Wounded deer feedback please

[JustLOVEit]

I'm pretty sure it was a thigh shot.

[96trigger]

I've seen a deer get hit high in the front shoulder or lower in the brisket that can bleed like crazy, but never go down. More than likely, this is what you got. However, by the number of times he layed down, I'd say you hit is front shoulder pretty good, probably broke it up, but never penetrated any vitals.

[analyzer]

Yeah, I saw a couple pictures there that made me think "leg".

I went back to lanesboro today, just driving me nuts, and it's not even my buck.

It's funny how "in your head" you're thinking there really isn't that much cover to look through, and it can't be that difficult to find it. Then you get down there, and go OMG, this is a needle in a haystack. It's funny how 1/2 your brain is determined, and the other 1/2 keeps throwing negative "you'll never find it" thoughts out there. The tug-of-war goes on the entire time you're looking.

I was hoping to see some crows circling, but nothing. [PoorWordUsage] it was cold today.

I set up my blind and just watched from a high hilltop with a binoculars. It's kinda neat scouting when you have no "shooting agenda". I can sit in a much higher vantage point, and see the entire valley where i hunt. If I sat there trying to hunt, I would never have a shot, it's too far removed from their trails, and patterns, but it's a great view. I can see almost all of my stand/blind placements from that spot, and really get a good look at their patterns.

Unfortunately, I did not find my brother's buck though.

It would be interesting hunt24 7, to shine your area after dark, and see if that big boy is limping around there.

I wonder how a tracking dog would do.

If you knew positively it was down somewhere, it would be fun to get a group of 10 guys, and go find it.

[96trigger]

That tug of war is made easier if you have someone to go with you. I always take someone along that keeps me positive if I hit a deer with a bow. I think our psyche doesn't let us get too wound up and it likes to try and brace ourselves for a let down. Its in our nature. The other person with no vested interest can stay more positive because it is not theirs.

Did you see any deer?

[analyzer]

actually, I saw a man hunting birds with his dog. Between him, and the very cold windy day, not much deer movement. I did see one avg size buck. Couldn't tell how big his rack was, as it was too dark, but you could tell it was a buck by the way it walked around. As I was driving away, I saw a buck duck into cover that looked like a 2 1/2 year old basket 8. Probably the same one I saw from the blind.

I think with the wind howling and temps nearing single digits, the deer were content to sit tight.

[analyzer]

I didn't find the buck, but looking a week later got me to thinking what if.

What if I DO find it?

Then what?

Let's say the meat is no good, and various critters have gotten to the carcass.

Do you tag it and drag it?

I mean, if you just cut the antlers off, or the head and cape, and leave the rest, it really looks like you poached it.

I hunt someone else's private land. He's very nice to let me hunt it, and I'd hate to jeopardize that when a neighbor finds the headless corpse of a deer.

It's seems the right thing to do is to continue to look and find it, but I'm at a loss what to do even if I did. I suspect when the neighboring farmer takes his corn down, it'll be laying there.

oh, and if I do tag it, it looks pretty bad registering a deer a week or 2 after the season is closed.

[Mark Christianson]

Simply contact your CO and ask for his guidance as to what you should do.

[lakevet]

Put the word out to neighbors asking if anyone got a buck that was wounded. You may be looking for a deer that is no longer out there. Let them know you are not going to claim the deer , just trying to find if it still might be out there. Also brings closure. As you can tell from the posts, most people want to help. We have good neighbors and everyone has permission to pursue wounded deer without asking. You want to try everything you can to the best of your ability. With snow we have pursued deer up to 2 miles before getting them. They probably would have survived, but you don't quit until you have done all you can. If unsuccessful one has to realize that either the deer survived(they are very tough) or died. If it died, it is now providing food for a long list of creatures to help them survive winter. Every day of the year deer get "wounded" by cars, only to die later. It is a hard fact of life. Just as you don't stop driving, don't stop hunting. If you didn't feel bad about wounding the deer, I wouldn't want you hunting. It means you respect the whitetail and are human. Good luck! Lakevet