wounded deer

[Huntin&Fishin]

I hit a deer tonight and the thing dropped at 20 yards with a 12 gauge slug it stopped moving for a little while so i thoufht it was dead.Then the deer let a long grunt and started to kick. It then got up and started running dragging its hind legs and then after 25 yards it kept running and look totally fine. I thought it was a good shot but there wasn't much blood just alot of hair. Where do you think I shot it? I backed out and going to look in the morning.

[smsmith]

Sounds like spinal trauma somewhere. Obviously, the spine must not have been broken otherwise the rear legs wouldn't have started working again.

[highlife4me]

Sounds like you spine shocked the deer. Shot high in the spine without severing the spinal cord. Deer was probably feeling a sensation simular to hitting your funny bone. If there was little or no blood and the deer ran away looking fine it was most likely a non-lethal shot. I would still put in an honest effort to look for it in the morning but I wouldn't have high hopes of finding it. Good luck.

[Huntin&Fishin]

With that much shock, you think theres a good possibility of it bedding down?

[leech~~]

With that much shock, you think theres a good possibility of it bedding down?

Good chance it is dead right now. Hopefully it does snow to hard to night and cover up the sign.

[96trigger]

Yes, back legs didn't work properly, hit somewhere high between the front and back, but low enough not to break the spine. Could take awhile if you have high lung cavity or gut shot. He may be dead, but most likely bedded down somewhere.

[frogtosser]

how far below the top of the back did you hit, the spine is lower then you think.

[ANYFISH2]

I agree a high hit.

Fatal could go either way.

Why no follow up shot when he stated moving again? Not trying to be critical, just asking.

[Huntin&Fishin]

Went in some brush. Couldn't follow up till it was to far. Searched 4 hours with 2 guys. No luck

[ANYFISH2]

Sorry to hear huntin&fishin.

[leech~~]

Went in some brush. Couldn't follow up till it was to far. Searched 4 hours with 2 guys. No luck

Any blood at all in the snow?

[laker1]

You did right by a good extensive search.

[Huntin&Fishin]

I thought it would be easy tracking with he snow, but only blood I found was 2 small drops where it dropped, other wise nothing.It's sickening. In all the years of hunting, this is the first lost deer for me.

[jtoast]

Sounds real similar to a hit we had last year. The deer was hit broadside and it dropped in it's tracks. It laid there for a couple of minutes with an occasional kick then totally flipped over like a crappie. He then made his way up to his front feet dragging the rear end about 10 feet until he fell again. He then regained strength in his back legs and went into some thick brush. My son and I went to look for it and were greeted with a healthy snort and a white tail. Very little blood and hair where he fell. The seemingly healthy deer was shot later in the season. The hit was a bone shot above the spine on the long spinal process between the backstraps. Your right, it makes a hunter sick to lose a hit deer but from your description and what I have seen first hand, I'd bet that deer is still out there tearing it up.

[Notime]

I talked to a guy this morning that told me a very similar story that happened to him Saturday night, had to ask him if he posted his story on a forum! He had 1 drop of blood and no deer.

[live4chrome]

Bullets are cheap, when in any doubt shoot again