Missed a Deer?

[gutdeer11]

Hey all, I am wondering if I missed a deer yesterday. I was shooting from a 15' ladder stand, and I was uphill from a deer that came in. I spotted him in my scope, and pulled the trigger, I was aiming for the gut, since the woods was thick. I found a sapling 30 mins later with my bullet hole through it, is it possible that I could have hit the deer? The deer was down hill from this sapling, and right in the line of fire. The deer did jump, but walked off slowly. No blood trail at all. Is it possible for the bullet to still hit the deer if it went through a sapling? The sapling was 10-20ft uphill from the deer. Thanks

[hlawrimore]

I highly doubt that you hit it. It really does not take much to throw off the path of the bullet. Considering how far the deer was from the tree and the fact that it was down hill from the tree, and that there is no blood trail, I would say that you missed it. How many yards was the tree from you and how many yards was the deer from you?

Hunter

[smittydawg]

Don't mean to be judgemental, but why would you ever take a "Gut Shot" at a deer? Part of your responsibility of being a good ethical hunter is taking the right shot, not just any shot!

[gutdeer11]

Thanks for the reply Hunter, should I continue to hunt this same spot?

[hlawrimore]

I don't see why not. Just make sure that you have a clear shot before pulling the trigger. When shooting in thick brush and on a hill I would wait for the deer to get within 20 yards before taking a shot.

Hunter

[Tex4426]

y would u take a gut shot..if u dont have a shot at lungs neck or head then dont take it...gut shot really?...u do kno a deer can live for a few days with a bullet hole in its gut...and gut shot leaves no blood trail...u would probably never find it

[Pistolrifle]

A gutshot can leave a blood trail, just a smaller one.

Anyway. Always watch the deer's tail. In my experience 99.99% of the time they tuck tail when they are hit. And sometimes even when you have a heart shot, the deer can get 20 or 50 yards before one drop of blood hits the ground.

[feedercams]

Agreed gut shot isn't a critical shot and wont drop a deer. Definitely go for major organs that will leave obvious blood trail or drop deer.

LStout
FeederCams.com

[chris lavoie]

In Oct., I had a Vermont hunter during muzzle loading season that shot at a deer while walking into his stand. He looked but found no blood so he assumed he missed. A day or so after he left, I saw a bunch of ravens circling in a certain spot near the trail into his bait site. I took a walk and found a real nice 10 point. The deer was all eaten up by wolves except for the back bone and head (antlers). It ran only about 125 yards from where the the deer was hit. After, I found out from another hunter, that he did shoot and thought he missed, so he put very little effort into it. He chose not to tell his guide, as he was afraid that we would not put him on a new site if he took a shot and missed.Tracking of wounded animals is included in a semi guided hunt. Also a good guide will move a hunter after a miss or wound. A good guide will do what ever is needed to find the deer, even if it means eventually giving up on the animal for certain reasons. An ethical hunter will tell his guide when a shot at an animal is taken or if not on a guided hunt, look for his animal untill positive he will not find it. Before this hunter left he told the guide he never saw a thing!!!

[baysider]

A gutshot can leave a blood trail, just a smaller one.

Anyway. Always watch the deer's tail. In my experience 99.99% of the time they tuck tail when they are hit. And sometimes even when you have a heart shot, the deer can get 20 or 50 yards before one drop of blood hits the ground.

Most of the time from what i have seen there is very little blood or you will find a trail of stomach/intestinal contents. Green muck with blood mixed in. If a deer is hit it almost always drops its tail. If it is gut shot most of the time it will hunch up as if punched in the stomach. Hit in the heart or other vitals sometimes no sign at all other than a dropped tail and blood. If hit in the rear it will usually loose its footing in the rear when trying to take off but may still be able to run away. This type of shot unless done by an exellent marksman is the most risky along with an attempt at a gut shot. Along with head shots both should be considered unethical in my book. I try and take out the front shoulder. This destroys the heart and the deer cant move. Most of the time its dead before it hits the ground. It messes up a little meat but i make jerky out of the tough shoulder meat anyway. just my 2 cents.

A good book on the basics of deer hunting can tell you the signs and how to read the deer after the shot. I have some old ones handed down by my grandfather and i must have read them 100 times my first year hunting.