2022 Deer season

[Hookeye]

Never blown a deer off their feet.

Have crumpled a few w spine hits.
Crumpled a few w double lung non spine hits.

Am cool with "Dead over there".

Have slid one back in his tracks, frontal shot at close range w shotgun, shot him in throat patch after sneaking up on him in the rain (wanted to see how close I could get).

Shot a 150# dressed 8 at 12 yards, from the ground. Winchester Sabot 12 ga "High Impact Supreme". Contact was front of onside shoulder. Slug found under hide on opp side ham.
Full energy absorption. And he jumped high, ran 50 yards and stopped.

Why didn't that one "knock him off his feet" ?

Now, I have dropped some w non spine shots, where a shoulder was taken out.
Tripping em up aint the same as knocking them down.

At least IMHO.

 

[gregr]

I'm up to 4 that I've found dead on my place so far . Two other property owners next to mine are up to 19 ! We have a long way to go before the first frost , I'm afraid we will lose a whole bunch more.

I`ve spoken to DNR wildlife biologists as well as a couple of CO`s, and they all said the same thing when I told them about what I heard a guy say his buddy saw at some guys place. They said contact the DNR so they can come out and verify the incident, make reports, and have those cases as verified information they can use to gauge what's really going on with the deer herd. They told me they hear these stories constantly but they don`t get contacted so they can never verify them, and they have to treat them as stories.

 

[gregr]

My first high power rifle deer in Indiana was with a 30-06 and it took more than one shot although every hit was a killer by itself the deer just didn't react to it that I could see. They're funny critters about how they die when shot. If I wanted a better blood trail I'd be looking for something 44 mag or wider like a 45-70 or 12ga slug, but then I'd got rainbow trajectory.

For a long time I was getting into black bear hunting and most of those guy go for a slower and wider bullet because so much fat on the animal helps seal up the bullet holes and you lose the blood trails.

All things considered, I look at blood trails as a "nice to have" thing, but if I don't get one I am usually finding the critter within 50 yards of where it was hit.

I`ve yet to kill a deer with a .30-06, but my buddy has killed half a dozen with that caliber, and every one dropped where it stood. I only shoot once at deer. If you`ve waited and taken a good shot, they may run, but they aren`t going far.

 

[tcecil88]

Bullet selection and shot placement have much more to do with the quality of the blood trail than shotgun vs. rifle, IMO. I've lost deer due to non-existent blood trails from crappy sabots and have been lucky to find others despite the lack of a blood trail. The only poor blood trail I've had with a rifle was on my buck from last year and that was primarily because I had to aim above the weeds he was standing in and hit him high. Generally, the lower in the chest cavity and closer to the heart you hit the better the blood trail will be.

The best blood trails I've ever had were on a buck that I wouldn't have killed if the shot had hit a 1/4" lower and on my cow black wildebeest that was hit a touch low and at a steep downward angle. The buck ran 30 yards and stopped briefly before toppling over. When I walked up to him, everything within a 15' area around where he fell was coated in a fine mist of blood. The black wildebeest left a blood trail close to a foot wide on either side as it ran. With one shoulder shattered, the other hit as well and gushing blood it still made it almost 200 yards. Tough critter.

I agree 100% with bullet placement. I always aim 1/3rd to 1/2 way up right behind the shoulder. I don't try for the heart, I try for both lungs. It only takes a few seconds for the deer to pass out from lack of oxygen and drop, then bleed out a few seconds later and die. Chest cavity is typically filled with blood provided I did not pop the diaphragm. With a shotgun or archery, the deer typically drops in sight after a short run. I have not gotten a deer yet with a modern rifle, so I cannot speak to that. Since Indiana started allowing us to use rifle cartridges I use either a .300 Blk or .350 Legend, depending on where I am hunting. Where I hunt (typically deep woods public ground) most shot opportunities are well within 100 yards, so I don't use my .30-06. I have that in case I ever get to go out west and hunt. Hopefully one day I can go Mule deer or Antelope hunting.
My buddy hunts out near Spencer in more open areas and uses a .270 and he tells me they typically drop in place or don't run far at all.

 

[teddy12b]

I`ve yet to kill a deer with a .30-06, but my buddy has killed half a dozen with that caliber, and every one dropped where it stood. I only shoot once at deer. If you`ve waited and taken a good shot, they may run, but they aren`t going far.

My first two deer were with a 30-06 from a TC encore single shot. I've always loved a single shot, but I also am more than willing to fire more rounds to ease an animals suffering as I think I owe it that much. The only deer I shot more than once with a 30-06 had two lethal hits when I got to it, but I was almost jogging when I came up to the buck and it was still trying to breath. I put a third shot in it while it was laying down to ease the pain. When I field dressed it, the vitals were shredded up every which way and little damage to any meat.

The only animal I shot twice with a 44mag was a 60 yard broadside shot that knocked that buck flat on its side like it just got hit by a truck. I was shocked at how hard that 44mag hit the buck, but he flopped over sideways like he'd been hit by a truck. He looked like he was struggling to get up and when I saw big thick section of neck as my only shot I took it and that ended the pain for him.

 

[gregr]

My first two deer were with a 30-06 from a TC encore single shot. I've always loved a single shot, but I also am more than willing to fire more rounds to ease an animals suffering as I think I owe it that much. The only deer I shot more than once with a 30-06 had two lethal hits when I got to it, but I was almost jogging when I came up to the buck and it was still trying to breath. I put a third shot in it while it was laying down to ease the pain. When I field dressed it, the vitals were shredded up every which way and little damage to any meat.

The only animal I shot twice with a 44mag was a 60 yard broadside shot that knocked that buck flat on its side like it just got hit by a truck. I was shocked at how hard that 44mag hit the buck, but he flopped over sideways like he'd been hit by a truck. He looked like he was struggling to get up and when I saw big thick section of neck as my only shot I took it and that ended the pain for him.

Oh, to be sure, if an animal is suffering I will do what I can to ease that suffering. What I was saying is, I shoot once then settle in wait for the animal to go lay down before I get down and try to start blood trailing. If a deer is hit in the heart/lung area, one shot is all that`s necessary. It will usually run off, lay up and expire reasonably quickly. Trying to push it very likely will cause it to run until it cannot be found.

 

[two70]

I`ve yet to kill a deer with a .30-06, but my buddy has killed half a dozen with that caliber, and every one dropped where it stood. I only shoot once at deer. If you`ve waited and taken a good shot, they may run, but they aren`t going far.

Personally, I'm never going to pass up an opportunity to put another bullet in an animal if I have the chance. Better safe than to find out the hard way that the first shot wasn't as good as I first thought.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Oh, to be sure, if an animal is suffering I will do what I can to ease that suffering. What I was saying is, I shoot once then settle in wait for the animal to go lay down before I get down and try to start blood trailing. If a deer is hit in the heart/lung area, one shot is all that`s necessary. It will usually run off, lay up and expire reasonably quickly. Trying to push it very likely will cause it to run until it cannot be found.

I wait also. I don't want a deer's last view to have me in it. I know I'll never slit another's throat. Not good.

 

[Walking Bear]

License price went up. I am OK with an increase but from 62 to 91 come on. I love to hunt but mostly be outdoors. I don't shoot many deer last couple of years. I am 80% deaf with hearing aids. Have terrible arthritis in knees. Hell yeah I am old but have some hard miles. Our deer herd needs managed but not by politicians but people. who know.

 

[Leadeye]

The gardener's early season 8 point.

She found this along with more bones in one of the places she excavates creek gravel for her landscaping. Must have been one the neighbors missed or somebody in the HNF, I didn't see anything like this last year. It's in good condition and clean enough for a good European skull mount. Partial burial in the creek gravel may have contributed to the condition.

 

[cg21]

My 6yo got it done this past weekend on public land 357 Henry leverlution ammo 2 deer both ended up being neck shots dropped them in their tracks. (55yd and 35yd iron sights) My other daughter got skunked…… and I think she wants to upgrade from the 357 ….. bigger caliber and possibly an optic.

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

My 6yo got it done this past weekend on public land 357 Henry leverlution ammo 2 deer both ended up being neck shots dropped them in their tracks. (55yd and 35yd iron sights) My other daughter got skunked…… and I think she wants to upgrade from the 357 ….. bigger caliber and possibly an optic.

I saw a pic on the Phil's FB page. Great job, dad and congrats to your daughter.

 

[DragonGunner]

Out this morning and saw several different does and young ones. One small buck, could fo shot any of them, but going to try and wait for nice buck 1st....but that one big doe was tempting me. A little cooler and might have, still got meat from last year so not to eager on a doe yet. Camera card pulled showed another small 8 pt. in area but haven't seen the target buck for 2 weeks now on the camera.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Same here almost to a T.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Daughter has seen seven does and two bucks so far this morning. I'm on stand surfing INGO........

 

[cg21]

I

Daughter has seen seven does and two bucks so far this morning. I'm on stand surfing INGO........

It’s a long season.

 

[Michigan Slim]

I

It’s a long season.

Aye. Having a blast. I have fun when the kids have fun.

 

[DragonGunner]

Temp should hit 38 Monday morning,...and wind die down. Going out, later in week gets really cold. Hoping the colder days get some bigger bucks moving a little more.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Temp should hit 38 Monday morning,...and wind die down. Going out, later in week gets really cold. Hoping the colder days get some bigger bucks moving a little more.

Daughter saw three bucks this morning around 8:30. Two were sparring ten yards away. We just hunted the mornings and all movement was early morning. I'll wait for the cooler weather to hunt evenings. Too easy to get warm and take a nappy.

 

[teddy12b]

I'm jealous, I haven't even sighted in my crossbow for the year yet.