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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 44,396 Likes: 29
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 44,396 Likes: 29 |
Daughter shot a decent buck this afternoon. 225 yards. I was watching through my scope, he mule kicked really high and took off 30-40 yards into some thick woods. Was almost dark by the time we got to where I estimated he was standing and never found blood. I tried to cover the edge of the woodline and never picked up blood. Could have sworn I saw the hit just behind the leg about 1/3 up his body. Didn't go in the woods. The shot looked great.
Think he's dead or did she graze him...... ???
LUCK:::; When presistence, dedication, perspiration and preparation meet up with opportunity!!!
- - - - - - - -A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take everything you have. Thomas Jeferson - - - - - - - -
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 36,153 Likes: 40
Administrator
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Administrator
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 36,153 Likes: 40 |
Dead if you are pretty sure that is where she hit him.
It takes a long time to grow an old friend.
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Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 5,345
Bitch Peas, I'm a Kitty Whisperer
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Bitch Peas, I'm a Kitty Whisperer
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 5,345 |
Sounds like a clean miss.
If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.
Bluetick serpentines around green fields and rock spit a lease
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,485 Likes: 17
12 point
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12 point
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,485 Likes: 17 |
Call a dog!! Had to be first to say if.
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,342
12 point
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12 point
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,342 |
My son shoots a 243 and it's killed every one he has shot at but a couple only left blood at the shot site and the hole seemed to plug up and not bleed until 40 or 50 yards later when he was about to drop.
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 27,316 Likes: 252
Pumpkin - The Thermal Expert
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Pumpkin - The Thermal Expert
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 27,316 Likes: 252 |
Dont be surprised if you dont find much blood but if you hit him where you say you did you got him, dont give up on him.
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 31,715 Likes: 182
Grumpy Old Man
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Grumpy Old Man
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 31,715 Likes: 182 |
Could be a heart shot. You won't find much, if any, blood. But the deer isn't far away.
I hate making a good first impression. There’s no way I can keep that shit up.
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,255
8 point
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8 point
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 1,255 |
My son shoots a 243 and it's killed every one he has shot at but a couple only left blood at the shot site and the hole seemed to plug up and not bleed until 40 or 50 yards later when he was about to drop. [quote=charlie]My son shoots a 243 and it's killed every one he has shot at X2. My son started with .243 and had this same thing happen a couple of times. You will find it dead within 50-75 yards. Good luck.
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 885
6 point
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6 point
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 885 |
Dead. I shoot a .243 and that is pretty much what happens with every deer I shoot. Especially bigger bodied bucks at longer range. She probably didn’t get a pass thru but the deer should be dead within 100 yards if she hit him where you think she did. I usually go mark the spot where the deer was standing when I shot and then i mark the last place I saw him, then I walk in the direction the deer went. Usually i find them dead within 50 or 75 yards. If not, I’ll go back and start crawling around looking for blood.
I have thought about switching guns because I worry that one day I’m gonna lose a deer because of the lack of blood trail and knockdown power...but I have never missed or lost a deer in the 15 years I’ve used this gun and I hate to switch when this one hasn’t failed me yet.
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 44,396 Likes: 29
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 44,396 Likes: 29 |
Lord willing I'll find him in the morning. Dang sure not gonna ruin in this weather. I would be her best buck. He was behind a door headed to the turnip patch.
LUCK:::; When presistence, dedication, perspiration and preparation meet up with opportunity!!!
- - - - - - - -A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take everything you have. Thomas Jeferson - - - - - - - -
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 885
6 point
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6 point
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 885 |
Topcat, I hope y’all find him in the morning. I bet you do. The situation you described is not uncommon for a .243 hunter. It will make you sweat and worry a little bit, but when placed correctly is as deadly as anything else.
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Joined: Feb 2004
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8 point
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8 point
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,575 |
I bet it’s dead within 100 yards or so. As stated earlier, no pass through and the entrance probably left one or two small drops. I’ve killed a couple this year that I could not find blood because I was looking in the wrong spot. I started making circles and walked up on both. At 225 yards and dark, it would be very easy not to find any sign - especially with a .243 and no exit. Good luck and show us a nice buck.
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 9,185 Likes: 17
14 point
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14 point
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 9,185 Likes: 17 |
Could be a heart shot. You won't find much, if any, blood. But the deer isn't far away. this they are usually piled up within 30 yards
David looney
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 72
spike
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spike
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 72 |
Hunt with one for around 30 yrs Decent shot ,,,,,,80 yards or so.
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Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 5,345
Bitch Peas, I'm a Kitty Whisperer
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Bitch Peas, I'm a Kitty Whisperer
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 5,345 |
95 gr Nosler ballistic tips will increase your blood trail in the 243, tremendously. Good luck.
Last edited by Reloader79; 01/10/19 08:51 PM.
If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.
Bluetick serpentines around green fields and rock spit a lease
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,935 Likes: 3
10 point
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10 point
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,935 Likes: 3 |
My son shoots a 243 and it's killed every one he has shot at but a couple only left blood at the shot site and the hole seemed to plug up and not bleed until 40 or 50 yards later when he was about to drop. This is the same thing I've witnessed with my wifes 243. If she dont drop them,we ain't finding much blood the first 30-40 yards
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 16,156
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 16,156 |
I’ve killed a pile of deer with a 243 and the only ones I had problems with a blood trail was the ones i shot with Hornady SST’s. Other than that blood trails have never been an issue. Honestly most are DRT. If he’s hit good he’s dead.
"Just remember a gobbler has to win every time, you only have to win once"
BC
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 9,111 Likes: 35
14 point
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14 point
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 9,111 Likes: 35 |
Ive killed pile of deer with a 243...what you described sounds like a normal death..kill..destroy...with a 243...very few i shot bled right out the gate....but most all were dead in under a 100. Ive made a buncha 200+ yard shots with a 243....in my experience the farther they are away with that little bullet...the more difficult it is to find the initial blood trail "quickly"...almost always eventually found it tho.
"I dont quit.. And ill fight alone if i have to"
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 9,111 Likes: 35
14 point
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14 point
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 9,111 Likes: 35 |
I’ve killed a pile of deer with a 243 and the only ones I had problems with a blood trail was the ones i shot with Hornady SST’s. Other than that blood trails have never been an issue. Honestly most are DRT. If he’s hit good he’s dead. Quinky dink...i was typin..we just happened to say the same thing...haha
"I dont quit.. And ill fight alone if i have to"
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Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 19
spike
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spike
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 19 |
Just my .02 but you’re going to find a dead deer. I’d switch to the nosler partition. I started my son out on .243. The partition is one of the better bullets for that round. He shot a heavy deer that ran close to 100 yards, but we had a decent blood trail and blood from the pass/through where the hit was made. Just keep looking.
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