Your input?

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The Mediocre Hunter
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Your input?

Unread postby The Mediocre Hunter » Wed Nov 06, 2019 3:15 am

Hey guys, so took my kid hunting on a youth hunt. Cutting to the chase I want to see your input on this particular situation. I know hindsight is always 20/20 and all but can't change what happened now just trying to see what I can do. So remember I'm several years into hunting and have yet to get one so take what I say with a grain of salt. My boy shot a buck at about 20 yds. The buck saw us right before the shot. When he shot the buck he jumped and did a full 180 from where he was looking ran back a different way than from where he came from. As he ran we heard what we thought was him fall and started making and crazy wheezing/blowing noise for what seemed like an eternity. Then the sounds stopped and we waited a few minutes to get down and look for blood. We went to where we saw him last to look for blood but couldn't find any. Then we walked slowly looking at the ground for any blood and any sign of it but when we crested a little knoll he jumped up (he had bedded down) and took off. He didn't make any noises as he ran. We backed out and told the rangers because he looked like he was headed towards private land. Upon closer examination, I found what I believe is bile fluid. Kind of clear with a little tint to it. Also had some "grit" in it. They said they'd help us look for it but we didn't find it that night or yesterday either. Then they called it and said we wouldn't find it. The place is closed now until the 15th of this month so I can't access it. As much as I hate that the meat was coyote feed, I would love to maybe find the buck since it's my boys first deer and really the first deer for our family. I have thought about trying to drive by in a few days to see for carrion birds or any other sign but don't know how practical that would be. Also is there any chance that you think the buck survived? It's been eating at me that we didn't wait longer. Any advise or input is appreciated even if it's negative. I'm here to learn. Thanks.


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Kraftd
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Re: Your input?

Unread postby Kraftd » Wed Nov 06, 2019 3:21 am

Was this a gun or bow?

It sure sounds like a gut shot to me. Unfortunate truth is when you jump one early that is gut shot, they can go a long ways. They will generally head towards water, which can be a helpful place to hone in on. If there are creeks o ponds the direction he went, walk them if you are able. Look closely, he could be pretty much submerged, as he may have laid in the water and died.

There would also certainly be no harm in looking for birds either. Vultures, crows, ravens, eagles, but don't ignore jays and chickadees either.

When you say you can't get back on, do you mean you truly aren't allowed access? If not, see oldrank's thread, get a tracking dog. It sounds like a dead deer to me.
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stash59
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Re: Your input?

Unread postby stash59 » Wed Nov 06, 2019 4:26 am

Kraftd wrote:Was this a gun or bow?

It sure sounds like a gut shot to me. Unfortunate truth is when you jump one early that is gut shot, they can go a long ways. They will generally head towards water, which can be a helpful place to hone in on. If there are creeks o ponds the direction he went, walk them if you are able. Look closely, he could be pretty much submerged, as he may have laid in the water and died.

There would also certainly be no harm in looking for birds either. Vultures, crows, ravens, eagles, but don't ignore jays and chickadees either.

When you say you can't get back on, do you mean you truly aren't allowed access? If not, see oldrank's thread, get a tracking dog. It sounds like a dead deer to me.


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The Mediocre Hunter
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Re: Your input?

Unread postby The Mediocre Hunter » Wed Nov 06, 2019 4:30 am

It was a gun. There's a ton of water in the area. As far as it being closed, area regs say it's closed until November 15th when it'll be open for archery. Maybe it's just closed to hunting and can access it before hand if I can talk to the rangers to maybe let me in? IDK man it just sucks to be in this situation. I'll check his thread and see what I can get from it. Thank you.
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Re: Your input?

Unread postby The Mediocre Hunter » Wed Nov 06, 2019 4:46 am

Also what do you guys make of the sounds and does that mean they are always shot in same area ie in the gut?
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Re: Your input?

Unread postby Huntress13 » Wed Nov 06, 2019 5:05 am

The Mediocre Hunter wrote:It was a gun. There's a ton of water in the area. As far as it being closed, area regs say it's closed until November 15th when it'll be open for archery. Maybe it's just closed to hunting and can access it before hand if I can talk to the rangers to maybe let me in? IDK man it just sucks to be in this situation. I'll check his thread and see what I can get from it. Thank you.


Call a ranger and see if they will let you in to track. If at all possible, get a tracking dog lined up. The tracker most likely will want/need explicit permission to enter the land to track so I'd ask the rangers that too.
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The Mediocre Hunter
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Re: Your input?

Unread postby The Mediocre Hunter » Wed Nov 06, 2019 7:17 am

Huntress13 wrote:
The Mediocre Hunter wrote:It was a gun. There's a ton of water in the area. As far as it being closed, area regs say it's closed until November 15th when it'll be open for archery. Maybe it's just closed to hunting and can access it before hand if I can talk to the rangers to maybe let me in? IDK man it just sucks to be in this situation. I'll check his thread and see what I can get from it. Thank you.


Call a ranger and see if they will let you in to track. If at all possible, get a tracking dog lined up. The tracker most likely will want/need explicit permission to enter the land to track so I'd ask the rangers that too.


I'll look into that. Thank you.
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Re: Your input?

Unread postby stash59 » Wed Nov 06, 2019 9:44 am

A bullet hitting the guts will have a hollow sound. Similar to hitting a watermelon or a milk jug full of water. Don't know if you've ever done that though.

I heard a spine shot deer hiss at the hunters. When they got in too close to it.

Was the sound you heard a deer snort. May have been a different deer snorting at the buck your son shot. If the buck piled up in front of it.

Otherwise I'd find out all you can about accessing that property out of season. Especially to look for a wounded animal. And of course everything relating to use of tracking dogs.

Not calling out the OP here. Just feel this could help all of us. Whenever hunting a new area. Especially a special area like area the OP was hunting. It's wise to learn/find out all of the particulars/rules/regulations. For these areas. Well before hunting them. So whatever scenario arises. We know what can and can't be done, and when, on those properties.
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The Mediocre Hunter
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Re: Your input?

Unread postby The Mediocre Hunter » Thu Nov 07, 2019 6:13 am

stash59 wrote:A bullet hitting the guts will have a hollow sound. Similar to hitting a watermelon or a milk jug full of water. Don't know if you've ever done that though.

I heard a spine shot deer hiss at the hunters. When they got in too close to it.

Was the sound you heard a deer snort. May have been a different deer snorting at the buck your son shot. If the buck piled up in front of it.

Otherwise I'd find out all you can about accessing that property out of season. Especially to look for a wounded animal. And of course everything relating to use of tracking dogs.

Not calling out the OP here. Just feel this could help all of us. Whenever hunting a new area. Especially a special area like area the OP was hunting. It's wise to learn/find out all of the particulars/rules/regulations. For these areas. Well before hunting them. So whatever scenario arises. We know what can and can't be done, and when, on those properties.



I didn't take it as a call out but it's a great point. There is a reg in the allowing of using a tracking dog but I had never thought of it as I assumed it was a personal dog, didn't know you could hire it out.
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1STRANGEWILDERNESS
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Re: Your input?

Unread postby 1STRANGEWILDERNESS » Thu Nov 07, 2019 6:22 am

I don’t know much about tracking dogs but probably should’ve given one a try earlier this year. I have no experience with them..

Please post again if you use one letting us now how it worked out. I’m curious
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The Mediocre Hunter
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Re: Your input?

Unread postby The Mediocre Hunter » Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:54 pm

1STRANGEWILDERNESS wrote:I don’t know much about tracking dogs but probably should’ve given one a try earlier this year. I have no experience with them..

Please post again if you use one letting us now how it worked out. I’m curious


We didn't end up getting to use a dog to track. We got over 4 inches of rain. They said rain enhances the scent but once it reaches over 2 inches it becomes detrimental.
Theyy did however recommend some books to read on tracking wounded deer by John Jeanneney. "Tracking dogs for finding wounded deer" and "dead on! Deer anatomy and shot placement for bow and gun hunters. Tracking techniques for wounded deer" I ordered them and should receive them next week sometime.

Had anyone of you guys been able to train an existing dog to track wounded deer?
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1STRANGEWILDERNESS
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Re: Your input?

Unread postby 1STRANGEWILDERNESS » Mon Nov 11, 2019 2:10 pm

My buddy took his lab out one time randomly because he shot a doe and had no blood. His dog found it under a big blowdown of cattails. Said he never would have found it. Here was no training whatsoever.

I tried it with my dog once but we hit private property and that was the end of it..

I might check out those books too. I think
Tracking is a big part of being a bow hunter and I suck at it.
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Re: Your input?

Unread postby Mgaspari » Mon Nov 11, 2019 2:19 pm

Used our border collie/ spitz about 20 years ago to find a buck in the rain. A buddy said go get your dog he will find it, I called him an idiot. 20 minutes after bringing the dog out he found the deer. Guess I was the idiot. Some dogs have the knack so I guess it’s worth a try
The Mediocre Hunter
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Re: Your input?

Unread postby The Mediocre Hunter » Mon Nov 11, 2019 2:26 pm

1STRANGEWILDERNESS wrote:My buddy took his lab out one time randomly because he shot a doe and had no blood. His dog found it under a big blowdown of cattails. Said he never would have found it. Here was no training whatsoever.

I tried it with my dog once but we hit private property and that was the end of it..

I might check out those books too. I think
Tracking is a big part of being a bow hunter and I suck at it.


That's cool. I have a "Borador" half lab half border collie. He's really smart but I haven't trained him with allot of things besides the normal obey commands. Sometimes I feel like he has terrible sense of smell because he struggles finding a kibble in his near vicinity but maybe it's cuz it's dry IDK.

Yes, tracking would be a big part of it but that's not the only thing I suck at. :roll:
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Re: Your input?

Unread postby The Mediocre Hunter » Mon Nov 11, 2019 2:27 pm

Mgaspari wrote:Used our border collie/ spitz about 20 years ago to find a buck in the rain. A buddy said go get your dog he will find it, I called him an idiot. 20 minutes after bringing the dog out he found the deer. Guess I was the idiot. Some dogs have the knack so I guess it’s worth a try


Man that's cool. You just put him on the scent and he took off? Or did you have to command something?


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