13 pointer down but coyotes got there 1st.

[rjtkdplus]

I agree with waiting, I've lost more than one deer because I "knew I made a good shot" and followed too soon. I wait 30 minutes now even if I see them fall.

I "knew I made a perfect shot" even got it on video and was waiting 30 minutes. About 15 minutes after the shot I saw movement in the brush. It was my buck bedding down 30 yards away! Too thick for another shot so I waited and watched him die a few minutes later. Turns out I'd hit too far back and got liver. If I'd gone after him sooner he surely would have traveled a long way before be died.

Great buck! Congrats!

[Fajkus7]

I agree with waiting, I've lost more than one deer because I "knew I made a good shot" and followed too soon. I wait 30 minutes now even if I see them fall.

I "knew I made a perfect shot" even got it on video and was waiting 30 minutes. About 15 minutes after the shot I saw movement in the brush. It was my buck bedding down 30 yards away! Too thick for another shot so I waited and watched him die a few minutes later. Turns out I'd hit too far back and got liver. If I'd gone after him sooner he surely would have traveled a long way before be died.

Great buck! Congrats!

Exactly! Too many people lose deer every year just because they pushed them and didn't wait long enough.

[BTLowry]

Nice buck, congrats

Make the yotes pay

I plan on trapping and calling once it gets cooler

[Yotaforme]

Unless you actually saw coyotes on him, it could have been pigs. Had pigs get a doe I shot one year in Florida that looked just like that. I walked up on a big boar eating her hind end.

When I saw all the damage done, my 1st thought was hogs but my property doesn't have any yet, thank the Lord. My game cameras are always taking coyotes on the trails but not a single pig.

[kry226]

Happened to me in Houston County back in 2001. Shot a nice doe at dusk, and on the trail my lantern ran out of fuel and then my flashlight started blinking out on me. Then the yotes lit up all around me and I just about crapped my pants there in the dark. Turns out I was about 30 yards from the doe when I lost my light but the yotes were already on her. I wasn't about to fight off a pack with no light there deep in the woods, so I got my bearings and hiked back out. Just a perfect storm for a young hunter.

[gonehuntin68]

If your confident you made a good shot there is no need to wait 30 min.
Also, getting down while the other deer are there will not negatively affect anything.

I had a coyote on a doe last year in 10 min

Great buck

I disagree with this. If you don't see the deer go down you should always wait. I've seen way too many deer bumped because the hunter took off looking for it right after the shot because they thought they made a perfect shot. Yes if you shoot enough deer, your probably eventually going to have yotes get to one or more but I would much rather have that then bump a deer to never see it again. Even shots that look perfect on entrance don't always end up perfect. Just go back and look at all the threads on here over the years of people who have claimed to make perfect shots but never found the animal.
I also don't see how you can say other deer seeing you in your stand will not negatively affect anything. Once a deer picks you off in a stand, that deer will almost always look for you in that stand and they will bust you and teach other deer to look for you in the stand.

Congrats on a great deer. Now go shoot a extra doe to make up for the meat lost.

[flywise]

I disagree with this. If you don't see the deer go down you should always wait. I've seen way too many deer bumped because the hunter took off looking for it right after the shot because they thought they made a perfect shot. Yes if you shoot enough deer, your probably eventually going to have yotes get to one or more but I would much rather have that then bump a deer to never see it again. Even shots that look perfect on entrance don't always end up perfect. Just go back and look at all the threads on here over the years of people who have claimed to make perfect shots but never found the animal.
I also don't see how you can say other deer seeing you in your stand will not negatively affect anything. Once a deer picks you off in a stand, that deer will almost always look for you in that stand and they will bust you and teach other deer to look for you in the stand.
Congrats on a great deer. Now go shoot a extra doe to make up for the meat lost.

They aint that smart
I shot a pig sat afternoon, started down my tree and looked up and had a 3.5 y/o 10 about 25 yds away watching me. Sunday morning he came in early and stayed 40 min less than 5 yds from my tree.

[bloodstick]

I shot this buck yesterday morning. So after I shot the 13 pointer with my Excaliber Matrix Crossbow, I wanted to wait 30 minutes before I got down from my treestand to go after him. After 20 minutes I had 3 other deer come within sight so I had to wait about 40 more minutes for them to move out of my immediate area. Below is a picture showing the carnage they did. That is his tail to the left of him.

I feel your pain. I shot a buck two years ago with my bow. Watched him fall in sight. I was in a box blind with small windows, so i didnt have eyes on him when getting my stuff together to get down. From time of shot to walking up to him was less than 10 minutes and the coyotes got to him fast and ate most the hind quarter out.

[dustoffer]

That's crazy, at least they left you the backstrapsame and front shoulders.

Deer got front shoulders? Do they have back shoulders too?

[texaslongshot]

wow thats crazy

[gonehuntin68]

They aint that smart
I shot a pig sat afternoon, started down my tree and looked up and had a 3.5 y/o 10 about 25 yds away watching me. Sunday morning he came in early and stayed 40 min less than 5 yds from my tree.

Ok your right, no deer will ever look for you in the stand after it picks you off in the stand. I guess I just imagine these things. Also every mature buck will come to a feeder because they are not smart, just ask the guys in east Texas as I'm sure they will agree.

[flywise]

Ok your right, no deer will ever look for you in the stand after it picks you off in the stand. I guess I just imagine these things. Also every mature buck will come to a feeder because they are not smart, just ask the guys in east Texas as I'm sure they will agree.

thank you