Well I made some sparks tonight...

[rabjr]

Finally got a good shot tonight right at 4:45 on one of the big Does here. At 22 yards basically broadside, she took a .54 ball driven by 90 gr of FF, wheeled around and hit the dirt. Struggled to get up and than ran off....found hair at the shot but no blood, not even where she was on the ground. Searched an area of about 60 yards without finding a drop of blood before I decided to call it and wait till tomorrow morning.

Now I held tight to the rear of her front leg, classic heart/lung shot. My rifle went right off with no delay and everything felt good. I suspect I hit her in the shoulder which could explain the lack of blood sign but damn that ball shoulda went right on through at that distance.

Well anyway...we got a cold night and hopefully no Coyote's come by.

 

Well, good luck with your search and I very much hope for connect with the carcas. It is pretty amazing what punishment some deer can take and others fold up like a twice read newspaper. Several years ago I was on a stand and about 6 doe ran by after a shot in the not too far off distance. I was keyed for a buck and when one of the doe came by her right front leg was bloody and spinning like a pin wheel. Like a morion I let her go and cursed myself for days (and even to this day) for not putting her down. One of them situations I would like to have a chance to do over. I would hav shot her and not worried about the fine. Just was not thinking clearly.

 

[jethro224]

Since you found the hair you know it was a solid hit. Lotsa times they bleed inside for a while until they fill up to the hole. A couple years ago I shot a doe that ran 100 yards before I found a drop of blood. Found the doe 10 feet farther.
Makes for a restless night but you'll find her in the morning.

 

[GrizzlyBear]

Lord willing you'll have venison for brunch tomorrow. Hang in there, you'll find her.

 

[rabjr]

I'm sure shes hit hard, just sucks having to wait through the night. I'll have help in the morn at sun up. Not happy about the two coyotes I been seeing lately but hopefully they aren't around tonight.

 

[rabjr]

Well damn, we found absolutely nothing, not a drop a blood anywhere. I just don't know, I'd take the same shot if I could do it all over again.

Hanging the gun up, gonna pass on the last two days. All in all it's been a good year. Seen a lot and this year's been a real shot in the arm for me. After spending 8 months in a hospital bed in 2000 and another 6 months in 2001 I haven't been the same phyically and saw my time a field drastically cut back. Think I hunted more this year than I have the past 5 combined so it's all good.

 

[GrizzlyBear]

Sorry to hear about this Swamp. As the season progresses I find it harder and harder to skip a hunt. There's just too precious few of them.

I hate your season is soured a little by not finding that deer.

 

[playfarmers]

Sorry to hear of your troubles. One season I took a shot and looked for 2 hours, I was so sure there should be a dead deer. It turned out that a twig deverted the bullet off target. You may not have hit right where you thought. It is tough to take, but it happens. Glad to hear that you are able to enjoying more hunting. Best to you in the new year.

 

[rabjr]

Actually guys theres some argument for the fact that I *cough* umm missed. And I'm starting to believe it.

You see there was two deer there, the Doe came out and stood faceing right and her fawn was a few steps behind and still coming. I was mindful of the fawn and knew if I didn't shoot when I did, the fawn would come along her far side and get in the way. When I fired I could see the fawns head just go behind the Does rearend. At the shot and through the smoke I saw one deer go right and one end up on the ground on its left side facing left, struggle, get up and run left.

:haha: I think I may have shot low scareing the Doe which in turn kicked the fawn arse over head. Course this is just a theory lol but I'm beginning to believe it so. :haha:

 

[jethro224]

:hmm: It could be that the doe you shot knocked the fawn over and ran off to the right? You saw the deer down after the smoke cleared and assumed it was the one you shot? Did you try to track the deer that ran to the right, left or both?

 

[rabjr]

I assumed the deer on the ground was the Doe I shot at and we searched the left side finding nothing. After rethinking the situation we searched to the right wshere the other deer ran and again found nothing. We then searched the entire property just incase this was a gut shot deer and turned up nothing. Not one drop of blood anywhere. Only thing that makes sense here is I must not have had the front sight high enough in the rear and shot under her, scaring her into knocking the other one over. We searched up to 400 yards in every direction just incase coyotes did infact cart her off but there was no sign of a dead or wounded deer. /shrug

 

[jethro224]

I hate when that happens.

Better luck next time.

 

[PitchyPine]

You prob missed and you`ve done all you can do, it happens.
I searched for one once for seven hours and only found two drops of blood 150 yards apart in the woods and never found her, then looked somemore the next day with no luck.
If ya did all ya can do and are satisfied that`s all you can do.

 

[rabjr]

Yeah I feel 100% better today than I did last night for sure. I think I was so worried about the fawn stepping up and getting in the way that I may have rushed the shot a bit and not realized my sight picture wasn't perfect.

 

[bramble]

Been there, done that, and probably will again. Who'd a thunk that trying to put some meat on the table would leave you thinking that hard. :haha:

But seriously, IMHO being haunted by the thought of a wounded deer getting away and dying is the mark of a real hunter, as is trying your best to find the animal, then replaying the tape in your head until you can make some sense of what happened.

Good for you, keep smokin'

bramble

 

[rabjr]

Well it's offical lol. Saw the same Doe and fawn tonight at 4:30, They came in very cautious lol, hmm wonder why lol. Any way shes fine not a scratch on her so I had to shoot under her. Oh well glad to see shes fine.

 

[RC]

gee i can't wait till that guy down georgia way gets ya that plate breakin smoothie dun! a lil bigger ball may help! gee maybe she'll even come a lil closer to take a look see at the piece of stroh work! :shocked2: oh yeah.....i's real happy she be alright! seems this happen before????? :hmm:

 

[PitchyPine]

Well it's offical lol. Saw the same Doe and fawn tonight at 4:30, They came in very cautious lol, hmm wonder why lol. Any way shes fine not a scratch on her so I had to shoot under her. Oh well glad to see shes fine.

:thumbsup:

 

[jethro224]

Good deal!

 

[aloyalistdawg]

:thumbsup: :hatsoff: :thumbsup: :hatsoff: what more can you say.... hey I told you that you should have taken the gun back out... awesome ATTITUDE MY FRIEND... :hatsoff: :thumbsup: :hatsoff: :thumbsup: My best regards a loyalist dawg