Lost roe Buck? Advice please

[marriottpckh]

Yesterday evening I shot at a roe Buck: good pretty steady aim from a semi prone supported position, range about 110 metres. It made a great leap, then instead of falling down, dropped its head a bit and ran 10-15 metres into a very, very thick plantation getting over a fence in the process. I searched and searched including with a little blood torch. I could find no blood or hair. But there was a thickish drizzle and everything was v wet. Miserable. I returned first thing with a dog, nit remained but a good nose. We could find nothing but it was v thick and almost impossible. This afternoon, still miserable, I checked zero...hoping it might have been out. It wasn't, though perhaps a 3/4 inch high. Two 3 round groups, both MPI less than an inch from the bull and grouping for each group was about 1 and a 1/4 inches. I zeroed at about 100 metres paced out. I have heard of this happening to others who must feel as dreadful as I do. I must have hit the beast and have been told that a low heart shot could do it. Any advice as I never want this to ever happen again?

 

[Cris]

Maybe worth getting in touch with one of the tracking teams on here for there help. Sounds like it could have been hit. Lack of blood or hair doesn't mean a miss. Where you aware of an impact thud?

 

[palmer_mike]

Call uksha they'll give you expert advice!

 

[marriottpckh]

Didn't hear a thud but I rarely do.....too long in the army, so hearing not a strongpoint!

 

[N1mr0d]

Give us a ring - we can still help

 

[Woodsmoke]

Are you certain it made it over the fence?

 

[sikamalc]

I should contact one of the dog tracking groups. Reading your post it reads as though you hit it well, sometimes deer don't bleed until they have run on a few yards. Roe in my opinion are not that strong when wounded (unless it has a leg taken off) and it is more than likely not far away from where you shot it.

Don't beat yourself up too much, deer don't always drop dead on the spot, in fact in many instances they run when struck. Sika being the worst for not showing when hit.

 

[marriottpckh]

Thanks to all who've replied. It definitely crossed the fence; its stubble this side and it's not in that. But, you're right to ask. I know they're often found after hours of searching at your feet. I shall certainly contact uksha though not certain if they will have anyone this far north. I'm near Loch Fleet in Sutherland not far from Narnia...Having a nearby number is sensible and I probably should have done that before. Still, I'm learning and that's great - and in part from all the good advice on this forum. Thanks to all again.

 

[Heym SR20]

It happens, and as been said it looks as if it was well hit. I have had bucks that were well shot run 100 yards leaving virtually no blood trail for the first 50 yards. Thick cover with really misty rain is very poor for sent. Are you certain you started tracking where you though it was standing. Edge of forestry plantations are pretty nondescript and you could easily be 30 or 40 yards out. I had one once that I didn't think I had hit, indeed I went up to where I though it was and no sign what so ever. It went into the crop and then ran down a tramline before going out of site. Doing the sensible thing I did follow the tramline, after 60 yds picked up the blood trail and then after about 100 - over the brow of the hill picked him up dead. When dragging it back round the edge of the field I found blood and hair about 30 yards beyond where I thought it was - I remembered it standing next to a large thistle - just not which large thistle.

Roe deer are actually very small when dead and can easily get in under a bit of cover, or fall into a drainage gutter. In the course of our stalking careers we will always loose the odd beast. You have done the right thing in going back this morning and looking again, and also checking zero, and if there wasn't a nagging feeling you should give up stalking.

If you didn't find any hair or blood you might have actually missed. Why? - bullet might have clipped a twig, bit of grass etc., might have damaged during loading, or might have been a slightly underloaded cartridge, or deer moved as the shot was fired. I suspect I would jump high if a bullet passed very close under my brisket.

My only other observation is that in the evening with good modern optics its easy enough to take a shot at very last light, but last light is difficult to judge distance, and even more difficult to mark the exact spot a) where you took the shot from and b) where the beast was standing. Also if a deer runs its well worth waiting at least 15 to 20 minutes before following up. Let it die in peace quietly, or stiffen up. If it was wounded and you go straight in the can go out the other side of cover and keep going never to be recovered. If you are shooting at last light, the temptation is going and look for it immediately.

 

[marriottpckh]

Many thanks heym sr20; all v good points. I did what you said, lay down in the same place, etc and then covered a bigger area after an initial search. I'm going to try again with two dogs anyway. They should soon find the smell as decay sets in. I'd rather hope the zeroing was out but as you rightly point out, the beast could have moved as I squeezed the trigger! We'll never know. There was certainly some wheat between me and it but I could see where I was aiming. I shall be doubly careful next time and that's a good thing. Thanks.

 

[marriottpckh]

Just spoken to uksha near Inverurie; really helpful, constructive and pragmatic. I have a number now and will not go out again without it. Superb service - really.

 

[Krabryn]

I have used both UKSHA and UKDTR each on 1 occasion and both tracking dogs made light work of finding my lost roe in heavy (to us humans) cover in the Scottish Borders. I cannot praise their skills enough. We deer stalkers are very lucky to have these two excellent organisations to help us for free.

 

[Erik Hamburger]

I have noticed that Roe, when hit and running, very often changes direction by more than 90 degrees once they reach cover, and therefore, when found, sometimes after a long search, are in a totally different place than where logic dictates they should have been.
And a carcass can be very difficult to find, even in a flat open field, and distances/direction can be misjudged quite easily, in particular during bad light, rain and after dark.
I imagine most stalkers will have lost a wounded deer at some point, and there comes a point when you have to admit defeat, learn from the experience, and move on.

 

[sikasako]

This type of unfortunate incident happens to us all at some point and we feel bad for causing suffering to the deer.

One positive aspect to take from it is to consider if you should get a dog that will work deer.

I have two dogs:- a Wire Haired Vizsla and a Teckel, which have been used on several occasions to follow up on deer shot by some of my companions. One was a Sika stag that had been looked for and disregarded as a "miss". When we met up later I took the teckel to the last siting of the Sika and within 1 minute she had found it (still well alive).

The air scenting capability of the Vizsla, along with the ground scenting of the Teckel allows them to work well together when following up on wounded quarry. The Teckel can also get into thick cover if necessary.

Saying that the Vizsla is also very useful for letting you know when deer are nearby when you're stalking. More than can be said of the Teckel, which despite her short legs sometimes seems to think that it is better for her to chase after the deer, rather than quietly wait till you get a shot off!

Food for thought!

 

[Monkey Spanker]

From the shot reaction you describe, you have probably hit the deer perfectly and it was as good as dead when you last saw it! My guess is that it is within 50-100m of point of shot, but may well have made a very unexpected change in direction. The lack of blood trail is not uncommon. Sometimes a BT round will not exit, or a soft point or copper leaves a small exit which becomes blocked by a piece of lung. I doubt you have caused any suffering as it is not a lost wounded deer. It is more likely very dead but just not found.
MS

 

[cowsmart]

Mate of mine ( now sadly passed) shot a roe through the engine room and searched for days...shot the same animal a few weeks later and the original through and through was healing nicely..never touched bone never touched a vital organ...
Chances are it's dead somewhere, have had a few run on me with the .22-250, gone back to .270 until I get confidence back with the .22-250.

 

[mereside]

sounds like a good reaction and head down to a dead beast as others say, out of interest what calibre and bullet are you using, it's not uncommon for there to be no blood at the start like others have said or even blood at all, roe deer have an uncanny way of going off on tangents and even ending right back were they were shot, atb wayne

 

[sauer]

Got the number for cover in Inverurie area?
I stalk up there as well as down near Montrose ....would be handy to have the numbers ?

Paul

 

[mereside]

Hi Paul just 0800 689 0857 as its free then we can arrange to get there for you always best to ring the moment you think you have lost it and not go raking around too much and always try to find the shot site first, all the best wayne

 

[sauer]

Cheers Wayne
Forgive ignorance but what organisation is your thru ?

Paul