Hedhuntr

Went out this morning and found the buck I gut shot Friday evening. After replaying the scenario over a couple of times and going to the last spot of blood I realized from the way he walked off straight down a small run that this deer had no intentions of turning right or left. He was hit hard and looked really dazed that after the shot. He was about 75 yrds from where I stopped trailing that night. After the shot my mechanical broadhead was just barely stuck in the dirt. I thought that was odd on a gut shot with a bow shooting 290 fps. I later found I also hit tha back leg. Ok here is the bad news, since I waited until today to look for the deer the meat was bad. I went to at least cape it out to mount it and from the 45 degree days and the 30 degree nights the temp fluctuated so much it caused the cape to slip from rapid bacteria growth. The meat was rotten from the gut shot (man did it smell bad) Anyway, the rack turned out to be a 7 point with a 20" spread (not to shabby) and I will be paying the local butcher a visit for a replacement cape. All in all I learned a good lesson this weekend.
1. Wait for the right shot.
2. When possible stop a moving target.
3. Don' t hunt unless you can positively dedicate the next day to track/recover your game

royak

I am glad you did find it it is sometimes a tough call when to give up the search I also shot one on friday and did not find it that night I went back on saturday morning in the rain knowing well that there would be no sign left I looked all around where I thought the deer went but nothing at all then I went just the opposite way actually the way it had came from just to see where the deer had entered the field and low and behold there is was and still in good shape. I try to neber give up sometimes will even take a dog not one that chases deer just a mutt you would be surprised sometime at what they find.

PABowhntr

I am also glad that you found the deer but sad to hear that you could only salvage the rack. Regardless, it just goes to show what a little dedication and hard work can do.