Bad Shot Leaves a Hard Tracking Job

[Patocazador]

Oct. 21st was the muzzleload opening in Florida. 35 minutes after shooting time I hastened a shot at a doe only 25 yards away as she crossed a small shooting lane. The shot was a bit too far back and I only got part of one lung, liver and gut.

I never found a drop of blood for 85 yards and then only a drop or two along with acorn bits. The blood spots ended in a thick bedding area and I searched every faint trail for 45 minutes getting briar thorns in me everywhere. I went back to the last smear of blood on a leaf and just started pulling back vines. Finally I found her in a trough between pine rows burrowed under a mat of vines and briars. She looked small in there like a fawn but she turned out to be a dry doe in really good shape, stuffed with acorns and corn.

 

[Thingamajiggy]

Good job following up and staying with it till you found her.

 

[Christophero]

She didn't last long with that shot, but made for a tough time finding her. Glad you recovered her successfully.

Now, tell us more about the hunt, rifle and other pertinent information......

 

[smokepolehall]

I like to hear about good recoveries, n you went after it. Now congrats on the nice tick toter.

 

[2 shots]

thanks for not giving up ..... too many do

 

[Stykbow]

Good job! Losing a wounded deer is a real punch to the gut. Glad you avoided it.

 

[ORBushman]

Congrats and nice follow through! Every bit will be worth it when you sit to dinner.

 

[Patocazador]

Now, tell us more about the hunt, rifle and other pertinent information......

I was sitting in a ladder stand between rows of pines when I got a glance of deer legs coming. I quickly pulled up my Hawken replica with 90 gr of 3F and a maxi-ball, pulled the set trigger and fired as she was almost out of the shooting lane. She bolted and bounced down the same lane to the end of the row and turned left. If she had gone any other way, I wouldn't have had a chance to finally pick up a trail. It's been powder dry here for almost a month and her tracks were indistinguishable from others in the sand/clay dirt.

The 1st indication of a hit was a spot of blood and some particles of semi-digested acorns on a gallberry leaf about 85 yards from where she started running. I found either a smear or a drop on leaves every 5-15 yards after that and finally several drops and a wide smear on a briar leaf. The trail ended there in a thick bedding area with several dim trails fanning out through blackberry vines and gallberies. I searched them all with no hint of blood or gut contents so I returned to the last smear and changed direction. (Many of you know that a deer will make a dash in a circle just before dropping dead. They will usually be in a 25 yard circle of where the blood stops.)

I searched under all the vines and then got a glimpse of tan on the ground. It turned out to be the doe. The trailing job took about 90 minutes and covered about 145 yards. There were several times that I wished my Boykin spaniel were still alive to smell out the deer's trail. I really miss that dog. She would hunt anything except possums and bears.

 

[Spikebuck]

That's a fine doe. Congrats!

 

[tunadawg]

Congrats. Way to stick with it.

 

[Dobegrant]

Congratulations on your deer and the effort to find her.

 

[PghDad]

Glad you found her!

 

[LSB]

I was sitting in a ladder stand between rows of pines when I got a glance of deer legs coming. I quickly pulled up my Hawken replica with 90 gr of 3F and a maxi-ball, pulled the set trigger and fired as she was almost out of the shooting lane. She bolted and bounced down the same lane to the end of the row and turned left. If she had gone any other way, I wouldn't have had a chance to finally pick up a trail. It's been powder dry here for almost a month and her tracks were indistinguishable from others in the sand/clay dirt.

The 1st indication of a hit was a spot of blood and some particles of semi-digested acorns on a gallberry leaf about 85 yards from where she started running. I found either a smear or a drop on leaves every 5-15 yards after that and finally several drops and a wide smear on a briar leaf. The trail ended there in a thick bedding area with several dim trails fanning out through blackberry vines and gallberies. I searched them all with no hint of blood or gut contents so I returned to the last smear and changed direction. (Many of you know that a deer will make a dash in a circle just before dropping dead. They will usually be in a 25 yard circle of where the blood stops.)

I searched under all the vines and then got a glimpse of tan on the ground. It turned out to be the doe. The trailing job took about 90 minutes and covered about 145 yards. There were several times that I wished my Boykin spaniel were still alive to smell out the deer's trail. I really miss that dog. She would hunt anything except possums and bears.

View attachment 264640

I love those Boykin Spaniels. They all seem to be good hunters and have an "attitude" as well.

 

[upperplains]

Proud of your efforts.

 

[BillinOregon]

Persistence fills a freezer. Beautiful Boykin. If offered a choice of a Boykin pup and a French Brittany pup, I'd have to take both!

 

[GREENSWLDE]

I thought I knew my dogs ?? Whats a BOYKIN Spaniel ?? O.D.

 

[tom_in_vt]

Congrats! Good job staying with the blood trail. ALWAYS go back to the last place you have sign if you lose the trail. I’ve found a few deer and elk that way also.

 

[Patocazador]

Persistence fills a freezer. Beautiful Boykin. If offered a choice of a Boykin pup and a French Brittany pup, I'd have to take both!

Me too. I had Brittanies until the quail all disappeared.

I thought I knew my dogs ?? Whats a BOYKIN Spaniel ?? O.D.

A small brown spaniel bred in America in Boykin/Camden, SC. The State dog of South Carolina, bred mainly as a retriever but will hunt anything you allow it to.

About 5 years ago the AKC recognized them and I'm sure they will be ruined in time by the AKC just like cocker spaniels and Irish setters. Before that the Boykin Spaniel Society was the sole registering agent for them. They were a well kept secret but the cat got out of the bag.

 

[Gum Slough Muzzleloader]

Good going!
I've met folks that just give up with out really looking.
I hunt Florida also, they find the thickest spots to get into. I hunt in Citrus, Hernando, and Sumter Counties. Mostly.
Where abouts do you hunt?
Take Care
Stay Safe
Fred

 

[Spikebuck]

Here's a new way to find wounded deer. I'm not a fan of drones, and I'm not sure their use in my state would be legal since one cannot use electronic aids, but this could certainly work.

A guy in Wisconsin has a drone with thermal imaging. Once he spots a deer sized animal he takes the drone down and, with a bright light, takes a photo so the hunter that hired him can see if it's the right deer. Below is a photo. Hunters pay $250 for him to show up and another $150 if the wounded animal is found. So at $400 a pop I'd be surprised if he's busy, but who knows. Note in lower left is a google earth like view pinpointing the location. Pretty clear picture...can see blood from a very high hit and the buck is clearly still alive.