How Long before I see buzzards?

[dubs chops]

Well it happened to me. I made a shot that looked like a good double lung hit to me. saw the luma nock hit the ribs mid section, deer turned and saw the arrow hanging out all but the vanes. but the blood trail was crap. lost it after about 30-40 yards when it jumped a fence into an open field. I have been out 3 times walking close to 10 miles through hollars and drove by 5. I am hoping it wasn't a good hit like I thought and the deer will live or I can find it. I would rather admit to a bad shot and live deer than a good shot and no deer. So My question is if it is down, How long should it take till I start to see buzzards circling? I saw a lone one today flying around over one particular area. But he was by his self and I was on my lunch break so didn't have time to go look.
BTW it was a nice 8 pt.

 

[RidgeHunter]

If you hit it where you say you hit it, that's a dead deer and it will be no more than 200 yards (probably less) from the shot spot....unless you jumped it and it ran. Ribs mid-section sounds like a possible gut shot. (would also explain poor blood trail).

Did you find your arrow? Did it smell? What did the blood look like on the arrow and on the ground (pink, dark, bubbles, etc.)?

When was this?
How far was the shot?
Broadside, quartering to or away?
How high up were you?
What was the deer's reaction at the shot?

 

[dubs chops]

Saturday morning 8:00 Am
35 yrds
Broadside
Almost a flat shot I was only about 12 feet up the tree but the elevation of the deer was only about 7 feet difference
deers reaction was turn in a 180 jump and run away the jump was while he was starting his sprint away. I didn't look for him for 2 hours but did walk to where I shot him to try and find my arrow. the arrow was meaty with little blood but alot of blood on the last 5 inches where it was hanging out of him. there was no slime or bile on the arrow and it just smelt of blood no bile. some small air bubbler in the blood and something that almost looked like the texture of salt on the bloodiest part of the arrow. the blood was not pink. kind of darker. like the color of blood that comes out of the backstraps when butchering. I have looked and looked and looked. and no deer. he didn't run back the way he came. he went into a thicket straight south of him. that is only about 25 yards deep. it ends at a fence that turns into a pasture with a few secluded tree's the last place I found blood was about 10 foot into the pasture and it was barley molecules.

 

[r00s7a]

If it was Saturday, there should be buzzards by now. Only takes them a day maybe two to find the hogs I empty out of the trap. Is it too late to use a dog? Blood may still hold a scent when dried, but if you got rain yesterday, that may be out. Go check any ponds or creeks in the area. He may be sunk now, but after he gets gassy he'll float. Terrible feeling isn't it? Good luck, I hope you find him.

 

[twocan]

Buzzards went to mexico, they be back in the spring.

 

[kdlong]

watch for crows they will hit it pretty quick. buzzards sometimes won't mess with a shot deer.

 

[bigelk76]

I shot this buck and looked for him parts of 3 days about 6 hours total before finally giving up. Next time I checked the camera there he was. The latest pictures I have I can't tell he was ever shot. The arrow was a complete pass through with good blood on it with a small piece of meat. Blood trailed him about 40 yards before losing the trail. You can tell by the picture, the hole above the shoulder blade, the shot was too high and foward. My first time hunting out of a ground blind (with a small case of buck fever).

Good luck, hope you find him.

 

[Shadowrider]

If he's dead the yotes, hogs and crows have probably taken care of the retrieval for you.

 

[dennishoddy]

I agree, the crows will be the birds to look for.
Even if its dead, its good to recover the bucks rack, so that it can be hung somewhere to honor the animal. I have the rack of every buck shot hanging in the shop.

 

[MrShooter]

Well it happened to me. I made a shot that looked like a good double lung hit to me. saw the luma nock hit the ribs mid section, deer turned and saw the arrow hanging out all but the vanes. but the blood trail was crap. lost it after about 30-40 yards when it jumped a fence into an open field. I have been out 3 times walking close to 10 miles through hollars and drove by 5. I am hoping it wasn't a good hit like I thought and the deer will live or I can find it. I would rather admit to a bad shot and live deer than a good shot and no deer. So My question is if it is down, How long should it take till I start to see buzzards circling? I saw a lone one today flying around over one particular area. But he was by his self and I was on my lunch break so didn't have time to go look.
BTW it was a nice 8 pt.

Do you have a good buzzard call? Lol