My opening day FAIL!!!

[6.8mmARHunter]

So there we were, making our way our way across this sagebrush flat between some irrigation circles. We had seen about 15 doe's cross some open grass in single file and enter the sagebrush from the East. We had also seen four bucks enter the sage brush from the Northwest. They were running and were probably chased by some other hunters. They looked like they were on a collision course. We're watching all this from a bluff to the West. They all started bedding down for a nap around 10AM or so.

We decided to cross the sage brush to see if we could bust the bucks up for a shot. About a third of the across we came up on a group of six doe's. One had already spotted us and was up. After watching them and looking for one of the bucks laying down, they got sufficiently nervous and they bounded off.

We continued across and as I was coming up this little rise, I finally spotted one of the bucks antlers and ears (back of his head). It was a 3x3. I watched for a few minutes and then he got up. He hadn't noticed me. He was eating and watching cars go by on a dirt road on the far side of the flat.

I was finally able to take a shot from about 50 yards. I put the cross hairs midway between the top of his back and the bottom of his ribs, just a little back of his shoulder. I had the rifle on a mono shooting stick and squeezed off a shot. Bam and then thwack! The buck bucked up into the air like Hi Ho Silver. Then fell over sideways behind some sage. Then there was chaos. Six or so other deer popped up and scattered in all directions. Next thing I know I got this buck running straight at me. He finally spots me and stops about 20 yards away. I'm thinking shoot shoot, then I'm thinking no, you can't shoot two. He then turns and bolts away.

I then run up to where i think the deer dropped and stuck the shooting stick in the sage brush as a marker. After searching for an hour and finding nothing, not even any blood we gave up. I'm so perplexed and bummed. I'm not sure what to think, but I'll be out there next Saturday to try again.

It was great fun and exciting. But I failed.


sam

[Ripper]

Stuff happens  Good luck next weekend.

[Timberstalker]

Sure sounds like that buck is dead, right where you saw him last.
It's easy to lose them or should I say, not even find the evidence in this country.

Here's to hoping you just grazed him.

[Bill W]

We almost lost one once.  The guy who shot it went after it as it was running away.   I went over to where he shot at it.  I found blood and trailed it.  The deer was running with some others, went behind a little bump in the ground, and fell down.  He thought the deer was with the bunch that ran off and that's what he went after.

I was watching thru the spotting scope and saw the bullet hit the deer.  That's why I wanted to go to the start of the trail and not hope to pick it up after it had been running for  a while.

Maybe you should have started where it first was shot at.  From reading your post again it looks like you did just that.

[fishngamereaper]

Sounds like a solid hit based on the reaction. I've had a few deer bleed very little if any at all. Had to do grid circles to find them. They get tucked into the weirdest spots sometimes.

[6.8mmARHunter]

Sure sounds like that buck is dead, right where you saw him last.
It's easy to lose them or should I say, not even find the evidence in this country.

Here's to hoping you just grazed him.

We went by there later that day before the evening hunt, and the next afternoon after the morning hunt and glassed for crow and magpie activity. We didn't see anything. I really am perplexed.

[Bill W]

I shot at an antelope once standing in some grass.  The seed tips ate my bullet.   I was using 100 grain bullets in a .243 and they never made it to the target.   

[6.8mmARHunter]

Sounds like a solid hit based on the reaction. I've had a few deer bleed very little if any at all. Had to do grid circles to find them. They get tucked into the weirdest spots sometimes.

Yep, grid searched for an hour (or more). Several one last looks even. I'm really bummed.

[fishngamereaper]

Sounds like a solid hit based on the reaction. I've had a few deer bleed very little if any at all. Had to do grid circles to find them. They get tucked into the weirdest spots sometimes.

Yep, grid searched for an hour (or more). Several one last looks even. I'm really bummed.

  Feel your pain.

[6.8mmARHunter]

I shot at an antelope once standing in some grass.  The seed tips ate my bullet.   I was using 100 grain bullets in a .243 and they never made it to the target.

I suppose the most likely thing is bullet deflection. I thought I heard a good thwack of the bullet hitting though. He might have jumped just from the sound. Then got up and came running at me (not knowing I was there). Then I blew my second chance...

[Bill W]

I shot at an antelope once standing in some grass.  The seed tips ate my bullet.   I was using 100 grain bullets in a .243 and they never made it to the target.

I suppose the most likely thing is bullet deflection. I thought I heard a good thwack of the bullet hitting though. He might have jumped just from the sound. Then got up and came running at me (not knowing I was there). Then I blew my second chance...

I heard no "thwack" when the grass tips ate the bullet.  Thwacks come from hitting something solid.

[_TONY_]

Sure sounds like that buck is dead, right where you saw him last.
It's easy to lose them or should I say, not even find the evidence in this country.

Here's to hoping you just grazed him.

Sounds like you hit him high, which takes a while to bleed a lot of the time. I hunt sage/bitter brush almost exclusively for deer, and it's some of the hardest most frustrating stuff to find deer in sometimes... He's there somewhere.... I've had them pile up in under sage brush and finally find them after I've walked right past... For the second time 

[TeacherMan]

Did the same thing on a nice whitetail not once but twice in my hunting career. I got lucky and found both but  was close both times. First I was young and shot a nice 4x at dark and went up the hill where I last seen him and couldn't find any blood. Went home that night and told my dad. He went back in the morning with me and the deer was literally 5yds from the spot I shot him tucked up under a thick pine tree packed in with brush. Lesson there was don't go to where I seen the deer last. Start at the spot of contact. It was a second 4pt I think I watched run off that I tried tracking the night before.

Second time was on a nice 5x in thick timber. This time was a little different as well. I jumped him out of his bed and got him on the run. Dropped in his tracks and I walked right up to him. I snapped a couple quick pics with my phone then took off back down to the truck to get my knife  a buddy and my game cart. Went back up and couldn't find the spot I shot the buck exactly and or the buck! I literally gridded a 100yd piece of timber with a buddy for an hour before we found him, it was a thick bedding area and your couldn't see the ground in it. We did finally find him but I really learned the lesson on that buck bring flagging tape and don't be afraid to use it even if you think its going to be easy to get back to that spot.

Best of luck in your future hunts, and stuff happens.

[philepe]

What bullet did you use?

[Widgeondeke]

its possible the thwack you heard was the bullet hitting bone/antler. my son hit his antelope buck in the horn. went down, then jumped up and ran 20yds. Probably had a concussion. he dropped it with a follow up shot.
sounds like you gave it a good effort. Better luck next weekend

[JLS]

You are aiming too high and too far back.  Ideal aiming spot is directly in line with the front leg, 1/3 of the way up the body.  You likely hit liver and/or guts, hence the rear-up reaction.  They won't bleed much, if at all initially from a high and back shot, but will die.

[Labredog]

You only looked for an hour after a solid hit to the goods Did it get dark, or was it buck fever and you think you heard a thwack. I know I am not the only one thinking the same thing here. Anyone that has hunted long enough knows what it feels like to wound an animal and not find it. Only looking for an hour, that's the real fail.

[bearhunter99]

If you are back in that area again next weekend I would look for birds anywhere within a mile of where you shot at the deer. 

My first archery buck was the result of a deflected shot off of a sagebrush limb and I hit it high and back.  I had seen the buck with the arrow sticking out and knew I had made a marginal shot.  I waited an hour or so and then went to track it.  No blood, no hair, no anything.  I knew he was a dead deer walking and notched my tag.  I went out every day before or after work looking for him.  Day 2 I found my arrow, I found him day 4 by the coyotes and birds.  He was close to 3/4 of a mile form where I originally shot him.  He was tucked into a tall patch of dry grass and I must have walked past him a dozen times in the four days I spent looking for him. 

Judging by your description of the buck's reaction you hit him hard.  He would not have reared up and fell over naturally.  Please go back and check the area out again.  I would almost guarantee that he is laying dead out there somewhere.  My 

[C-Money]

If he stood up on hind legs like Silver, My guess is a brisket hit. He may not be dead. Worth another look around anyway. Only time I've seen a deer do that, the bullet hit low.