leaving deer lay overnight

[blacktaill]

What are your thoughts on taking a deer at last shoting light and letting it lay till morning? This is if it runs off after it's been hit.

[Bob33]

Not very good.  If it dies the meat is likely to spoil.  If it doesn't die, it will suffer all night.  Track it down and kill it.

[focht22]

I would have a flash light with me and make my best effort to try and find it. You might get lucky and find it pretty quick.

[WDFW-SUX]

You will lose a % of the meat.

[6x6in6]

Plan to go find it or don't squeeze the trigger putting yourself into that position in the first place.

[BlackRidge]

Yup, too much can happen after leaving it out there. If you want to get the most out of it, or have something left in the morning at all, its best to go in after it. Headlamps work really well, and having buddies with you definitely helps

[steen]

Enough said!

[blacktaill]

Thanks for the insight. Im out by myself today so i will pack it in early today

[quadrafire]

Seems alot of the TV hunting shows that happens quite alot. I doubt they are eating much of the meat so they probably don't care. But if its warm out it probably wouldn't be too good.

[blacktaill]

Ya that's why i asked.  I see them do it all the time on the out door channel? Guess they don't care about the meat!

[ser300wsm]

Enough said!

[bobcat]

I agree with others- the meat will spoil if a deer is left overnight. At least some of it. This brings a question to mind though. What if you track a deer down after dark and it requires a finishing shot? Is it legal to shoot after hours to finish off an animal?

[blacktailer]

I personally think it depends some on the temp as well as location of the shot.  A friend of mine gut shot a nice 5 x 5 whitetail 2 years back in N. Idaho.  We looked hard that night but never found hair, blood, etc...   Long story short, I found that buck at about 8:00 A.M the following morning and it was nasty.  We spent about an hour skinning, gutting and trying to salvage anything possible.  I will say that it was one of the most rotten things I have smelled and had me dry heaving big time.  It was all shot.  That was a mid Nov. hunt but the weather was unusually warm and balmy.  I think the gut innards leaked out and got into every possible place on that deer.  We both felt terrible but unfortunately, it happens.  
     The flip side to that was I shot a bull elk in Idaho at dusk several years back and couldn't find it until until early the next morning and it was fine.  He was able to bleed out and the temps were below freezing.  Those are two of my personal experiences that got different results.   I'm not a big fan of most hunting shows as they often show unreasonable hunting scenarios and teach a lot of bad habits to those who are watching in hope of learning something

[400out]

I agree with others- the meat will spoil if a deer is left overnight. At least some of it. This brings a question to mind though. What if you track a deer down after dark and it requires a finishing shot? Is it legal to shoot after hours to finish off an animal?

I would say no! If it's still alive I would say no spoiling happening 

[Bob33]

I agree with others- the meat will spoil if a deer is left overnight. At least some of it. This brings a question to mind though. What if you track a deer down after dark and it requires a finishing shot? Is it legal to shoot after hours to finish off an animal?

Bob, I have done exactly that.  I have also asked numerous enforcement officers that question.  I have received consistent responses from every one: if the animal is mortally wounded, go after it.  Shoot it after dark if you have to.  They will know if you're lying.  Show them the first bullet hole, the blood trail, etc.  If you think about it, they could challenge you even before you shoot.  I've trailed animals with a flashlight and rifle after dark.  Very suspicious, and no animal with a wound to justify my actions.  The bottom line to me is that it is the right thing to do.