This is possibly one of the strangest things that has happened to me in 20 years of stalking.
At the weekend I was stalking roe bucks in woodland at first light. I spotted a buck at 50 yards, sitting down in the grass looking at me side on. The deer was alert to my prescience, I sensed I had to be quick, raised the rifle to the sticks and fired. The point of aim was in the middle of the shoulder. In terms of shot reaction, the deer rolled, disappeared behind a tree and I could hear kicking. I repositioned myself, waited 30 seconds and could see the deer lying still on its side. That's one dead deer I thought, so I walked slowly towards it with the rifle reloaded, in my hands with safety on. However very quickly the deer jumped up and ran off unsteady on its feet with its head held low.
I wasn't worried at this stage, there was a fence downhill that should contain a short charge. I waited a full 20 mins before investigating. I followed a reasonable blood trail for 80 yards and over the fence (pools and spots of normal not frothy lung blood). Then under some mature conifers the trail stopped completely, I casted around on hands and knees - nothing. I went back to the car to get the dog. He made a promising start, sniffing and heading off in a straight line downhill. But then he lost interest - the hot weather didn't help. I went back uphill to where I started and we casted around for about 40 minutes. Nothing.
I was about to give up and call another dog, when I saw a buck walking slowly uphill, 100 metres to the left of where we were searching. The binos confirmed it was the same buck with identical antlers and it was walking very unsteadily on its feet in a jerking fashion. I raised the rifle and delivered a textbook H/L shot. On investigation, I noticed it had a broken front leg that was separate and some distance from the H/L entry and exit holes (and confirmed in the larder later). I feel terrible for causing an hour of pain and suffering.
I suspect that the deer's leg and was somehow in front of the shoulder when sitting. Its amazing that the 100gr 243 bullet fragmented on impact with leg bone and went no further, but that is what I think happened. Or my aim was lower than I recall, who knows? The second bizarre thing was I have known deer to lie up but never to walk back uphill (upwind) towards me and the shot site - arcing round for perhaps 400 meters in total.
Be careful with shooting sitting deer (or pass) the internals and limbs are arranged in a strange way. Study deer closely through the scope after the shot, they can lie still and stunned. Deer are incredibly tough survivors. Posting this as a caution to others. On reflection I am aware I made heaps of mistakes, consistent 'bang/flops" make you complacent.
At the weekend I was stalking roe bucks in woodland at first light. I spotted a buck at 50 yards, sitting down in the grass looking at me side on. The deer was alert to my prescience, I sensed I had to be quick, raised the rifle to the sticks and fired. The point of aim was in the middle of the shoulder. In terms of shot reaction, the deer rolled, disappeared behind a tree and I could hear kicking. I repositioned myself, waited 30 seconds and could see the deer lying still on its side. That's one dead deer I thought, so I walked slowly towards it with the rifle reloaded, in my hands with safety on. However very quickly the deer jumped up and ran off unsteady on its feet with its head held low.
I wasn't worried at this stage, there was a fence downhill that should contain a short charge. I waited a full 20 mins before investigating. I followed a reasonable blood trail for 80 yards and over the fence (pools and spots of normal not frothy lung blood). Then under some mature conifers the trail stopped completely, I casted around on hands and knees - nothing. I went back to the car to get the dog. He made a promising start, sniffing and heading off in a straight line downhill. But then he lost interest - the hot weather didn't help. I went back uphill to where I started and we casted around for about 40 minutes. Nothing.
I was about to give up and call another dog, when I saw a buck walking slowly uphill, 100 metres to the left of where we were searching. The binos confirmed it was the same buck with identical antlers and it was walking very unsteadily on its feet in a jerking fashion. I raised the rifle and delivered a textbook H/L shot. On investigation, I noticed it had a broken front leg that was separate and some distance from the H/L entry and exit holes (and confirmed in the larder later). I feel terrible for causing an hour of pain and suffering.
I suspect that the deer's leg and was somehow in front of the shoulder when sitting. Its amazing that the 100gr 243 bullet fragmented on impact with leg bone and went no further, but that is what I think happened. Or my aim was lower than I recall, who knows? The second bizarre thing was I have known deer to lie up but never to walk back uphill (upwind) towards me and the shot site - arcing round for perhaps 400 meters in total.
Be careful with shooting sitting deer (or pass) the internals and limbs are arranged in a strange way. Study deer closely through the scope after the shot, they can lie still and stunned. Deer are incredibly tough survivors. Posting this as a caution to others. On reflection I am aware I made heaps of mistakes, consistent 'bang/flops" make you complacent.
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