Luckily - never happened to me. But have looked into the eyes of those that have seen one run off and it's not a pretty sight
The Anchor Shot
I'm not trying to start any crap, or single anyone out - I'm just trying to save some heartache when you finally get that buck on the ground ...
Too often, I hear stories of how someone's prized buck falls on the first shot, only to have him get up and run off, never to be found again. If you can see the buck after he falls, by all means, put another round in him! That would be what I call the anchor shot.
Then if he gets up and runs off, you have two holes squirting blood instead of just one. Makes tracking a whole lot easier and shorter.
The only argument I've heard against it is : "You waste too much meat." Well, how much meat do you lose if the sumbitch gets up and you never find it?
Duh. I don't get much meat off the ribs anyway.
My first year deer hunting, an old man named Oobie Rogers told me, "Cap'n, if you pops him and he's still flagging his foots, well you pops him again! If his eyes are closed, or he's blinking them eyes, you pops him again. He gonna run off iffin you don't. Might hook you!"
Two years ago, I shot an 8 pt. about 165 yards out. He went down immediately. I started to text my nephew and tell him "I got the big one!" when I looked up and saw the buck "flagging his foots", and I remembered what Oobie told me back in 1963. Gave him an anchor shot! Watched him a minute, and he started kicking again. Another shot. Bailed out off the shooting house, reloading as I ran, then did my texting after I put my boot on him.
Bring a buck home - not a sob story. We can all learn something from Mr. Oobie.
Too often, I hear stories of how someone's prized buck falls on the first shot, only to have him get up and run off, never to be found again. If you can see the buck after he falls, by all means, put another round in him! That would be what I call the anchor shot.
Then if he gets up and runs off, you have two holes squirting blood instead of just one. Makes tracking a whole lot easier and shorter.
The only argument I've heard against it is : "You waste too much meat." Well, how much meat do you lose if the sumbitch gets up and you never find it?
Duh. I don't get much meat off the ribs anyway.
My first year deer hunting, an old man named Oobie Rogers told me, "Cap'n, if you pops him and he's still flagging his foots, well you pops him again! If his eyes are closed, or he's blinking them eyes, you pops him again. He gonna run off iffin you don't. Might hook you!"
Two years ago, I shot an 8 pt. about 165 yards out. He went down immediately. I started to text my nephew and tell him "I got the big one!" when I looked up and saw the buck "flagging his foots", and I remembered what Oobie told me back in 1963. Gave him an anchor shot! Watched him a minute, and he started kicking again. Another shot. Bailed out off the shooting house, reloading as I ran, then did my texting after I put my boot on him.
Bring a buck home - not a sob story. We can all learn something from Mr. Oobie.
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I always make the first shot and instantly cycle the bolt to put another in the chamber all while holding the deer in the scope. If it continues to run or move, I put another one in them. If it's still moving and in my sight, it's getting another round shot it's way.
This guy I shot in BW two years ago and when I shot him the first time he didn't kick, didn't flinch, didn't do anything other than start running like I completely missed him. Put another round at him while he was running. Turns out the first shot was perfect behind the shoulder (quartered away and exited behind other shoulder. Double lunged) and then the second shot hit his neck and dropped him while running.
If anything, I hate tracking and don't mind a little messed up meat if it means less of a drag back to the truck.
This guy I shot in BW two years ago and when I shot him the first time he didn't kick, didn't flinch, didn't do anything other than start running like I completely missed him. Put another round at him while he was running. Turns out the first shot was perfect behind the shoulder (quartered away and exited behind other shoulder. Double lunged) and then the second shot hit his neck and dropped him while running.
If anything, I hate tracking and don't mind a little messed up meat if it means less of a drag back to the truck.
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I always apply the "Wiggle Rule". If he's wiggling then I shoot him again. I quit shooting my bigger bucks behind the shoulder a long time ago. If he's big, he gets one through the running gear with a rifle in hand. Like you said, may loose a little meat but its better than no meat at all.
My brother shot his first buck at 50 yds the deer dropped and laid there motionless. After ten minutes he starts down the ladder and he hears him get up and runoff. We never found him. Next one he shot dropped and immediately got a reassurance round. He learned his lesson
Beware of the deer that fall DRT. My friend lost one the other day that fell on the shot. Deer layed there and twitched for a minute or two. Friend turns around, picks up his chair, and walks toward the deer. Deer is gone when he gets there. Small amount of blood and no idea which way it went. Never found it, and I seriously doubt it was a fatal shot. Although there is no mythical "no mans land"(dead space between organs and spine), if your shot is high enough in the shoulder, you can shoot over the spine(it dips down into the neck) and hit no vitals. Stuns the deers nervous system, but does not kill the animal. The two instances I have encountered this, both shots were uphill, affecting the angle slightly.
I neck shot a buck several years ago, good 8. He dropped right there. Chambered another shell and held it on him for a minute. He stared flopping, so I shot him head on in the chest. Done deal I thought. Got to him, eyes were open, poked him, nothing. Snapped a picture on my phone.
Then things started to unravel. I drug him about 5 feet, and he roared at me and snatched so hard he almost pulled me over. Knife was closer than the gun, so I cut his throat. No more kicking, eyes started to glaze, and I sawed till I hit bone. We're done.
Caught my breath, drug him about five more feet and that joker wheeled around and kicked me in the shin with his back hoof. Now we're both down.
You know the fight scenes in movies where both guys are down, and crawling in opposite directions for their respective weapons? Picture that, except one guy is a 180 lb 8 point who has been shot twice and had his throat cut. I got to my rifle before he got up. Three rounds left, and I put all three in him. I had a hoof shaped bruise on my shin for about two weeks, but I also had a lot of meat.
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Then things started to unravel. I drug him about 5 feet, and he roared at me and snatched so hard he almost pulled me over. Knife was closer than the gun, so I cut his throat. No more kicking, eyes started to glaze, and I sawed till I hit bone. We're done.
Caught my breath, drug him about five more feet and that joker wheeled around and kicked me in the shin with his back hoof. Now we're both down.
You know the fight scenes in movies where both guys are down, and crawling in opposite directions for their respective weapons? Picture that, except one guy is a 180 lb 8 point who has been shot twice and had his throat cut. I got to my rifle before he got up. Three rounds left, and I put all three in him. I had a hoof shaped bruise on my shin for about two weeks, but I also had a lot of meat.
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I neck shot a buck several years ago, good 8. He dropped right there. Chambered another shell and held it on him for a minute. He stared flopping, so I shot him head on in the chest. Done deal I thought. Got to him, eyes were open, poked him, nothing. Snapped a picture on my phone.
Then things started to unravel. I drug him about 5 feet, and he roared at me and snatched so hard he almost pulled me over. Knife was closer than the gun, so I cut his throat. No more kicking, eyes started to glaze, and I sawed till I hit bone. We're done.
Caught my breath, drug him about five more feet and that joker wheeled around and kicked me in the shin with his back hoof. Now we're both down.
You know the fight scenes in movies where both guys are down, and crawling in opposite directions for their respective weapons? Picture that, except one guy is a 180 lb 8 point who has been shot twice and had his throat cut. I got to my rifle before he got up. Three rounds left, and I put all three in him. I had a hoof shaped bruise on my shin for about two weeks, but I also had a lot of meat.
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Must have been shooting a .223......
Nope, .270 with 130 grain Core-Lokt. The neck shot just nicked the bone. The straight on chest shot skimmed down his ribs and about blew his leg off. After I cut him, I can't explain the rest.
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I always approach from the ass end, gun off SAFE, ready to fire, and put my boot on his butt and shove. If he's like jelly, he's done. If I detect ANY tension, he gets another shot.I neck shot a buck several years ago, good 8. He dropped right there. Chambered another shell and held it on him for a minute. He stared flopping, so I shot him head on in the chest. Done deal I thought. Got to him, eyes were open, poked him, nothing. Snapped a picture on my phone.
Then things started to unravel. I drug him about 5 feet, and he roared at me and snatched so hard he almost pulled me over. Knife was closer than the gun, so I cut his throat. No more kicking, eyes started to glaze, and I sawed till I hit bone. We're done.
Caught my breath, drug him about five more feet and that joker wheeled around and kicked me in the shin with his back hoof. Now we're both down.
You know the fight scenes in movies where both guys are down, and crawling in opposite directions for their respective weapons? Picture that, except one guy is a 180 lb 8 point who has been shot twice and had his throat cut. I got to my rifle before he got up. Three rounds left, and I put all three in him. I had a hoof shaped bruise on my shin for about two weeks, but I also had a lot of meat.
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Amazes me - these "professionals" on TV, walk up to the dangerous end and touch his eyes with their gun barrel. First thing he's gonna do if he comes up is knock the gun out of your hand - then he's gonna kick your ass.
I walked into a little restaurant in Russell County Al. for lunch one day some years back and talked to an older Gentleman who had a long look on his face and commenced to telling me about the same aforementioned scenario.
I've actually heard of this happening on a couple of occasions.
I use a .308 or a .270 and have been fortunate not to experience this devastating, Dr. Phil calling situation.
I've actually heard of this happening on a couple of occasions.
I use a .308 or a .270 and have been fortunate not to experience this devastating, Dr. Phil calling situation.
I neck shot a buck several years ago, good 8. He dropped right there. Chambered another shell and held it on him for a minute. He stared flopping, so I shot him head on in the chest. Done deal I thought. Got to him, eyes were open, poked him, nothing. Snapped a picture on my phone.
Then things started to unravel. I drug him about 5 feet, and he roared at me and snatched so hard he almost pulled me over. Knife was closer than the gun, so I cut his throat. No more kicking, eyes started to glaze, and I sawed till I hit bone. We're done.
Caught my breath, drug him about five more feet and that joker wheeled around and kicked me in the shin with his back hoof. Now we're both down.
You know the fight scenes in movies where both guys are down, and crawling in opposite directions for their respective weapons? Picture that, except one guy is a 180 lb 8 point who has been shot twice and had his throat cut. I got to my rifle before he got up. Three rounds left, and I put all three in him. I had a hoof shaped bruise on my shin for about two weeks, but I also had a lot of meat.
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Some just have more will to live than others it seems. I will share a quick tip I learned the hard way about finishing one with a knife. Use a gun if at all possible, but if necessary, cut the deer behind the shoulder. Ease up on the animal from behind and make a quick insertion of a decent sized blade and rip several inches to the rear of the deer. This will end it quicker than cutting ones throat in my experience. Also, less gruesome and less likely to get gored by a buck(lesson learned I spoke of earlier).
Do you mean from the top or between the ribs? I'm not understanding where you're saying to cut.
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I insert directly Behind the shoulder, low on the body. The ribs kinda angle back, so the blade will probably fall between 2. Just rip down and back toward the rear of the deer. If done fast with a sharp knife, it takes a split second to perform. You will hear a loud "breath" from the wound, and a few seconds later its over. Cuts the lungs and sometimes the heart. I will post a pic of a deer my son shot with a .223. I wanted to show him how to dispatch one with a knife so could one day if necessary. The knife would is the only visible wound one the deer, the shot was in the spine.
Gotcha. That's what I was thinking, but when you said cut towards the back it threw me off. Thanks for the tip!
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I learned this rule the hard way about 8 years ago. I was hunting a clearcut and looked behind me and a STUD Florida deer (115-120") was cruising the edge of the clearcut.
I shot and he dropped immediately. I watched him through the scope and he never flinched. I called my dad and told him to bring the 4-wheeler to camp, while I am on the phone I heard a deer busting through the cut. I shot (at) the deer 3 more times, and I know I hit him on the last shot. He rolled a front flip at the edge of the woods.
We looked for hours and never found blood or hair where I shot him. Had a dog come up early the next morning and ended up finding where he bedded that night with blood in it. Never found the deer and he was seen on 3 legs 2 weeks later by another member.
Since that day, if the wind blows their tail wrong I shoot again.
I shot and he dropped immediately. I watched him through the scope and he never flinched. I called my dad and told him to bring the 4-wheeler to camp, while I am on the phone I heard a deer busting through the cut. I shot (at) the deer 3 more times, and I know I hit him on the last shot. He rolled a front flip at the edge of the woods.
We looked for hours and never found blood or hair where I shot him. Had a dog come up early the next morning and ended up finding where he bedded that night with blood in it. Never found the deer and he was seen on 3 legs 2 weeks later by another member.
Since that day, if the wind blows their tail wrong I shoot again.
Hmm, i just shoot SST's never needed a second a shot. However my dad one time shot the biggest buck of his life, he came running down the hill to get me, he was so excited you could hear it in his voice and read it all over his face. I was bout 13 at the time, he took me back to where he shot the deer and said follow the blood trail and track him down for me. he had already done this just trying to give me a little practice i rekon. Well the blood trail was about a foot wide and the trail was tore up like a hundred hogs had just plowed it. We get to where the deer was suppose to be and there was nothing but a huge pile of blood. That next look was funny mixed with sorrow, all he muttered was the deer was right here he was right here, bout that time we hear crashing through the bushes and i glance up to see a monster of a buck high tailing it out of town. well 2+ miles and 6 hours later the blood trail ran out and there was no deer. We always wondered if that deer lived or buzzards got a good meal.
Capt'n slim, I was shooting SST's as well on the deer above.
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