# HELP: Buck at large near Mountain Dell Reservoir



## crazyducker (Aug 22, 2012)

My first post and a sad one....

So I arrowed him, what would have been my first, early opening morning and I've been searching exhaustively ever since. Yes, by now he's spoiled though the search goes on. I'm hoping for some/any feedback, even if it means they know someone took a buck out of this area that already had a hole in him. 

Any feedback is greatly appreciated. I am currently heading back for more.....


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Look for magpies and crows from a distance. If there's no birds move in and smell. You must be walking into the wind for this to work. Ive smelled dead deer several hundred yards away. Mark the blood trail with ribbon. Then start doing circles till ya find it or more blood. 

If the buck was gut shot it will typically take up to 2 days for it to die. It will die! Always give a minimum of 6 hours or more before you even pick up the trail on a gut shot deer and move in extra quiet. If you didn't you will have made your search area twice or three times as big. 

Punch the tag even if you cant find it. It sucks but it is the ethical thing to do. 

Good luck man! Keep looking if you need some help i could lend a hand tomorrow night.


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

Look for someone who has a dog that will track the blood/fur (assuming their was a good trail). It might be a moot point now. Sorry, keep looking!


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

> Look for someone who has a dog that will track the blood/fur (assuming their was a good trail). It might be a moot point now.


+1 
A dog _might_ still be able to track that deer for another day or three. I wish you'd have gotten on here sooner because I would have loved to have had the opportunity to test one of my dogs on the blood trail. It would have had to have been yesterday for me, though. Sorry.

There are several forum members who have pups from me. I hope someone who reads this will have a chance to test their dog on a blood trail. The blood is getting old and might require a more experienced dog, but this would be a good chance to see what a dog can do.


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## crazyducker (Aug 22, 2012)

Sad to report no luck tonight either.
@SW good advice, I adhered to most of it.
Only two traces of blood were found and were found where I lost sight of him so it didn't help with his direction of travel. I am going back up tomorrow afternoon. If anyone with a dog wants to test their abilities I'd gladly reimburse you for the effort with or without a successful recovery. 

I wonder if I'll sleep anytime soon?


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Welcome to the forum! Good luck! 

Didn't the law change this year now allowing for dogs to trail? Not that you couldn't leave your bow in the truck and then take a dog for a walk...


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Where did you hit him? Did you find your arrow? What did it look/smell like? Is the animal going up or down hill? Is there water near by? These are just a few more pieces of the puzzle you need to fill in... A lot of animals get hit with what looks like should be a fatal hit and end up living through it. Hopefully that's what happened here... Sorry you RBI'd one... I happens to ALL of us. Chin up!


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

> Didn't the law change this year now allowing for dogs to trail?


Yes. The proclamation now reads that the hunter is allowed one leashed dog to track the big game animal that has been shot. The dog may not, of course, be used to find animals for the hunter to shoot.


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## shaun larsen (Aug 5, 2011)

swbuckmaster said:


> Punch the tag even if you cant find it. It sucks but it is the ethical thing to do.


thats your opinion. not everyones, nor is it the law. this isnt a private property/ranch or CWMU hunt.

if you cant find the deer, and gave it your best honest effort to recover him, and failed to do so, if you feel you should keep hunting, have at it! we've all lost an animal. sorry to hear that. hope you have better luck next time. keep hunting the same area, if hes still alive, chances are he will still be in the general area and you might get another shot at him! i know of a wounded buck that got killed by the same hunter a week later. you never know what can happen!


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

I never said anything about the legal aspect of it shawn only about the ethics of it. Im not a guy who goes out and shoots and loses and shoots some more. I guess we know what type of hunter you are.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Crazyducker my offer still stands for tonight if you want my help. Just pm me.

I was planning on going out hunting anyway but id put off a night if you thought it might help. I dont even know you but i have lost a buck before and it sucks. 

+1 on the dog. A friend of mine used a lab and found his buck a few years ago. The dog wasn't even trained to track.


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## Derek4747 (Jun 23, 2008)

I agree 100% on punching the tag. I hope you're able to recover it


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## shaun larsen (Aug 5, 2011)

swbuckmaster said:


> I never said anything about the legal aspect of it shawn only about the ethics of it. Im not a guy who goes out and shoots and loses and shoots some more. I guess we know what type of hunter you are.


yeah i shoot the ones with "milk on their lips"... youve already told me. screw the mature deer hunting! little ones are much easier to kill and they cant take a bad shot as well as a big one can! it aint the bow hunt unless i wound 3 or 4 before i find 1! :roll: (im kidding everyone. relax)



swbuckmaster said:


> +1 on the dog. A friend of mine used a lab and found his buck *a few years ago*. The dog wasn't even trained to track.


im pretty sure they just made it LEGAL this year to do this. so are the rules only created for some to follow, but not others...? even if they are "taking a leased dog for a walk in the trees"? they had the INTENT of recovering a deer with the dog, which makes it illegal any way you look at it. now i would hope you would do the right thing and not condone such an illegal activity and notify the proper authorities, even though he is your friend. its the only *ethical* thing to do.

good luck on the hunts scott! cant wait to see the trophies you are your daughter take this season!


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## Mr Muleskinner (Feb 14, 2012)

I wouldn't necessarily punch my tag either. Sorry. The tag is to be punched for a legal harvest. Hike your guts out and do what you can but things do happen. Depends on the situation I guess. The ethical thing to do in the opinion of some may be to never hunt again. Any animal rights activists want to speak up? 

You are within the law to continue hunting and I say if you exhaust your efforts and have no luck, and you eventually choose to continue hunting, it is within your legal rights to do so. I will not judge you for doing just that.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Crazyducker just ck my pms and didnt see a response from ya so im going hunting. Honestly hope you find your buck. 


Good luck on your hunt shawn


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## shaun larsen (Aug 5, 2011)

swbuckmaster said:


> Crazyducker just ck my pms and didnt see a response from ya so im going hunting. Honestly hope you find your buck.
> 
> Good luck on your hunt shawn


Too bad you edited your original post... thought you were braver than that o-||


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