Shot a small buck, haven't found him, how long will the meat be good???

[turkeyfeather]

Not sure if I would recommend hanging the tag or not.  On one hand it makes sense.  You've shot your one deer. 

On the other hand, this is your first attempt to harvest with a bow.  It's usually recommended when your trying something new, you get right back up and try again if things go south.  If you let the memory fester, it can end up with you never try it again...

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

It is illegal to shoot more than one deer a year.  If you're pretty sure the deer died, then it's also the legal thing to do.  Shooting another one in the name of confidence and practice is not the ethical thing to do.  I don't know about you, but when I'm hunting ducks, pheasants, chukars, etc. any sailed cripples that aren't found get counted against the daily limit.

Wrong, it is illegal to HARVEST more then one deer a year. If you do not recover said deer you did not harvest it.

Ding!  We have a winner!!!!

Directly from the WAC.

(4) "Bag limit" means the maximum number of game animals, game birds, or game fish which may be taken, caught, killed, or possessed by a person, as specified by rule of the commission for a particular period of time, or as to size, sex, or species.

Under seasons and limits it states a bag limit of one deer per year.  As I stated above, the hunter will have a pretty good idea of whether the animal died or not, and can make their decision to punch their tag or not accordingly.  I'm not saying anyone should or should not punch their tag.  I stated what my ethics tell me is the right thing to do.  Your mileage may vary.

JLS- That is absolutely correct, but for all we know that deer is not dead and parting it up right know showing off his scare to pick up on the does. If the guy needs to put meat on the table for his family then I say get back out there. If he doesn't and wants to notch his tag then that's cool too. Either way it's his decision and not ours. He has done more than most of us(and I know I) would have. I have no problem with him trying to get another shot at a deer.

[Stick em]

Firstly, good job putting in the effort to find the animal. A lot of hunters wouldn't give it that much work. Secondly, unfortunate as it may seem it does happen. These are tough, elusive animals and you can walk right by one without seeing them. Third, I lost an animal the first year bow hunting and it has been hard to get over the fear of loosing another. Punch your tag, you shot a deer. Enjoy the rest of the season for Grouse, practice more throughout the year. I have taken 2 deer a year with a bow since I lost my first and my kills have all been single shots.

[blacktailcody]

 

[BOWHUNTER45]

Jeeez I guess I stepped over the line again ...I just have a bad way of saying things and the reason is this ...I can remember in high school guys coming to school and saying how they just shot a buck and cant find it ...way to many times I have heard this and most of the time it is someone just talking BS just so they can say they just shot an animal ...alot of this goes on still goes on today ...Not saying this is what he has done but thats why I hate hearing sheet like this ... thats all ...hope he finds it !

MEOW.  A real MAN would apologize to another MAN if he truly believed he was in the wrong.  Instead of some havle azz "guys in highschool did this" story.  I guess the art of MANHOOD is lost on the dumbest generation.

I done just that  I will let the man hood comment go 

[3nails]

 A few years back my dad shot a huge buck in the head with his .270. Buck dropped in its tracks. He set his rifle down and started admiring the rack in his hands. After a minute of this the buck started shaking and to the utter disbelief from my dad jumped up and hobbled off into the brush. It left a huge blood trail that eventually dissipated. He never found it. The next summer the talk of the neighborhood was the monster one eyed buck feeding daily in a field.

 I believe the buck shot by N7XW most likely is alive. People telling this hunter what he should do with his tag is a joke! He never asked what he should do with his tag. He just wanted some advice on recovery. Some of you internet cops need to get a life!

[ICEMAN]

I don't think throwing the suggestion out there for the OP to consider is bad.

The name calling on here should stop though...

[BOWHUNTER45]

I guess I am the butt hole now but I guarantee one thing if I did loose an animal I sure in the heck am not notching my tag over ...THAT IS PLAIN STUPID !!

[JODakota]

I guess I am the butt hole now but I guarantee one thing if I did loose an animal I sure in the heck am not notching my tag over ...THAT IS PLAIN STUPID !!

Agreed

[huntnnw]

Not sure if I would recommend hanging the tag or not.  On one hand it makes sense.  You've shot your one deer. 

On the other hand, this is your first attempt to harvest with a bow.  It's usually recommended when your trying something new, you get right back up and try again if things go south.  If you let the memory fester, it can end up with you never try it again...

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

It is illegal to shoot more than one deer a year.  If you're pretty sure the deer died, then it's also the legal thing to do.  Shooting another one in the name of confidence and practice is not the ethical thing to do.  I don't know about you, but when I'm hunting ducks, pheasants, chukars, etc. any sailed cripples that aren't found get counted against the daily limit.

WRONG

[Turner89]

It really sucks to lose animals but it happens. If a person makes a whole hearted effort to recover said animal and are unable too  I have no problem with them continuing to hunt. If you feel like you must notch your tag then so be it. I respect that, but don't tell someone else they need to.

:yeah:x2

[Kowsrule30]

If I was in your position I'd just start hunting now..... Let it go....

[N7XW]

Update-

I was out looking again tonight when I ran into a woodcutter.  He said he jumped a large spike not far from where I shot mine (approximately 0.6 miles if I understood his descriptin of the area correctly).  He said it startled him, didnt get a real good look at it but didnt seem injured.  The description matched near exactly the deer I shot (spike 6-7 inches).  What are the chances this is or is not the same deer?  What are the chances he made a good recovery?  I believe it may very well be the same one.

Also, I got a pm from BOWHUNTER45.  He apologized.  We're good now. 

[Kowsrule30]

Chances are slim..... But not impossible by far..... I've killed a deer and found a broadhead in the shoulder..... Another deer with a broadhead in the rear femur.... A bull elk with two broadheads almost in the same lung.... (cut my finger on one bad) He also had a @ 30 cal bullet below the base of his antler and two 50 cal ML bullets in his hind end.... Looked like 410 gr Great Plains to me.... They are tough critters and have a will to survive like no other along with healing properties we will never have.... The deer you shot could very well still be alive..... But if you really found chunks of liver it's not... Like I said before.... I commend your effort for the recovery..... Don't let it get to you too much...... *censored* happens... Keep hunting....

[N7XW]

Chances are slim..... But not impossible by far..... I've killed a deer and found a broadhead in the shoulder..... Another deer with a broadhead in the rear femur.... A bull elk with two broadheads almost in the same lung.... (cut my finger on one bad) He also had a @ 30 cal bullet below the base of his antler and two 50 cal ML bullets in his hind end.... Looked like 410 gr Great Plains to me.... They are tough critters and have a will to survive like no other along with healing properties we will never have.... The deer you shot could very well still be alive..... But if you really found chunks of liver it's not... Like I said before.... I commend your effort for the recovery..... Don't let it get to you too much...... *censored* happens... Keep hunting....

Looking back on it and talking to my wife who helped me look the day after the shot, I now think what I thought was a liver (or other organ) chunk was really coagulated blood.  It was not solid but appeared to be.  When poked with a stick, it came apart and had liquid blood inside.  I didn't know it at the time, but looking back on it now, dont think it was anything other than blood.  I think that was the same deer.

[JLS]

It really sucks to lose animals but it happens. If a person makes a whole hearted effort to recover said animal and are unable too  I have no problem with them continuing to hunt. If you feel like you must notch your tag then so be it. I respect that, but don't tell someone else they need to.

:yeah:x2

Re-read, no one over told him he needed to.