Lost one to a predator

[Jerry Jeffer]

Monday I was debating about getting out, and I finally figured i should go. Got set up around 10am and sat wondering why I could hear so many people around. Then I remembered it was Columbus day. Lots of people were out hiking the local trails, and there were a few bird hunters in the woods too.

Around 2pm I was thinking of packing up since I had to get home to meet the kids at the school bus. While putting a few things in my pack, I heard something coming my way, Deer!

A nice Doe came in close and I punched one into the lungs. Since I knew it was a vital shot, I finished packing and left the woods to get the kids.

I went back in the evening to recover the kill. Found my arrow after about 50 yards. Followed blood for a long time, and now it's getting dark, and I need to go to work soon. Left the woods again not happy about this.

After work next morning went back. Found nothing but hair and some body parts. Well, at least someone had dinner.

[Wannabe1]

That's too bad but, something had to be fed I guess! Hopefully you'll get another opportunity to put meat in the freezer.

[ron w]

I always worry about that......lots of yotes in this area. Well you had some action even if it didn't turn out well. Hope it's better next time.

[Friend]

A far better scenario than having a capable predator or more,  aggressively snatching the prize from your hand.

[kevsuperg]

sorry for your loss.
 i hate leaving game in the woods.
 i left a deer once,that i had shot late afternoon. got up late the next morning and when i followed the blood trail, i found a gut pile and drag marks. dont think it was a coyote though.

[Kopper1013]

Sorry to hear that, I think that fear is what pushes to many people to get on a marginal shot to quickly and loss a animal. Big yote problems here to.

[Jerry Jeffer]

I didn't think lung was marginal.

[Eugene Slagle]

Been there but at least someone got a good meal.

Hope you get another chance.

[Steve Jr]

It happened to me once but they only got one rear quarter and I got the rest. It happens sometimes hope you have better luck next time. Coyotes don't waste anytime ripping them up.

[Kopper1013]

I wasn't calling a lung shot marginal, sorry if it sounded like that. I just meant  the thought of an animal beating us to our kill over night sometimes pushes some hunters after an animal to quickly. It wasn't directed at you just a general observation over years of hunting in yote country. Sorry, reading back I can see how it may have been misinterpreted.

[fnshtr]

I lost one to the coyotes last year. Shot him late in the evening, looked half the night... came back the next morning and found him. It is amazing what a pack can do in a few hours.

Always a bad thing... but not "wasted".

Get back after 'em! Good luck.

[LB_hntr]

Been there a few times. Lots of totes here and they don't wait long. Once yote got a deer I double lunged that went 80 yards and I was at that deer within 45 mins of the shot.
  I feel your pain.

[boznarras]

So did you punch a harvest ticket for that one?

Just curious how everyone sees the ethics here....consider it a kill you lost, and use your tag, or allot that one to the predators and keep hunting?
In some areas would not matter if you have multiple tags, others may have only 1 tag for the season (which should correlate with a game population needing protection).

[Wannabe1]

After work next morning went back. Found nothing but hair and some body parts.

Nothing to take home so, nothing to tag in my opinion.  

[cuboodle]

That's too bad. It would have been marginal after waiting that long in PA as it was in the upper 50s low 60's temp wise

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Bummer Jerry!

[Stone Knife]

Originally posted by Jerry Jeffer:
I didn't think lung was marginal.

Where I come from it's not    

[Robert Cunfer]

Sorry to hear that Jerry, hoping you have better luck the rest of the season.....Bobby

[Orion]

Hmmmmmm.

Punched one into the lungs, but a long blood trail?

Shot at 2 p.m., but can't find it in the several hours before dark?

Might want to reassess shot placement, judgement in when and how you took up the trail.

It's unfortunate that you lost the critter, but that didn't have to be the outcome, IMO.

[zwickey2bl]

You definitely wouldn't want a deer to lay out overnight here this time of year.

BTW, we've had bowkilled deer taken by coyotes in less than 2 hours after the shot. We have to try to find them pretty quick or we find a bloody hide and some hooves, literally.