Just shot a monster buck, I need HELP!!!!

[criveraville]

JW let's see a pic 

Cipriano

[JW_Halverson]

JW let's see a pic 

Cipriano

2009 Hunting pics. 

[Josh B]

500 yds is not even close to being out of the effective range of a .30-06.  Although it maybe out of the effective range of the shooter, at 500 yds the ol '06 is still carrying twice the energy of a .45 acp at the muzzle.  It would only drop 3 1/2 feet or so.  Reading the wind would be the only guess work for an experienced shooter.  I don't know what the qualifications are now, but in the '90's marines had to qualify at 500 yds with a .223 and open sights.  Out where I live, high powers are zeroed at 300 yds.  So once again, .30-06 is easily getting the job done at 500 yds.  I hope you find your buck.  An old pump up style Coleman lantern will make a fresh bloodtrail glow in the dark.  Too late for that now though.  Just something to remember next time.  Josh

[stickbender]

     I hope you find it.  500 yds was a long shot.  Unless you are very proficient at
shooting at that distance, and are VERY familiar with your gun and the various bullet weights, it is not advisable to take a shot that long, even if you have a good rest.  The bullet drop is about 33-36 inches give or take a few.  The bullet should have still been able to expand as it is designed to.  It is a lighter bullet meant for deer sized game.  I have seen too many people go for the bigger grain bullet, thinking it will make a bigger impact and shock value.  Unfortunately the larger grain bullet is designed for larger game, and it will not expand properly in a smaller animal such as a deer, and only pass through without much deformation of the bullet at all unless it hits a thick bone.  I think your deer is dead.  Let us know when you find him.  A dog is definitely the answer to finding him sooner.  Like they said look for crows, buzzards etc.  Unfortunately the coyotes will be looking for them also.  The 30-06 is an excellent round.  It is very versatile in that it can be loaded down to a 110 grain bullet up to a 220 grain bullet.  It was used in both world wars and Korean "Conflict" , Some amazing shots were made with it at a 1,000 yd.s and was effective even at that range, with a 148-150 grain full jacketed bullet.  The .308 is what Carlos Hathcock used to effectively take out enemy targets, and the 30-06 which is .308 diameter is a hundred and some feet faster than the .308 used in the m14's. 
Good luck.

                                                 Wayne

[Pappy]

I agree that a 30-06 will do it but unless you are really really good with it and have a range finder to know just how far it is it is still a risky shot to say the least  .I do like Osage and use tp as a marker as I move along,then if all else fails
I grid the area off and work out a couple hundred yards back and forth in all directions,the trouble with a big old deer is it may have come from miles away and once it knows what is going on and if it has the energy it will head back to it's home and where it feels safe,I once tracked a big 10 point for over 2 miles ,it had been gut shot and went down at the shot,the guy went right after it and it got up and ran,it never stopped till it got home.I had a dog[Red bone] and with out it we would have never found that deer.Good luck ,if it died you just have to stay at it.
   Pappy

[mullet]

Carlos Hathcock used a Winchester Model 70 30-06 and a Remington BDL 700 in 30-06 tricked out by their Armorer. He made his famous shot with a 50 cal machine gun from the top of a mountain on single fire with a scope mounted to it.

 I'm like Clint, I always carry toliet paper in my back pocket. Even when I don't use it for blood trailing I seem to find other uses for it.

[Pappy]

 
   Pappy

[Ranger B]

I don't think anyone is arguing if a 30-06 "can" make the kill at 500 yards. The question is can you judge 500 yards when a deer walks out at random and do you know the exact bullet drop at that distance for the particular load you are using. Most guys that shoot that distance load their own and have precise loading down to a science. 

Haven't heard back so I assume the deer was not found.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Sounds to me like the first shot hit him in the antlers and disoriented him briefly.

[Rick Wallace]

Update??  Did you find it? Hate the thought of that deer going to waste.

[criveraville]

Any news?

Cipriano

[crooketarrow]

   First off for him to drop but recover like (after a couple min's.) that means you hit his spin.
 I'd say this is what happened. When he hit the dround did his legs stick straight out.
  Your first shot only clibed his spin but the bottom part some where . Fragments hit 1 lung that's why you had some lung blood(BUBBLES) after getting up. Your second shot also clibed his spin but probably across the top of it. This is why the blood ran out so quick.
  IF YOUR SHOTS WERE SPINE SHOTS. Spine shot deer legs stick straight out when they hit the ground.
  To find him a dog is a good choice. I can't even come close to remembering all the wounded deer,tracking jobs I've been on in the last 40 years.

  Being you likely only got top of one lung. He can travel a long way. You have think like your the wounded buck.(where's you go)Since it's likely he'll die but it might take awhile.  First off have you seen this buck in this area. Or was he traveling looking for doe's If that's the case he's in strange territory.
  He try to get back to his home range. So you might have to look for a thick area a ways away.
 He'll go in a straight line to get home. Likely he's not hurt bad enough to die in route but he might.
 But you never know.

  If he is in his home range  most ain't bigger than a mile. (A CRUSEING BUCK well be alto father)This cuts your area down alto. Start where you lose blood first off a walk every inch to the closest clover. Spine clip ed deer WILL NOT go up hill. That cuts your area down some more. So look for cover down hill. If theres water on the way he went he may go for a drink. That cuts the area down more. Athick area with water is a good bet.
 
    There's a few things that's been the reasons I've found bucks.
  Be where you last found blood at first light. Lesson for the crows and jays. If theres snow I follow every fox,yote, coon track I find headed the way your buck went. The all love a free mill.
  I've found 2 buck by waiting lessoning in the dark for yotes. Yotes have a pecking order and the alfa dogs feed first. The rest set back a yelp,bark waiting their turn.
  Don't give up,although I might give up on does after a while.  I've found bucks anywhere from that day to 6 or 7 days later. The meat may not be any good but  you have your horns and the notage of the next deer well go to die.
  HOPE YOU FIND HIM