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Unsuccessful track

Diablo54

Senior Member
7,082
126
Outside
Kay hunted behind the house again last night. She had the normal 6 does come in and then at last light a decent buck came in and started to eat. She said she heard the arrow hit. So I came and got her. We waited two hours to track. Thankfully with the snow we could follow him pretty easy with a drop of blood every 5 yards along his tracks. We tracked around 200 yards last night and he never bedded. We backed out. This morning at 9 we started back after him. The arrow was dragging in the snow leaving an easy line for us to follow around his tracks with blood as well. Blood was coming out of his opposite side as well. Blood thinned up after 400 yards. But opened back up eventually. He started zig zagging and I thought we where soon to find him. The arrow still skidding the snow off his right side. After 600+ yards he bedded 3 times in one spot. With not much blood in the beds. But you could see the arrow/fletching Marks perfectly in the 8" of snow. After the three beds he went uphil and was still bleeding. We came on another bed and from there he was running fresh from this morning where we had jumped him. No blood in his tracks for another 200 yards. I can't figure out if she hit him in the shoulder or the neck or what. But after 800 yards of tracking and minimal blood I called the track off. We where just pushing him. He's not going to die unless its from infection. If he was going to die from the shot he would have stiffened up and died in the 0 degree weather last night. Seeing his fresh bed and running tracks from this morning took the wind out of my sails. If it wasn't for the snow we would have lost the track after 200 yards. She is bummed out. But not ready to give up. Zwickey 4blade. Hopefully he shows back up at the camera and I can see where she hit him. Excitement got the best of her and she couldn't tell me where she hit. No fun at all but it's part of being a bow hunter.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Hate to read these stories. Thanks for sharing though. It can happen to any of us. Gun, bow, crossbow, compound, fixed or mechanical. . . . It happens unfortunately.
 

at1010

*Supporting Member*
4,944
139
part of hunting and sounds like you gave it your all to track him. If he's alive hell show back up on camera over corn. Not much left to eat right now for them bud.
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,856
260
SW Ohio
Dang T!!! Sorry to hear this! It happens unfortunately but tell her to keep at it! I know exactly how you both feel after Karissa's ordeal! Hopefully he makes it and will be okay!

Thanks for sharing that! How much penetration you think she had?
 

Riverdude

The Happy Hunting Grounds Beyond
Supporting Member
10,254
115
Ashtabula, Ohio
I am no expert but try circling around back to the area he was shot. I lost a deer years ago when I just go into bow hunting. It was a poor shot ( one I learned from ) but I actually found her after she mad a big circle and ended up not more then 50 yards from my stand.