I haven't been out in the woods or really talked to anyone who has been hunting recently, but from what I have observed driving to and from work the big bucks have been on lock down the past week or so. During this period the big boys aren't cruising as much but the little bucks really chase. Because the bucks have been on lock down with hot does the past week or so, a good majority of the does have been bred. Now is the time the big boys should be more visible looking for hot does.
There was also a little excitement at the farm this past weekend. My niece (Megan) was hunting and came in on Sunday around 11 AM and let everyone know that she shot a good buck. She watched him run out of sight and her and her boyfriend came back to the house. Megan was not quite sure she put a great shot on him, but her boyfriend who was with her thought it was pretty good and said there was blood where Megan had shot the deer.
After looking at some trail camera pictures, Megan's boyfriend determined that he thought she shot a big 3 1/2 year old that was off limits.....Randy Savage. Randy Savage is a deer that has the potential to jump from a 160" deer to a 180" deer next year.
I suggested to give the buck 2-3 hours before we go back out and look for this buck based on Megan's thought that she put a marginal shot on the deer. Well, after an hour had passed, the bf wanted to go look. I had made my recommendation, but there was no convincing otherwise..........so we picked up the trail.
After following a very light blood trail for a couple hundred yards, the trail started to pick up and we found the arrow......good bright red lung blood. The arrow only penetrated about 4-6 inches and this is when I knew we were in trouble. Then after looking at the blood after the arrow fell out, I could definitely tell the blood was pretty fresh and suggested that maybe we should get out........but I was out voted.
Long story short, we found where the buck had layed down and then no blood. The posse grid searched the area for about 3 hours and never found the buck or anymore blood. Because we never found the deer, I cannot confirm that the buck Megan shot was Randy Savage. Hopefully this spring we will come across his sheds and he will show back up on camera.
When I guide hunters or hunt with my wife at LJS Hunting Lodge, I always emphasize five keys to finding the deer after the shot:
My analysis on Megan's shot was that she hit the deer a little forward (which she thought is where she hit the deer) and probably caught some shoulder or rib. Due to the lack of penetration, she probably only got one lung. I did a little research on single lung hits, and here is what Bill Winke said in a response in the "Ask Winke" section of Midwest Whitetail:
There was also a little excitement at the farm this past weekend. My niece (Megan) was hunting and came in on Sunday around 11 AM and let everyone know that she shot a good buck. She watched him run out of sight and her and her boyfriend came back to the house. Megan was not quite sure she put a great shot on him, but her boyfriend who was with her thought it was pretty good and said there was blood where Megan had shot the deer.
After looking at some trail camera pictures, Megan's boyfriend determined that he thought she shot a big 3 1/2 year old that was off limits.....Randy Savage. Randy Savage is a deer that has the potential to jump from a 160" deer to a 180" deer next year.
I suggested to give the buck 2-3 hours before we go back out and look for this buck based on Megan's thought that she put a marginal shot on the deer. Well, after an hour had passed, the bf wanted to go look. I had made my recommendation, but there was no convincing otherwise..........so we picked up the trail.
After following a very light blood trail for a couple hundred yards, the trail started to pick up and we found the arrow......good bright red lung blood. The arrow only penetrated about 4-6 inches and this is when I knew we were in trouble. Then after looking at the blood after the arrow fell out, I could definitely tell the blood was pretty fresh and suggested that maybe we should get out........but I was out voted.
Long story short, we found where the buck had layed down and then no blood. The posse grid searched the area for about 3 hours and never found the buck or anymore blood. Because we never found the deer, I cannot confirm that the buck Megan shot was Randy Savage. Hopefully this spring we will come across his sheds and he will show back up on camera.
When I guide hunters or hunt with my wife at LJS Hunting Lodge, I always emphasize five keys to finding the deer after the shot:
- See where your arrow hit the deer
- Was it a pass through? If not, how much of your arrow was hanging out of the deer
- Watch how the deer acts as it runs off.
- Did it kick and take off (heart/lung shot)
- Did it run a little ways and then stop and walk with it's tail down (gut/liver shot)
- Watch the direction the deer runs
- Listen, you may hear the deer go down
My analysis on Megan's shot was that she hit the deer a little forward (which she thought is where she hit the deer) and probably caught some shoulder or rib. Due to the lack of penetration, she probably only got one lung. I did a little research on single lung hits, and here is what Bill Winke said in a response in the "Ask Winke" section of Midwest Whitetail:
"The only shot that is very hard to recover that causes death most of the time is the single-lung hit. I try really hard to avoid that. If I think I might get just one lung, I try and wait for an angle where I can get the liver too. That usually results in a quick kill."
Remember the five tips above when you shoot a big buck. It is always better to back out and be cautious than to bump a wounded buck and never find him.
Muddyhunter
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