Hard Lesson for a 10 Y.O. - Thoughts?

[Tex_Cattleman]

He comfortably shoots my 25.06. We're in a box blind this morning on MLD place. Mature 8pt came in first light. Took our time and boom! He dropped, but with a growl (in hindsight, the "spine him" growl.)

He was laying in grass too tall for me to see his body, only top of his rack. After a while, hugs and thanks prayers, we went to look at him. 40 yards out, he jumps up and takes off like nothing is wrong at all. Where he was laying, there is only a spot of blood (not bright, not dark) the size of a quarter.

We'll be hunting again this evening and then I'll be out here bowhunting in the morning.

I'm going back and forth on "tracking". I don't think there's anything to follow.

Thoughts? Maybe walk around in an hour or so hoping he bedded down somewhat close?

[RedRaider323]

I'd at least follow where he went for a bit and see if him getting up again opened the wound and allowed more blood to track.

[AntlerCollector]

I always look for anything I shoot just to be sure. Let him know that's part of hunting.

[Mr. Whiskers]

I'd do everything in my power to find it.

[Mayhem]

I would look for the deer.

[rjtkdplus]

Bad deal, most likely you're not going to find him. They recover pretty quick from being shot too high, which is what it sounds like. Still have to look though.

[lexingtontexas]

Same thing happened to me last year with a big 10. He lived but was hit by a car on the last weekend of the season!

[Arrowflinger84]

Tough lesson I had a similar one my first deer. Shot buck in the neck at 130 yd and dropped. High fives and at a boys all around then 10 min later he jumps up and runs off.....small spots of blood where he lay but nothing else.....part of it

[trophy8]

Happened to my friends first buck or what should have been years ago. Never found him. But we looked for days. I know if it was my kid, id have a dog on the ground at lunch looking. A 25-06 will put a hurting on a deer.

[Kurdawg]

Go look, a doe did this to my brother. Gave her 2 hours and found her 100 yards away.

[M16]

Waste of time. Most people with dogs won't bother looking. He will probably show up again in a week ot two.

[Encinal]

Usually when this happens it is a high back/neck shot and the animal will live.

The impact shocks the spine, then with time, they get up and run off.

I would go look, but ask a deer dog guy. Usually their first question is: What did the deer do when you shot?

This is one of the cues that tells them you are looking for an uncatchable deer.

[M16]

Here's some pics of one a girl shot like that on my ranch. I killed him three weeks later.

[El General]

He needs to know how serious it is to wound a deer. You should be tracking and looking as much as possible.

[kilroy230]

He needs to know how serious it is to wound a deer. You should be tracking and looking as much as possible.

This he needs to know every effort should be made to recover game. ..