Heartbroken

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wvfarrier
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Heartbroken

Post by wvfarrier »

I shot this buck Friday, ive been watching him for 2 years and had never had a shot at him. I put what i thought was a perfect neck shot using a handloaded 176 grain controlled fracturing bullet (ive had amazing success with them). He dropped like I hit him with a bolt of lightning and stayed down for a good 10 minutes, then got up and walked about 5 yards and laid down again. He finally moved over into a little thicket and bedded down. I decided to give him some time and waited about an hour. I went over to get him and poof, nothing. He bleed like a stuck hog but not a drop leading away. I searched for 6 hours and finally hired a tracking dog. The dog searched for another 2 hours turning up zilch. The last trail led into the river about 500 yards away, unfortunately its about 2 feet above normal and moving fast. I walked the bank on both sides for quite a while. I also havent seen and vultures or crows circling anywhere. Im hoping he escaped with a recoverable injury. Im really kicking myself these last couple days.
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FLINT
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Re: Heartbroken

Post by FLINT »

oh man, that SUCKS! I would feel sick also. I don't think anyone can say that you didn't give the search 110% though!

I shot a little buck several years ago with my bow - what looked like a perfect double lung shot. I found some hair at the impact spot, and maybe a speck or two of bloor right then but then nothing. I tried to find more blood for an hour and finally gave up and just started walking all around. Finally found it about 200 yards away under a big autumn olive bush. I had made in fact a perfect double lung shot and the buck probably only lived a minute or less, but in that minute ran 200 yards without bleeding and dove under a bush!!!

He may turn up eventually, either dead or alive. I'd probably keep looking off and on whenever you get a chance. Who knows, maybe he'll eventually turn up under a bush or in a briar patch or something - at least you'll have closure and can recover the rack. Looks like a nice one too - probably 120"? He's bigger than anything I've ever killed or even seen hunting. The good news about deer though, is there are a million of them, and next year there will be another nice buck to take his place. Remember, just a couple/few years ago, that guy was a little button buck. they grow up fast.
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wvfarrier
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Re: Heartbroken

Post by wvfarrier »

For me its about the waste....i know nothing in nature really gets wasted but its hard to lose all that meat. The antlers were a huge bonus though. I keep listening for the coyotes and looking for carrion birds.
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Scott Tschirhart
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Re: Heartbroken

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

Unfortunately, it happens to all of us from time to time. I understand how you feel and I would feel the same way.

I'd be worried about you if it did not bother you.
.45colt
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Re: Heartbroken

Post by .45colt »

Before the Amish loggers and locals with four wheelers ruined the woods near My house I would bow hunt after work nearly every day all thru the rut into gun season. one memorable rainy afternoon I was about 30 yards downwind of a huge scrape, behind a blown down tree . it was past 4:30 pm getting dark fast when one the biggest bucks I ever saw in the woods appeared from nowhere. like a small pony. I agonized about taking a shot with My recurve but with the light rain didn't. He hung around for about 30 seconds smelling the scrape and was gone.
The next morning on My way to work at 5:20 AM I could see flashers on the road about a half mile away, A guy driving an F250 nailed that Buck in the road . the Deer was a mess. I wished then I would have taken the shot. We do our best for the Deer but it's a tough life out there.
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Re: Heartbroken

Post by piller »

You gave it as good of a try as could be asked. I do not know anyone who has hunted much who has not lost an animal. Friend in Kansas could only get 85 grain .243 one time. He shot a big deer. It ran off bleeding heavy. We tracked it for miles. Never did find it. Well, kind of. We found the remains of where a coyote pack got to it. :( He borrowed my .270 until he could get some 100 grain bullets after that.
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Sixgun
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Re: Heartbroken

Post by Sixgun »

I'm curious...what is a "controlled fracturing bullet"?

Neck shots are a gamble.....there's a lot of meat around those vitals and many times a bullet will zip right on through that muscle without a fatal wound....of course we all know what happens when that thin stretch of vitals are whacked....

Keep on looking...you may ...and probably,......just clipped the meat area. No way he would have gone that far with a central nervous/artery hit.......----6
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Buck Elliott
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Re: Heartbroken

Post by Buck Elliott »

Moral:
Don't quit killing them unail they are DEAD..
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wvfarrier
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Re: Heartbroken

Post by wvfarrier »

Sixgun wrote: Mon Dec 07, 2020 6:03 pm I'm curious...what is a "controlled fracturing bullet"?

Neck shots are a gamble.....there's a lot of meat around those vitals and many times a bullet will zip right on through that muscle without a fatal wound....of course we all know what happens when that thin stretch of vitals are whacked....

Keep on looking...you may ...and probably,......just clipped the meat area. No way he would have gone that far with a central nervous/artery hit.......----6
Its made by LehighDefense. The projectile has 3 large petals that break off to create individual wound tracks and a large base that continues on the original track. The projectile has worked great in previous uses. I actually now think I got a bit of "buck fever" and pulled my shot to the outside and just grazed him enough to shock him. I set up some trail cams in the areas he inhabits. I really to see him alive and well.
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wvfarrier
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Re: Heartbroken

Post by wvfarrier »

Here is one recovered from a deer my wife shot. The missing petal passed completely through and was not recovered but you can see two plus the base.
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Sixgun
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Re: Heartbroken

Post by Sixgun »

Yes..thanks.....never heard of that bullet.......like I said earlier i believe you just took a chunk of meat out of his neck. There isn't much else in the neck besides muscle and that much smaller section that holds the vitals.......you sound like a guy who knows what he's doing so that means you'll find him...good luck.---6
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wvfarrier
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Re: Heartbroken

Post by wvfarrier »

He lives!!!!!!
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GunnyMack
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Re: Heartbroken

Post by GunnyMack »

Great! Good to see you have a chance to get another crack at him!
It is amazing how much deer can live through.
Looks like he is whispering in that raccoons ear! :D
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Re: Heartbroken

Post by piller »

Sure is. He is telling his buddy about how he got away from that monster who took a bite out of his neck.
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AJMD429
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Re: Heartbroken

Post by AJMD429 »

There are several parts to the bad feeling - I know from experience... :(

Most importantly is did the animal suffer, and if so, was it more than 'normal'...?

Keep in mind that the 'normal' way for a deer to die is either from starvation or disease, which is miserable, blunt trauma (automobiles), which is painful and miserable, debilitating trauma (broken leg, etc.) which is painful plus leads to starvation, or non-human predators - the latter will often start eating the deer while it is still ALIVE. Human hunters are the only ones that empathize with their prey, and actually go out of their way to REDUCE suffering. Mostly, we succeed, and when a case such as yours happens, we search our souls for ways we could have made it better. But - even with the buck you shot, it doesn't sound like it was anything worse than what USUALLY happens to deer when they succumb to something other than a human hunter. If he lived to graze, as it appears from the photo, he probably is 'feeling fine' for the most part at this point.

Secondly, was the meat 'wasted'...?

We think the best use of the meat is for US to eat, but of course many of us donate meat to homeless shelters, friends, relatives, and others. If a deer is consumed by another top-of-food-chain predator, it seems ok to us, or even if it is consumed by scavengers like vultures, possums, or carrion beetles, it all seems 'natural' at least. Worst case scenario for the mammals, birds, and beetles - the deer made it to the river but not out.... Then the fish and turtles win. But that's ok - they need to eat too...! So even when a deer is not 'recovered' it is recycled. Yours may get a second chance to be Christmas Dinner for you, though....

Thirdly, did it adversely affect the herd or other critters...?

Since you were going to harvest the animal anyway, it doesn't change anything as far as 'herd health', whereas a prime animal accidentally hit by a car that would have passed along genes or otherwise benefitted the herd, could be a big hit.

Last but not least - did it ruin YOUR day...?

Sorry to put 'you' last, but that's the breaks... Yep - it did kind of ruin your day, and that likely cancelled all the joy of the day outdoors hunting and experiencing nature. I can't un-ruin your day, but hopefully thinking through all the logical parts of the first three points, you will see that your day needn't have been ruined. You DID your 'due diligence' in hunting ethically, and going to far more than necessary effort to recover the animal.

The next time you go hunting, you will probably be a bit more picky about range, impact point, ammo selection, sight-in, and all the other stuff that you already pay attention to. It will make you an even better hunter, so there is I guess a point to the whole 'negative feedback' thing. You probably don't need to 'improve', but you will push yourself a bit anyway - just don't let yourself lose the JOY of hunting, as it is the most wholesome and natural and ethical way a person can obtain meat to eat.
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Sixgun
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Re: Heartbroken

Post by Sixgun »

Nope....you leave him alone for a year.....he earned it......assuming your the only one hunting him.....

----6
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gcs
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Re: Heartbroken

Post by gcs »

I've lost deer in the past, anyone says they haven't hasn't killed enough, and it makes you sick....
Sometimes "stuff" happens, even though you try hard for it not to ....
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wvfarrier
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Re: Heartbroken

Post by wvfarrier »

Unfortunately my property borders another and those fools will wipe out entire herds. They dont care, they just shoot them all.
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