Tracking Question ( distance deer travel )

[FranciscoJ]

Ok, so is all the "estimated travel distances" really just guesses? Like if somebody hits a deer in the chest (even without pushing) can it technically travel 100yrds or 150yrds or something? I am just curious because if the day comes I get a nice buck, and I give it a hour or two or whatever, and don't find it within 100yrds...should I be worried (especially if I have a solid blood trail)?

[HeartLunger]

There's a great article in the October 2008 edition of North American Whitetail. You should pick this edition up, it will probably help you with a lot of your questions. Also, it seemed this edition touched on a lot of the basics of bowhunting, I know you are new to the sport so this particular edition would be a good investment. You may also want to consider getting a subscription to NAW, it is well worth it.

[FranciscoJ]

lol...thanks but that answered nothing...:cheeky-smiley-022: :D

[brock ratcliff]

On another site years ago, I put up pictures of dead deer showing entrance and exit wounds. The others on the site guessed the distance those arrow shot deer traveled. From that little experiment I am relatively sure I can say that no one, even experienced bow hunters can say how far a critter will go after the shot.

[HeartLunger]

lol...thanks but that answered nothing...:cheeky-smiley-022: :D


It answered everything, you just chose to ignore it...and told me a lot about you.

[coonskinner]

ok ...easily they can go farther than 100 yds...a human can go that far in 10 sec...a deer prolly half that...but still be stone cole dead within a couple minutes...

a spine shot will almost always drop a deer right on the spot...i know for fact from xperience that a 200fps bow can accomplish this...the broadhead was a 125 thunderhead on a 2216 shaft about 565 gr. i believe...

[FranciscoJ]

ok ...easily they can go farther than 100 yds...a human can go that far in 10 sec...a deer prolly half that...but still be stone cole dead within a couple minutes...

a spine shot will almost always drop a deer right on the spot...i know for fact from xperience that a 200fps bow can accomplish this...the broadhead was a 125 thunderhead on a 2216 shaft about 565 gr. i believe...


Thanks a lot man. It just kinda weirds me out (and scares me a bit) knwoing I could make a shot and not find it within the "recommended distance".

Lunger - You need to chill man. You may be a self appointed troll-cop, but it doesnt give you permission to be a prick. (If you didn't notice I was joking around...next time ask before making assumptions please.)

[traphunter]

It answered everything, you just chose to ignore it...and told me a lot about you.


Wow.

[HeartLunger]

PM sent.

BTW, I was going to offer to mail you that magazine. Instead I think I will keep and offer it to some one else.

[canine1]

There is nothing set in stone when dealing with animals. It would all depend on each individual deer.

I have double lunged several and seen em tip over dead within 40 yards and less than a minute and some travel farther from the same shot placement.

Experience on a blood trail will tell ya when to worry or be confident.

When in doubt....back out. Give em time to lay up and die.

JD

[CARPN-JAKE]

There are alot of variables involved . For starters it seems to me that a mature buck can take a hit and travel farther than a doe or yearling. They are just stronger and have more mass. Usually if I don't find a animal within 100 yds I start getting nervous and consider backing out. If I'm sure I made a marginal hit I usually get down and sneak out without even looking at my arrow. Alot of times a marginally hit deer will only go a short distance and bed quickly. Leave em go and you'll find em quickly....Jump them out of their bed however and that changes the game drastically.
As you get a few yrs of hunting under your belt and shoot more deer as well as help others retrieve deer you'll gain experience that will help. There are so many variables at play that the answer as far as what to do isn't always black and white....About the best advice is when in doubt wait...But you've already learned that lesson from experience and were smart enough not to do the same thing twice.

[ncboman]

Ok, so is all the "estimated travel distances" really just guesses? Like if somebody hits a deer in the chest (even without pushing) can it technically travel 100yrds or 150yrds or something? I am just curious because if the day comes I get a nice buck, and I give it a hour or two or whatever, and don't find it within 100yrds...should I be worried (especially if I have a solid blood trail)?

I've bowkilled around 170 deer and here's my take and tips.

If I'm on a bloodtrail that goes 100yds, I take note. If it stretches to 150yds, doubts begin to creep in based on past experiences.

I've tracked one 400yds and found it dead but that is very unusual. Most will be within 80yds and graveyard dead if undisturbed after the shot. Most that go 150+ yards will not be found.

I've spined about 15 and every one went down on the spot. Most required another arrow but not all. Patience is useful here or one can shoot up an entire quiver of arrows watching them all get broke one by one. lol

Copious amounts of blood is always a welcome sight but many deer go down relatively close leaving a sparse blood trail, bleeding internally. A yearling can go just as far as a big buck and often will.

I ALWAYS wait the required 30 minutes, even in pouring rain. btdt, I'd 100% rather have a dead deer close and no blood trail than a dead deer far and no blood trail. Rain means slow down, not hurry up ... very important.

Toilet paper is a must have when bowhunting. ALWAYS have it. NEVER get ahead of 'last blood' without marking said last blood and preferrably the spot before also.

In my personal experiences it is very rare to find the animal still alive. I can only remember two out of the many I've killed.

Sometimes you may find a bloody empty bed. This is not common but not unusual either. I've seen them lay down and get up several times before expiring, usually from liver hits. Blood may be hard to pick up leaving these beds but well hit deer continue to bleed and the trail can be found.

Do not believe the myth that hard hit deer won't run up hill. My experience is the opposite as many have run up hill and died just over the top.

When your deer runs away, be quiet. It may circle and wind up very close. A vital key after the shot is not to further disturb the animal. Be quiet and still for 30 minutes and you will likely walk right to the prize easily.

Taking your interior shirt off and hanging it scarecrow style near the deer will often keep the critters away until you go get your cart. ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v50/ncboman/Ourdeer---experimental012.jpg

ncboman

[coonskinner]

good advice an i have usually waited up to an hour after the hit'minimum 1/2 hour like on very hot days an you know its a good hit,waiting an hour almost always means a dead deer when you find it from a good hit...:Dalso keep your ears open too you can hear a deer thats hurt bad crashing into lots of stuff then some thrashing in one spot then all gits silent...thats where your deer will be...

[Cap't Ernie]

Coonie I Would love to See you run a 1O Sec 1OO

[CritterGitter]

FJ,

I mentioned the link at the top of the Bowhunting Forum to you before. Did you not read it? Here it is in a link for ya. Lots of good information in this article:

http://www.ohiosportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22583

[Azzy]

At some point in my life I shot a deer high and back in the intestines. By all accounts that deer should have gone 50-60 yards tops before laying down to take a dead nap. Uh uh.....never stopped. Just kept on walking. And walking.....and walking. Damn thing walked a 1/4 mile and I never found it.

There are only guesstimations (<--- NOT a real word) in deer hunting. Just cause you read something in a book or mag article doesn't make it true. I've been left scratching my bald head a couple times wondering, "What the hell just happened here?".

There are guidelines and then there is real life. You have to incorporate them together to come up with an answer. And even then it isn't a guarantee.

[FranciscoJ]

FJ,

I mentioned the link at the top of the Bowhunting Forum to you before. Did you not read it? Here it is in a link for ya. Lots of good information in this article:

http://www.ohiosportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22583


I did read it...thanks. I was just curious as to if that was "set in stone" or not. When (if) I get a buck this year, I wanna be sure I am doing things "right".

[CritterGitter]

I did read it...thanks. I was just curious as to if that was "set in stone" or not. When (if) I get a buck this year, I wanna be sure I am doing things "right".

FJ, you asked about how far will a deer go if shot in the chest? That article covers all shot possibilities very thoroughly I might add which makes me wonder why you asked this question in the first place. :mischeif: If you wait 1 hour to track a deer you shot and you travel 100-200 yards and you do not see a deer............you need to back out and wait no less than 5 hours. Also, in that first 200 yards look for a spot where the deer laid down.....flattend grass or weeds with a small pool/puddle of blood in one spot then you will know the deer is hit good and hurting bad. If you find it did not lay down in the first 200 yards you definately need to give it more time. I have waited 8 hours on a morning hit deer and up to 14 hours on an evening hit deer.

We all want to see you stick a big buck. We also want you to be sure you are prepared to do your best to recover the buck. Also, as an FYI......I have spent 12 hours over 2 different days looking for a buck that I knew was a poor hit. You definately have to commit some time to it so you can be sure you have done all you can. Good luck on getting that big buck!