almost lost buck

[Tikka7mm]

I got this guy at about 2:00 in the afternoon coming back from town after restocking our supplies. We were kinda sorta road hunting half heartedly. We were actually headed back to camp to clean up and have lunch and we were going to head for an evening hunt shortly after. Anyways we're driving down the road. There were 3 of us in the truck and we're all kind of looking in different directions I was surprised that I was the only guy to spot him. He was off the side of the road about 25 yards into the bush. I yelled out "buck, buck, buck...stop the truck". My buddy stopped the truck about 50 feet past where I spotted him. We were going about 20km/h so again not really trying to hard, just kind of eye'n the timber as we drove along. I got out of the truck and I had kind of lost him for a second because he was behind us now. I put one in the chamber of my 7mm and started towards where I thought he was when I saw him. I could tell he was bigger than any of the deer I had seen all week. After sizing him up I thought I better take came because if I didn't I might not see another one as big and then I'd be ticked. He's not huge but I didn't end up seeing anything bigger than him for the rest of the trip with the exception of one other in camp, which I'll post later. Anyways, gettin back to it. I saw this guy off the road he was now probably forty yards away. I didn't have great shot so I waited for him and he stepped away from me. All I had was a shot of his rear end. At the last second he turned and I thought I had a clear shot. I squeezed the trigger (no rest) and let him have it. The thing took off into the bush like a shot. The boys yelled out from the truck "did you get him". At first I was pretty confident I had hit him. I said, "oh yeah I got him". So we waited a minute or two and my buddies got out and we split up about 20 yards apart or so and trekked up into the bushes after him. After about 5 minutes of looking for him....we couldn't find anything, not a drop of blood. I was frustrated because I felt pretty good about the shot. I was looking hard for blood, really hard and then about 10 feet in front of me I saw a tiny piece of meat about the size of the kernel of corn just sitting on a piece of wood. By now I'm mad at myself because I think I've wounded the damn thing and it's gone and we're never going to find it. So I take a deep breath wipe the sweat from my brow (it was about 23 degrees out) and keep looking. My hunting partners hadn't seen anything yet either. About 15 minutes pass by and by now we're all spread out. No blood anywhere after another 15minutes or so of looking. I couldn't even see my hunting partners and then I hear my buddy Nick from the distance say,” I found some more blood". "Riiiiight on" I said to myself with restrained enthusiasm! Because I still thought he was gone at this point because the blood was so spread out. Long story short we searched for another 5 minutes or so and then the blood trail started to heat up. At first the drops were 30 feet apart and then they started getting closer together and a bit bigger but no real trail they were just all over the place really spread out. This deer was smart. He had zig zagged all over the place trying to lose us. Confused the hell out of us. I thought we were going to be looking till dinner time. Actually, to be honest I thought the deer was gone and just injured. I was pretty disappointed. You never want to injure an animal and have it die in the woods somewhere and go to waist never to be appreciated. Anyways, 5 -10 minutes pass by, I'm still looking hard for blood and my buddy Nick says, "I found him". Well I gave out a little hoot and ran up the hill to where he was about 50 yards away. As I approached the deer I could see that I had unfortunately gut shot him. The damn thing had covered a lot of ground. I wasn't optimistic that we would find him. I'm glad we kept looking because even the perimeter surrounding the deer didn't have a lot of blood around it. As I got closer he wasn't as big as I thought but I was still happy with him and I was thankful I had my buddies there with me to help with tracking. If they weren't there I may not have found the deer. I went back to camp took a shot with my 7mm at about 50 yards and it was pretty much bang on. Maybe the deer jumped at the last second. I don't know. Anyways that's my story. Here's the pic. (sorry about the size)

[Will]

Things don't always go 100% despite what some around here may post;-)

Important thing is that we learn and become better for it.

Congrats on the Deer 8)

(where's the pic?)

[Tikka7mm]

new pic - sorry about quality will try to reformat

[Tikka7mm]

new pic - sorry about quality will try to reformat

he's a 3x3

[Tikka7mm]

better pics / finally figured it out!!!!
src="http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd140/Tikka7mm/mydeer.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

[Will]

he's a 3x3
Looks Good......Congrats again 8)

[Tikka7mm]

just trying to figure this site out.....lol

[Tikka7mm]

picture of my buddies buck shot a few days after mine
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd140/Tikka7mm/jer2.jpg

[cbearw]

Congrats! Great looking deer. I am very glad you guys persisted and eventually succeeded in finding your deer. I had a similer thing happen hunting mule deer about 20 years ago. I shot with no rest at about 75 yards. Found a bit of hair. I looked all day by myself. Went back the next day and looked all day. It really tore me up. The third day I found him or I should say the coyotes and crows found him. He had gone a long way. Two benches down from where I was hunting along the Frazer. The meat was a right off. It bothered me terribly and for many years I gave up hunting. Eventually I started again and vowed to to my very best to not let it ever happen again. I never took another shot without a rest except for one deer that was about 20 yards away. So far so good as I have taken quite a few deer and moose with one well placed shot since that unfortunate event. However ....I am aware that despite our very best intentions these things do happen. I hear stories from time to time of how this or that person blazed away at a moose or deer. Sometimes at great distances. Myself I feel this shows a lack of respect for the animal and for the hunt which is really a priviledge and a sacred thing. Your story and persistance suggests you have strong hunting ethics. Well done. Good hunting and thanks for posting. A great read with a happy ending.;-)

[sniper ren]

Nice dear! Nice to see you guys stickin with it til you found it! And welll said CDEARW!!!

[Sharkey]

Fine buck indeed - he looks long and lean. As mentioned... good for you for keeping on his trail till he was found.
~D

[Sitkaspruce]

Nice buck and good on you guys to stick with looking.

One thing though, if it ever happens and you wound a deer and cannot find it, it does not go to waste or not appriciated. A whole lot of little forest critters would thank you if they could, because you just gave them a good supply of energy for the winter. It really sucks to wound an animal and loose it, it will happen to most hunters at least once in their lives, it's the other part of hunting that nobody wants to talk about.

[hunter1947]

Good for you that you found him ,i my self have been in your shoes a few times ,and i know what was going through your mind, But the main thing is he will be in the freezer this winter ,congrats on your whitetail deer.http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon14.gif

[huntwriter]

Situations like yours are what separates the hunters from the slobs. Good on you for keeping it up until you found the deer and congratulations on good looking deer.

[porcupine]

Good job and perserverence. I've had similar situations and know that hollow feeling in the stomach when you think that you've wounded and lost an animal. I can't hit anything shooting off hand so always bring along a set of shooting sticks. They make a great rest when there is no rest available. Stoney Point makes a decent one that you can use standing up. It fits into a holster and you can attach a third legs to make a steady tripod rest.
________
how to roll a blunt (http://howtorollablunt.net/)

[BCJunior]

Nice looking deer ya bagged there. congratz

[Tikka7mm]

Nice buck and good on you guys to stick with looking.

One thing though, if it ever happens and you wound a deer and cannot find it, it does not go to waste or not appriciated. A whole lot of little forest critters would thank you if they could, because you just gave them a good supply of energy for the winter. It really sucks to wound an animal and loose it, it will happen to most hunters at least once in their lives, it's the other part of hunting that nobody wants to talk about.

Good point Sitkaspruce. It still makes you feel sick to your stomach though regardless.

[Tikka7mm]

Good job and perserverence. I've had similar situations and know that hollow feeling in the stomach when you think that you've wounded and lost an animal. I can't hit anything shooting off hand so always bring along a set of shooting sticks. They make a great rest when there is no rest available. Stoney Point makes a decent one that you can use standing up. It fits into a holster and you can attach a third legs to make a steady tripod rest.

I have abuddy who hunts with a bi-pod attached to his gun at all times. Too heavy for my liking. I look into those shooting sticks though. Thanks for the tip I appreciate it.

[Tikka7mm]

I hear stories from time to time of how this or that person blazed away at a moose or deer. Sometimes at great distances. Myself I feel this shows a lack of respect for the animal and for the hunt which is really a priviledge and a sacred thing. Your story and persistance suggests you have strong hunting ethics. Well done. Good hunting and thanks for posting. A great read with a happy ending.;-)[/quote]

I totally agree. What the heck is the point and how could anyone feel good about their kill if they just blaze away at animal hoping to hit it. Actions like this aren't what hunting is all about. I'd rather avoid taking the shot and wait for the kill shot, rather than miss or wound an animal, only to see it suffer. I thought the shot that I took was a good. Unfortunately it wasn't as clean as it should have been. The next time I shoot for an animal i will be looking for a rest or using a shooting stick.