Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Finally happened to me

I lost a buck... 6 pointer at about 150 yards, Mule kicked when hit, then into the woods. Found where it was hit, fat chunks, bone shards, and a tuff of hair. No blood trail at all. Spent 3 1/2 hours till dark and never did find it. 6.5X57 with a 130g Accubond at about 2850fps. Rifle was sighted in 1" high at 100 yards. Aimed just behind the front shoulder midway. Where can one hit a deer that leaves fat and bone shards with no blood?? Low sternum is all I can think. Got a fork horn earlier, but I hate it when I know I hit a deer and did not recover it. First time. Spent several hours on a couple of others over the years but always found them.

It happens. Don’t sweat it too much.

Mule kick suggests a good solid chest. No blood trail suggests the body cavity filling first before it starts pouring out the bullet holes. That deer is probably down within a couple hundred yards. Had one that didn't start a blood trail for nearly 75 yards, and then it started as a couple of drops and quickly became a garden hose spray.

Sounds like you hit the top and took some of the fins on top of the spine and some backstrap fat.

i'd find it, would get the weenie dog to track it down.

honestly how do you surmise that.

yup

Caught the front leg low and took out brisket fat. I did that once. Trailed it 400 yds and found another piece of bone near the last sign. Coyotes need food to. It hurts your pride more that the deer herd. Think of how many thousands are wasted on the highways each year.

Now, if your family were hardscrabble homesteading on the prairie in the 1880s and hadnt eaten meat in 2 weeks and it was the first deer you had seen in 3 weeks......

Was hunting with my SIL in Arkansas, kind of a swampy pine forest. They set me on a gas line clear cut. Looked over about a 1/4 mile square area, found one set of tracks that were fresh but never found the buck.. Gave my Daughter the Steyr when she married and moved, it was the one she learned to shoot with. It was nice to hunt with an old friend that I have taken many deer with before.

Non-vital bone and fat there.

My thoughts too, maybe a brisket hit, you never know. What was the color and length of the hair? Did he run hard after kicking or hunch and lope off?

I'd still be looking, I never quit till I've exhausted all efforts.

Very short distance to the woods, landed and started to move did not seem labored to me. I would think a spine hit even if not terminal would have shocked the deer. Hair looked normal, brown tips white underneath about 2 inches. The largest bone shard was flat on one side. Thinking rib.

This happens a lot more than folks, particularly on here, like to admit. A certain pink elephant sitting by the campfire.

some people can't read sign and track.

rjd, don't beat yourself up over it. If everyone took it as hard as you our herds would be much better off. I've never lost one but have missed a couple over the years. powdr

If the deer was a classic broadside that is a low hit. Maybe you pulled the shot running a low hit in front of the leg. I doubt it's a spine hit, or a leg or muscle hit due to the hair, reaction and lack of blood.

If the fat was like wax, you are in brisket territory.

If you hit it in the brisket, that deer will most likely be out next year and healthy.

I won't say I am a good tracker, but most folks would have never found the spot with the fat, bone shards and hair.

The deer was broadside, thinking I hit it lower than I thought. Hoping it will be there next year. The fat was kind of waxy.

If we were there we could. We're just guessin'. When a guy flinches doesn't he pull high? Not sayin the OP does or doesn't, who knows?

What kind of hair?