Post by: Kvw4x4 on October 22, 2023, 08:32:18 AM
Yesterday morning i took a 300 yard shot at a whitetail, i found traces of blood
(just pure red droplets, not a huge amount) right where i shot him at, he ran directly downhill into thicker brush.
We spent 4 hours gridding the area and came up with nothing, any advice? anybody good at tracking around that area?
I had to be back home last night which is 6 hours away.
Thanks, Kevin
Post by: Hairhunter on October 22, 2023, 09:19:55 AM
Post by: boneaddict on October 22, 2023, 09:23:21 AM
What kind of shot(running, position of deer), deers reaction besides running downhill when hit?
Post by: baldopepper on October 22, 2023, 09:25:51 AM
Post by: buckfvr on October 22, 2023, 09:45:55 AM
Post by: jrebel on October 22, 2023, 10:10:43 AM
Post by: Bone collector 13 on October 22, 2023, 10:12:25 AM
Post by: high_hunter on October 22, 2023, 12:17:54 PM
If heading back over let me know and maybe we can work something out. I turkey hunt over there and know a few locals. If you wanna PM me some more details I can check with them or at least look for bones in the spring.
Without you around and if rains have hit this is likely a lost cause IMO. Hopefully nonfatal or someone else gets a chance at him.
Post by: Kvw4x4 on October 22, 2023, 04:43:15 PM
Watch and listen for the birds. Magpies or Jays or ravens. Sounds like you are not in the area anymore though. :dunno:
What kind of shot(running, position of deer), deers reaction besides running downhill when hit?
The buck was facing slightly uphill, perfect broad side shot, watching through the scope from what I could see. He spun 180 very quickly and raced down hill.
The property is private and borders state land. The owner and a couple of his guys were gonna go look and keep an eye out for birds.
Post by: Kvw4x4 on October 22, 2023, 04:44:35 PM
Check your zero before you take another shot at an animal.
I will be shooting a very similar shot tomorrow to see how it places on a target.
My gun is zeroed at 200
Post by: Kvw4x4 on October 22, 2023, 04:50:57 PM
When will you be back? What’s the point of the post I guess? Are you done for the season? You said you went home immediately after. Are you plans to return? By now he’s probably spoiled. In the future if you’re on a time crunch you probably shouldn’t shoot a risky shot at the buzzer.
There is a lot of decisions I regret,
The point was really to see if anyone had advice on a whitetails reaction to being hit. Minimal blood, will they get in the brush and stay there?
If the buck would have tipped over and died nobody would have question the decision to take a shot on my last morning,
I have to be home for work for a week but by then it’s to late.
Post by: jason stevens on October 22, 2023, 05:05:44 PM
Post by: hunter399 on October 22, 2023, 05:18:48 PM
These things happen to all of us. Maybe you just grazed him who knows. Don't beat yourself up to bad. You still got til the 31st on the Westside. Get back after it.Thinking the same.
Don't beat yourself up.
All part of hunting.
Post by: huntnfmly on October 22, 2023, 06:24:36 PM
My daughter couldn’t find her biggest buck after the shot on a guided hunt hrs and hrs and many miles went into finding it was a kick in the gut for sure and still hurts
Post by: fishngamereaper on October 22, 2023, 07:11:16 PM
I smashed my finger couple weeks ago with a hammer bled like a stuck pig. If you where tracking me you'd swore I was holed up somewhere dead.. :chuckle:
I've tracked bleeding animals for miles before that don't show any signs of being injured...they are tough suckers.
Post by: hunter399 on October 22, 2023, 07:18:09 PM
Cause ya something like that might be life changer.
Post by: Romulus1297 on October 22, 2023, 09:38:11 PM
Post by: Rugsnfeathers on October 23, 2023, 08:57:56 AM
Aim for the neck whitetail love to run after their heart explodesExactly what happened to mine Monday last week. I shot that old 6 x 5 whitetail broadside at 35 yds and the tough mudder still ran downhill about 100 yards and without a drop of blood. It took a while for me and my buddy to find him. The only thing that allowed us to stay on track was his kick-ups, then it disappeared, and we knew we were not far from his resting place. When I opened him up, my 300 WM Nosler punched a 3" hole in the entry and roto-rootered just about everything inside with no exit hole. It was a bloody mess upon opening. The heart was buzsawed.
Post by: Kvw4x4 on October 23, 2023, 12:14:03 PM
Post by: Ridgeratt on October 23, 2023, 12:20:34 PM
Post by: Kvw4x4 on October 23, 2023, 01:18:25 PM
Is your rendition of the deer to scale?
It was pretty close, I think I gave it a 19” body height,
Post by: buckfvr on October 23, 2023, 01:22:01 PM
Post by: jrebel on October 23, 2023, 01:24:41 PM
Post by: Kvw4x4 on October 23, 2023, 02:13:35 PM
Makes me question the Power a bit.
Post by: jrebel on October 23, 2023, 02:27:41 PM
Hornady 143 eld-x factory loads, 6.5 creedmoor, vortex 1800 rangefinder, on another note, I only ever shot 1 buck with this gun. Maybe 3 years ago. 100 yard shot. He went about 50 yards and died. But there was no exit wound. Just a small entrance wound. It was a heart shot once we starting gutting it.
Makes me question the Power a bit.
1. I've seen those ELD-X blow up on bone. 300 WM 212 grain ELD-X to a bears shoulder.....bear lived and bullet never penetrated past the shoulder. I've got pics of the bear the next spring with hair patch missing and still very healthy. I won't shoot ELD-X bullets for that reason....a lot of guys love them, but a lot of guys also lover bergers...LOL :chuckle: :chuckle:
2. If you have 18-19" of drop at 300 yards, you are not sighted in at 200. You shouldn't have more than about 9" of drop if that's the case. If you were sighted in at 100 yards I would expect you to have less than 12-13 inches of drop at 300. This is of course all dependent on your setup / barrel length, ect......though one thing is for sure....18 to 19" of drop would at 300 with a zero of 200 is way to much. I would recheck your zero.
Post by: HooknoseHunter on October 23, 2023, 04:10:02 PM
Hornady 143 eld-x factory loads, 6.5 creedmoor, vortex 1800 rangefinder, on another note, I only ever shot 1 buck with this gun. Maybe 3 years ago. 100 yard shot. He went about 50 yards and died. But there was no exit wound. Just a small entrance wound. It was a heart shot once we starting gutting it.
Makes me question the Power a bit.
1. I've seen those ELD-X blow up on bone. 300 WM 212 grain ELD-X to a bears shoulder.....bear lived and bullet never penetrated past the shoulder. I've got pics of the bear the next spring with hair patch missing and still very healthy. I won't shoot ELD-X bullets for that reason....a lot of guys love them, but a lot of guys also lover bergers...LOL :chuckle: :chuckle:
2. If you have 18-19" of drop at 300 yards, you are not sighted in at 200. You shouldn't have more than about 9" of drop if that's the case. If you were sighted in at 100 yards I would expect you to have less than 12-13 inches of drop at 300. This is of course all dependent on your setup / barrel length, ect......though one thing is for sure....18 to 19" of drop would at 300 with a zero of 200 is way to much. I would recheck your zero.
+1 on this, I had a 178gr ELDX out of a .300 win Mag blow up on a mule deer shoulder a few years ago. Roughly 300-350 yard shot. I was able to get him with a few more shots but it made me change my thinking on the ELDX. Went back to Speer Grand Slams and haven’t had an issue.
Post by: buckfvr on October 23, 2023, 04:35:33 PM
My thought is you shot low to the point your shot did not penetrate the body cavity and was not a mortal wound. :dunno:
Post by: Sakko300wsm on October 23, 2023, 05:12:42 PM
Hornady 143 eld-x factory loads, 6.5 creedmoor, vortex 1800 rangefinder, on another note, I only ever shot 1 buck with this gun. Maybe 3 years ago. 100 yard shot. He went about 50 yards and died. But there was no exit wound. Just a small entrance wound. It was a heart shot once we starting gutting it.
Makes me question the Power a bit.
1. I've seen those ELD-X blow up on bone. 300 WM 212 grain ELD-X to a bears shoulder.....bear lived and bullet never penetrated past the shoulder. I've got pics of the bear the next spring with hair patch missing and still very healthy. I won't shoot ELD-X bullets for that reason....a lot of guys love them, but a lot of guys also lover bergers...LOL :chuckle: :chuckle:
2. If you have 18-19" of drop at 300 yards, you are not sighted in at 200. You shouldn't have more than about 9" of drop if that's the case. If you were sighted in at 100 yards I would expect you to have less than 12-13 inches of drop at 300. This is of course all dependent on your setup / barrel length, ect......though one thing is for sure....18 to 19" of drop would at 300 with a zero of 200 is way to much. I would recheck your zero.
This!
Post by: tgomez on October 23, 2023, 06:40:57 PM
So I was able to take some shots, I held my cross hairs on the Red Cross in pictures at the 315 yard mark, You can see my 3 shot placements, consistent but very low on body assuming the body width is good. I was dealing with a little left to right wind too..Looks like you hit the deer extremely low if this was the case. Need to check your zero again. You might even be low at 100 yards. I don't know the terrain which you hunt in, but I like a 200 yard zero.
Post by: Kvw4x4 on October 23, 2023, 07:24:11 PM
I checked my zero later today. About 6-7” low and 2-3” to the right. So somewhere somehow something happened to my scope, bummer
Post by: Romulus1297 on October 23, 2023, 09:00:27 PM
Post by: duckmen1 on October 23, 2023, 09:46:33 PM
To those pushing an eldx at extreme velocities that may not be the best for the bullet construction. Same as sierra gameking bullets. Some say they suck and try to push those bullets like 3400fps. I push mine at 2800 fps with a 165. Last 2 shots at bull elk was 2 complete pass throughs. Breaking both shoulders. Both shots. Learn what the bullet constructions are made to do within their design and no issues will be had. Oh and on the berger study. Well ours is 100% on quick recoveries on deer and bears again. In fact even elk have dropped fast. I don't know. I guess I have seen animals run way further with these deep penetrating bullets. But still very effective. As pointed out in this original posts deer sounds like a sight issue.
Post by: 300rum on October 24, 2023, 06:19:28 AM
I had my gun zeroed at 200 before I left hunting,
I checked my zero later today. About 6-7” low and 2-3” to the right. So somewhere somehow something happened to my scope, bummer
Post by: Karl Blanchard on October 24, 2023, 08:20:11 AM
Post by: callturner on October 24, 2023, 10:48:30 AM
Vortex or leupold scope I presume?Just curious why you would say that?
Post by: blackpowderhunter on October 24, 2023, 10:51:01 AM
because they're known to not hold zero/track well after repeated dialing up and down.Vortex or leupold scope I presume?Just curious why you would say that?
Post by: jrebel on October 24, 2023, 10:56:39 AM
Vortex....well, don't get me started....Garbage IMO.
Post by: Karl Blanchard on October 24, 2023, 11:09:10 AM
Not even just dialing. Just lousy zero retention period.because they're known to not hold zero/track well after repeated dialing up and down.Vortex or leupold scope I presume?Just curious why you would say that?
Post by: Kvw4x4 on October 24, 2023, 07:01:12 PM
I do have turret adjust but didn’t use it.
Post by: Stein on October 24, 2023, 09:19:53 PM
Post by: huntandjeep on October 25, 2023, 05:56:01 PM
Vortex or leupold scope I presume?:rolleyes: