Guest kk9fan Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Hey Guys, I hit my first Buck last night about 6pm. It was about a 15 yd shot from my ladder stand w/my Horton Crossbow. I hit him just behind his Left shoulder. When I hit him he turned and was running back across the field towards some thickets, I could see the Arrow stuck in his side while he was running. I waited about 35-45 min before I even started to look for a blood trail. I got outof my stand and started to look for sign's of blood, but to no avail. I couldn't find any at all. I know I hit him good. The problem is I have to work until 4pm today. He is a solid 8 maybe even a 10point. He is a very heavy deer. I'm guessing 220/lbs. to 250/lbs. if not more. Any tips I can get on finding him I would appreciate it. This is my first buck and I sure would hate not to find him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brain Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! what is the temp going to be where you are today?if its going to warm up much i would take the day off somehow.if it gets too warm the meat will spoil also there is a good chance another animal will find it and start to eat it.if its your first buck find someway to call off work or go in after you find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vagobbln Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! My 2cents. If you hit him a little high in that shoulder and you didn't get a pass through, your blood trail will probably be a little sparse (if any) I'm afraid. Not being there that's just a guess of course. Look carefully for any bloodsign you can find, but if you got a good mental picture of where he entered that thicket, take a buddy with you to help. Climb back up in the stand and have your friend go to the spot where you last saw him and start from there. Hopefully, if you didn't get him back up, he laid down in the thick stuff and expired. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kk9fan Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! The temp is going to be around 45 degrees (High) 34 (low). I have someone out looking right now. I want to find this deer so bad. I can't get off work until atleast 3pm today. I just hope I find him, he is definitely a trophy deer. But even more so, I don't like the idea of knowing I hit this buck and can't find him. It's killin me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kk9fan Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! It's been a light rain here all night, I'm afraid that any blood sign is gone. I do have a real good idea of where he entered the thicket. It's really dense in there though. I hope we find him today. Thanks for the advice guy's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master_Chief Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! With temps like that you should be good. Temps in the 30's will help him stiffen up quicker too. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbeck Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! You'll get him, it's really hard right now, but calm down. I like Vag's advice. Just climb in the stand, let a friend go to where you last saw him, and start doing grid searches. get a good pic today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kk9fan Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! Well my buddy went looking for about 3 hours this morning and he couldn't find anything. Hopefully when I get out of work the 2 of us can have better luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! Check your laws on using dogs to track. Try and get a black lab on the trail. With two people helping out and a Lab's nose it shouldn't be to hard. Good Luck. Make sure you can use a dog for tracking first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kk9fan Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! I can use a dog to track it, but how much good is that when I can't find a blood trail? I actually thought of using her last night. I have a black lab at home actually, she's never been in the woods. Do you think she can help? She's a pure bread black lab though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beagleboy Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! If you hit him high, chances of a good blood trail are slim because the body cavity needs to fill up with blood before he can leave a good trail. That doesn't mean he isn't dead. Go back and keep doing circles until you find some evidence. If you hit behind the shoulder, he should be down. Concentrate and look through everybush. Its amazing how well camo-ed they are in thick brush. Look for nearby water. They tend to look for water after a hit if they don't die immediately. Go with a friend and concentrate on the area. I once double-lunged a buck with a slug during the rut. I hit him high in the lungs and found no blood for about 75yrds. When I found blood, it was only drips and drabs for about 30 yrds and found him under a thick pile of brush, perfectly camo-ed. I must have went by him 50 times doing circles and never realized he was there. When I field dressed him, his cavity was full of blood, with two holes on the top of his lungs. He only went a little over 100yds. My advice is go back with friends and keep circling for any evidence, he's probably right under your nose. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kk9fan Posted October 25, 2005 Report Share Posted October 25, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! Well I have exhausted all my effort into finding this Buck, but I cannot find the least amount of sign of him. I looked for 7 hours yesterday. I appreciate the input from you guys. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StillLearnin Posted October 25, 2005 Report Share Posted October 25, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! I don't know much about crossbows but unless you hit a shoulder I think you should of had a pass through. I had a similar problem 4 years on the first doe i ever shot she was almost right under neath me my arrow went above the first shoulder and stuck into the second. As for blood I think we found only a few speck that we followed for about 400 yards through the thick stuff. Anyways what I am trying to say is maybe your deer isn't dead. I could be a very real possibility if he isn't layed up in that thicket. I know I thought I had a great shot my doe but now I see that it could have been better cause I saw her crossing a field the next year and to my knowledge she is still alive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHISKEYSWAMP Posted October 25, 2005 Report Share Posted October 25, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! Do you have a water stream nearby... might want to check that out too. Good luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kk9fan Posted October 25, 2005 Report Share Posted October 25, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! I am thinking the same as you are S.L. I think I hit the shoulder blade and not much more. I could see a good portion of the arrow as it was running after I shot him. The shot looked good, but without any blood or Dead Deer for that matter. This is the only explanation I can come up with. It really sucks, because this was a Good Buck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kk9fan Posted October 25, 2005 Report Share Posted October 25, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! I checked the creek line up and down, but it's so thick and dense. I felt like a rabbit trying to get in there and find this buck. I know that's what it takes, but I'm just not finding any sign of him at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted October 25, 2005 Report Share Posted October 25, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! It is not against the law to take the dog for a walk. Your lab may surprise you rain or not. How long are your bolts? How far was it sticking out? Was the fletching waving or solid? Did you hear a crack at impact? What position was the deer's tail. Where do you live? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kk9fan Posted October 25, 2005 Report Share Posted October 25, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! I live in Ohio. It's legal in my state to pursuit deer w/a leashed dog as long as you don't have your weapon w/you. I use 20" Horton Bolts. I heard a smack at impact. Just had a different sound, when it hit this deer. When the deer was hit, he just turned around and bolted across the field and I could see the arrow stuck into his side just behind his shoulder. It's approx: 75-100 yards from where I shot him to the Thicket he ran in to. Just before he entered the Thicket he seemed to stumble a bit. I never heard him crash or actually fall down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted October 26, 2005 Report Share Posted October 26, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! With a hit like that and that much of the bolt sticking out, along with the rain, I wouldn't even bother looking for blood sign. I'd be looking for the deer, by doing grid pattern searches. You can cover more ground when your looking for the animal instead of the blood. I found mine at 250 yrds (almost gave up too), with no blood sign at all, because it rained all night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kk9fan Posted October 26, 2005 Report Share Posted October 26, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! I'm still doing my grid searches, but I'm finding nothing. I'll keep searching over the course of the winter. When some of this High Bush and grass kill over. But I'm going back to the ol stand tonight. Hopefully I can get another one and find it this time. I think tonight is going to be an awesome night to be out. The bucks are starting to follow the does and this bad cold front just pushed through, and the wind has died down substantially.. So I think the activity should be good tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dakota Posted October 26, 2005 Report Share Posted October 26, 2005 Re: Need Help On Huge Buck! Good luck! Pray and pray that's all I can say. Hey! That rimes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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