What do you think happened?

[chubei]

I shot a 12 point buck at 5yrds away at ground level with my 50 lbs compound bow with 75% let-off and easton alluminum arrow 2117 with venom steel broadheads. The deer ran hard for about 50 yards and trotted afterwards at a fast pace. Didn't get a good picture of how big he was. I had less than 20 seconds to make my decision. I'm about 5'6" and when he came to stop by me, I had my pin sight going right towards the heart right behind the shoulder bone. It was a quartering shot towards me; the deer coming right to left. I think it stuck the other side of his ribs. Tracking down blood trails and tracks. The tracks had blood spots ever other 10 yrds or so. But when the tracks were going uphill, there will be lots of blood. He laid down once in the middle of the hill and once at the top of the grassfield. Buck tracks looked like it jumped the fence into private land. Private land owner told us if there was blood on her land, then we were allowed to search her woods, other than that we were allowed to search her grassfield. Searched public land from 11am to sunset and no good. I think because of other people in the woods shooting guns and walking around, my deer was spooked from his first lay down. I had no permission to search her woods for my injured deer.

[harvey lee]

I might guess you hit him a little high and didnt hit a vital with that little blood.I question the landowner not letting you look for your deer as I thought the laws states you can retrive a wounded animal as long as you dont bring your weapon.If he ran up hill and then jumped a fence I would question he was hit that badf.How far did he travel before the hill and then jump the fence?Did you push the deer out of its bed right away or did you let it lay for some time?What color blood were you seeing?Was it bleeding out of one side or both?

Many questions need to be answered to figure out what might have went down.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Quote:

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I thought the laws states you can retrive a wounded animal as long as you dont bring your weapon

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Harv- I think a lot of people believe there is this law.. however, I think its myth... I think you still need permission and they can still say no to your entry even if you are trailing a wounded animal..

[HC Eye Hunter]

I need to know more details

Didn't find the arrow, right?

Was there any blood where it laid down?

Did the buck hunch up at all after you shot him?

Was there blood on one side or both side of the tracks?

If he was quartering towards you it is a good possibility that you may have gut shot him. If the arrow didn't exit, it may have wedged in his hind quarter not giving an exit wound.

[ChuckN]

(Trespass law) Exceptions

• A person on foot may, without permission, enter land that is not

posted to retrieve a wounded animal that was lawfully shot, but

may not remain on the land after being told to leave.

• A person on foot may, without permission, enter private land

without a firearm to retrieve a hunting dog. After retrieving the

dog, the person must immediately leave the premises. This exception

does not authorize the taking of the wild animal.

[chubei]

The arrow is stuck in him. I waited an hour before tracking him. Other hunters and hikers were in the forest during that time and until sunset. It probably traveled a good 200 yards with a 80-95 yard uphill climb. The buck laid down once while he was going uphill because I see a spot where he laid down that had a lot of blood. There was a light laid down area on the top of the hill as well where I think he laid for less than 15 minutes. The buck laid down twice To as I found two areas where he laid down. About that tresspass law, it also says once told to leave private land you must leave. So I thought, once they say no to search the forest, it means NO.

[harvey lee]

Thasnks Chuck,I was just going to look up what the law states.

[HC Eye Hunter]

Could you figure out what angle he was laying? If you can, it should tell you where the blood is coming from on the deer and in turn give you alot of intel on the shot placement.

Did he come in at the same direction that he was heading back too after the shot? If he did, I am guessing he is heading back too his bedding area from where he came from prior to the shot.

I wouldn't give up!

[fishermatt]

Could you see the arrow sticking out as he ran away? How much of it was sticking out? Where was it sticking out from, Low on the deer, in the middle of the deer, or high on the deer? Was it right on the front shoulder, slightly behind, or a few inches behind the front shoulder?

[perchking]

Well yell at me or not this is one of those situations you that you need to get on that land with permission or no permission. I would go to the land owner and tell them the whole story again and make sure you tell them that the deer was most likely fatally shot. If they dont give you permission I would talk to a CO and see if he can persuade them to let you in there and look. If he can’t get them to budge well, I would go anyways. You owe it to the deer. I would take a $175 trespass ticket for a 12ptr that I shot legally any day.

Good Luck.

[HC Eye Hunter]

Well said!

[Stratosman]

I can't understand why anyone would stop someone from retrieving game, it's just asinine.

[chubei]

The deer did go back to where he came from. I believed that he did go back to his bedding area. I could see at least 4 inches of the end on my arrow in the deer. I shoot a 32" arrow with 4" fletching. I could see my full fletch. I see that the shot was just right behind the shoulder and no more than an inch behind. The buck jolted SIDEWAYS atleast 3 feet away after I stuck him with my arrow at 5 yards (shot placement behind left front leg). I launched him 3 feet away with my shot. I think it was a good fatal shot, but my dad got mad at me for not taking a better fatal shot for the size of that buck. Like I said, I shoot a 32" arrow with 4" fletching and I could see the fletching of my arrow sticking out of him. I mean less than 6" of my arrow I saw. I stuck him good but wished that I could of done more to track him down. I believed I did my best legally to track him down. But I still feel bad that I could not fullfill the deer harvest of that particular buck.

[Jeremiah Johnson]

don't give up, if they wont let you on their land, give the CO a call like mentioned above from the Yooper

[perchking]

I agree I'd be out there right now, work or no work, permission or no permission...

Just make sure you DONT have a compass with you, if some one asks you say you are "LOST"

[xedge2002]

I would definetly give the CO a call and see if he would be willing to help you out. You are only trying to do your duty and retrieve an animal that was wounded. See if the CO would be willing to make a call on your behalf to the owner to make the attempt to retrieve the deer. If the CO calls they might be a little more likely to allow you to go look for it. Also make sure they know you aren't hunting the land, only looking for the deer. They may be a little leary thinking you maybe seen one go in there and are trying to get in there to shoot it under the pretense of looking for a wounded animal.

I believe you are allowed to go on land to retrieve an animal as long as you don't have your weapon with you. They suggest you get permission first but I believe the law does allow you to go to retrieve the animal.

[lawdog]

The law allows you to go on UNPOSTED land to retrieve an animal but you are not allowed to bring a gun/bow with you. On POSTED land you have to ask permission and then if they say no the CO should be called and he has the authority to take you on there to retrieve your game with him.

[perchking]

I know in Mich and Wisc you have to have your land posted PROPERLY and within the laws to make it a forsure deterant.

WAIT.... GET OUT THERE AND FIND THAT BUCK.... I am sure you can fight it in court even if you get a ticket. I am not trying to be a law breaker, just do what is ethical PLUS you owe it to that BUCK... Go to where you last saw it start doing circles and where ever you end up you end up... But get that buck.