nemodeerhuntersneighbor Posted February 18, 2011 Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 Well, i found him, 3 months after I shot him. I was hunting on a big ridge on the morning of november 7 when this big guy chased a doe by me about half hour after daylight. When I let the arrow go I thought it felt good but when I saw him run off I saw the arrow sticking out about 3/4 of the way. My heart sank. He ran about 100yds and I could see glimpses of him walking through the woods a couple minutes later. I had low hope of finding him. I came back about 2pm that afternoon. I quickly found the blood trail and followed it a little ways. I found my arrow where i first saw him stop. It had solid blood about 1/4 way up and less up to bout 1/2. I followed the blood trail aways longer. It got weaker and eventually i lost it. I searched around where i lost blood for about and hour for more. Nothing. I walked farther south where i thought he probably had went and looked for sign along the fence to neighbors property. There was only one small draw on the neighbors property and I started to climb the fence, but I stopped myself. I thought to myself, ' I dont think he is dead, and if he isnt and he went in this draw I might have a chance at him coming back for the doe he lost.' So i stopped and returned to my stand to see if he would come back. He didnt. I went the last 3 months convinced he was dead. Fast forward to yesterday Feb 16. I took off walking toward this draw to look for sheds and i wanted to know for sure that he wasnt in there. Well i walked down one side and find a small shed, got to the end and started back. Thats when I saw him about 250 yds from where i lost blood in november. I took off at a dead run. I was so excited and disappointed in myself at the same time. I had let this buck (my biggest ever) lay there for over 3 months without really searching hard. But I was excited to recover him. After a go ahead from our game warden I recovered the head. He will take his place on my wall. I am proud to have killed him, but humbled by the fact that I lost the meat and cape. I have learned my lesson. Sometimes it looks like you made a perfect hit and they get away, and sometimes it looks bleek and they still die. I won't let this happen again. Bowhunting is good about teaching you a lesson, isn't it? Put the tape on him. 153" gross. My best by 7" My big buck and little buck(thats what i call him) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flintlock1776 Posted February 18, 2011 Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 Well, too bad about the meat but you will have a nice Euro Mount there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggs Posted February 18, 2011 Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 well, at least you ended up finding him. will make for a nice euro mount and a good story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted February 18, 2011 Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 Beautiful buck! Too bad about not finding him. Get another cape and he will look great on the wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted February 18, 2011 Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 Amazing how winter can reveal the secrets of fall. It is bittersweet for sure. I had let this buck (my biggest ever) lay there for over 3 months without really searching hard. Sometimes you have to push a little farther, especially for a buck like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straight Shooter Posted February 18, 2011 Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 Beautiful rack and I glad you were able to finally solve the puzzle in finding him. Bowhunting is a very humbling sport and will teach a ton of lessons season after season. As a hunter, if you took the lesson lerned from this, it will only make you a better hunter in the end. Congrats again on finding him and an awesome buck for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearClaw Posted February 18, 2011 Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 Congrats on finding him. Humbling indeed. Your camera date still shows 2010. Did you forget to change it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted February 18, 2011 Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 Congratulations. That was a real nice deer, don't think I could have given up my search on a deer like that. Cool you found him, just too bad that you did not recover him when you killed him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted February 18, 2011 Report Share Posted February 18, 2011 My second biggest buck was not found until months later. It happens sometimes. Look at that Waddell/T-Bone buck thread. That thing was shot well and went that far. No way T-Bone would've found it if it didn't end up in front of Waddell. At least you found it though. Put in the effort to track a deer and don't let it get to you if the out come doesn't turn out the best. I think they pump adrenaline through there veins when they stop dropping blood. I don't know how else they can do what they can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted February 19, 2011 Report Share Posted February 19, 2011 too bad you didnt find him the next day...but now you know what hapened to him, at least an ending to it all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun_300 Posted February 19, 2011 Report Share Posted February 19, 2011 Too bad you never found him when you shot him, it happens though. Glad you were able to at least find him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.