She got excited and buck was moving around a lot. She thought it might leave. Unfortunately I put SIL in blind with her. I normally hunt with her but we have hunted together many times and she had pics of buck to shoot. I should have told her to stay in blind until I get there. That was my second mistake. Buck went down behind a bush 10 yards away and out of sight. She tried a shoulder shot with buck quartering towards her. She pulled shot low and to the right hitting it in lower leg probably at knee. They waited 45 minutes and when they got down the buck got up and started to walk away. She had 2 chances to finish it off but did not shoot again. It traversed some very rugged terrain. It went through a hole in the fence 200 yards from blind. That was the last blood I found. I am wondering about chances it survives. We have another buck with broken front leg that has done ok for 6 months. Brother thinks they do better when missing front versus rear but I shot a doe once that was doing fine with a missing rear leg.

Good luck sir 🙏

Not great, as far as survival chances, but I have seen some survive.

Really depends on whether or not coyotes find it....before it has a chance to heal some.

My thought too. It is close to an area where coyotes roam but in a pretty heavy mature cedar thicket. I figured they would have gotten the one with a busted front leg by now but they have not.

Go to the closest water source. A lot of times a badly wounded buck will go to water. Look good all around it.

put cameras up at water sources near by.... Call a blood tracking guy.. They are pretty common this time of year....

My son did the same thing..... I hope she's taking it okay.

Not much you can do. I doubt anyone wants to bring out a dog to track a deer that is that mobile. Deer are wild animals and tuff, i think he has a solid shot of making it. If he doesnt well that is life, God gave us dominion over the animals and mother nature is cute and beautiful sometimes and a cold hard B!+$& the rest of it.

Im sure you already know but learn from the past is about all you can do.

Agree with all. For her, have her practice more, and also think and understand that it's okay if the deer leaves. He might be back in a few minutes, might be back the next day.

Location?

We went to creek below stand. Gut shot deer will go downhill to water but not sure about leg shot. I have a feeling he stayed up high on level ground in cedars. I was hoping buzzards would find him but we have very few right now. I am going to look again on Friday after sitting in the stand. Maybe at least recover head. Pic of deer.

If she didn't hit gut or vitals, that deer has a better than average chance to make it if the wound isn't badly infected.

Check a nearby water source.

Did that. There is a wet creek below feeder. Like I said before a gut shot deer will head to water but not sure about one shot in lower leg. I have a feeling he stayed up high in cedar thicket. That is his bedding area. Hunting the blind tonight.