question on finding deer the next day

[Satisfaxion_Gauranteed]

I've never had to search for a deer the next day, so I'm wondering if anybody can help me out in my situation.

My buddy shot a buck right before dark last night(11/11). He tracked for a while, but it ran into a wide open 20 acre field where he lost the blood trail. He says he 'thinks' he gut shot it and figures it ran into an adjoining swamp. He emailed me today(11/12) and wanted me to help him track it after work. He's never had to try to track a deer the following day either.

My question is; at what point do I know not to try to salvage the meat from the deer? My buddy says 24hrs is okay, particularly since he thinks he gut shot and it probably didn't die right away. I'm a little leary, but don't have much experience with the issue. Are there any tell tale signs? If the deer is cold, does that mean it's best not to try to salvage?

Any help is much appreciated!

Thanks,

[caznik]

Alot of times you can tell where you happen to shot a deer by looking at the arrow. If there is anykind of guts on the arrow that would mean that you happen to get a gut shot. If he ever shoots another deer in the guts. Most of the time you will not find it till the next day anyways. The deer will lay down and get sick then die off. They will also go about 200 yards and towards a water hole to get a drink. Now if he found it the next morning and the evening was nice a cool. Then it should be allright. But if he happen to find it late in the afternoon and it happen to be hot out all afternoon long, then I would probly not take it. But you will kind of have to be the judge yourself. I happen to gut shot a deer just last week and didnt find it till the next morning and still kept it. It was cool in the morning and all evening, so I gutted it out and took it home right away and hosed it off very good then processed it right away. If he found it the next day and it was cool at night and was not 60-70 degs all afternoon, then it should be allright.

call me anytime if you like to know more about processeing.

Rich

[Satisfaxion_Gauranteed]

Thanks for the response, Rich! I've had to track a deer well into the night before, but never the next day.

To update to this story, my buddy found his deer still alive in a brushy area next to a swamp around 2pm ish the next day. I didn't get there until he had already found it and dressed it, but he said it tried to get up and run, but fell right down again.

Good/safe hunting to all this week.

[Priority1]

I'm glad he found the deer.