Post by: blacktaill on October 25, 2010, 02:06:17 PM
Post by: Bob33 on October 25, 2010, 02:07:54 PM
Post by: focht22 on October 25, 2010, 02:09:11 PM
Post by: WDFW-SUX on October 25, 2010, 02:09:32 PM
Post by: 6x6in6 on October 25, 2010, 02:11:34 PM
Post by: BlackRidge on October 25, 2010, 02:12:33 PM
Post by: steen on October 25, 2010, 02:16:21 PM
Post by: blacktaill on October 25, 2010, 02:22:32 PM
Post by: quadrafire on October 25, 2010, 02:25:21 PM
Post by: blacktaill on October 25, 2010, 02:31:18 PM
Post by: ser300wsm on October 25, 2010, 02:50:28 PM
Enough said!:yeah:
Post by: bobcat on October 25, 2010, 02:53:52 PM
Post by: blacktailer on October 25, 2010, 03:00:35 PM
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
Post by: 400out on October 25, 2010, 03:01:29 PM
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 :dunno:
Post by: Bob33 on October 25, 2010, 03:03:44 PM
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.
Post by: J Snow73 on October 25, 2010, 03:10:35 PM
Post by: wastickslinger on October 25, 2010, 03:30:37 PM
Post by: donimator on October 25, 2010, 05:56:34 PM
Post by: brianmtsinc on October 25, 2010, 06:14:16 PM
I think it just depends on the situation - the weather, hunting pressure, any help or hunting alone, and the shot. :twocents:
Post by: AKBowman on October 25, 2010, 06:27:46 PM
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.
Thats not necessarily true, especially untrue this time of year. In fact I am going to disagree with you completely on this one. If the deer runs off after the shot and you are unsure about the shot you are best to leave the deer lay overnight and get on it first light. First of all, if the deer is hit but not hit hard enough to drop in sight it will most likely die in its first bed if left undisturbed. If you are inpatient :o and chase it in the dark the only thing you will do is bump it from its bed and most likely have no idea which direction it ran without a possibility of getting a follow up shot in the dark. Secondly the meat will NOT go bad if even if you werent able to find it until later the next day. I shot a moose in 65 degree weather in Sept that I let lay overnight and couldnt get onto it until almost dark the next day. The meat was fine...all of this "Bone Sour" stuff is BS IMO this time of year.
Hands dowm IMO let the deer lay overnight and let nature take its course. If you feel your hit was decent he should be dead within a couple hundred yards in his orginal bed the next morning. Meat will be fine.
Post by: Shootmoore on October 25, 2010, 06:30:29 PM
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.
My dad always has a few choice words every time he watches a show and they do that.
Shootmoore
Post by: AKBowman on October 25, 2010, 06:40:13 PM
Post by: ribka on October 25, 2010, 07:02:47 PM
Post by: ICEMAN on October 25, 2010, 07:05:55 PM
Also keep a big roll of flagging tape in your jacket to mark any sign you have. Tag up high at eye level and you can look back and see the route the deer took if you are losing it....
Post by: ribka on October 25, 2010, 07:11:05 PM
Post by: DeerThug on October 25, 2010, 07:13:18 PM
I had to leave a deer that ran across a river after shot. I was able to get over to it and gut it, but the current was too strong to get it back to the other side. I propped the belly open with sticks and laid him on his back in a few inches of water.
While the meat was not spoiled, I could definitely tell that it was not skinned and cooled right.
Post by: Ihuntelk2 on October 25, 2010, 07:14:12 PM
Post by: spotter26 on October 25, 2010, 08:04:48 PM
Post by: bobcat on October 25, 2010, 08:14:02 PM
Post by: Hangfire on October 25, 2010, 08:26:41 PM
My son shot a nice white tail opening day of archery, at last light, a couple years ago. He went back at first light the next morning with help. They found the deer within a 100 yards. Coyotes had found it and ate part of a hind quarter.
Each time has to be judged on the individual experience. There is a time to leave and a time to follow. There can be meat loss and other times not.
Post by: fair-chase on October 25, 2010, 08:28:19 PM
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.
My dad always has a few choice words every time he watches a show and they do that.
Shootmoore
I used to like watching hunting shows, but they give out sooooo much bad advice its hard to stomach them anymore. I don't think most of them eat what they kill, most are donated to charities or homeless. They don't care if the meat they are giving away tastes gamie, or if half of it gets thrown out. Why would they, their going to shoot 14 more deer this year. :bash:
For those of us in the real world. Get it cut and out as soon as possible. Yes there are going to be situations where its just not feesable to get it out that night. Do what you can out of respect for the animal. As long as you are working your butt off nobody is going to be sore at you if it is just not a possibility that night. If you shoot it and walk away as seen on tv with no effort to save the meat or recover the animal, well then your going to take some heat. :twocents:
OK, I am done now. Not directed at anyone just getting that out there.
Post by: Wea300mag on October 25, 2010, 08:30:10 PM
Quote
I have left several elk and one deer in the woods over night. They were skinned, quartered, hung from a tree or propped up so air could flow around. I take off my T shirt and hang it by the meat. I also urinate about 10 feet away.
Those are my prefered techniques also, especially for elk, they are sometimes hard to get out in one day.
Post by: nontypical176 on October 25, 2010, 08:33:26 PM
It happens sometimes that you've got to leave them lay, especially if theres a chance it might get up and run....I mean things don't always work out like we plan. Thumping around in the brush at night with lights trying to find a downed animal is easier than it sounds(been there). Especially in this brushy, foggy, rainy, reprod, devils clubbed, slash piled, stream covered, up and down, blackberry heaven in Western Washington. In 20 years of hunting and around some real idiots, never has there been a deer or elk that anybody I know has shot that hasn't been edible.
Post by: buckhorn2 on October 25, 2010, 09:43:46 PM
Post by: charlesbearden1 on October 25, 2010, 10:50:08 PM