Good season but no meat !

[Antler3]

Messed up and let a 6 or 8 point get away from me...yea shot him he reared up and fell over stiff seemed like he layed there for 5 min. he started to struggle I readed my gun and he got over behind some bushes ...then he jumped up and I fired again apparently I missed he didn't act hit a second time ...I blood trailed him until it ran out. About three hundred or so yards through and up and out of a holler and across a county road into some huge hay fields. I then came and got help ...three of us was able to track him in what little snow there was left for about a mile altogether. The blood trail stopped at about 300 yards and was very light in color...I passed all the info on to some seasoned hunters they seem to think It just nicked a vertebrae and sent him into shock and then he recovered and ran off ...by the light colored blood they say it was prolly a superficial wound and that he would heal. Otherwise I would have found him sooner. BUMMER first one I've ever lost....Had a fun season regardless though

[DocHolladay]

hate to hear that. my nephew lost his first deer ever last sun. he shot her, she fell down, rolled, jumped up and ran like hell. trailed her for 'bout 1/2-3/4 mile until the blood trail quit. walked around the field and a little ways in the woods. it got very thick. never did find her. i think i was more heart broke than he was.

[Antler3]

Yea they all told me it happened and I always dreaded the day it happened to me. This was only the tenth deer I have ever taken so gotta lot to learn yet and shore am havin' fun learning...although loosing a deer after you hit it is not alot of fun Will just have to take that extra second, next time the moment of truth arrives.

[Dcolwill]

I luckily have never lost a deer I hit, but I've come real close. I hunt for the meat. I might mount some antlers, but I cant'f afford and really don't care about the full cape mount. for that reason if there is any doubt that my first shot isn't keeping the animal down, I follow with a neck or head shot. It won't ruin any meat so it is not a waste if the first shot would have done the trick.

Of course if you knew he was going to get back up and he still had enough life in him to keep going, etc.

I know how much it hurts me to lose a dove that falls in thick stuff, so I can sympathize with your pain at losing a good deer. I wouldn't worry that you've wasted the animal however, cause from everything you described it sounds like he'll probably have a full recovery. Maybe give you another crack at him next year when the antlers are a little heavier.