Re: Gut Shot Deer?

liver hit. i'm betting you find a dead deer

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

If he is liver hit should I just let him alone?The only reason I am asking is because if we do jump him there is only 1 shooting lane we can take him because I am pretty sure he is bedded in a major thicket with a road on 1 side and houses on 2 other sides.I hate to let him sit but then again I would hate for him to run off and die and nobody find him.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

If it's bright red you got some lung as well. A solid liver hit will be real dark blood. If there was any froth it's definitely a lung hit. It's probably dead. It's good you didn't push it too much; once the lungs fill up it's done. Probably didn't go another 100 yards or so. It's most likely a high lung hit and it quit bleed because it was going into the lungs. A nose hit can look very similar though.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

If you suspect liver it is best to wait 8 hrs or more. If it is a lethal shot the deer will be just as dead tomorrow, too.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

the one I got this year was little further back than I wanted, but had good dark blood and some bright red blood....never thought he'd go that far, but he went over 225 yds, and back tip of the one lung and the liver were hit....curious to know how it works out, if you clipped the liver, once he beds down, given time, thats where you'll find him....

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

Good luck.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

I think I'd definitely give it more time unless you're concerned about someone else finding and taking the deer. Like Mossie said, a liver hit would be darker red blood. Doesn't sound like a gut shot or graze either. Do you remember any other details...was blood on only one side or both sides of trail? Blood only on the ground or some higher up on trees or brush he went through? Did buck run with tail up or tail down? Remember too that if you are tracking on snow, when warm blood hits it it melts alittle so it often looks like more bleeding than is actually occurring. A hit in the brisket can seem to throw a good bit of blood but be non-lethal. Where you last saw blood, is it possible that the deer changed direction and circled back instead of continuing in the direction you believe he went?

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

Liver hit 4-6 hrs. I have got all the deer I shot through the liver 2 within 4 hrs second 6 hrs.+

Bright red is not the sign of a liver hit though.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

The blood was only on one side and I only seen it on the ground.He kicked up and then just started walking with his tail down with another big buck I been watching.They both walked off in to the first bedding/thicket area until they were out of sight.I followed the blood and when it stoped I followed his tracks until I was sure where he was headed and then just backed out.I hunt by my house so If I don't find it I am sure I will here if one of my local farmers got him or I will check my food plot cam where he shows up almost every night.

I am waiting until morning but should I call the game warden or just take my gun to finish him off.My local warden would want me to not let him suffer so I probably will just call him.If he looks okay I may just let him go but I know it will be tough to tell.Also if for some reason it is a gut shot would the meat be bad by tomorrow morning?

Thank you again and if I can get my picture of some of the blood downloaded from my cell I will but I am not familiar with my new droid.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

If someone knows how to load the picture I think I am able to send it to another cell if you are okay with that.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

if it's a gut shot, or any killing shot he'll be dead by morning. the meat will be fine. don't push him tonite.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

Sounds like you only have an entry hole if the blood's on the side that was facing you. Your bullet may have hit some brush and started to tumble, fragment, or deflect. If the deer jumped straight up and moved off with its tail down, that usually indicates a solid lower body hit but that's not a certainty. A lung hit usually sprays some blood out rather than just dropping along side of the tracks. There would be internal bleeding though too from any solid vital hit. If he just kicked with his back legs, that could be a more marginal hit. I don't think a gut shot or liver shot deer would simply walk away and stop that quickly though. That part is puzzling. It's definitely best to wait til tomorrow to follow up if the weather is OK. I'd start as soon as you have good visibility.It's not a bad idea to let the warden know in case someone reports a wounded buck to him tonite. I doubt if he'll approve you carrying a gun to shoot again on Sunday. If not, at least take a rope (lasso) and a knife in case you find it bedded but unable to get up and be very careful in your approach.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

Thank you everyone for your help.I will try and figure out how to upload the picture I took with my phone where he first stood.I hopefully will also need to know how to upload a picture of him in the morning after my dad and I find him.If not I hope he will be okay and I will be back out on Monday.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

I have trailed and found a buck on a Sunday that I mortally hit on Saturday. However, I didn't take a gun with me to the woods.

If you're going to call the WCO, better get his blessing to take a firearm along on a Sunday if you get my drift.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

I have never had any trouble with liver hits with rifles. They bleed out extremely fast with a rifle liver hit. You can't always judge amount of blood to be a good or bad hit. If only an entrance hole and a touch high you might not get hardly any blood because the cavity has to fill up before it "pours" out, but could be a great hit. A doe we got today barely bled for almost 100yds and some were doubting his shot. We found her to see a near perfect shot, double lung but just above body midline. It is also hard to determine blood color in the snow too. It all looks bright red in bright white snow. Tail down, head down is always a good sign in my experience. From the bunches of deer I/we have shot it has meant a solid hit in the body.
I hope to see a pic of the big boy!!!!
Best of luck!!

I would suggest, by no means, shooting it tomorrow.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

Keep us updated regardless, were rooting for you!

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

Bright red blood doesn't always mean lung, even with bubbles. U shot thru brush and blood on one side .... I say leg hit or low brisket. They can bleed like crazy from a leg shot. Stop and lick it clean. If it's thick woods you should be able to find the height of the hit by where the blood rubs on trees. Guess u know more tomorrow. Good luck.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

Good Luck!!!!

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

You will have to set up an account with PhotoBucket to upload a link for pics. It's free to use you just have to register. I haven't done it for years but you just copy the link address and post it in your message on the forum.

I doubt the game commission will let you go after it with a firearm on Sunday. They didn't let me when I called once years ago. You can go retrieve it on Sunday if it's dead I think. If it's gut shot it can live quite a while but it will lay down if it's not pushed. It's cold enough that the meat will be ok but it's not going to be fun to gut it and I wouldn't eat the inner tenderloins as they could be contaminated some.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

Good luck

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

Bright red blood doesn't always mean lung, even with bubbles.

Being a Respiratory Therapist I beg to differ on your opinion of bright red blood with bubbles not indicating a lung hit...No other organ creates bubbles in the blood when hit, granted it might not be a solid lung hit but if you got bubbles you got part of a lung.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

Thanks again everyone.I am heading out soon and will let you know if we can find him.I unforgunetly herd coyotes barking closer to home than normal last night and I believe he ran to the thicket by my house.Maybe him or maybe another deer they are after because there was a good bit a shooting yesterday.I hope they were just cruising through and didn't push him or get to him.Its Sunday so I guess another prayer won't hurt in the recovery.Even though God might be getting tired of hearing fom me by now about this.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

Am I able to take my buddys dog in the recovery since its Sunday?He said he is good at tracking so I will if its legal.Sorry he just now suggested it to me.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

Nope, no tracking allowed by dogs. That's an issue that has been proposed for a long time, but the legislature has been dragging it's feet (You can read about it in our Outdoor Issues forum when you have time).
You seem to have tracking skills of your own, continue to use them.
Good luck.

 

Re: Gut Shot Deer?

I'd go without a dog so that you can track and search slowly and more quietly without the dog tracking up the trail or bumping the deer. I assume you have snow like we have in western Pa. If you don't find him this morning, IMHO, I don't think it is illegal to take the dog for a walk in the woods this afternoon as long as you don't have a weapon and are not hunting.