ugh... gut shot

[nbadger23]

I shot a doe this morning around 8:20 and unfortunately I got her back a ways. I've replayed it a lot of times and I think I just didn't settle in well enough. I drew back when she went behind a big tree and unfortunately she didn't come out the other side but instead walked straight towards me, stopping to eat along the way and made me hold for much longer than I'm used to. When she got broadside I let drive and my heart sank when I saw where it hit. She ran off about 20 yards and stood there for a bit and then walked out of sight. I waited 20 minutes, got down and tiptoed over to the arrow.. lots of greenish-red stuff on it along with stomach matter. I'm not sure if I got liver or not but have my fingers crossed.

I'm not going back until around 4:30 or so as I have no coyotes to deal with and it's a fairly cool day. I got out of there as quietly as I could and didn't hear anything moving so I'm hoping she laid down shortly after being shot and dies there. I am worried about being able to find any sort of a blood trail to go on but I'll do a grid search if I can't find blood. If all else fails, I'll head to the creek and see if she's there as it's the closest water source.

Any other advice is greatly appreciated. I'm kicking myself pretty hard for the poor shot placement but as with every hunting experience I learned something. I should have let down and re-drawn when she didn't pop out from behind that tree right away. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

[Stratosman]

A gut shot is fatal... you definately did the right thing by backing out. any deer that I have gut shot I have always recovered. Blood trail is usually pretty tough but go slow and you'll find her.

[96trigger]

Yeah, giver her plenty of time. You got a pass through but it will take much longer for her to expire. I always suggest taking a friend along to help track. You are already a little discouraged, taking somebody that will help keep your hopes up can really keep you on track. I would suggest another bow hunter. Go slow, she might find some hole or brush pile to hide in.

[Archerysniper]

You did the right thing,sneaking out and giving her at least 8 hours is what you need to do. Most gut shot you won't have a blood trail and they tend to bed within 100 yards of the shot if not jumped. Bring your bow and sneek thru trying to find blood or the deer I have needed to put a second arrow in a few of them I have helped track.

[nbadger23]

Thanks for the encouragement.Right now I am trying to decide how long to wait. I had originally decided to give her 8 hours as that would still leave me 3hours of daylight to track. But I am a little concerned about temp. Its 50 right now but that's in the sun and I would guess she's in the shade.I think I will definitely wait until 3 which 6.5 hours...just not sure if I should hold out another hourhour and a half or not....

[Bear55]

Give her 8 hours as planned, it might be the difference between finding her and jumping her up, no reason to worry about the meat yet, it will take some time for her to expire and the clock doesn't start ticking until then. I might even give her 9 or 10 hours.

[nbadger23]

Good point about when the clock starts ticking bear...tks.

[DonBo]

patience, patience, patience. Wait the 8 hours, then go pick her up. Good luck!

[harvey lee]

I agree 100% with Donbo, give her plasenty of time, the weather is with you.

This may take a bit of time to recover so do not say I am not going to find it. Keep looking and all should be fine.

[Jeff13]

I gut shot one with a rifle years back when it was one of those weird near 70 degree openers. Left her for probably 5 hours and found her less than 100 yards away in the thickest part of a clear cut. Blood was scarce but In had 3 guys with me and we got her. Meat was fine. I'm sure you'll get her good luck!

[nbadger23]

Whew... it was looking pretty bleak there for quite a while but she's hanging in the garage! For two hours I did a grid search, focusing on the area from my stand to the road, in the general direction I saw her head. That yielded nothing and I was starting to get discouraged and worrying about daylight running out. I was making one last pass before heading down to the creek to check that out and I found blood.

It surprised me quite a bit because it was in a complete opposite direction than where I had seen her go. I wasn't entire surely which direction it was indicating she was going so I backtracked a bit and found where started heading towards my stand so I turned around and headed the other way. It was just little drops here and there but I still had enough light to see it on the leaves and she was generally staying on the trail. Then it started to get to be big splotches of blood which I could follow easy. She veered off the trail about 20 yards and piled up. I had actually walked past her about 15 minutes before that and not seen her.

She was pretty stiff when I got there so I figured I'd hit liver and sure enough I had. Definitely not the shot I was hoping for but it did the job. I'm glad I made that last pass and very glad I glanced down and saw that blood!

Thanks again for the encouragement.

[monstermoose78]

good deal congrats!

[MJ1657]

Great story. Glad it turned out so well.

[Boar]

Nice job! Way to stay focused an make the recovery. Thats awsome!

[harvey lee]

Way to keep on the tracking job. Way to many just give up and never recover the deer.

Congrats

[Meat-Run]

That's a great ending to your hunt it happens to us all, good sportsman make every effort to find there kill!

MR

[archerystud]

Congrats!

[sticknstring]

Congrats on the doe - meat in the freezer!

[96trigger]

Glad you found her. That is awesome. Way to go!

[TruthWalleyes]

Way to follow up and retrieve your deer!!

I'm planning on bow hunting for the first time this saturday/sunday. My only worries are bad shot placement!!

[Rippinlip]

Great job on the recovery.

Always nice to end with "hanging in the garage"