coocoo4coues Report post Posted January 25, 2006 This morning, I called in sick to work (NOT) and took a drive out to the hills. I spotted a herd of does feeding about 1/2 way up the hill. Then, out of nowhere, I see a beautiful 3 point buck. After parking my truck, I managed to stalk them to within 50 yards. I waited for a while, and crawled hands and knees to within about 40 yards. He was broadsided, and looking right at me when I let one fly. I got him. I saw him run about 20 yards or so up the hill, and he fell down under a tree. I assumed that was it. I made the stupid mistake of trying to go over there. As I got closer, a doe spotted me, flagged her tail, and bolted. The buck took off too. I walked to the last place he was, and found a pool of blood. I waited for a while, then started to follow the blood trail. I spent over 6 hours tracking that buck up the steepest and rockiest terrain I'd ever hunted. I marked every spot I found blood with orange tape, and successfully followed the trail for over 1/2 a mile. About 1/2 way up, I found my arrow, bit in half, and full of blood. Next to it, another puddle of blood. Apparently, it didn't go all the way through, and the deer bit off what was sticking out. Yet, a good 12 inches stayed in him. At the ridge of the mountain, I saw some blood on some grass and then, NOTHING. I searched from that point for some more blood for over 2 hours, and found nothing. The blood just stopped. I walked in circles, hoping to see my buck, but no luck. By this point, I had fallen down about 5 times, and was exhausted. Has anyone ever been through this? Now, I feel so guilty, I don't even want to hunt anymore. Disgusted in Sierra Vista, Cookoo4coues Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHT_MTNMAN Report post Posted January 26, 2006 I bet he is pretty close to where he ran out of blood, but I don't know. That sure sucks, I hope you get to find him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted January 26, 2006 keep looking! chances are he is with in a 1/4 mile of the last time you saw blood. the same thing happened to me this year with my elk. blood got thick and then stopped. then thick then stopped. i looked for her till i had to get off the mountain. if it wasnt the last night i would have found her but could not continue the search it being the end of the season and all! good luck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25-06 Report post Posted January 26, 2006 Didn't this just happen to you? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coocoo4coues Report post Posted January 26, 2006 The blood completely stopped, though. I noticed that the blood was very scarce along the way, with an occasional small puddle here an there (probably where he would stand still for a while). Do you think he was hit lethally? I can't see him surviving a shot like that. I broke the #1 rule of not letting it bleed out. I can't take any more time off work to go look for him in the morning, though. Dam. keep looking! chances are he is with in a 1/4 mile of the last time you saw blood. the same thing happened to me this year with my elk. blood got thick and then stopped. then thick then stopped. i looked for her till i had to get off the mountain. if it wasnt the last night i would have found her but could not continue the search it being the end of the season and all! good luck! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coocoo4coues Report post Posted January 26, 2006 Didn't this just happen to you? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yes. I shot him this morning. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coocoo4coues Report post Posted January 26, 2006 No, this didn't just happen to me. Last week, I completely missed a shot, and wasn't sure if I had hit the deer. I found the arrow (no blood). Didn't this just happen to you? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yes. I shot him this morning. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az4life Report post Posted January 26, 2006 coocoo Sounds to me like you really are Sick this time! Just bite the bullet, Call in again and start where you left off. I bet he is within a couple hundred yards of where you lost him. If he was bleeding out while you trailed him for 1/2 mile and you had a clear trail most of the way, then He had to be running on empty. That much blood loss seems like it was a lethal shot. Wounded bucks often just hunker down in the most brush cover and try to wait you out! If nothing else, I bet you won't rush in again. Nuff said! This is not the same as bow hunting, but has some similarity that may be helpfull. I shot a buck about 10 years ago across a canyon. I shot 1 time and he stood there, shot again and he turned a bit and walked slowly off toward some heavy brush . I was floored that I could have missed a 150 yd shot straight across the canyon. I watched and never saw him come out of the brush so I hiked over and found NO blood, and no buck. I was mad and picked out a target spot on a hill about 150 yards away. I shot and Pegged it. Now I knew for sure I could not have missed 2 times, so I hiked all over in and around that brush down the ravine up the hill... After at least an hour. I had given up and was about to head home but one last look In the brush, about 20 yards from where I shot him, there he laid! Good Luck Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZcoues_addict Report post Posted January 26, 2006 Yep, I think you need to take another look if your schedule permits! Sometimes we're so focused on an area we think the animal should be, that we overlook it. Also, if he did bleed well, he might be clotting and the trail may be more difficult to follow. I shot a buck a few years back, followed the blood trail and it too seemed to vanish. After nearly 100 yards of almost nothing, I picked it back up and shortly found the buck within 250 yards. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shiras Report post Posted January 26, 2006 Coocoo, I shot my first 2 point this year with a bow and lost him. He fell down at the shot (on his side) bled BUCKETS for 60 yards, full pass thru. Problem was is that I overanalyzed it since he fell down at the shot, I thought "there is no way he could have gone anywhere!" I got out of my stand immediately. DUMB!!!!!!!!!! Never did find him, but then again, I ran out of time and daylight. Even if he doesn't show, I felt the same way. I wanted to trash my bow and stop bowhunting (but not hunting altogether). After talking to what I believe is one of the best traditional bowhunters in Oklahoma (37 recurve whitetail kills), he gave me a talking to that I will never forget. In a nutshell, he told me that "that's bowhunting". Dude has some unbelievable stories. Basically, it's going to happen. I'm heeding his advice. I'm just going to practice more. Hang in there. -Shiras Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowhuntinmaniac Report post Posted January 26, 2006 Go back in a few days and follow the smell. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coocoo4coues Report post Posted January 26, 2006 Go back in a few days and follow the smell. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Not funny, man. If I go back in a couple days, I'll just find bones. Either lions or coyotes will have a fest tonight. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DesertBull Report post Posted January 26, 2006 You'll see crows and / or buzzards tomorrow. The meat is already a goner, so just face it and go back as soon as possible to try and salvage what you can. Also, if it were me, I would consider my deer tag filled for 2006, but that is your decision. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billrquimby Report post Posted January 26, 2006 Even if he doesn't show, I felt the same way. I wanted to trash my bow and stop bowhunting (but not hunting altogether). After talking to what I believe is one of the best traditional bowhunters in Oklahoma (37 recurve whitetail kills), he gave me a talking to that I will never forget. In a nutshell, he told me that "that's bowhunting". Dude has some unbelievable stories. Basically, it's going to happen. I'm heeding his advice. I'm just going to practice more. Hang in there. -Shiras <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Shiras: Let's hope your friend doesn't really believe "that's bowhunting." Unfortunately, everyone who hunts long enough will wound and lose an animal. It is natural for an ethical hunter to feel awful about it. BillQ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shiras Report post Posted January 26, 2006 Mr Quimby, He has shot many an animal and communicated the emotion of losing an animal. The main point he was expressing is that with stick and string you ARE going to loose animals. That IS bowhunting. Especially traditional bowhunting. The statement isn't as flippant as it sounds. Has Gene or Barry ever lost an animal? They are arguably the best traditional bowhunters on Earth. He was telling me not to get to the point to where you get so down in the dumps or poignantly scrutinizing your performance so harshly that you never want to hunt again. After contemplating on his words of wisdom, I've come to realize that he is correct. -Shiras Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
