Guest tyshe17 Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Well, I met a buddy here at collge who likes to hunt, but never got to do much of it. We went dove hunting, bass fishing, and eventually deer hunting together. I even got him on his first deer last year with a gun. I also hooked him up on a climber and showed him a little about scouting. 2 summers ago I let him shoot my bow, and he loved it. Got one of his own, and I set him up. This brings us to this year. We were talking about the property we have hunted together and he was saying he was going to hunt one ridge. I kinda suggested a corner of a food plot where the deer came out last year. He hunted it this weekend and hit a "big gray 6 point" at 20 yards...(everythign from this point out is in his words bc I didnt see any of it because I was in New Orleans with the girlfriend visiting family for fall break) When he got down he had a bright blood covered arrow, and started walking looking for the deer. Then he called me and I told him he had to look at the ground and follow the blood. He acted like this was rocket science. Long story short, plenty of blood (most of which his mom found) but it pettered out after he found scat and blood and one area. I feel terrible, bc he probably pushed the deer/didnt know what to do, and I have set him up for all of this. Also, he says the deer "kicked" when he shot it (makes me think heart shot)...but I have never known a heart shot deer to take time to stop and take a dump over 100 yds into a blood trail. What do yall think? I wish I could have been here to help him but I was over 7 hours away. Maybe when we get to talk about it later I can give some good rules of thumb for the next time. Anyways, sorry this is so long I just feel a little responsible and am venting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowtech_archer07 Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Re: Guilty By Association? It's not your fault. Everybody makes a bad shot now and then, and even if it was a good shot, the wound might have clotted or an organ got in the way and made the wound quit bleeding. No way to know. Sorry to hear that the deer got away, that always stinks. Better luck next time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Re: Guilty By Association? I think that deer was not far from where he stopped looking. Would bet it bled out and ran likely a very short distance on adrenaline. Have noticed on a few deer that I have killed, where they quit bleeding that there has been a few times that they have defecated a considerable amount just before expiring and were within a very short distance, most often under 75 yards from where the blood stopped. The wife being a nurse suggested that this might be normal for an expiring animal to defecate just prior to falling dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoyt03 Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Re: Guilty By Association? hope he finds it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missouri hunter Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Re: Guilty By Association? That really does suck. But you can't beat yourself up over it. All you can do is continue to teach this guy and give him some do's and don'ts about tracking. Everyone has learning experiences like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Re: Guilty By Association? As far as scat and blood being in the same area, I doubt the scat was from the deer he shot. With the high kick and the blood, it sounds like he didn't hit gut or liver. You didn't mention how long he waited either so my guess is he tried to trail it way too soon after the shot. That's a common rookie mistake. As you know 10 minutes in a deer stand may seem like an hour after the shot. I always look at my watch after the shot because of that so I don't start tracking too soon too. Follow up time also depends on where I hit a deer too. I agree with the others that the deer was probably laying not far from where he last found blood too. I've already had one of those tracking jobs this year helping a friend track his deer. It's not uncommon to see a blood trail play out within 75 yards of where the deer goes down. Don't blame yourself because he may have made some mistakes tracking and trying to find his deer. It's not your fault. You can only do so much trying to teach a new bowhunter about what to do after the shot but it usually takes actual tracking ones own deer for it to sink in rather than just being told what you should do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chronic Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Re: Guilty By Association? cheer up, at least he shot one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sskybnd Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Re: Guilty By Association? you cant blame yourself, for him not finding the deer, traking isnt the easyest thing in the world to do and if your new at hunting its that much harder. at our a bow club i belonged to we had blood trailing test, dont remember the salution we used but we would put it out and show them how to trail, you got to look on the ground about waist high on leaves branches ect .and if the blood went away you could go off the track, if a deer is walking front to back is about 4 ft, more if running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckslayer Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Re: Guilty By Association? [ QUOTE ] cheer up, at least he shot one. [/ QUOTE ] Alright... I'm not alone in saying this... but lets go blast some deer guys... we can shoot them in the butt and the head, and the legs, and see how far they run because their life doesn't matter to us. We don't need to educate our fellow hunters on tracking skills because deer, well, they're just deer. Its not like their lives are the sole reason SOME of us live for hunting like we live for food and water, or anything... come on... lets waste some deer - - who's with me... Try not to beat yourself up over it. I know its rough, I'd feel the same as you. We can only do our best to educate and give advice, and it sounds like you did a ton to get this guy into hunting and help him out. In reality, I would bet, the deer is piled up close by. You could never have rescheduled your trip for this, or left on a moment's notice - so what God meant to happen, did happen... Thats how I'd see it. Time will help you teach more, him to learn more, and these types of wounds to heal. I went through it before, so has everyone - and I think that most would agree with me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Switchback29A1 Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 Re: Guilty By Association? thats tough...it could also teach him to be a good tracker because the next trail he's on with somebody i bet he'll be right in there learning where to look and a better way to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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