Yesterday was opening day here in NY. My cousin managed to shoot the resident big boy chasing a doe across a field, with a shot gun-open sights-and he paced it off at 175 yds I called him after I heard him shoot and asked him what he got. He told me a really big buck, but he's still kinda moving. I told him to finish him off. No more shots. Next thing I know I hear some leaves and a crash in my woods. then a 'snort'/blow. i wait a minute or so then more leaves and a crash. this happened 2 or 3 times before I see him, an awesome buck crash right on the property line. I'm trying frantically to get out of my stand as I don't have a shot where I am. He's down for 30 seconds, gets up and walks across the line into neighbors. I talk to my cousin and he says the buck was down for 15 minutes in the field. He says when he left him alone he tried to lift his head every once in a while but that was about it. When he walked up behind it, it tried to run on back legs only. This happened a couple times whenever he got within 30 yds. He said he couldn't get a good angle to finish him off. We got permission and tracked him (light blood trail, mostly darker blood) 50-100 yds onto the neighbors property, a thick bedding area probably 20 acres. We looked around, and could find nothing.
So is this deer alive? why did his front legs give out for so long only to recover? We don't believe he could possibly have left this neighbors property. It is an isolated wood lot where the buck would have had to cross open fields in rough shape to escape. any advice?
We were pretty disgusted with ourselves. yesterday got up into the high 50's. If he's dead will he be any good this am? If we can get permission should we try to tear apart those 20 acres again today to look for him? I hate to ruin his hunting if this buck is recovering anyway.
What happened to this buck? Is he alive or dead?
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Re: What happened to this buck? Is he alive or dead?
I would tear that woods apart till I found him if I had permission. Sounds like you broke a shoulder or leg.
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Re: What happened to this buck? Is he alive or dead?
Why the heck would you say finish it off but not use the gun?!?!?! Hooves and horns are DANGEROUS equipment to mess with. I tried to finish a doe with my knife once and got kicked so hard in my hand it read numb for hours. If the deer was down and still kicking he shouldve kept shooting or closed the distance and finished him off. No such thing as a bad angle on a wounded animal, the more damage you do the better. Stanley took a ham shot on his buck after it was hit once and that shot sealed the deal.
sounds like he's hard hit, I really hope you find him.
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sounds like he's hard hit, I really hope you find him.
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Re: What happened to this buck? Is he alive or dead?
If you guys didn't push through that thicket too much I have to believe he wouldn't have left thick cover like that if he's hurting as bad as it sounds. Get back in there with a few guys and walk every inch of that thicket and around it. Grid it out if you have to.
Good luck!
Good luck!
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Re: What happened to this buck? Is he alive or dead?
That really sucks i hope you find him, sounds like he is in pretty rough shape. I would have to believe he died or is dead. A lesson learned here for your cousin as the others have said. I know my dad and i have had to give out a couple "texas heart shots" right up the back end of them when they get back up.
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Re: What happened to this buck? Is he alive or dead?
Yeah I think he's pretty sick that he didn't just shoot the thing again. I think sometimes after bow hunting so long we can get into that mode of a perfect shot. We didn't really go crazy in our search yesterday cause the owner gave us permission to track but said he was coming back in the evening, and 1 of his relatives was in a stand there when we went in. Tried to get permission this am, but he is hunting, and was pretty upset that someone (thought it was us) was in there pushing the whole thing this morning. Looks like I got taken by a 'friend' who know what was going on and took it upon himself to organize his own search party. Will have to get out the spot light this week I guess. If nothing else I'll get permission to tear it up after the season is over and at least know for sure what happened.
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Re: What happened to this buck? Is he alive or dead?
The deer is dead! Or injured to the point you should be able to catch up to him... don't let him suffer! It is your duty as an ethical hunter to get in there today and give it a solid effort to find em!!!!!
"When a hunter is in a tree stand with high moral values, with the proper hunting ethics and richer for the experience, that hunter is 20 feet closer to God." Fred Bear
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