comndr45

Thanks for the help and advice, guys. If he's dead, he's most likely already been scavenged by the packs of 'yotes that were howling up a storm that morning. We heard what sounded like a dozen or more before light. Maybe there will be buzzards to look for.

The most important bloodtrail leads right to the foot of the cross

BenfromVa

Just kiddin, thats hunting my friend, sometimes situations like this make us much better hunters, it is a humbling experience.

Hunting ; an act of love for nature guided by the strongest spiritual forces.
http://www.adventuresoutdoors.freehomepage.com/

Antler Eater

I feel your pain comndr45. I have found that even on an "easy shot" it isn't hard for something to go wrong. Usually a person finds out it is operator error. Been there done that.

I trailed a gut shot deer one time that was about six or seven hundred yards from impact. There was no evidence to indicate he laid down anywhere in between either. He was shot in the evening between 5:00-5:30 and I found him the next evening (not quite 24 hours later) after looking most of the day. By the way he was still alive but to weak to run.

Don't give up and keep looking. Often times if a deer has expired a murder of crows will be the first on the scene. If they are sitting low in the branches you can bet they have located something on the ground. On more than one occasion they have located a deer for me.

Good luck.

JRW

I'm not flaming you, but I think I'm a little confused. Did you post the story looking for help, or for some other reason?

JRW