What do you do when you can't find the deer you shot?

[hobbeeman]

My son and I read the posts on leaving the deer 30 minutes or more to die after being shot. We did this and it got dark on us. Now we can only find one of the deer that we shot. The farmer told us to go get some sleep and try to find them in the morning. We plan on doing this. However, can we still process the deer in the morning when (if) we find them? The temperature is to be in the 30's tonight and in the 60's tomorrow.

 

[longtooth]

Just sent you a PM from Tex. CHL forum. This is the 1st read since coming here. Welcome to that one too. Man I hate to loose game. Killed my 1st deer at 14 & am 55 now. LOTS in between. Lost only one. :banghead: Had to thank the Lord for help on a couple though. At that temp, if I found him early in the morn, he was not swelled up, I would not be afraid of it. PM sent here also.

 

[hobbeeman]

Thanks for the help. I plan to be there as early as possible (a 2 hr drive). I'll say a prayer, it's funny, I pray about all sorts of things, but did not think to pray about this. Thanks again,
David

 

[1911 guy]

Keep looking

First of all, you're genuinely concerned about it, so we already know you're not just giving up. Good for you. Now some tips to maybe help. If there's snow on the ground, a flourescent light makes blood show up very brightly. Next suggestion is to look at knee high brush, too, not just the ground. Wounded deer often brush up against stuff and wipe blood on it you'd miss if looking at the ground only. Third tip is to let your feet take over. Wounded game will often run the path of least resistance and thinking about it too much will take you to "logical" places rather than "easy" places.

Now for my disclaimer. It's a fact of life that once in a while something will get lost for good. Keep up with the old college try and give it your best shot. If, however, it's gone despite your best efforts, keep in mind that you tried and let that guide next years shooting. We all hope you find it and wish you luck in tracking.

 

[Byron Quick]

I've spent quite some time rambling through the woods looking for shot deer. Got some neighbors at a hunt camp who had a tracking dog find one for me. One that definitely would never have been found. Eighteen month old beagle went right to it. From what I was told, training isn't difficult. Beagles are small and easy to care for. Fun dogs at other times too.

I'll be getting a beagle.

 

[Atticus]

First of all - Good for you, I'm glad you're taking this seriously.

Go back to the area where you last saw him and go very slow, looking for any sign of blood and tracks, particularly atypical looking tracks (like drag marks). Pay attention to low hanging limbs and leaves- look for blood on them. If you can't find any, return to go and start making small 360 deg. circles till you do find sign. Surveyors orange flagging is always a good thing to carry, so you can mark the sign you've already found - eliminates the need to search for it again.
If all else fails look around for the thickest, nastiest cover around; the deer will likely be laying in the middle of it.

 

[mustanger98]

Got some neighbors at a hunt camp who had a tracking dog find one for me. One that definitely would never have been found. Eighteen month old beagle went right to it. From what I was told, training isn't difficult. Beagles are small and easy to care for. Fun dogs at other times too.

I don't have a dog right now, but I have horse/hunting friends who run coondogs... in the event I were in this situation, I could probably call them, or call my sister to bring her Bassett Hound.

Daddy tracked one a few years ago... we had a Dalmation then and she tracked that one.

 

[Byron Quick]

Someone who has dogs trained for one type of hunting are probably not going to want their dogs tracking deer. It messes with the dogs' focus.

 

[mustanger98]

Byron, I'd have to ask 'em about that. I know they hunt deer too and there's the question of what they'd do if it were them. If they wouldn't, I have to call my sister and get her to bring the Bassett Hound like I mentioned.

That Dalmation I just told about- she would have made a real good squirrel dog if we'd have shot some out for her. If she saw one on the ground, she'd run it till it went up a tree. She was always barking at the deer just because they came through the yard then like they do now.

As far as the Dalmation and Bassett Hound, those are mostly just pets with noses, and not trained for any particular thing.

 

[Atticus]

I'd be careful using a pet (or dog period) to track a deer as well. I have hunted with people in the past who would shoot deer chasing dogs on the spot. Feral dog packs take a heavy toll on game around here.

 

[Lupinus]

Atticus-
In that case I would do one of two things. Either train in to track will on a leash. Or take a tip from search and rescue canine units and get a reflective orange vest for your dog before letting him go down the train after a deer. All in all the dog thing is a good idea.

 

[mustanger98]

Atticus:

I'd be careful using a pet (or dog period) to track a deer as well. I have hunted with people in the past who would shoot deer chasing dogs on the spot. Feral dog packs take a heavy toll on game around here.

There are plenty of folks around here who tell me I should have shot some neighbors' dogs that came around running deer. I know what you mean about those feral dog packs and we used to have plenty of those around here. But this hasn't been a big problem in 15 years or so. I'd shoot ferals on sight too, but IMO you have to be sure you know which are feral and which ain't and figure in the part about folks tracking.

Lupinus:

Atticus-
In that case I would do one of two things. Either train in to track will on a leash. Or take a tip from search and rescue canine units and get a reflective orange vest for your dog before letting him go down the train after a deer. All in all the dog thing is a good idea.

Tracking on a leash is the way we have done it and will do it, when tracking is necessary. Orange on the dog is a real good idea too.

 

[Lupinus]

Tracking on a leash is the way we have done it and will do it, when tracking is necessary. Orange on the dog is a real good idea too.

My first idea was the leash but then I remember a few conversations with people who track who said their dogs do better without a leash. To eash their own I guess since I havn't done it.

The orange jsut made sense to me lol.

 

[hobbeeman]

Went back yesterday and found the deer right away. It was within 20 feet of the other deer that we shot. I thought that it went down about 30-40 yards south of there, so we did not even look around the other deer, in the dark.

We field dressed it and brought it into town to a processor who said that it would be fine. It did get down in the low 30's yesterday but the weather was warming up when we found it. Thanks for all of the help!

 

[22-rimfire]

You did good! You should feel good about yourself in the effort you made.

 

[rick_reno]

I think instead of typing here you should be out looking for that deer. I've found them after dark - sure - it's harder but it can be done. Call friends and family to help if needed, I know I have when it's gotten dark on me.

 

[Atticus]

Great...glad you found it.

 

[scout26]

Surveyors orange flagging is always a good thing to carry, so you can mark the sign you've already found - eliminates the need to search for it again.

On the some of the public land that I hunt the woods looks like it hosted the "Surveyors Gone Wild" convention what with everyone marking paths to their tree stands and then not cleaning up after themselves. Had one dad literally mark EVERY TREE from the edge of the woods to where he had setup his son's tree stand, probably used about 100 yards of pink tape. (+1 for making sure the boy wouldn't get lost.) After his son took a nice 7 pt buck, he left the shoulder length orange gutting gloves on the gut pile and all that surveyor's tape on the trees. (-1,000,000 for setting a really bad example.)

I use a about 1/4 piece of Kleenex (which I'm carrying anyway, if just to keep Mrs Scout from yelling at me because I ruined another pair of socks by cutting the tops off ) to mark the blood trail White shows up nice against either a green, brown and/or gray background. It's also environmentally friendly as it "disolves" after a rain or two, if I forget to pick it up.

Using a buddy (or 2, anymore then that and you just have people getting in the way, destroying the trail,etc) helps also. The 360 circle thing is best, it seems that deer like to double back just before they die. Keep the circles close together, no more then 3-5 feet between them (depending on terrain). Couple years ago I found a deer in small (4ft x 5ft) briar patch because everyone else had skirted it during the search.

Good job finding it.

 

[ID_shooting]

Very good show about being diligent.

It wouldn't have helped you the next day, but the do sell a device the shows body heat. Most states they are illegal to use to hunt with, but they are nice for finding downed game.