On Friday (10/20/20) I shot a mature buck at 85 yards with a 350 Legend, 170 grain bullet. The deer hit the ground and flopped around. I watched him do this for 8-10 seconds then he got up and ran off. I found the spot where he flopped but no hair or blood. I heard him run into the woods and make a lot of crashing noises. We looked for 3 hours and never found blood. Anyone ever have this happen or have any suggestion of what happened?
Deer Down but....
- Thread starter Rymico
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- deer hunting
DocHolladay
Well-Known Member
Give him a little time and go back, you might have pushed him and not known it. Check water sources near by and anything that is super thick. If you can use dogs, get someone who has one and track him.
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Buckbuilder
Member
Shot this one with a muzzle loader. Exact same details. Clipped his back and he is still coming back to same spot it shot him.
Buckbuilder
Member
Can't upload pic?
Drycreek
Well-Known Member
My guess is the same, clipped his back. Brown hair on the back is hard to find on brown leaves if he was in the woods.
MarkDarvin
Well-Known Member
I had that once. Spined one and it flipped and flopped for 10 seconds. I did the slow 'take off the gloves' and exhale and get ready to go down and claim my prize. Then he upped and took off like he was riding a rocket outta there.
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
The good news is that your buck is probably alive and well. The bad news is that you didn't get your buck. I'd chalk it up to experience and go shoot him again. That buck is liable to still be in your hunting area.
I did that same scenario with a large black bear this year. I shot at it at 90 yards broadside with a .50 inline muzzleloader, and the bruin dropped like a rock. Ten seconds later it started flopping like a fish out of water, soon it got it's front legs underneath and started dragging itself off, after a few feet it got on all fours and walked off like nothing was wrong, not much blood, I tracked the drops for 300 yards until I lost it, and that was it. Upon further review I discovered that my gun was hitting 6" high and 2" left, which is another story in itself, note to self, if you drop your rifle on concrete when you are unloading it, shoot it before you go hunting even if it will make you late to your stand. My final analysis is that I grazed the bear across the top of the shoulders and nicked the backbone, just enough to knock it down.
I did that same scenario with a large black bear this year. I shot at it at 90 yards broadside with a .50 inline muzzleloader, and the bruin dropped like a rock. Ten seconds later it started flopping like a fish out of water, soon it got it's front legs underneath and started dragging itself off, after a few feet it got on all fours and walked off like nothing was wrong, not much blood, I tracked the drops for 300 yards until I lost it, and that was it. Upon further review I discovered that my gun was hitting 6" high and 2" left, which is another story in itself, note to self, if you drop your rifle on concrete when you are unloading it, shoot it before you go hunting even if it will make you late to your stand. My final analysis is that I grazed the bear across the top of the shoulders and nicked the backbone, just enough to knock it down.
