How Many Hit Animals you never recovered

[leo]

In all my years of hunting, I recall losing 2 animals that I never could recover. I've been hunting with others who have also lost critters, that I helped look for. Sometime it's not meant to be. All we can do is follow up and try our best to find them.

1. A 5x5 bull elk I shot the the first day of the season in 2007. 150 yards broadside, shot him with a Kimber 270 WSM with 140 Accubonds. Boom, smack, down he went. Started to get his legs under him again and buggered off in the timber. Shot at him 2 more times, pretty sure I missed. I left the bugger for an hour and 4 of us went looking to recover him. spent that evening until well past dark, plus 4 hours the next morning looking, nothing, no blood found even. Spent a few extra days there, kept looking for ravens or magpies, nothing. I quit elk hunting that year, it bothered me so much. Still haunts me
2. A Whitetial buck in early November back around 2002. I was shooting a 280 Remington with 140 Accubonds, distance was around 300 yards. Hammered him, he got up and ran to the timber. Left him for an hour, then wife and I went looking for him. Bumped him out of his bed twice, fair bit of blood in each bed. We spent 6 hours looking that day, right until we couldn't find blood on the snow. He sealed up, and his tracks were mixed in with countless others on a game trail. Again, looked for ravens/magpies for a few days. Nothing. I'm sure the bugger got chawed up by coyotes, which is no way to go.

If you hunt long enough, it will happen to you, or it already has if your honest enough to admit it. I've also had a lot of success finding critters that were hit hard and buggered off, but I'll start a new thread for that.

[jr_80]

One. When I was 19 so 21 years ago. A whitetail I dumped at 175 yards running quartering away from me. Yard sale with legs strait up in the air. Didn’t move until I got to about 10 yards and up and gone. A few drops of blood where he laid and no blood trail to or in bush. Best WT deer I’ve ever had a chance at.

Learned a valuable lesson that day. Which I think is why I haven’t lost another. I never stop with just one bullet.

[35 whelen]

I had one this year an elk five by five fairly Easy Shot, don't know what happened never found hair blood nothing look for better part of three days in that area check for Ravens nothing not even sure if I hit him, but then later in the year I had a long shot on a elk 6 by 6 bull after running a hundred yards decided not to take the shot. He'll be bigger next year hopefully

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[buckbrush]

Besides a couple coyotes I have only had it happen once, it was a mule buck and it still haunts me 11 years later.

It was the biggest mule I have ever shot at. I snuck up to him while he was feeding in a hay field, I used a round bale as cover to get close enough.
(I forget exact range but want to say around 40 yards)
I drew back and leaned out from behind the bale with no issues. He hadn't noticed me at all. I settled my pin and went to release my arrow...
In the exact moment between deciding to release and the arrow leaving my bow, he whipped his head around towards me but it was too late. As soon as the arrow left my bow he crouched down to jump and the arrow stuck into his back. I watched him run away with an arrow half sticking out of him.

It was a horrible sickening feeling, thinking that this magnificent animals was suffering somewhere. I gave him a couple of hours and tracked blood until dark. Lost the weak blood trail in the morning. Looked for a whole day for him and couldn't find him anywhere, at that point I knew that if he had died there would be no meat left by the next day. (hot weather and coyotes). I almost quit bow hunting after that.

This is one of the only things I hate about hunting, knowing that it will happen again no matter how careful a person is.

[FCLightning]

One. See premium bullet thread.

[leo]

Originally Posted by FCLightning

One. See premium bullet thread.

What about Buck Brush?? Atlatl??

[Jim Blake]

The only one I have had is a black bear....and a big one!! Hit him with a 308 I had at the time. It was just about dark and he let out a bellow that made my hair stand on end. Still get the shivers when I think about it. No snow so we went back the next morning and were able to track him about half a mile. He would lay down where there was wet moss and dig a bit of a hole and lay the shoulder it looked like in it. The last place he laid down there was no blood in the hole. Never did find him Went back a few days and scouted for any birds or sign. Not a nice feeling.

[Bigwoodsman]

One 50ish inch bull moose, October 9, 2001. Will never forget that. Searched for 1/2 the night and one full day. Had a blood trail, lost it in the dark, overnight it started to rain.

BW

[lund17]

One. Bull Moose shot it with a 30-06 with 150gr bullet at 75 yards and he dropped like a rock. I went back to my quad to sit and wait for an hour. I still could see him lying in the bush from where I was sitting and after 15 minutes the bugger got up and ran away like he was never hit. Tried to tracked him till dark the first day but could not find any blood. Went back the next day for another 6 hours, no luck.

Next year I was shooting a 300 Win Mag. and 180gr Barnes. No more excuses.

[58thecat]

Three....one was a serious booner whitey....Hawkins 50 cal muzzleloader....70 yard shot broadside...385 Hornady Great Plains Bullet...buddy was with me....shot, dropped and then during my reload got up and buggered off....had a great boss back then and crazy hunter so we as in 3 of us took two days off and search high and low....went out again a week later....the 3 of us....nothing.
The other was a 150 class whitey....bow hunting...coming home early through a tall alfalfa field and holy crap here he comes a big buck right at me...I get down and knock an arrow as he walks not 20 yards to my right...I draw and smack him right behind the shoulder...he takes off like a freight train down into a coulee and then I see him jump a fence into another quarter....lost light so headed home to take up the pursuit next morning...it rained hard...I searched for two days again...went back multiple times looking for sign...spring time I was out walking the same area looking for sheds came across a spine with a skull still attached picked it up and instantly new what I had walked another 10 paces and there lay half my arrow....
Archery bull moose called in to 30 yards arrow looked perfect on flight but touched a willow and the arrow went too far forward....seen him in November with a slight limp...there is a sunken feeling of disgust when this happens that just burns deep and a lot of questions go through your head...

[buckbrush]

When I first read the title of this thread I though, maybe it's not a good idea having a thread talking about animals being wounded. I'm sure anti-hunters read these forums too...But then a few things hit me.

With social media, Youtube and hunting shows, most of them either cut out the bad shots or don't show lost animals. This gives new hunters an unreal expectation of hunting. Like Leo said, it's not a matter of if but a matter of when. reading about other peoples mistakes is a much better way of learning than trial and error.

Also, from the stories posted I see one common theme, everyone feels bad when it happens and spends a good amount of time trying for a recovery.

[Sooner]

One Beauty WT buck along the Battle River 25 + yrs ago but I am 95 % confidant he lived another day as all signs told the story of a grazing shot through the brisket meat but ahead of bone. Chased that buck out of his first bed, minimal blood and never seen another drop of blood or him again. He even broke through the Battler River ice and busted his way out. At that point I knew he was gonna live. Followed him for 4 more hours until dark, left under a snow storm so any tracks would be gone. Came back a few days on later on a Saturday, no ravens or magpies to be seen.


That buck and a friends buck in Camp Wainwright taught me a ton of stuff on what they do when wounded.

[Big Lou]

Two. I could post quite the photo set of this buck actually. Was the second year he was on my radar. Really nice WT. Finally had an opportunity with the slug gun. Can’t recall the exact distance(think 130yards) but I distinctly remember convincing myself to hold a touch high. Turned out to be an awful decision. I absolutely rocked him. Knocked him off his feet and was sure he was done. Yup. So sure. Started gathering my stuff to walk out to him. Look up - WTF???!!!! He’s on his feet but hurt. I’m in a panic to get the gun on him again. He sees me and starts moving. I dumped at him twice just hoping. Never touched a hair. Gave him a few hours. Bumped him out of his bed. No shot. Gave him the night. Tracked him to his second bed but he was gone. Spent the better part of the day tracking him. No dice. I pulled a couple cards days later and had multiple pictures of him making miles. I found one shed that following spring and hunted him the next three years. He grew into an absolute pig of a deer. I’m convinced he was poached in late August of the last year we were to dance.

Second one was just last fall. Another big WT. 365 yards. 6.5x47L. Put one in him. Tail was wiggling. He was staggering. Sure he was done and going down. Knew better damn it and I should have hammered him again and again if necessary. The doe he was with started running and sure enough, him too. I stayed on them for two miles. Missed him twice again. Left him for the night in the last patch of bush I saw him go in. Went in and found three beds. Only nine drops of blood. I spent the next four days looking for birds and checking little hidey holes. Nothing. A fellow I know found him in spring while looking for sheds in the bush I last saw him go into. I don’t know if he was doing circles around me while I was tracking or if I managed to walk right by him dead in there or what. I’ll be ashamed of that one for a long while. The rack has been offered to me but I haven’t grabbed it. Part of me feels like I don’t deserve him as I wasn’t capable of finishing what I started.

[cowmanbob]

Took an offhand shot once at a decent buck mule deer. Collapsed on the spot. Only a piece of antler left behind.

[KegRiver]

Not counting Bears, only one that never was retrieved. And one another party took a short while after I lost him.

One was hit too high, poor shooting, the other was grazed when I misjudged the range. It wasn't seriously wounded. Unfortunately the first one was the one never recovered.

Not sure how any Bear I've not retrieved. Two is all I recall.
But both were problem Bear causing damage on a farm I was living on and the primary goal was to end the damage, not to harvest the Bear.

Both were a long time ago when I was still learning to hunt and to shoot.
Even before premium bullets were a thing and magnum rifles were for people with more money then any of us had.

[colvert]

I wonder if you could go back to the area, without your weapon but with your dog and look for your lost game without breaking the law?

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by colvert

I wonder if you could go back to the area, without your weapon but with your dog and look for your lost game without breaking the law?

You mean go hunting for Huns?

[jungleboy]

One white tail buck I hit in the chest at about 75 yards with a 243. Looked for him for a week. There was blood initially but that faded fast.

I couldn’t explain it other than I possibly hit him right in the front of the breast bone and it either glanced off or didn’t penetrate the bone. It didn’t hurt him enough to slow him down.

I got rid of that 243 when I came home from hunting went back to a 308.

[ramonmark]

Nothing yet. Actually to think of it I've never wounded or used a follow up either. I'm still young though, only been hunting for 22 years. I'm knocking on wood now but I'm sure with more time it'll eventually happen. I've seen how sick it makes others and I'm definitely trying hard to never experience that feeling.

[catnthehat]

I have, and it is the darkest , most depressing part of hunting that I have ever experienced. I will never forget it............
Cat

[Battle Rat]

1 whitetail
1 mule deer
1 elk
2 bear
All bad hits except one bear.
Centre of chest and seen the arrow hanging out the off side, lots of blood at first then down to sparse drops 3 hours later.

[bessiedog]

Yup

Makes my gut skrinch when I think about it.

1 rifle hit

2 archery.

Real real real sick feeling.

[mightybuck]

Shot a big whitetail buck running two years ago hit him low found bone chunks and blood. Probably a front leg and brisket is where I hit him.. tracked him with a buddy of mine until the bush just about ended. Saw a raven in a tree so I circled to the end of the bush. Buddy walked up to where the raven was sitting..below the super crow layed the monster whitey. Instead of shooting him buddy put his gun down and said “F*** yeah.” Buck got up at 15 yards away never to be seen again. Went and walked the trail for the next entire day. Saw where he bedded with 3 coyotes bedding within 10 feet of him. Started to snow ....never to be seen again. Bug my buddy every time we go out about that story.

[EagleEyes]

I once was sitting a bush line with my muzzle loader. About a 1 or so before sunset a nice 4x4 walks out antlers as dark as can be with a big 3rd tine coming off the base. Very easy to tell who he was with the extra tine. I watch him walk out towards me, at about 80 yards broadside I shoot him with my muzzle loader. He goes down then starts pushing himself to the bush with his back legs, both front legs not working plowing through the soil. I get reloaded now he's stopped at the bush line back end facing me, with front end still down. Am thinking he's going to tip but into the bush he goes. He had pushed himself about 250 yards like that to get back to the bush. Its October no snow but it is a really easy to see trail of him pushing through the sandy soil. I give him some time then walk to the trail and follow it to the bush line. About 5 feet into the bush no more trail? Looked for 3 days nothing my Father in law farms this field and field's around it he looks a few more days and watches for birds nothing. I had this buck on my cameras and he's gone now as expected. For months i wondered what happen and where did he died. I go check a camera in march and he's on the camera for a couple pictures both antlers still with what looks like a patch on his front shoulder. I even picked up his one shed in spring. That was the last time i heard from him. Was it a bullet failure?? But both front legs seemed to have been not working for a while. Was it the old hollow spot on a deer?? Ill never really know.

[Pathfinder76]

One. I trailed him on a good blood trail for miles. Finally ended up in property I couldn’t access.

[EagleEyes]

Story's are always better with a picture.

[graham1]

Just one. About 1997. Decent whitetail buck at about 25 yards with a bow.
I was sure it was a good hit.
Waited about 20 minutes before climbing out of my stand. Found my arrow, lots of frothy blood on the ground. Three of us trailed him for miles. Finding good blood spots fairly regularly.
Finally climbed to a clear hilltop and couldn’t find another drop.

Maybe if I’d waited longer to start looking for him.

Last time I carried a bow.

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by EagleEyes

Story's are always better with a picture.

Almost 1/2 mile from shot - heading uphill out of the valley on the other side.

[marky_mark]

I learned my lesson almost 20 years ago
Shot a heavy 180 class 5x5 on a super windy day in the middle of November during one of the first “el Nino” years. Was a 300 yard shot with a 60-70 kmph wind. Peak of the rut, and he was with a hot doe. Hit him low in the chest and I could see him bleeding in my scope. He went down twice in the field and I though he was mine. Someone ended up driving into the field from a different corner and bumped him. He ran into the bush and we lost sign of him after about 100 yards and no snow.

Shot another one about a week later, about 1/4 mile from the first. Rattled in a 170 class buck and shot him quartering to me at about 50 yards. We track him for about a mile. Til we came over a hill and he jumped up and took off running. Lost his track again with no snow.

That was the last time I shot a 30/06 at an animal
Or cheap crappy bullets like Remington core lokts

Went to a 300 wby from there, then to a 338 rum
Now it’s 338 lapua, 300 win, anything that can fling a heavy for caliber bullet at around 2900 fps or higher

[huntinstuff]

A deer

Thought I missed. I didnt.

Next day I found what the coyotes had left

Folded my tag and went home.