Lost a deer - Page 2

MikeGunz · November 20, 2012, 01:51 PM

Can't use rifles in my area.

Brian Pfleuger · November 20, 2012, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeGunz

Can't use rifles in my area.

Don't matter, if you could and you hunted for long you'll wound one with a rifle too. It happens. It's just part of life.

10Ringmagic · November 20, 2012, 02:15 PM

I rifle hunt, and still have lost a deer. Makes you feel bad, no one likes it, and everyone tries to avoid losing wounded game animals.

All I can say is, even coyotes like an easy meal.

markj · November 20, 2012, 05:42 PM

My shorthair always finds the wounded deer, dog will bay when it finds the deer too. Used to hunt with my pit bull, he would lead me right to a bedded down deer and latch it after the shot. Cant do it now with a pit but the tracker will find em if ya got one. Any friends got a shorthair, wirehair or other versatile type dog? ask em to bring it out you may find it, dont wait two days tho. I sent mine out at dark once, she found the deer like 200 yards from where I thought it was, let her scent the blood trail and off she went lickety split.

misterE · November 20, 2012, 09:33 PM

I've been deer hunting for 25 years now. Probably killed 70-80 deer. And yes, I've wounded some and never found them. It does feel horrible, but time will ease the pain. And like you've said, you have LEARNED a lot. This is the most important thing, learning lessons forom this experience. Like when to take or not take a shot or whatever.
I've been bow hunting for about 15 years and I don't know anyone that's been bow hunting a few years that hasn't lost deer. I actually trained a black lab to track about 5 yaers ago and it's amazing what a well trained dog can do. This may sound sick, but I got a lot of enjoyment just watching the dog work. Sadly, he was stolen 3 years ago right before duck season.
Also, I have seen 3 legged deer on 4 separate occasions in my hunting years, soi know they do live a lot of the times on leg hits. Usually a leg hit will bleed small droplets of blood and if the deer is allowed to lay up or even stand still long enough, the wound can coagulate and stop bleeding. The only leg hit deer my hunting friends or I have ever found were ones we were able to keep moving. This goes against common advice of letting a deer lay up and die, but the only way I know of to get a leg hit deer is to keep it moving. This is where a good dog is awesome. We found one after tracking it 2 miles with my lab one time. Some bigger dogs will actually run a leg hit deer down and catch it.
I also agree with looking for a reasonable amount of time. Reasonable to me is if the meat is still going to be good.
And always remember God put coyotes and buzzards here for a reason.

November 20, 2012, 09:33 PM	#30
misterE Senior Member Join Date: March 3, 2009 Location: Benton, Arkansas Posts: 196	I feel your pain I've been deer hunting for 25 years now. Probably killed 70-80 deer. And yes, I've wounded some and never found them. It does feel horrible, but time will ease the pain. And like you've said, you have LEARNED a lot. This is the most important thing, learning lessons forom this experience. Like when to take or not take a shot or whatever. I've been bow hunting for about 15 years and I don't know anyone that's been bow hunting a few years that hasn't lost deer. I actually trained a black lab to track about 5 yaers ago and it's amazing what a well trained dog can do. This may sound sick, but I got a lot of enjoyment just watching the dog work. Sadly, he was stolen 3 years ago right before duck season. Also, I have seen 3 legged deer on 4 separate occasions in my hunting years, soi know they do live a lot of the times on leg hits. Usually a leg hit will bleed small droplets of blood and if the deer is allowed to lay up or even stand still long enough, the wound can coagulate and stop bleeding. The only leg hit deer my hunting friends or I have ever found were ones we were able to keep moving. This goes against common advice of letting a deer lay up and die, but the only way I know of to get a leg hit deer is to keep it moving. This is where a good dog is awesome. We found one after tracking it 2 miles with my lab one time. Some bigger dogs will actually run a leg hit deer down and catch it. I also agree with looking for a reasonable amount of time. Reasonable to me is if the meat is still going to be good. And always remember God put coyotes and buzzards here for a reason.

November 20, 2012, 01:51 PM	#26
MikeGunz Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2011 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 195	Can't use rifles in my area.

November 20, 2012, 02:15 PM	#28
10Ringmagic Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2010 Location: MI Posts: 315	I rifle hunt, and still have lost a deer. Makes you feel bad, no one likes it, and everyone tries to avoid losing wounded game animals. All I can say is, even coyotes like an easy meal.

November 20, 2012, 05:42 PM	#29
markj Senior Member Join Date: October 27, 2005 Location: Crescent Iowa Posts: 2,971	My shorthair always finds the wounded deer, dog will bay when it finds the deer too. Used to hunt with my pit bull, he would lead me right to a bedded down deer and latch it after the shot. Cant do it now with a pit but the tracker will find em if ya got one. Any friends got a shorthair, wirehair or other versatile type dog? ask em to bring it out you may find it, dont wait two days tho. I sent mine out at dark once, she found the deer like 200 yards from where I thought it was, let her scent the blood trail and off she went lickety split.