Reaction After the Shot Help

[Rakkin6]

Hey guys this evening I took a shot on a deer using my 12 Gauge using sabot slugs. I was shooting across a field that is about 130 yards wide. Gun is zeroed dead on at 100 yards. She wasn't all the way to the edge of the field so I held center behind the shoulder. After the shot she stood on her hind legs almost like a horse and then bolted off. It got dark on me quick and I couldn't find any blood, but I have never seen this reaction before so just wondering what you guys think. I know I could have misjudged distance in the fading light and maybe shot under her and this is why she reacted that way. It just makes me sick to my stomach though. I cloverleafed all around in the direction she ran and didn't find her. Tha k you guys for any help.

 

[Roadracer6]

I shot a buck years back with a 12 guage that did the same thing, actually he did a backflip and then ran off. Blood was there but not much. Ended up finding him about 200 yards away. Hit him further back (close to liver). I have also heard of deer doing this with a lethal heart/lung shot though so I wouldn't count that out either.

 

[Rakkin6]

Yeah I didn't find any blood where I though she was standing. Hard to know an exact spot I was shooting across a cut corn field so not a lot of identifiable features to go off of for her exact spot. I took the shot at about 4:50 p.m. and climbed down and over there by about 5. So light had faded. Using my head lamp didn't see blood. But that doesn't mean I didn't miss it either. It sucks to say but I am cool with a complete miss or a fatal shot that she doesn't suffer with. Hate losing one to the coyotes but it happens. If I did hit her this would be the first deer I lost. SICK TO MY STOMACH

 

[MickThompson]

Ft Campbell I assume? My limited experience there has been that deer don't react to muzzle blast like "regular deer" if they have spent any amount of time near an impact area/ firing range or there's been a bunch of recent training. It's like squirrels or blue jays to regular deer- ambient noise. Sometimes they don't even react to the blast when hit with a lethal shot so I think if you saw a reaction like that you can pretty safely assume you connected. Probably not what you wanted to hear.

 

[Ski]

Go look first thing in morning. Sounds like you hit her and simply misjudged where she was standing. It happens to me from time to time. It happened on a bow kill in Ohio this fall. I watched and heard the arrow hit, the deer mule kick, and run away. I got down to track and everything looked so different on the ground vs from 25ft up a tree that I was looking way closer than the deer actually was, and almost convinced myself I missed. I left woods, regrouped my thoughts and went back. Blood everywhere and a 50yd track on a heart shot. That was on a shot 20yds away with trees for reference points. Your deer was much farther and no reference points. She's not far away dead I'm guessing. Only one way to know for sure though. Good luck

 

[Rakkin6]

Yeah it was on Fort Campbell, I have shot a bunch of deer there just never saw one react like that. I called the GW and he gave me permission to look longer so I did stay out there for a little while. Buddy has the same area tomorrow and is going to help out. She ran down into some pretty thick stuff.

 

[MickThompson]

If there isn't a good point of reference at the shot, I try to remember where they enter the woods or run past any landmark. A lot of times I don't find blood for a little while anyways so starting at the hit may be misleading.

Hope your buddy finds her tomorrow. Sounds like she's hit good.

 

[Ski]

Been awful warm. Good luck to yall finding her or determining for certain she isnt dead. Dont beat yourself up if it's not a great ending. It happens.

 

[Rakkin6]

Yeah I know, how is it 65 in December. Thanks for all the help guys, it was just such a strange reaction I didn't know what to think. But it sounds like I probably connected but just couldn't find her.

 

[Racknquack]

I shot a buck there one time did the exact same thing. Stood up on back feet and then took off running. Didn't find much blood at all but ended up being a double lung when I found him. Good luck!

 

[catman529]

I'd guess heart shot


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[megalomaniac]

Deer was hit, not a clue where. But I'd suspect front 3rd. I've lost 5, every one still haunts me, and I remember those hunts more vividly than the deer I recovered.

Sent from my SM-G970U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Deer Assassin]

IMO
deer was hit
i would say in the front 1/3 like megalomanic say

buddy my shot one did same thing hit him in the lower neck
had pics of him the next day with a small flap of skin hanging