Hit one , can’t find damm

[Will_C]

Go back and keep after it. Many years ago, I shot a broad side doe at 70 yards and hit the front leg right under the torso. Found out later my scope base was loose.  Followed the blood, lost it, but kept going in the general direction the deer had travelled. Found it about 400 yards from where I shot it-alive, but so weak I walked up next to her to finish her off.

Good luck.

[luberhill]

1 hour ago, Nomad said:

It’s good to measure the height of the blood on the trees ,as it’s another piece of the puzzle .

I know the top of my knee cap, when in boots is 22 inches more or less. The sweet spot on a deer vitals runs 20-24 inches , a few inches either way can be a difficult recovery .

The one I tracked was leaving blood at 23 inches or so . 
 

The Book Dead On, is a wealth of info on deer recovery and should be in every hunters library.

 

Yea the height of the blood was about 2” off the ground

[Kmartinson]

Buzzards gotta eat.... same as worms. My man Clint says it best.... im sorry it happens to all of us. Nature will take care of it either way. Some guys punch their tag and call it. There are plenty of deer in the world and what I would suggest is to relax and shoot a little more in the off season. Scopes guns and ammo do not make a shooter.

[luberhill]

7 minutes ago, Kmartinson said:

Buzzards gotta eat.... same as worms. My man Clint says it best.... im sorry it happens to all of us. Nature will take care of it either way. Some guys punch their tag and call it. There are plenty of deer in the world and what I would suggest is to relax and shoot a little more in the off season. Scopes guns and ammo do not make a shooter.

Yea I know ... the gun is dead nuts on ... I blame myself for taking a shit I shouldn’t have .

I don’t think I’ll find her because I covered a lot of ground with some big patches of snow and nothing 

[Shoots100]

Don't beat yourself up, it happens.

One of the first deer I shot was on a deer drive. 

I shot a small buck that was running down the ridge I was on, blowing both of it's front legs off.

That buck made the most God awful sounds before I finally caught up to it and put it down for good.

I felt so bad, I didn't go hunting for a couple of days after that.

That was 38 years ago and I can still remember it like it was yesterday.

I like to think that experience made me a better hunter and think this will do the same for you.  

You know you didn't mean to do it, so get out there and redeem yourself.

[New York Hillbilly]

Looks more like you hit her front on, off center to one side and blew out a shoulder. Any deer I have ever had plowing ground like that has had one or both shoulders blown out. They nose dive into the ground and slide on their chest pushing up snow and/or leaves until they regain their feet. My guess is shoulder, and if lucky caught a lung. If you didn't push too far and you take it slow I think you will find it tomorrow. But, I would go slow and be ready because I helped my cousin recover one hit that way many years ago, and it was still alive and trying to get away. We did get the deer, a six point. Good luck. 

[luberhill]

4 minutes ago, New York Hillbilly said:

Looks more like you hit her front on, off center to one side and blew out a shoulder. Any deer I have ever had plowing ground like that has had one or both shoulders blown out. They nose dive into the ground and slide on their chest pushing up snow and/or leaves until they regain their feet. My guess is shoulder, and if lucky caught a lung. If you didn't push too far and you take it slow I think you will find it tomorrow. But, I would go slow and be ready because I helped my cousin recover one hit that way many years ago, and it was still alive and trying to get away. We did get the deer, a six point. Good luck. 

I just don’t think I’ll find her , I covered slot of ground today and never saw her or anymore blood.

it’s very steep where she went and not thick , lots of trees but not close together ,

id love to find her but again the blood just stopped

[grampy]

3 hours ago, Nomad said:

It’s good to measure the height of the blood on the trees ,as it’s another piece of the puzzle .

I know the top of my knee cap, when in boots is 22 inches more or less. The sweet spot on a deer vitals runs 20-24 inches , a few inches either way can be a difficult recovery .

The one I tracked was leaving blood at 23 inches or so . 
 

The Book Dead On, is a wealth of info on deer recovery and should be in every hunters library.

 

I agree Larry. The book Dead On, was written by my blood tracking, and Deer Search mentor John Jeanneney. John is a founding member of Deer Search. He was also instrumental, in having the NYS legislation passed, to allow leashed tracking dogs in NY. And many other states now. John has been on on thousands of blood trails. And he shares his wealth of knowledge in this book. I'm very proud to say I've spent a lot of time with John, in the woods, tracking deer, beginning in 1997. I learned so much from him. And anyone who reads this book will learn something about blood tracking too. No matter how much experience they may have. It will help any deer hunter at some point, guaranteed!

luberhill, how I came to meet John, was because I made a bad hit on a deer myself. I looked for, and followed a sparse blood trail, until there was nothing left to follow. And then looked some more. I felt terrible, because I knew I took a shot that I probably should not have taken.

I'd heard about John and his dogs. And he only lived less than a mile from me at the time, so I gave him a call. He came out with Sabina, a world class tracking dog. And though she was one of the best I've ever seen, we never found my deer. A front leg hit is what John said. Sometimes you get em, most times not.

But from that lost deer, and my beginning with John, I've helped many other hunters find deer, that may not have been found. Something positive came from that lost deer of mine. I hope something positive comes from yours too my friend. It happens to us all. And if something is Iearned from a loss, all is not lost.

[luberhill]

8 minutes ago, grampy said:

I agree Larry. The book Dead On, was written by my blood tracking, and Deer Search mentor John Jeanneney. John is a founding member of Deer Search. He was also instrumental, in having the NYS legislation passed, to allow leashed tracking dogs in NY. And many other states now. John has been on on thousands of blood trails. And he shares his wealth of knowledge in this book. I'm very proud to say I've spent a lot of time with John, in the woods, tracking deer, beginning in 1997. I learned so much from him. And anyone who reads this book will learn something about blood tracking too. No matter how much experience they may have. It will help any deer hunter at some point, guaranteed!

luberhill, how I came to meet John, was because I made a bad hit on a deer myself. I looked for, and followed a sparse blood trail, until there was nothing left to follow. And then looked some more. I felt terrible, because I knew I took a shot that I probably should not have taken.

I'd heard about John and his dogs. And he only lived less than a mile from me at the time, so I gave him a call. He came out with Sabina, a world class tracking dog. And though she was one of the best I've ever seen, we never found my deer. A front leg hit is what John said. Sometimes you get em, most times not.

But from that lost deer, and my beginning with John, I've helped many other hunters find deer, that may not have been found. Something positive came from that lost deer of mine. I hope something positive comes from yours too my friend. It happens to us all. And if something is Iearned from a loss, all is not lost.

Yea I still wish I could dial back today,, I would have passed on the shot.

im going to go back tomorrow but I’m not even sure where to begin.

the snow was melting fast today and that didnt help matters .

thing is I have let lots of deer pass because I didn’t have a clean kill shot

[Bigdaddy]

I wouldn't give up on this one just yet could be a brisket hit deer if this is the case she will cripple up and bed and may expire depending on the hit I'm curious was she quartering at all ?

[Lomax]

12 hours ago, grampy said:

I agree Larry. The book Dead On, was written by my blood tracking, and Deer Search mentor John Jeanneney. John is a founding member of Deer Search. He was also instrumental, in having the NYS legislation passed, to allow leashed tracking dogs in NY. And many other states now. John has been on on thousands of blood trails. And he shares his wealth of knowledge in this book. I'm very proud to say I've spent a lot of time with John, in the woods, tracking deer, beginning in 1997. I learned so much from him. And anyone who reads this book will learn something about blood tracking too. No matter how much experience they may have. It will help any deer hunter at some point, guaranteed!

luberhill, how I came to meet John, was because I made a bad hit on a deer myself. I looked for, and followed a sparse blood trail, until there was nothing left to follow. And then looked some more. I felt terrible, because I knew I took a shot that I probably should not have taken.

I'd heard about John and his dogs. And he only lived less than a mile from me at the time, so I gave him a call. He came out with Sabina, a world class tracking dog. And though she was one of the best I've ever seen, we never found my deer. A front leg hit is what John said. Sometimes you get em, most times not.

But from that lost deer, and my beginning with John, I've helped many other hunters find deer, that may not have been found. Something positive came from that lost deer of mine. I hope something positive comes from yours too my friend. It happens to us all. And if something is Iearned from a loss, all is not lost.

My daughter ordered this book last night on Amazon After I mentioned it at the dinner table I guess I’m getting a new Christmas present thanks guys can’t wait

[luberhill]

Well I went back this morning for 2 more hours of looking ... nothing.

followed the ravine to the bottom , walked the creek.,, 

nothing ...

[grampy]

21 minutes ago, luberhill said:

Well I went back this morning for 2 more hours of looking ... nothing.

followed the ravine to the bottom , walked the creek.,, 

nothing ...

It's admirable, the amount of time and effort you have put in, trying your best to find her. I know the feeling, and it hurts. Time to get back out there and redeem yourself now. Good luck.

[luberhill]

1 hour ago, grampy said:

It's admirable, the amount of time and effort you have put in, trying your best to find her. I know the feeling, and it hurts. Time to get back out there and redeem yourself now. Good luck.

Yup , swallow hard .. if you saw the ravines I’ve been up and down it would blow your mind,,,

good thing I’m somewhat in shape ... many it’s tough ,.

again I wish I could relive that day but ...

live and learn ... 

[suburbanfarmer]

It would die in the nastiest thickest place, no one can walk in. 

[luberhill]

1 hour ago, suburbanfarmer said:

It would die in the nastiest thickest place, no one can walk in. 

Yea agree, that’s why I walked in everyplace and looked in ever brush pile etc ..

maybe I will see her before the season ends...