I guess that would all depend on the dog! Not sure i would want a dog i trying to hold a very mobile but wounded buck.
Wounded Muntjac
- Thread starter Sandy25
- Start date
It would, if he had let it stiffen up and had had an experienced deer dog he would have had a very good chance. Every time I have a deer run out of site after the shot and a poor blood trail I assume the worst and let it be and go and get my dog before making the approach. That’s good practice.
Kindest regards, Olaf
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If its pretty mobile then I'd want a dog to get a grip of it , if it won't do that and would run on at a speed you can't keep up with or control , then a long lead would be a better bet , but we are all wiser on reflection,, fair play to you also for asking advice , we all learn more each time
on another day , what you have done would have got you your beast , you've just been unlucky ( like the deer ) regards Arron
"there’s a home here for it here! I’m not a hunter - clays or paper hole punching only. Look..."
@Sandy25 it will happen, however so long as you learnt?
Few things to remember with MJ they are rarely square on, most of the time they are on an angle, so facing away then behind the shoulder you wont hit the greens, facing towards you then I go high on the front shoulder (to miss the greens.
Couple of nights ago a few mins of last light time one was 70 ish yds away but it would not lift its head and close to being front on.
Had I head/neck shot it then a good chance the 95gn .243 would have gone though the neck and half way down the spine so I let it pass for next time.
I shot a fallow the other day - dropped on the spot
Left it for 20 minutes and to all purposes he was dead - quad came to fetch and as we approached he stood up and began to move off
I had the gun to hand so no more suffering
I felt bad as it must have been knocked out and looked dead but was thankful i had the rifle in hand
Always approach an animal with the rifle ready and zoom appropriately
Left it for 20 minutes and to all purposes he was dead - quad came to fetch and as we approached he stood up and began to move off
I had the gun to hand so no more suffering
I felt bad as it must have been knocked out and looked dead but was thankful i had the rifle in hand
Always approach an animal with the rifle ready and zoom appropriately
Martiniblack577
Well-Known Member
Then you reduce areas of compromise one at a time. Starting with marksmanship.
In fairness, I have shot a number of deer without any marksmanship issues, as well as numerous rabbits and foxes. I know the rifle is zeroed, I just fluffed the shot.
This is the first pulled shot and wounded animal that I have caused.
Regards,
Sandy
It got up and ran off three times, running strongly. He also didn't have an experienced dog handy.
Would it really have sat at the shot site for long if it was so mobile? I don't know about Muntjac but any badly shot / lightly wounded Roe/Red I've witnessed always get up and head for cover.
Yeah, I had the rifle ready as I approached, but the buck moved off very quick and didn’t give me a chance to get a clear shot.
In hindsight (and in future), I will definitely leave it a lot longer before I approach next time.
Many thanks,
Sandy
paper targets might flutter in the wind, but they are static, not in and out of cover head up head down in shadows or winding you if is swirls around.
as a target shooter you are digging a hole trying to explain to hunters as a non hunters how they need to shoot.
Gave it 5-10 minutes and there was no movement at the shot sight. Was only when I walked up to it it made off into cover.
Again, only thought of UKDTR afterwards, but hat will definitely be at the top of my list if it happens again.
Thanks for the advice
Sandy
Martiniblack577
Well-Known Member
Your assumption is interesting. I’ll leave that there.paper targets might flutter in the wind, but they are static, not in and out of cover head up head down in shadows or winding you if is swirls around.
as a target shooter you are digging a hole trying to explain to hunters as a non hunters how they need to shoot.
I was going to comment with support, just to say chin up, learn from it and not to beat yourself up about it. However I realised that my own experience being so limited* rendered my comment pointless and just dilutes the insightful comments of the experienced deer managers.
* I have been an FAC holder for over a decade and shoot a dozen or so deer a year across England, Wales and Scotland.
* I have been an FAC holder for over a decade and shoot a dozen or so deer a year across England, Wales and Scotland.
As you state you are not a hunter (what you said) then the "real world" experience's of shooting clays or paper is a mile apart from deer or as example teal in a gale of wind with a bit of rain for good measure
gelert
Well-Known Member
Happens to us all. I'd probably be waiting at least 30 minutes before making my way to the shot site,rifle ready if a second shot was needed and not where the deer ran into cover if that makes sense. If at the shot site it becomes clear a fatal shot isn't on the cards, then I'd probably call an experienced dog handler. Waiting although seems difficult will most likely give the better outcome and not push an injured mobile deer further. One thing that is useful, is if you collect the hair from the deer you shoot, taken from various parts of the body, leg, neck, brisket, chest etc etc and sellotape them in a pocket size book, you can refer back to them.
It won't help saying it but, as others have pointed out, these things happen.
You have done your very best to find it - more so than many - and have clearly learned a lot from the experience. Take the positives from the episode and try not to dwell on the negatives, which is easy to say but difficult to do, as inevitably you will go over everything repeatedly in your mind.
Do a quick check zero with the rifle and then keep an eye out for the buck in the future. I once took someone out who shot and injured a roe buck. About 4-6 weeks later I shot a buck and it turned out to be the same one, with a large scab over the earlier wound.
I am always wary of the notion of putting a dog onto a wounded but mobile muntjac buck - there is the opportunity of some serious injury from those tusks.
Oh yes! I’ve made this mistake… very challenging trying to hit a moving roe deer at 10 metres with your zoom set to x16!
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