A good rule, told to me when I started deer hunting, but of course I violated right off and learned the lesson well.
When you shoot a deer it may drop on the spot, drop and then get back up and run off, or just run off. DONT APPROACH, FOLLOW OR PURSUE it right away. Just sit still and WAIT. Once wounded although fatally, if pressured or persued they can run for miles before finally dying. If left alone they will almost always go a short distance, drop or lay down and die. If you have done your part, placed the bullet in the right spot, and used the correct bullet there will be a blood trail to follow or find them in a short distance. I always wait at least 15-30 minutes even tho mine are shot thru the head/neck and drop where they were standing.
The first big buck my youngest shot was heart shot. I was watching and saw it bow up, wheel around, take 2 short bounds and collapse. I could see it laying in the leaves just a few feet out of the clearing but Cameron could not. And with the recoil he did not see where he went or him going down. It happens in less than a second. After the shot I asked him....Did you hit him ? He said...I was holding right where you told me to. I know I did. I then said, well then where is he ? He looked all over the clearing and this dejected look came over his face, and he kind of mumbled, I know I hit him. He then wanted to go right down and look for him. Even tho I knew the deer lay dear just out of sight, to teach him the lesson I said NO. Sit right here. Im gonna have another cup of coffee, you have some more hot choclate. After about 20 minutes I told him we would go down and check out the area. He climbed down first, leaving his rife in the Stand. I brought the gun down with me and told him he better take it as the deer may be down but not dead and may have to be finished off. As we approached the spot about 80 out I stopped him and asked where did you shot him at. He said I dont remember. I told him you have to remember to know where to start looking for a blood trail. I then showed him the spot and there was NO BLOOD. I then told him since he didnt know which way he ran off to start making concentric circles, getting wider from that spot looking for blood. Of cource after about 2 steps he spotted him laying just 15 feet away. He started to run over to him. I stopped him and told him NEVER approach a large animal down. He may not be dead. He could jump up. Look at that rack (he was a 10 pointer) He could put a hurtin on you. Get yourself a stick and prod him from a distance, from the back. He picked up a limb about 2 ft long and poked him in the rear flank. I laughed and said, no, no...get a longer one, about 8-10 ft. get behind his head and just lay it on his eye. He then said, grandpa, his tounge is hanging out....HES DEAD. And he was.
Every deer since then both grandsons have went thru the same routine, even tho like me they shoot them in the head or neck and they drop like a bad habit.
When you shoot a deer it may drop on the spot, drop and then get back up and run off, or just run off. DONT APPROACH, FOLLOW OR PURSUE it right away. Just sit still and WAIT. Once wounded although fatally, if pressured or persued they can run for miles before finally dying. If left alone they will almost always go a short distance, drop or lay down and die. If you have done your part, placed the bullet in the right spot, and used the correct bullet there will be a blood trail to follow or find them in a short distance. I always wait at least 15-30 minutes even tho mine are shot thru the head/neck and drop where they were standing.
The first big buck my youngest shot was heart shot. I was watching and saw it bow up, wheel around, take 2 short bounds and collapse. I could see it laying in the leaves just a few feet out of the clearing but Cameron could not. And with the recoil he did not see where he went or him going down. It happens in less than a second. After the shot I asked him....Did you hit him ? He said...I was holding right where you told me to. I know I did. I then said, well then where is he ? He looked all over the clearing and this dejected look came over his face, and he kind of mumbled, I know I hit him. He then wanted to go right down and look for him. Even tho I knew the deer lay dear just out of sight, to teach him the lesson I said NO. Sit right here. Im gonna have another cup of coffee, you have some more hot choclate. After about 20 minutes I told him we would go down and check out the area. He climbed down first, leaving his rife in the Stand. I brought the gun down with me and told him he better take it as the deer may be down but not dead and may have to be finished off. As we approached the spot about 80 out I stopped him and asked where did you shot him at. He said I dont remember. I told him you have to remember to know where to start looking for a blood trail. I then showed him the spot and there was NO BLOOD. I then told him since he didnt know which way he ran off to start making concentric circles, getting wider from that spot looking for blood. Of cource after about 2 steps he spotted him laying just 15 feet away. He started to run over to him. I stopped him and told him NEVER approach a large animal down. He may not be dead. He could jump up. Look at that rack (he was a 10 pointer) He could put a hurtin on you. Get yourself a stick and prod him from a distance, from the back. He picked up a limb about 2 ft long and poked him in the rear flank. I laughed and said, no, no...get a longer one, about 8-10 ft. get behind his head and just lay it on his eye. He then said, grandpa, his tounge is hanging out....HES DEAD. And he was.
Every deer since then both grandsons have went thru the same routine, even tho like me they shoot them in the head or neck and they drop like a bad habit.
