Almost got it done tonight....

[Turbo6]

Hey Guys,

With the last weekend of the season here I decided to put the bow down and go try a stand in the field with the rifle. Had a really nice buck come out right before last light and waited for him to get about 50-60 yards away and took a shot.

This was my first time ever hunting with a rifle. I have been a bow hunter all my life but got a new ruger 308 for christmas so decided to take it for a spin. Sigted the gun in at 100 yards a few days before shooting 165 grain sierra game kings.

Anyway, the bow hunter in my put the shot behind the shoulder. After reading a bit, I should have just hit him in the shoulder and take out the running gear. I thought I saw the deer kick (hard to see after the recoil) but he did tuck his tail in and put his head down and bolted like hell 75 yards directly in front of him (oposite direction of which he came) to a patch of woods. I heard what sounded like crashing/branches where he entered the thicket. I have never seen a deer run that hard/fast even while using a shotgun back in Jersey.

I waited about 15-20 minutes before it got super dark and went to the place of the hit. No blood. Walked the line he took and still no blood. I grabbed my 2 flashlights and walked through what I could of the patch of woods. Its only half an acre in size but is really thick but could not find anything. Walked around the perimeter and got low with the light but couldn't find him or any blood. It was pitch black at this point and decided to back out until morning hoping I can see him better. I just don't know if this is normal for a rifle hit. A few questions I can think of as I debate my success percentage in the morning:

- Is it possible he would really run directly though that thick patch of woods if not hit? If missed, you would think he would turn back the way he came instead of running directly ahead of him.

- We were in a field and once again, he ran in the thick patch instead of just taking the trail or opening 10 feet to the right.....Would imagine this would be a hit.

- I guess the crashing sound could have been him just running through the section and coming out the other.....If he was hit far back, I am hoping he is in the field someplace laid up or maybe the next patch of woods. Didn't want to push him tonight if that was the case.

So what do you guys think? Dead deer? just wounded? clean miss?

[eradicator]

Tail tucked likely equals gut shot.

Also, need more range time.

[texasdeerhunter]

Tail tucked likely equals gut shot.

Also, need more range time.

Yep

[HighwayHunter]

I shoot a ruger 308 and I’ve had a couple deer do that to me. Come back in the morning while there is better light then give us an update. I’ve walked right over blood before.


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[HeyMikey]

Good luck finding him this morning.

Aren't you glad the experts told you that you need more range time, seeing how you asked for their advice on that subject?

[jds247]

I don't shoot deer through the shoulder with a rifle or a bow. They will usually fallow a trail and if theres water near by a lot of times they will go to water if wounded. Keep lookin sounds like you hit him. Good luck ..

[bmac]

I had some run 200yrds with a lung shot, just depends on animal. He seems hit, but also can hide well in thick cover.


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[rjtkdplus]

If your rifle is sighted in and you had the crosshairs on him, you didn’t miss. Sometimes they don’t bleed much. I’d start by looking where you heard him crash then circle out from there. He shouldn’t be too far.

[Drycreek3189]

First, there is no "normal". Deer react all sorts of ways to a hit. From what you describe he could have been hit anywhere, but I'm thinking you could easily overlooked his body in the dark. I hope you are quartering him up right now.

[Raypo]

In my experiences a deer that bolts full speed, is hit. Scared deer are normally trying to figure out what just happened and then one deer will take the lead and run, the rest follow. If there was no, what the he!! moment, I say he is hit.

[HoustonHunter94]

In my experiences a deer that bolts full speed, is hit. Scared deer are normally trying to figure out what just happened and then one deer will take the lead and run, the rest follow. If there was no, what the he!! moment, I say he is hit.

I’ll second this. If the deer isn’t hit they’ll usually bound away with tail flagging. Hit deer just haul *** and plow through whatever in front of them. But then again there is no 100% when it comes to deer. After seeing some threads in here over the years of deer that looked to have been double lunged still walking around.


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[MagicBlade]

First, there is no "normal". Deer react all sorts of ways to a hit. From what you describe he could have been hit anywhere, but I'm thinking you could easily overlooked his body in the dark. I hope you are quartering him up right now.

I agree, this is no normal.
Best of luck finding him.

[HHBuck]

Yep, agree nothing normal about wounded deer and trailing. Good luck.

[Lawhunter]

In for the recovery. Good luck!

[Mr. Whiskers]

You should find him. If possible, get a dog.