[quote=Sam_H]Two of last three whitetail retrievals on our place have been complicated. One was mine. Middlin' buck doing the rut thing - start/stopping. Would not have fired but for it being a cripple, so worth the risk. 150 yds, naturally moved at the shot so hit farther back than I wanted. Appreciated the placement in recoil but figured dead, and knew it after seeing plenty of blood at site. But snowstorm had commenced and light was fading. An hour later had zip, a whiteout in darkness, with no way to track. First light took the chocolate bozos out, and they found it in mere seconds.
** > Had run downhill, across, then uphill to a higher elevation than where it started. Nearly a 3/4 circle.<***
Dead under a snow-covered deadfall less than 100 yds linear distance slightly uphill. I would not have found it - before other critters - without canines.
Following year a permitee shot a small 8 around 200 yds with a .270. He was pretty sure of placement, but not being sure about his skills told him not to persist in the dark. Bozos did the honors again at first light; he'd made a perfect heart shot, just under 100 yd run.
** > It had done a downhill then somewhat back up semicircle.
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Yes,
Fellows, they don't always run downhill. A pard shot a dandy buck in Miss. Killing shot >> ran immediately UPhill.
Jerry
Last edited by jwall; 09/23/21.
