searching for my Daughters Doe the unexplained happened.

[First-light]

If you are reading the Live from the woods thread you will know my daughter shot a doe this morning. Good shot through shoulder out stomach. Ran off on three legs. We tracked for 50 yards or so and I noticed corn in the blood. I told her we would have to back out and I would come back later. We actually jumped the deer as we left it was 30 yards from us in Golden Rod. I saw the direction it took. Her and her sister left around 10. Deer was shot about 8:30. I went back in at 12:00. I Knew this deer probably crossed a path to the north so I looked there first. As I was walking I was looking at a side hill and saw the deer. It was stretched out on its side legs stiff. I got down on a knee called my daughter she was thrilled. Actually where I stoped was the blood trail. I followed it up to the deer. A lot of blood loss and corn. I walk up to it about 5 feet away and start to take off my coat to gut it. Hang the coat in a tree approach the deer and she gets up and trots off. My head spins and I'm like WTF! Obviously it needed more time but it was not bedded it was on its side looking stiff as a board. This has to be the weirdest experience ever. She is a small doe and is fighting so hard. I left and will go back at 3:00. She will die today just when? If it was a classic gut shot I would of waited 6 hrs but it was through the shoulder. I'm going back at 3 and this deer better not become Coydog food. 

[wolc123]

13 minutes ago, First-light said:

If you are reading the Live from the woods thread you will know my daughter shot a doe this morning. Good shot through shoulder out stomach. Ran off on three legs. We tracked for 50 yards or so and I noticed corn in the blood. I told her we would have to back out and I would come back later. We actually jumped the deer as we left it was 30 yards from us in Golden Rod. I saw the direction it took. Her and her sister left around 10. Deer was shot about 8:30. I went back in at 12:00. I Knew this deer probably crossed a path to the north so I looked there first. As I was walking I was looking at a side hill and saw the deer. It was stretched out on its side legs stiff. I got down on a knee called my daughter she was thrilled. Actually where I stoped was the blood trail. I followed it up to the deer. A lot of blood loss and corn. I walk up to it about 5 feet away and start to take off my coat to gut it. Hang the coat in a tree approach the deer and she gets up and trots off. My head spins and I'm like WTF! Obviously it needed more time but it was not bedded it was on its side looking stiff as a board. This has to be the weirdest experience ever. She is a small doe and is fighting so hard. I left and will go back at 3:00. She will die today just when? If it was a classic gut shot I would of waited 6 hrs but it was through the shoulder. I'm going back at 3 and this deer better not become Coydog food. 

I think I would call deersearch in that situation and see if someone can come out with a dog.  Gut hits seem to have the highest percentage of recovery       for dogs, probably because they give off so much scent.  Unfortunately, that also makes it easier for coyotes to find them.

 

Seeing how it’s a Sunday, and most guys are off work, it might be easier to find a nearby tracker.

[chrisw]

I'm not trying to be a jerk in anyway, but you mentioned that it was a good shot, in shoulder, out guts. That's not a very good shot. The shoulder isn't harboring vitals. It was a quartered toward shot which is not a good angle. You can tuck it tight behind a shoulder on a quartering too and never touch lung. At best you go dead center through the shoulder you may get 1 lung. It appears you hit liver/guts, maybe caught the back of one lung, maybe under it. That deer will die, just may take a few more hours.

Sent from my moto g fast using Tapatalk

[airedale]

Fingers Crossed

Al

[wolc123]

This reminds me of something that happened to my uncle many years ago.  It was a lesson that has always stayed with me. 
 

He shot what he described as the “biggest antlered buck that he ever seen”, in the jungle- like woods, across the road from our farm.  

He walked over to it, and leaned his gun against a tree.  As he was getting out his knife, the buck jumped up from the ground and disappeared into the jungle, never to be seen again.  

That happened about 35 years ago.  I have very rarely walked up to a downed deer, without a loaded weapon since hearing that story.  I always take the safety off and stick the muzzle of my weapon (or the tip of my crossbow bolt) into an eyeball.  
 

If there is a blink, they get a second shot to the neck (with a gun), or center-lung with a bolt or arrow.  I might start going center-lung with guns too, after discovering the awesomeness of neck-roasts, the last few years.  

If there is no blink, then and only then, do I lay down my primary weapon and bring out my knife.  
 

I had to add the “very rarely”, because I didn’t do that on my last two ML kills, both of which happened this year.  The New Year’s Day Holiday bb was clearly DRT, from a shoulder blade hit.  It was also near the 1/2 hour past sunset closing time, so I wasn’t willing to take the legal risk.  
 

I didn’t do it on the early antlerless season doe I killed this September either.  That was a point blank (15) yard standing-broadside shot and I seen where the shot struck her (right over her heart).  I also saw her flop down, after a 50 yard sprint.  
 

So there are definitely times that I have made exceptions with ML’s, and that’s mostly because it’s a pain to unload them.  There’s not a good excuse for not doing the “eye poke” with a loaded crossbow or non-muzzleloading firearm though.  

With a regular bow (which I haven’t hunted with since 2013), I always knocked an arrow and clipped on my release, for the final approach.  I think my uncle told me that story the year that I killed and recovered my first deer with my bow.  
 

It was that second arrow that finished it, after a bad first hit.  There’s been at least a half dozen gun kills, thru the years for me, that have required that finisher.  

Also, I never leave my stand or blind, if I can see a downed deer, until it stops moving, nor do I put on my safety or take my aim off the deer. 

[First-light]

3 hours ago, chrisw said:

I'm not trying to be a jerk in anyway, but you mentioned that it was a good shot, in shoulder, out guts. That's not a very good shot. The shoulder isn't harboring vitals. It was a quartered toward shot which is not a good angle. You can tuck it tight behind a shoulder on a quartering too and never touch lung. At best you go dead center through the shoulder you may get 1 lung. It appears you hit liver/guts, maybe caught the back of one lung, maybe under it. That deer will die, just may take a few more hours.

Sent from my moto g fast using Tapatalk
 

You are correct. The bolt hit shoulder guts then again guts. No vitals. Shot at 8:00 dead at 2:00. 7 hrs. Too long for a deer to suffer. I was thankful to have a second shot at her. She could not get up and I put her down. Thank you, yes not a great shot-I get it. Lesson learned. 

[First-light]

Notice the three holes nothing vital. 

[PraiseDiana]

Thanks for sharing this story - a good reminder of the importance of shot placement.

[Four Seasons]

35 minutes ago, First-light said:

Notice the three holes nothing vital. 

Perfect. It all worked out.   And you got freakin…Snow???

[CharlieNY]

38 minutes ago, First-light said:

You are correct. The bolt hit shoulder guts then again guts. No vitals. Shot at 8:00 dead at 2:00. 7 hrs. Too long for a deer to suffer. I was thankful to have a second shot at her. She could not get up and I put her down. Thank you, yes not a great shot-I get it. Lesson learned. 

I am sure your daughter was very pleased when you let her know that you retrieved her deer. I commend you for going back and searching for the deer. Your daughter has a great father and I'm sure you were elated when you found the deer.     valoroutdoors.com

[wolc123]

So glad to hear that you got her.  How far was the blood trail ?

[First-light]

33 minutes ago, Four Seasons said:

Perfect. It all worked out.   And you got freakin…Snow???

8P yes been snowing on and off all day! 

[Kmartinson]

I'm glad you found this deer. I commend you for telling the honest truth. Hunting isnt always pretty. Things happen in the heat of the moment. I respect you guys for the kill and for the respect you show in the persistent tracking to find the deer. 

[First-light]

30 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

So glad to hear that you got her.  How far was the blood trail ?

I always had a blood trail of shoulder blood- deep red, Gut shot watery red and corn. After the first shot the deer traveled maybe 50 yards. We jumped her and she ran off. I would say the time I saw her dead, I thought, was another 40 yards. After that run off it was another 50. All the time there was blood and corn. I pushed the deer and I know better. I just thought seeing the shot was through the shoulder it wasn't a traditional gut shot wait 6 hrs. I was wrong. We should of backed out and I would of found her at last blood in the golden rod. 

Edited November 13, 2022 by First-light

[First-light]

from another thread.....

Had to put down my daughters doe she shot this morning. It looked dead to me the first time finding it. It got up and went off. Kind of freaked me out. Second time she was still alive had to put an arrow in her. That doe had so much survival instinct. Kind of taught me a lesson. It was overcast snow falling and she stoped breathing. First time in a real long time I sat there and reflected and shed a tear.

[REDNECK4LIFE32]

Congratulations from a veteran to another. Hope she is enjoying school. Getting ready for holidays.

[First-light]

36 minutes ago, REDNECK4LIFE32 said:

Congratulations from a veteran to another. Hope she is enjoying school. Getting ready for holidays.

Loving it! This afternoon her sister dropping her off on Post. She was very happy i found the deer. Thank you for your service!