Have you ever shot & lost big game animal?

The one that almost got away.

One small doe in better than 1/2 century of my hunting deer. Remember as if it happened yesterday to me when I had color in my hair and a great set of eyes.
I was sitting in a tree platform stand 15 ft. off the ground with no wind on a cold Minnesota morning over looking an open 40 acre wild grass field. I had at that time a brand new Ruger model 77 in 243 with a 2-1/2 to 8 power Bushnell Scope Chief mounted. And a magazine full of 75 gr. H.Ps. After getting up into the stand and watching the field for maybe a half hour not a thing did I see that early morning. I heard something below me. I looked down below my stand and watched a red squirrel for a few seconds at most doing his early morning thing on the ground. And than back to the fields center area to re-concentrate on. Low and behold there stood a lone doe. She had to have been sleeping out there and just got up out of her bed maybe 175-200 yards away right in the middle of the field. The way she stood it appeared to be a near perfect broadside shot. " A piece of cake for me to make." I took careful aim and let that 243 bark on that very still morning. That doe jumped and hobbled directly away from me towards the woods line on three legs. Not wanting to blow up a ham or take out her loin area. I chose to get down and walked to my folks house to tell my folks about the good luck I had that morning._:)_ And have my dad help me find her. My father. He knew those woods where that doe headed into like the back of his hand. After a cup of tea and warmed up again. We both went looking for her. A couple freshly blood soaked beds and a full day of tracking (Nothing!!) Next morning early we pick up the chase again where we left off at. Again we broke off at noon to have lunch. 1:30 we were at it again following her thru swamps in and out of tight areas where a mosquito would have a hard time flying. We found that doe at 4:30 PM that second day. Gray Wolves (timbers) had gotten to her before we did._:mad:_ What we determined happened with all that was left of her. My shot hit her on her shoulder plate at an angle and just frankly blew up on it causing a big bleeding wound.:(_ All that walking to give a deer to a pair of wolves taught me something that day. Be sure of your aim. And don't use a bullet designed for varmint taking for distant shots at Big Game animals. The following deer season I again had another new rifle something more appropriate. Remington Model 700-ADL in 270 Winchester mounted with that scope I dearly love 2-1/2 to 8- Bushnell Scope Chief. I haven't lost a deer since.:D Than again I haven't forgotten about the one I did lose. (Yet)
 
i lost 1, well not actually lost more like stolen . shot a big doe during antlerless season shot it quartering away from me with a 150 grain 300 savage load .it ran down hill toward the road about 125 yards. my cousin saw three guys stop and throw the deer in the back of a Pennzoil truck . so the next year i bought a stopper rifle, Marlin 45/70 . never had a deer run after being hit with a 45//70.
 
I've never lost a Deer. I was taught to only take the shot if you are sure that you can deliver a clean one shot kill. I hunted for 10 or 12 years before I connected. I seen plenty of Deer and Elk during that time but no good shots IMO. I've been told I could have hit that deer at 300 yds and only hesitated, but I hadn't practiced at that distance so couldn't reliably take the shot. I took ribbing for awhile and I am 2 for 2 now. Curiously, the guy that said I should've taken that long shot has lost 2 deer that I know of and who knows haw many others that he wont talk about? He doesn't rib me anymore.

I have lost some rabbits here and there. :o
 
I lost one rag horn bull elk with a bow that I shot too far forward. Nerves got me, no point in sugar coating it. I lost one doe with a bow that I either shot too high or she sqautted when she heard the snap. And, I lost one good buck with a rifle that I am not sure where the bullet hit. The deer went down and was kicking dirt up in the air. But, it got up and ran in to a thick cut over. Left a few drops of blood and quit. I looked for that buck for three days. No luck. I haven't lost one lately, knock on wood.
 
lost one. When I was very young. Bad hit on my part. was never able to find it. Since then, I have always taken my time when sighting.
 
More preparation, less perspiration!

Haven't lost or had to track one yet, but I hand load my ammo (165 Game Kings) and practice shooting them off a pack or sticks weeks before the season opens. I also tape dope info to the inside of the scope flip cover as our hunting area ranges from dense brush to wide open fields. Even then I will (and often have) let it walk if I can't get a solid neck or heart/ lung shot.

Stuff happens... I get that and maybe I've just been lucky so far. But it seems that over the years people in general have put more effort into picking out their camo than making sure their rifle and gear are set up properly. I also know too many folks who won't so much as take a practice shot or confirm zero before they head out on opening day with shells from whatever box happened to be on sale at Walmart the day they renewed their license.
 
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I was deer hunting in Butte County, South Dakota and shot a decent 3X3 muley just a little far back. Seemed like a good idea to wait a few hours before following the blood trail (there was snow). So we drove back to town to warm up and eat lunch.

We took up the trail and found the animal about quarter mile from where I shot it. But it was torn apart and eaten by coyotes. Not much left of the buck.

Jack
 
When I was still young (probably 16ish years old) I was out hunting deer with my cousin. I was hunting with my fathers 30-06. I saw a deer that looked pretty far away but I was sure I could hit it.

Any way I shot it and it ran. Being young I was not good at tracking. My cousin and I tracked it for about 2 hours and got board and went back home....

That was a big mistake. My dad found out and at once grounded me. Then my dad and my cousin and my self all went out and looked for the deer. That night we stayed out "tracking" with flash lights till about 3 AM... then we where up again at 6 am. The next evening we found the deer. It was dead and my father made me drag it home and he helped me salvage what meat we could get from it.

The next year my father would not let me go hunting with out him. It was not until I was living on my own that I was again allowed to hunt with out him there.

My father after words told me he was very disappointed in my actions. I should have never taken a shot that I was unsure of. The disappointment of my father was a far worse punishment than the grounding or only going on hunts when he could come with me. I promised him that I would never take a shot that I was unsure of again.

I have learned to only take shots I am sure I can hit. I have passed up many good looking bucks because they are out of range of my 45-70 or 357 marlin. I only hunt with my 357 magnum carbine when I can shoot from off my back porch or fence cause I know the yardage in my back yard. When I have to leave my home to hunt I bring some thing bigger (one of my 45-70s) People often ask why I shoot guns with a "rainbow trajectory" What I tell them is that these guns keep me honest with my self. I know at what range I can kill and I never try to push is.

After that incident, self control and avoiding taking long shots has not been a problem. Before every shot I seem to have a vision of that time where me, my father and my cousin tracked (or more accurately looked for) the deer for nearly 2 days strait with only 3 hours of sleep. Then having to drag it back my self with out the aid of the ATV. I have never taken a shot too long for my skills and my gun since then.

p.s. my dad still gives me crap about it
 
we are required by law to have a dog available within the hour, some birdhunting you need to bring a retriever or pointer type dog.

I have lost a goose and a roedeer (we found it the next day) plenty of blood and guts, but the dog couldn't find it and the rain stopped our tracking
 
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