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Help with shot

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Rutty

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My dad shot a nice buck tonight. It was 100 yards away broadside with his head up. He shot him with a bushmaster 450 and it dropped him in his tracks instantly. The buck laid there and kicked for 5 seconds then got back up and didn’t run full speed but on a trot and looked to be in pain. The deer stopped at 200 yards and he shot again and swore he dropped him but it was low light conditions and wasn’t 100 positive. He walked over to where he thought he would be and no deer. He didn’t look for blood and backed out. Anybody have any thoughts on chances of finding him based on this experience. We are going to wait until morning. Will a deer generally die from most Bodycavity shots even if it’s not in the vitals with a gun? Is a gun wound a lot different than a bow wound? Thanks!
 
My experience with a 450 shooting Hornady FTX this year is the deer will die but blood will likely be sparse. I think if you let him lay he won't go far but you might have to put on your good tracking shoes. I hope you find him and wish you luck.

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Have had the same scenario take place with a muzzleloader a few times. Never did find one of them and wasn't reloaded in time when he got up. Also curious what ammo he was shooting. Those Hornady bullets have really been lacking the performance that I have seen
 
I find it odd that it dropped him in its tracks. He didn’t seem to run the best after the first shot. It was also odd that the buck stopped 100 yards after the first shot after he had been dropped the first shot and shot at another time while running away. If he wasn’t hurt bad you would think he would be running hard after being shot at twice wouldn’t you?
 
Do you think he grazed the spine and that’s what dropped him? With a gun bullet grazing the spine there is no way a buck could get up is there? I could see a broad head grazing the spine and the deer getting up but a bullet I would think would make him not be able to get up?
 
A grazed spine with a bullet is something deer can definitely get up from. I shot one just under the spine but grazed it and when I went to get the deer an hour later he had pushed himself down a hill under a fence and into a creek. Once in the creek he got his legs back and walked off. The next morning we trailed him and he got up and trotted off and I killed him. The original exit hole was the size of your fist but had hit nothing vital! Good luck!
 
I did this once in Iowa on a big buck. Grazed the spine is my guess. The second shot should help.

Might be a tough blood trail. Good luck, keep us posted.
 
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My guess is grazed spine, but who knows.

I shot a doe in the neck once with a ML. Dead right there, or so I thought. Only had the one tag so didn't bother reloading. Bunch of other deer in the field, so just sat there and watched them. After a couple of minutes she started to move. Got her back legs working and wheel barrowed herself down hill in the hayfield to the wooded creek. I "Barney Fifed" it and spilled a bunch of powder and couldn't get reloaded in time. I spent a while looking in the creek area. No blood to be found. I assume front legs woke back up, and she got out of there.

A common issue is people sight in their guns on the bench on a rest of some sort (often a lead sled). Then they get in the field and shoot more free recoil and muzzle rise can push your point of impact several inches higher. And if you're zeroed 2-3" high at 100, it can be enough to cause a bad shot. No idea if this is what happened, but something to consider.
 
Spine shock can and does happen with guns. I shot a buck with a rifle last month and he dropped like a bag of hammers. Called a buddy to come help me get him out and while I was on the phone he stood up and started walking away like nothing happened, was able to get a couple more in him though to finish the deal. When I looked him over my first shot was high and had I dumped off into the canyon to go over and get him instead of making the phone call he probably would’ve been gone by the time I made it over to him. Hope it works out, good luck


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I think the deer is dead. Just bought a 450 bushmaster this year, shot 2 deer with it, with Custom FTXs. Both deer were stone dead within 30 yards. Definitely going to be some grid searching involved in a situation like this. Good Luck. Hopefully u get him recovered.
 
Ive hit one with bow like you described. Fell over like a 2x4 but staggered once they gained their bearings and ran away and looked back at about 100-150. He trotted off like nothing happened and i thought in my head, i wouldnt recover that deer. That i just spined him in "no mans land". I backed out, and came back a few hours later and he was piled up just out of sight. I must of hit the artery that runs across thier spine. He was stiff like crazy. I hope you have a similar situation!
 
Sorry been busy. We found the buck only 50 yards from last shot in brush. The shot was dead center of body. I would say guts and maybe liver. Kinda crazy how it unfolded.... dropping the bucks in it’s tracks and having him get up and run off. Not much of a blood trail.
 
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