two bucks/two days and old wives tales

[navaman]

i just got in last night from some hunting on my new lease where i built the cabin and it was good. hard but good. i shot my first 8 point on the 1st in the late afternoon. a double lung shot at 13 yards. i started pushing him real soon rather than waiting because of an old wives tale i heard that if you push them quickly they'll bleed out quickly and die. what a bunch of hogwash! i chased that little buck for at least 500 yards. he was small but tough. he earned my respect and admiration. i used a slick trick broadhead and the blood trail was awesome. after about 300 yards of following, the trail fizzled out to a couple of drops and it got dark. the next morning i was stumped because i didn't have a prominent trail to follow. i sat there thinking and playing it over in my mind and remembered that the last time he looked back at me he had cut to the left. sure enough, i picked up another drop of blood and it led to others that led me about another 200 yards at least. there he lay under a mesquite nice and dead. it blows me away how far that little fella ran.
the next evening i sat in the same blind waiting for a particular big beautiful axis doe to show up. she did show up with another one but there was a larger 8 point that kept chasing them off. i thought to myself "well, i guess it'll have to be another buck." i put an arrow through his heart and he ran about 40 yards, fell down and died. this time i did wait about 40 minutes before i went after him.
so i learned a couple of things on this hunt. always give them time to die before you go after them. never put any stock in old wives tales. and the second thing i learned was put your arrow in the quarry's heart whenever possible and ethical. it's a much quicker death and not nearly as much running all over rough terrain.
January 1st and 2nd will live in my memory for some time to come.
2days/2 bucks and old wives tales.

i'll try to get pictures posted as soon as i can. BTW, i never heard that foolish wive's tale on this forum.

[DropTine]

Awesome job! I've never heard of that theory but i would never dare to try it!

[wabi]

Congratulations!!!!!
The only time I have ever started on a trail quickly was when weather conditions threatened to wipe out the trail. I soon learned not to hunt when the weather might force this option.
An arrow kills by massive hemorrhage, if you push one hard it's adrenalin levels shoot up which not only gives it more muscle power to keep going, but also makes the blood clot more rapidly, so you not only make it a longer trail to follow - you also cut down on blood sign to follow!

[bbbwb]

Navaman:
I had an instance where at 7:30 a.m., a big buck was shot with a shotgun slug . At shot site, evidence of liver tissue was on the snow and plenty of blood. Deer was left for 1 hour before following. At that time inside of 100 yards deer jumped and took off. Deer was not followed for another 45 min at which time the trail was resumed. No evidence of any bedding was encountered and it was continue with the theory to push and bleed out. That took 6 hours before another opportunity to shoot and kill took place. It was approximately 4 miles of travel and deer was still going. Strong blood trail all the way, not gushing but steady dripping. Upon field dressing, liver had been hit but little other organs had been damaged.
Conclusion: The pushing had pumped adrenalin and animal had fired up to go and go he did. I feel that had no following taken place after the hour wait, the animal would have settled down and bedded and died. Pushing only causes extra work.The exceptions are during heavy snowfall where trail can be lost and during rain on ordinary leaf litter/ground cover where the blood trail will soon be obliterated.
You did a fine job as in your country I don't expect there was snow and thus your blood was still visible the next day.It was good luck that darkness pushed you into deciding to leave it for the night and he was close by the next morning.
Again, well done, your a thinking, patient and persistent hunter.

bbbwb

[saxman]

Great story Navaman. I felt like I was there.
And congrats on the kill's.

[Pydpiper]

Great story indeed! Thanks.