The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

[joewilk]

A few days ago, while driving through our semi-suburban neighborhood I saw a fine looking eight point buck feeding with a doe in a small field. I jokingly told my daughters to keep an eye out for him. So, I came downstairs after work on Tuesday evening and my daughter runs up to me yelling, “Daddy we saw your deer!” At this point I’m thinking they probably saw the buck in the same place I had as they were driving home. So I say, “Great honey. Where?” To which she says, “Come here I’ll show you.” Okay, now my ears are perked up. She takes me by the hand and pulls me into the kitchen, pointing out the back window . . .

:::more here:::
http://selfsufficientpath.wordpress....-very-bad-day/

[sprrdhawk44]

He kept kicking it up and never thought to just let it go lay down and die? I'm guessing his Indian name is Hungry Family.

[joewilk]

It was a choice b/w two bad options; risking losing the blood trail due to rain, or risking bumping him. Given the solid hit, I didn't think he'd last nearly as long as he did. Bad choice? Maybe. Maybe it would've turned out the same either way. No way to know.

For the record, I've put deer in the freezer every year but one for the past 30 years.

[sprrdhawk44]

It was a choice b/w two bad options; risking losing the blood trail due to rain, or risking bumping him. Given the solid hit, I didn't think he'd last nearly as long as he did. Bad choice? Maybe. Maybe it would've turned out the same either way. No way to know.

For the record, I've put deer in the freezer every year but one for the past 30 years.

I didn't know that was you lol rep sent.

[Bang]

Lost one with an early version of wheel bow years ago. Was raining and I still-hunted up to a buck that saw me but kept on browsing. Problem was there was a fall-down at a 45 degree between me and him and the only available body shot was a little behind the boiler room.

I'm at full draw and can't hold much longer and he is getting nervous. I think about where the arrow is (hopefully) going to do the damage and figure it could open the diaphragm compromising breathing or hit an artery....I guess I talked myself into making it work and nailed him.

Off he went, down the hill and across the road onto and off again posted property of people I didn't know. I skirted it and went on, blood trail picked up again (couple of rapidly washing drops) and now, all gone.

I arrive at a creek that I know is running in the wrong direction and that blows my mind. I can't figure out why the Tohickon is running from right to left because it's a straight perpendicular line back to the road that parallels the creek. I am among a zillion hoof prints running in all directions from general deer activity, no blood, and I give up.

Better part of a week later I pick up where I left off and continued to walk along the creek. I had looked at a topographical and realized the creek wound around considerably and if you come to it between the bends of a reversed loop it's seemingly running in the other direction.

I came upon the carcass of the 8-pointer literally in motion from the action of the maggots. All that was left to take were the antlers. I broke one antler off, and now the leverage to get the other one went with the first one. Wound up smashing the skull until the other antler was free. Disgusting...with the chore and with myself.

That was the day I vowed to never again take a shot that wasn't a sure thing as long as I did my part.

[unclejumbo]

I lost a huge one in rifle a few years ago. He was still when I took the shot but the brush was sufficiently heavy to deflect the bullet. All I found was a perfectly round tuft of white hair. I found no blood.

I will say they are a lot tougher than they look. The one I hit this year with my crossbow had the arrow enter just behind the left fore-leg and travel the entire length of the body and came out the rear hindquarter. That was after eviscerating him. He still lived an hour.

I feel for you OP. It's a tough call with the rain. You can hope it ran a short distance and laid down so it will still be an easy find. Yet, some will keep going and only the blood trail will lead you to it.

[joewilk]

Thanks all. Still no luck. But a score on the last day of rifle season will probably help me get over it. Good luck everyone.

[keystoneman 85]

Good luck! Curious given the same scenario in the future will you wait out and risk loosing the blood trail? In my case, I've settled on loosing blood over bumping deer. Many of the places I hunt are small pieces of property - bumping a deer a couple times and it's now on posted ground.

[joewilk]

Good question. I think it's situational. If I had it to do over, I would have waited. Pretty sure the blood would have held long enough that I could have found him in the first bed I bumped him out of. No way to know that at the time though.

[jtkratzer]

Ever find anything? If there's anything left, we've had some warm enough days that it would start to stink, might be able to at least find your rack.