Wounded Deer Help (Pics)

grizzly

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LAST EDITED ON Nov-20-16 AT 10:03PM (MST)[p]I shot a deer this afternoon on the last day of my Colorado 4th season deer tag. He hunched up when he was hit, so I felt it was a solid hit, and started running/walking to the left, I shot again and broke his back leg at the hip. I didn't see it because of the recoil but my wife said it was pretty much just flopping there. The deer then crossed from public land onto an Indian Reservation where I couldn't go. I was hunting very near the border so this was a distance of about 40 yards (he was supposed to run away from the border when he was hit but didn't follow directions very well).

After 30 minutes of phone calls I reached a tribal police officer that gave me permission to cross into their land to retrieve the deer. It was getting dark but I found significant blood about 50 yards later in the form of about six large blotches. These were about 100 yards from where he was shot. It was now dark which meant a follow-up shot was illegal so I decided to back out and let him bleed out overnight.

Thoughts? Did I make the right call by backing out? What are the odds of finding the buck? Where do you think he was hit by the pics and description?

Thanks for the insight. It is going to be a sleepless night for me but luckily the officer is escorting me onto their land in the morning to look for the buck, so I have hope.

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Man I've had a sleepless night over wounded animals before, just as you will tonight. Sounds like he's hit hard once from the first shot and losing a wheel on the second.
That buck can't go far once he stoves up.
Yes you did the right thing by calling off the dogs tonight.
My bet is you'll be taking some pictures of your buck tomorrow morning ?


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I would be very optimistic if I were in your shoes. Deer with only one back wheel tend to lay up quick if not bumped.

He could be alive in the morning. When you go in make sure scope is turned all the way down.

Good luck.
 
Sounds like he did not go far, I believe you will find him in the morning. Letting them stove up Is always the right call when it's getting late.
 
Good luck grizzly. I hope you find it in the morning. I'm happy to hear you're getting cooperation from the reservation. Make sure you post some photos .

-Hawkeye-
 
When they "hunch up" it's been my experience they were hit farther back than lungs. There's a chance the leg hit took out a good artery and he'll bleed out. Not sure you can legally shoot him again today like tri suggests. Good luck.
 
It sounds and looks like the hits he took will kill him.

In CO, is it legal to recover an animal after the season..??

"Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!" 2 Ne. 28: 24
 
Glad you got the officer to assist. He maybe able to finish off the buck if needed. I don't know tribal rules. Hope things work out for you.
 
I just got the call from the Tribal officer saying we're good to go. He confirmed he can finish it off if needed so that shouldn't be a problem.

Also, the warden at Colorado's Operation Game Thief said it's all up to tribal jurisdiction at this point and to do whatever they say. I'll let you know how it goes. Thx.

Grizzly
 
Keep us posted here. I would personally like to know how that works if it were on public land and shot at dark on the last day? Can the animal be finished off the next morning if need be?
 
I too am awaiting the pics of your buck.

It seems to me that a recovery will be happening unless you get a big rain or snow.

Since you have Tribal approval you're good to go but if it was still on public land then a follow-up shot the day after the season ends would probably be illegal. Moral but illegal.

I can't wait to see pics and hear the whole story!

Zeke
 
I'm sure it could vary from state to state, but in Montana I have been told by the game warden that once an animal is shot they consider it to have been taken from its natural environment and anything you have to do the day after the season to tag the animal is acceptable. This includes tracking/hunting/shooting the wounded animal.

Mark
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My hunting spot is so secret, not even the elk have found it yet.
 
Not sure you'll get this. But if he's hit in his right leg, he wont go around a hill with the right side downhill. No way to support his body on the downhill side.

I'm betting he's dead close to where you left the trail.

Best of luck. All of us are pulling for you.
 
>I'm sure it could vary from
>state to state, but in
>Montana I have been told
>by the game warden that
>once an animal is shot
>they consider it to have
>been taken from its natural
>environment and anything you have
>to do the day after
>the season to tag the
>animal is acceptable. This
>includes tracking/hunting/shooting the wounded animal.

I may be wrong, but I would be surprised if this was legal. Last day is the last day. I think you could go look and hopefully retrieve a dead deer but packing a rifle and shooting after the season would be iffy to me.
 
If it is in fact on Indian land, state laws do not apply. If he gets permission from the tribal council and or tribal law, he should be good to dispatch the buck if it needs be.

I say this because i have guided on Indian land for 20 years, they have their own set of rules aside from the state they reside in.



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Sorry for the slow reply. We got the deer to the truck at about 3:30pm and still had a 500 mile drive home to be at work Tuesday morning so I didn't have time to post earlier; but we just pulled into town.

Luckily the deer didn't go far. We found him about 50 yards from where we had left the blood trail so I think it was good we backed out instead of pushing him in the dark.

The first shot had actually hit him a little in front of the shoulder and high. It was below the spine and above lungs in "no man's land". Obviously the shot hit some major arteries though, so I'm grateful for that. It was a downpour all day today so the blood trail was lost but he had laid down just up the hill in some oaks.

After taping him, he ends up at 202 5/8 with a 189 6/8 mainframe. Not bad for a unit that only takes a few points for non-residents.

I couldn't be happier and wanted to say thanks to everybody for the well-wishes and positive thoughts. It helped me actually sleep a few hours last night.

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Nice Job on Keeping at it & Contacting The Tribe for Recovery!

Same Thing Happens Here alot & People get Scared,The Worst they can Tell You is NO!

But Most of the Time They'll work with You & Help You!

Nice Buck!

I'd of Spent a Week Looking for Him if Necessary!











[font color="blue"]She put a Big F.U. in My Future,Ya She's got a
way with Words[/font]
 
He's a toad! Congrats...

Cancer doesn't discriminate...don't take your good health for granted because it can be gone in a heartbeat. Please go back and read the last line. This time really understand what it says.
 
Awesome buck bro!
Way to stay after it!
My hope is more guys would try that hard regardless of antler size!
Congratulations!
Zeke
 
That's an awesome buck. Must have been a great relief to find it so quickly the next morning. Congrats!!

Mark
muledeer.jpg


My hunting spot is so secret, not even the elk have found it yet.
 
Great buck and a good ending.

Out of curiosity..........What caliber and bullet did you shot him with?
 
That's a really nice buck! Love the dark antlers, and the neck on that thing is swollen!!! ONe of the prettiest deer I have seen posted this year, congrats.
 
That's a great Buck! I'm glad the tribe worked with you and you were able to recover him, would've been a shame if he was left to rot!
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-24-16 AT 12:38PM (MST)[p]It's nice to read a thread where somebody does everything right after finding himself in a difficult situation. Grizzly, you should be proud of how you managed your ordeal. Congratulations. BTW, damn nice buck!
 
Awesome deer. I've got 5 CO nr points.

Feel free to tell me where to put in and come with me ?.

Man that's a sweet buck.


"That's a special feeling, Lloyd"
 
I wanted to thank everybody again for the well wishes in finding this buck last November. I got him home now so I thought I'd share the great taxidermy job done by Powder Horn Taxidermy in McCammon, Idaho.

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Well I want one just like him, did he make one for me??? Lol. Awesome buck congrats. Job well done on the taxi work!!
 
That buck looks like he was the alpha!


Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high, keep your eyes fixed to where the trail meets the sky...
 
He looks awesome on the wall.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]
 
I don't know how I missed this originally. I'm glad it worked out! I avoid hunting very close to the property lines because I just know that would happen to me too! :)
 

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