Neighbor pulled a bad shot on this buck and hit him where you can see the little hole around his elbow.

I'm guessing the yotes have been on him since then as something sure is getting after his neck. This is a 3-yr-old buck that we had agreed not to shoot, so I'm a little hacked off about that, but whatever. This picture was taken yesterday (camera is 1 day off), and the shot was New Year's Day. He's made it 3 weeks, but it obviously losing a lot of weight and struggling, though he's hitting my feeder. He wasn't skinny before.

Think he'll make it?

Yes. It appears that the deer was quartering away. The neighbor shot near where the leg meets the body(deers head down) exited and then blew off the big chunk of skin. He will more than likely survive. Or the other way around and hit him in the neck and exited the leg from an elevated position

Hope so. He will be a dandy in a couple years.

Is the weight loss not a significant concern? I have another pic of him from the other side and his rib cage is pretty pronounced at this point.

He wasn't huge before, but he was a full bodied buck. This is after only 3 weeks.

Anyhow, I hope he makes it. I think you nailed it on the shot entrance/exit.

Im voting for survival..

Yup, hope he survives to die.

Well, fortunately I put out my incredible patent-pending homemade protein feeder today and filled it with corn/protein mix, so he should have plenty to chow on to get his strength back.

For reference:



Note the impressive waterproofing and varmint protection device up top.

He'll eat well for months.

Ill take the under 3 days on coons having all the goodies out.

I would think he will survive. He does not seem super underweight or anything. Most hard rutting bucks look worse off than he does. The wound itself appears to be healing already. So as long as he is eating he should be able to fight off infection. But deer are funny animals sometimes they survive when you think there is no chance at all and other times they seem to die for no reason. But good luck on him that will be a good story for him if he continues to grow and you guys get to harvest him in a few years. On a side note do you have a patent on the protein feeder design?

If the coyotes don't get him he'll make it, but I don't think he will improve rack. I've been wrong before though. Just ask my wife.

That "coyotes on his neck" is him trying to keep it clean. Looks like he's doing a good job of it.

I think he'll make it. He's survived this far and is likely getting better mobility out of that leg than when the shot first occurred. Spring green-up is not too far off and your new buffet should help him out until then. If he can avoid infection I believe you'll see him next year.

My money would be on the deer.

Lol yah I'd say your coons are gonna eat very well over the next few days, hope the deer get a few meals at least

You can't see it in the pic but I put up a "no coons" sign so we're good there.

he will make it.

He is traveling, eating and a long way from dead. The good is the wound is open and draining at this point. Good signs that he will live for at least another season this year. The feeder will be a big mess once the hogs and coons find it. I give it 2 days. If they don't destroy it the squirrels will use it as a hotel or bed & breakfast in a few weeks. Good things is with all those narrow racked bucks at least they can get their antlers in between the T-posts

You sure the neighbor shot him? That's looks more like an arse whooping.

He will live.

Yes. I called the neighbor to tell him that this guy was all messed up and I didn't know if he'd been hit by a car, shot with a shotgun, attacked by a bobcat, etc. I honestly didn't think it was a shot based on the wound on his neck and this buck consistently staying between my land and my neighbor's. And the whole deal we had not to shoot him...

Anyhow, about 5 minutes after I hung up with him, he called back and came clean. Said he shot him, thought arrow grazed a branch but that there was almost no blood, though he was limping badly so he knew he hit him.

And you haters will turn to appreciators when you see all the monster bucks this feeder produces. Get ready for some horn porn!

Actually, I put a camera on it thinking it'd be funny to see exactly how quickly it is completely destroyed. There are several coons and a giant boar that frequent this area. I'm going back out Saturday and expect the trashcan to be smashed and on the ground.

In my experience when an animal is going to die it knows it and it quits feeding. If he is still hitting feeders and eating my inclination is he will make it.

.......but not on the feeder.

You wouldn't say that to this feeder's face, I can assure you.