lost, not many ever get closure it is very unfortunate but it does happen, all we can do is try to analyze what went wrong and do our best to avoid a similar scenario in the future.
Fishn-Hunter

Well said Fishn-Hunter.

BOB7255KHZ · Post by **BOB7255KHZ** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 11:24 am

I just got back from walking 1 1/2 mile or better along the trout stream , the bottom of the valley where he headed for. Hill sides on both sides of me , steep enough to make a nanny goat shake it's head no......if that buck climbed that mountain , it's in fine shape.
I looked in every nook and cranny , every blow down.....zero. No one has been back there for the last 100 years , no way to get there except air dropped in LOL. This is the ANF.

I went back to my tree stand from where I took the shot from.....fresh LARGE tracks in the mud....

I feel better that I DIDN'T find him , and I feel that I will see him in rifle season or Christmas bow season.....
thanks for all replies .........BOB

GA.crossbowhunt · Post by **GA.crossbowhunt** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 1:00 pm

i was wondering how things went. ina a way i geuss thats some good news. and maybe that large track in the fresh mud may be the buck you shoe. i guess you didnt fine the arrow either?

BOB7255KHZ · Post by **BOB7255KHZ** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 10:46 am

UPDATE........
Went back up in my stand last evening.....relived my shot in my mind of where he stood at the shot. My stand was exactly 20 yards from the trail.....but when he came running to my grunts.....I THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA BE ON THE TRAIL , HECK HE WAS 7 YARDS BACK BEHIND THE TRAIL........SOOooooo I took for granted that that he was at 20 yards when I took the shot looking through the scope and of course used the 20 yard cross hair ( Varizone).........geeeeesh , I under shoot him !!!!! I was aiming for the heart area.....so I just shaved his belly right behind his front leg.Whewww.

I went to where he was standing : looked back at my stand and noticed bunches of lil twigs and branches in line of the shot , and thought to my self I did not see these when I cleared out my 20 yard shot to the trail the other day when I placed the stand there .........sure..... it wasn't the 20 yard that he was at.
What screwed me up was that I scoped him 75 yards out till he came in all the way to in front of me.....I took for granted he was on the 20 yard trail while looking through the scope.....why would I think that he wasn't. Plus I was shooting up a lil grade.....plus it was very large bodied .....mind you , this all happened in seconds.

This sure explained my screw up.....a big time screw up.

I slept great last night knowing that the deer is gonna be fine and I ( or someone ) will score on this beauty some day.
BOB

VixChix · Post by **VixChix** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 12:13 pm

Way to keep at it and solve the mystery Bob. Sure you made a mistake, but your persistance is a great example!

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 12:24 pm

Bob . . .I did about the same thing on my last trip to Virginia. Only difference, I hit a limb while shooting at a nice 8 point. It was getting late and in the dim light, I didn't even see the bush I was shooting through. I knicked him well enough to get some hair and slight blood on the arrow shaft.

He was back under the same apple tree the next day. I decided he was a lucky buck and shot the bigger 6 point buck instead. I'm going to let him live until next year now. He should be a monster if he makes it.

Scott

Hoss · Post by **Hoss** » Fri Nov 14, 2008 6:07 am

It happens..Im glad you had it in you to search so diligently. Thats good self regulated ethics..Dont beat yourself up bud if you hunt long enough that is bound to happen and more than once..The chances of him coming back are very slim..If someone shot my ass here at my house and i couldnt shoot back heck I would move you wouldnt see me again. On to the next brute..the good thing---> If one buck liked that raea so will another..He probably owned slept and feed in that area and now a new buck will claim it as the rut comes on..back out try a new area for a bit and when the wind and all is right go back..you may be surprized..and for what its worth there is alot of Gomer Pyle deer in the woods if he was one of them he could be back..LOL