[virtual-rj]

ok, b0b, dan, and dan sr. were in the ravine, I was at the top of ravine doing the push, and had a fawn (still had spots, never seen that this late in the season)

I get on the radio, tell them I am following it to see if we can find mama and papa.

up the hill (20 minutes), to the field, and there is mama. looking at me. I pull the rifle, shoot, hit the front leg, she goes down and then bounces back up.

I shoot again, she runs, and runs into PRIVATE PROPERTY! We can't follow because trespassing+loaded firearm = bad mojo.

Goes against everything I was ever taught about suffering animals, etc.

So before zappa, princemorr2003 and b0b get on the bandwagon, this old man apparently can't hit the broad side of the deer, and I suck

 

[Guest]

RJ- You don't suck. The attitudes and laws that stop a good man from retrieving wounded game sucks!

 

[burley]

KANSAS: Trespassing is permitted by licensed hunters in order to pursue a wounded game bird or animal, except that if the owner of the land instructs the hunter to leave, the hunter must leave immediately. Any person who fails to leave such land when instructed is subject to the provisions of the criminal trespass law.

Our state has a provision for hunters to legally access wounded game. There has been some problem with trespassers using this as a loophole to trespass and hunt. When caught they just claim to be trailing wounded game. Kinda hard to find a good balance of land owner rights and ethical pursuit of wounded game. I have crossed fences to retrieve wounded/killed game. Never had an issue yet . . .

 

[Bert]

Sorry to hear RJ.

You did your best, we know your heart.

<btw, Dad lost one a few weeks ago on a muzzle loader hunt. He felt real bad too.>

B.

 

[bowtieracin]

What state are you in? Here in Iowa you can legally track wounded game on other property without a firearm.

 

[Blue_Moon]

This is a tough situation. I helped a guy down here look for a buck he shot with a bow about a week before gun season came in. We had permission to go on the neighbor's property, but we couldn't find the deer to save our lives. The blood trail ended at the top of a creek bank that was still filled with downed trees from the ice storm. We crawled in, under, and around downed trees for hours. We came away feeling like we had done everything we could do to find that deer...but we just couldn't find it.

It does go against everything you learned as a sportsman to see a wounded animal go unclaimed. It make you feel bad, but no one who has ever been in a similar situation would fault you.

 

[Brewster6514]

been there done that. everyone that hunts has gone through this at one time or another, hopefully someone will see her shortly and finish her. i shot one and hit her in the leg only to loose her about a mile later. a week later i shot her with my 91/30 and ended the long ordeal which made me feel better.
being opening week there is a good chance someone will find her.

 

[lop]

If you were upset that "that deer got away", then you'd suck, but that ain't the situation is it?

 

[burley]

What state are you in? Here in Iowa you can legally track wounded game on other property without a firearm.

He's in Ny state, they can not go onto posted land period. I know RJ, if there was a legal way he would have done it.
I had one get away in Mo. one year, dang thing swam a river on 3 legs  :-[

 

[virtual-rj]

in NY, trespassing is trespassing, and if I am tracking it to finish the job, you better believe I have a firearm with me.

the guy whose land she crossed on to is a known douche-nozzle (technical term).....

i just hope she does not suffer. honestly, I know the bad shot was my fault, if she was farther away, it would have been better. my rifle is zeroed for 200 yards, so I did not compensate enough......

 

[princemorr2003]

You did good Ray. That walk up was not easy, i thought i died for a few mins, when i got to the top. Even bob was tired and hes in better shape then all of us. It would have taken hours to drag the deer down anyways. My legs still hurt.

 

[virtual-rj]

the drag out would have been hellish, that is for sure. would have been down the hillside, through the ravine, up the ravine, and then another 1/2 mile to the road + 1/2 mile to the car.

but b0b and I are going out later this week, and we will see what kind of luck we have.....

 

[torrent]

Unfortunately these things happen to every hunter at one time or another. It sounds like you did everything you could without breaking any laws. It's not your fault NY state doesn't account for this situation in their hunting regulations.

 

[Toney_D]

I leave my rifle and jump the fence after them.

 

[virtual-rj]

as I said, in NY, trespassing is trespassing.

and there is NO WAY I am tracking a wounded deer without a way to put it down.

what am I supposed to do, ask it nicely to hurry up and die....

 

[illogicalmethod]

Just bring Chrissy next time.......When a Canadian says freeze.......... ;D

 

[Stoof]

I had my first one get away this year. It is a crappy feeling. Nice size doe. Shot her at about 85 yds and she dropped like a rock. Watched her for about 10 minutes and she just jumped up and ran about 300 yds and hopped the fence into the neighboring property.
I think my shot was a little high, just above the heart and lungs but not high enough to hit the spine.
It is the not knowing where I hit her that bothered me the most. I am going back to head/kneck shots next time out.

 

[Brewster6514]

I had my first one get away this year.  It is a crappy feeling.  Nice size doe.  Shot her at about 85 yds and she dropped like a rock.  Watched her for about 10 minutes and she just jumped up and ran about 300 yds and hopped the fence into the neighboring property.
[highlight]I think my shot was a little high, just above the heart and lungs but not high enough to hit the spine.
It is the not knowing where I hit her that bothered me the most. I am going back to head/kneck shots next time out[/highlight].

if you can't hit an 8-10" vital zone then why would you try for a 2-3" vital zone head shot?
i will never try for a head shot, even if they are on the ground and i'm standing over them.
all it takes is a 1/2" off from a twisting jerking target to hit them in the jaw an never recover them. the neck isn't that much better unless you hit a main artery or the spine, which is again a small target. the heart lung area is always the best spot to shoot them. take out the heart and/or lungs and they only have seconds left.

 

[virtual-rj]

gotta agree with brewster6514 here.

 

[burley]

gotta agree with brewster6514 here.  

+1 on most of it.
I have (1 time in 30 years) and will take a neck shot if it is the only thing I can get and it is in range enough for me to be sure of my shot placement. IMO head shots on deer are for someone in survival mode, poachers and fools. It is hit or miss and leaves too much chance of a wounded deer or failed shot. I say survival mode as in , your out trying to stay alive and only have a .22 rifle/pistol etc, ...