Gut shot

[Wellsdw]

I track a lot of gut shot deer with a dog. My recommendation is 6hrs min when someone calls me. If left undisturbed usually bed and die within 100-150 yards. I’ve jumped way too many after a couple hrs. that said I have found some that were dead or that I killed with a pistol for the hunter within a couple hours. Most folks that call me are calling for deer that are “personal best” and like it or not, recovery is top priority not meat and I’m not the meat police….. just a tracker

 

[NealS02]

I’ve taken a questionable shot on an animal I never recovered. It made me sick. Use it as an opportunity to improve both shooting as well as decision making, which frankly all hunters should be doing on a continuous basis. The two things that made me feel a bit better were 1. My decision to eat my tag on that deer as I had spilled blood 2. Giving 100% effort on recovery.

 

[Davyalabama]

I’m glad you got closure on her. After all hunts, even successful ones, it’s good to look for things you could have done better. It’s tough wounding one for ethical hunters.

 

[wyldman]

Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[TreyPwestOk]

Dog over thermal drone in my experience

 

[OKHunter84]

I've done the same thing, except on a big buck several years ago. It will make you sick. I waited a few hours on a buck. Me and a friend went back over there and I bumped him. Never did find him after that, but he was laying about fifty yards in the woods from where I had originally shot him. If I would've waited till the next morning then I most likely would've most likely found my best bow buck at that time.

Another time I shot a big boar hog a little far back in the evening. I went back the next morning and found specs of blood and eventually tracked him to the bottom of a deep canyon. I went down in the canyon and was walking up when he started moving a little. It spooked me so I dumped most of a 40 s&w mag in him. It had been over twelve hours and he still had a little life in him so it's kinda hard to say on a specific time for how long to wait. If it happened to me again then I would give them the night or most likely 6 hrs or better.