Devastated

[Skoaltender]

Words cannot express the sickening feeling I am feeling after today’s adventure.


The story (excuse my writing skills)

Since the beginning of summer I scouted a particular property, trail cameras, hiking evening sits, in order to increase my odds come Nov 1. Had a target buck which I posted in the trail cam pictures thread and set my mind that he’s the one.

Nov 1-11th, I sat full days in multiple locations, not much for deer activity to be seen.

Today rolls around and I got in 45 mins before legal, had a game plan set and stuck to it. No animals seen until 2:45-3pm when my target buck walks through the bush across from me approx 150yrds. I ready my gun, and watch the buck for 30 minutes but he was tucked behind some branches so I wait. Buck walks into a clearing, I freeze him perfectly broadside and BOOM.. I shoot, buck drops down and takes off in the opposite direction.

Me thinking it’s a good shot I calmly walk to the spot where he was shot, NO blood, just hair and ground that is shredded apart.

I seeing no blood I decided to wait an hour and began to follow his tracks. After approx 100 yards I see the first drops, and I exaggerate when I say drops, smaller than pea sized specs of blood every 20-50 yards.
The seldom specks of blood continued for 700-1000 yards then stopped. The buck ventured into a neighboring property which is THICK willow marshland.

After talking to the landowner I got permission to go after the buck and after 5 hours absolutely nothing.

I’m at a loss for words, sick to my stomach and can’t believe I let myself and this animal down by missing my opportunity. I’m going to head back out in the morning, but what are the chances of this buck making it through this? I thought I made a good shot but the evidence says otherwise.



Here is the buck



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[Skoaltender]

Caliber used. .270 with a 150gr corelokt


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[DiabeticKripple]

Go back and look for ravens or coyotes. Hopefully you find him.

[roper1]

Go back to the thick stuff in the morning, the birds will show you where he is. Should be a solid hit, but stuff happens. Good luck!

[Big Lou]

Depends where you hit him. Man that sucks. I’ve hit two bucks in “the hollow” over the years. One was with a 12ga slug. Knocked him right off his feet. I thought he was dead for sure and let my guard down. Looked up and he was on his feet and moving. He got away. I had pictures of him chasing does that night. Hunted him for three years following that. They are tough, tough critters. Not saying that’s where you hit him but there isn’t much to go on regardless. Hope for the best. I feel for you. Awful thing indeed.

[Skoaltender]

The buck dropped right down to all fours right after the shot, to me that’s a good sign, but the lack of blood is the worrisome part.

Will definitely be back in the morning.


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[JReed]

Stay positive. Try and break the area down into a grid and tape off the areas you’ve checked. Make sure to check the area the buck came from, sometimes they double back to those areas because it was safe before you shot it. Good luck

[bdub]

It happens. Hopefully you can track him down tomorrow, good luck.

[whitetail Junkie]

Sounds like you grazed him and my guess is you won’t find him dead.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

Sounds like you grazed him and my guess is you won’t find him dead.

Bullet strike close to spine that stunned him momentarily.

[Bergerboy]

That sucks. I shot one a few years ago at about 150m with a 280AI and blew it off its feet. You could see legs kicking. We hung out for about 20 minutes and grabbed my pack then walked up, the deer jumped up and was gone into the thick. We looked for several hours into the dark and nothing at all. The only thing I can think of is it was shot high in the "hollow" between the lungs and spine. Still bugs me to this day. Hopefully you either find your deer in the morning or get another chance. Its too bad because it sounds like you really did your work for this one.

[Rackmastr]

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

Sounds like you grazed him and my guess is you won’t find him dead.

Sounds like it

[edmsmith]

It happens

[Zip]

Let us know how you did in finding this deer...it sucks I know, hunting with my dad many many years ago around the Killarney Manitoba area, I shot a pretty big buck that was standing about 60 yards from me, I was on point and dad had pushed the small bluff to try chase anything out, well out comes this big buck and just stands there looking confused. So I took aim with my trusty old my 8mm Mauser and shot a good shot that made the unmistakable sound of a big hit. He also hit the ground the moment I fired, then jumped up and ran over the hill giving me no chance for a second shot...we went back the next day after looking all day and still we came up with nothing..lotsa blood to follow, but still he kept on moving..never did find that big guy. I hope your story has a better ending than mine does...it’s been slightly over 45 years ago and I can still see that buck standing there as I shot..you never forget the good when out hunting, and you also never forget the bad parts either..Good luck, hope I didn’t derail your post, I got writing and couldn’t stop.
Zip

[35 whelen]

IT SUCKS but it happens ,head back the next few mornings look for ravens.good luck

[58thecat]

dam....good luck...

[Sooner]

I had an identical situation a long time ago. After a day of tracking, we were pretty confidant I hit the meat ahead of the frt legs. Ton of hair, minimal blood at the impact. By the end of the day he was jumping deadfall I had to either crawl under or crawl over.

I also went back the next day and 3 days later on a sat. Nada for bird sign. That one lived another day.


Hopefully yours is pilled up in those willows due to a high hit. Good luck, hope you find him.

[Dean2]

I would love to say this has never happened to me, but since I have been hunting for over 55 years it just isn't possible for that to be true. On game I have shot personally it has happened twice that I haven't been able to recover the animal and I remember both like it was yesterday. You will have this happen from time to time, it is never fun but it is a fact of hunting we all must live with. I hope you find him or that he heals up fine and you get to see more pictures, but you are going to have ones you never recover or know the outcome on. Best of luck.

[sns2]

Of course it is a sickening feeling. You wouldn't be human if you didn't feel that way. But, as has been said, it happens to all of us, and often on the biggest kind of deer too. Many years ago, when I was sickened by the same type of scenario, and older fellow said to me, "Coyotes have to eat too." That's the truth. Do your best, then put it behind you.

[Bigwoodsman]

I've had it happen on two occasions. I still remember the day and time of each, and it sickens me still. The last one was 19 years ago October 9. The one before that was November 4, 1981.

Like mentioned if you didn't feel bad, you'd be a killer, but you are a conservationist.

BW

[3blade]

Two things stand out - approx 150 yards... so you did or didn’t range him? What are you zeroed at? Also the instant drop and long stretch before blood, that dried up...this has all the signs of a back strap hit. Often caused by using PBR instead of dialing or using precise holdover...human error +/- 3” can put the bullet above or below the vitals. Not criticizing, we’ve all been there and it sucks.

Blood straight down in the tracks or sprayed out to the side? Spray = lungs

Don’t give up. I had perfectly hit double lunged mulie doe somehow go 2km in 3 hours...sometimes they just keep going.

There is no hollow between the lungs and spine when the animal is alive. The top of the lung can collapse and seal a wound however, and has the least blood flow. Hitting both lungs, even high, is usually lethal but can leave the least amount of blood on the ground as it tends to drain into the chest instead of out

[lattery1]

Wife hit a buck from the blind last night and of course it was the first time this year that I was not with her. Lots of bright blood for the first 20 yards. The (expert) that was with her walked on the tracks and jumped him 50 yards from last blood sign. I went out at first light this morning and followed him another 400 yards and 3 bloodied beds. Lost his trail after the last bed and walked several arcs and trails. No more sign. No Ravens or Magpies. I did jump a buck about 75 yards from the last bed with blood but he showed no injury and when I found where he was bedded no blood. It sucks but I guess tonight I will watch for Ravens. She feels sick about it. It was the first animal in her 4 years hunting that has required any tracking

[newmember]

what part of the deer were you aiming at?

[Positrac]

Anybody who has hunted any real length of time has had what they thought was a good shot not culminate in a downed animal. Who can say what goes wrong but as mentioned it can happen and the odds of it happening go up the longer you have been hunting and the more animals you pull the trigger on. It’s disappointing and gut-wrenching when it happens but all you can do is do your best to look for the animal and try to piece together what went wrong.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Positrac

Anybody who has hunted any real length of time has had what they thought was a good shot not culminate in a downed animal. Who can say what goes wrong but as mentioned it can happen and the odds of it happening go up the longer you have been hunting and the more animals you pull the trigger on. It’s disappointing and gut-wrenching when it happens but all you can do is do your best to look for the animal and try to piece together what went wrong.

Very good point with respect to analyzing what went wrong. On the first animal I ever lost, a bull moose, I am convinced it was bullet failure. Thirty five years ago I had bought into the hype of Berger bullets and loaded some up for my 7 Rem mag. They were wonderfully accurate. First deer I shot with them went down like it had been pole axed. Next animal was a moose, which I always shoot on the shoulder. I saw the bullet splash and large wound on the entry side through the scope when I pulled the trigger. There was a lot of hair, skin and some meat where he was standing. I never got a second shot and after tracking him for 4 days he was no longer bleeding and showing few sings of injury. I never used another Berger bullet on game again and never lost another moose.

[buckbrush]

Originally Posted by Positrac

Anybody who has hunted any real length of time has had what they thought was a good shot not culminate in a downed animal. Who can say what goes wrong but as mentioned it can happen and the odds of it happening go up the longer you have been hunting and the more animals you pull the trigger on. It’s disappointing and gut-wrenching when it happens but all you can do is do your best to look for the animal and try to piece together what went wrong.

This explains nicely what I was going to say. It’s heart breaking but it happens to anyone who hunts enough.

[Stinky Coyote]

Y'all need to switch to the 6.5 Grendel, just flattens em.

Joking aside, this is part of it, watch for the birds, have another look but yes sometimes you hit the outer edges outside the spine/diaphram/core and they win the day. That's hunting.

Put in your effort and stay positive about it, one of you won the day, it's all good either way, even if it means admitting it was the deer's day and not yours, they beat us sometimes, it's allowed, it's gonna happen. Don't be surprised to see him again.

[Curly Bill]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Very good point with respect to analyzing what went wrong. On the first animal I ever lost, a bull moose, I am convinced it was bullet failure. Thirty five years ago I had bought into the hype of Berger bullets and loaded some up for my 7 Rem mag. They were wonderfully accurate. First deer I shot with them went down like it had been pole axed. Next animal was a moose, which I always shoot on the shoulder. I saw the bullet splash and large wound on the entry side through the scope when I pulled the trigger. There was a lot of hair, skin and some meat where he was standing. I never got a second shot and after tracking him for 4 days he was no longer bleeding and showing few sings of injury. I never used another Berger bullet on game again and never lost another moose.

Wasn’t the bullets fault. Berger’s are designed to penetrate soft tissue and immediately dump all their energy. I’ve never had a berger fail, mind you I’ve never tried to put one through a moose shoulder either.

[newmember]

Originally Posted by Curly Bill

Wasn’t the bullets fault. Berger’s are designed to penetrate soft tissue and immediately dump all their energy. I’ve never had a berger fail, mind you I’ve never tried to put one through a moose shoulder either.

+1 on shoulder shot, copper bullets+capable caliber on the shoulder drops them on the spot(on WT anyway never tried on moose/elk)

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Curly Bill

Wasn’t the bullets fault. Berger’s are designed to penetrate soft tissue and immediately dump all their energy. I’ve never had a berger fail, mind you I’ve never tried to put one through a moose shoulder either.

Yes it was. When Bergers first came out they were advertised as a great and fully competent hunting bullet with great accuracy. Every moose I ever shot has been shot ON the shoulder, the vast majority with simple cup and core Hornady of one sort or another, a few with Barnes and Partitions. The Berger is the only bullet that ever splashed. Berger changed its advertising after a few years and a LOT of complaints about splash and failure to break through bone. They also changed their bullet construction on their hunting line. Still won't ever use another one. You guys do what you want.