Lost Deer

[Jack Suber]

I thought I would post this since it has been bothering me since it happened -

I lost my first deer yesterday/last night. I have been hunting for 26 years and have never lost a deer. Yes, I have had them run off, but I have always found them.

Yesterday afternoon, I was hunting in the swamp at my hunting lease. I had a nice doe come out about 4:45 she was wading through about 6 inches of water. I hunt with a .44 mag (Redhawk). The shot was about 25yds. I was at a high angle. I aimed at her ribs and fired. I flipped her into the water. She stood up and I could see the hole in her side - a little low but a good hit. She staggered out of the water and laid down, rolling on her side, head on the ground. She's done I thought. I decided to sit until dark to be "on the safe side." At 6:00 pm, I started climbing down. Thats when I heard her get up and take off. I heard her crash through the woods maybe 50 yds and stop. So, I finsihed climbing down and eased out of the woods. I figured I would give her an hour and then go pick her up. So, at 7:00 pm, I go to find her. I had a serious blood trail that I followed for at least 500yds. Then, she cut back into the swamp. She crossed a creek and I picked up blood on the other side. So, I continued on. She crossed another creek. Still leaving A LOT of blood. The whole time I have not heard her get up. I followed her down to a river that I could not wade across. She went in - I don't know if she made it out. I looked until 10:30pm but had to give up.

It really bothers me because I don't like to kill for nothing. We eat everything we kill. Oh well.

Edited December 21, 2006 by Jack Suber

[Anthony Lombardo]

You need a Jack Russell terrier.....they never lose 'nuthin.

A good friend of mine who is pushing 70 and has killed over 600 deer in SC swears by his little Jack Russell to find deer FAST.

[GlockSpeed31]

Atleast you put forth a VALIANT EFFORT in trying to locate your lost harvest. Sorry for your lost deer.

[BSeevers]

You need a Jack Russell terrier.....they never lose 'nuthin.

A good friend of mine who is pushing 70 and has killed over 600 deer in SC swears by his little Jack Russell to find deer FAST.

So where do you keep the high strung dog while you are hunting?

[Anthony Lombardo]

You need a Jack Russell terrier.....they never lose 'nuthin.

A good friend of mine who is pushing 70 and has killed over 600 deer in SC swears by his little Jack Russell to find deer FAST.

So where do you keep the high strung dog while you are hunting?

In the box, in the car!

[hopalong]

Jack,

Sorry to hear that. I absolutely hate that too (I have lost 3 myself in 20 some odd years)

Were I a betting man (sometimes I am) I would bet the river got her after she bled out getting to it.

SHEET happens, you can still be proud of only losing one in your hunting career!

Hopalong

[Merlin Orr]

A shame for sure...but... she will be eaten. All God's creatures gotta eat.

[Jack Suber]

The more I think about it, I realize that I didn't compensate for the angle of the shot. I was shooting at least 45 degrees. I aimed dead center but the shot hit low. Perhaps the angle and the bullet weight (240 grns) caused the bullet to drop a bit. I am wondering if I might have just clipped her - the bullet not getting into the vitals?

Anthony, I have a lab that is great at finding deer. I was seriously considering going home and getting him until I trailed her to the river. I figured she was gone at that point. Not only that, we have gators in that swamp so I wouldn't want to risk my dog. It was not cold that day so I don't know if the gators would have been out (the water wasn't cold). I didn't run into any .

Well, hopefully the rain will slack off tonight so I can take my son tomorrow.

Thanks guys and Merry Christmas!

[SA Friday]

Bet you got just one lung. They bleed a lot, but never stop moving. I've had deer go for over two miles with only one-lung working. The best way I've found for handling an ify shot is to get where you can see them laying down and then sit and wait at least two hours. But, with that said, wet ground could seal up the entry and stop the bleeding. It's a tough call while swamp hunting with a 44.

Sorry you lost her, but Merlin is right. She will be eaten, and you will have fat raccoons and oposiums (sp?), etc thanking you for the meal.

[MichiganShootist]

Too Bad Jack

But I think if you hunt long enough (especially with a pistol or bow) is will happen sooner or later.

It could be worse... a friend of mine shot a nice buck with a bow and only waited about 30 minutes before tracking it. When he found the buck... he stepped over it's back to straddle it and lift the head...... That's when the buck jumped up and took off... leaving him empty handed and with a hole in his shoulder that took 10 stitches.

I hunt about two miles from my home... so if I don't see them go down and stay down.... I go home... change clothes and have a snack and return a couple hours later for the tracking and cleaning. Only once did the coyotes beat me to my deer.

Better luck next hunt.

[Hoofy]

4 years ago I lost my only animal, a bull elk. The scope had failed. Tracked him for 3 days before a big snow came and I lost the trail. My buddy found him a week later, frozen solid. I'm still sick over it and replay the shot and the entire hunt in my head, years after the fact. I don't think we ever get over a loss like that, we can only learn from the mistakes to make sure that they aren't repeated. Reading your post reminded me that I learned more in that one hunt than I have in all my other years. So chock this one up to experience.

[Jack Suber]

Well, I redeemed myself today. Got one at 30yds, right through the heart (with my pistol). Dropped in its tracks. Still hate that I lost one, but at least I got the jinks out.

Edited December 28, 2006 by Jack Suber