Nick87
Well-known member
I shot a decent buck a few days ago.He must have been a little further than I last ranged. I hit him a little low, but made a pass through at the shot he ran out about 70 yards then stopped and was looking back my way. I got the binoculars on him and could see that from where his leg meets his shoulder all the way down his leg was soaked red immediately. I figured heart shot for sure, only to have him turn and walk into the timber. I found my arrow buried in the ground right where I shot him but the arrow was completely clean no blood, what the hell? I was really confused I watched the arrow hit right above the elbow and all that blood how could this be? My step dad and I gave him a couple hours and took up the blood trail. A blind man could have followed the blood I could spot blood 20 yards ahead with my headlamp at times. Every deadfall the buck crossed had blood smeared all over it.
The buck got to a fence but turned back so I knew he must be hit pretty hard to not cross the fence. We followed the trail for about 150 yards until he crossed through a break in the fence onto the neighbors property. We decided to turn back and let him sit and we would take up the trail in the morning after getting permission from the neighbor. I couldn't sleep and felt sick to my stomach the whole arrow being clean deal was really messing with me. I haven't lost a deer in a long long time, it wasn't sitting well with me. We took up the trail the next day which was still easy to follow probably the easiest I've ever followed.
We followed it about another 400 yards and was looking for the next spot of blood when I looked up and saw a big area covered with hair, my heart sank I took a few more steps and found the buck laying there what was left of him anyway.
Hard to take good pictures when there in this shape. His ribs were mostly picked clean and the front shoulder that I had shot him near was missing I still have no idea where I hit him
No marks in the rib cage either. Must have been a lot of coyotes because the hide and all the organs were missing. Nothing left but some corn that must have been in his stomach scattered about. I can't believe how much they took. I'm glad we found the buck and that he was dead but something about the whole thing just doesn't seem right. It just doesn't feel complete finding him that way. To add to it I'd really like to know where I hit that buck to get a pass through and a clean arrow like that. I guess I'll never know. Definitely a bitter sweet ending.
The buck got to a fence but turned back so I knew he must be hit pretty hard to not cross the fence. We followed the trail for about 150 yards until he crossed through a break in the fence onto the neighbors property. We decided to turn back and let him sit and we would take up the trail in the morning after getting permission from the neighbor. I couldn't sleep and felt sick to my stomach the whole arrow being clean deal was really messing with me. I haven't lost a deer in a long long time, it wasn't sitting well with me. We took up the trail the next day which was still easy to follow probably the easiest I've ever followed.
We followed it about another 400 yards and was looking for the next spot of blood when I looked up and saw a big area covered with hair, my heart sank I took a few more steps and found the buck laying there what was left of him anyway.
Hard to take good pictures when there in this shape. His ribs were mostly picked clean and the front shoulder that I had shot him near was missing I still have no idea where I hit him
No marks in the rib cage either. Must have been a lot of coyotes because the hide and all the organs were missing. Nothing left but some corn that must have been in his stomach scattered about. I can't believe how much they took. I'm glad we found the buck and that he was dead but something about the whole thing just doesn't seem right. It just doesn't feel complete finding him that way. To add to it I'd really like to know where I hit that buck to get a pass through and a clean arrow like that. I guess I'll never know. Definitely a bitter sweet ending.
