Get away from crowds in S Dakota?!

[kesand72]

Had a fun hunt nonetheless. Almost all game on public land is in the eastern half of the N Perkins unit. At least 2 to 1 mulies to whitetails. Alot of pheasants. Did some long hikes, which got me MOSTLY away from other hunters. Deer were few n far between. I'd hunt S Dakota again, but for pheasants not deer.

 

[BrettKoenecke]

How did the deer end up in the drink?

 

[tdcour]

I had a similar situation one year. Shot one with a bow, he went out about 100 yards and died. Floated in the river, caught the current and ended up 300 or so out in the river. It was 7 degrees that morning. No swimming for me either. We were lucky enough to get a game warden to come help us get him out. I've never been more grateful. It actually happens quite a bit from what I understand. The more people I told about my experience admitted that it had happened to them or someone they knew. Apparently the deer think they can swim super good.

Sorry you lost the deer man. I definitely know the feeling.

 

[kesand72]

How did the deer end up in the drink?

Brett, I hit him at 400 yards. He followed his does into a hollow that led down to the beach. As I was making my way down all the does ran off to the right. I thought good, I just have to go in and find my buck. But he was bedded near the water. I saw him at the same time he saw me. He ran for the water and I started shooting. He made it to about 40 feet from shore. Maybe 8 feet deep.

 

[kesand72]

I had a similar situation one year. Shot one with a bow, he went out about 100 yards and died. Floated in the river, caught the current and ended up 300 or so out in the river. It was 7 degrees that morning. No swimming for me either. We were lucky enough to get a game warden to come help us get him out. I've never been more grateful. It actually happens quite a bit from what I understand. The more people I told about my experience admitted that it had happened to them or someone they knew. Apparently the deer think they can swim super good.

Sorry you lost the deer man. I definitely know the feeling.

First time I've had a deer try to swim for it. Taught me something about my personal physical limits. It never occurred to me that I wouldn't recover that buck til I got back to the beach and he was gone. Still losing sleep over it...

 

[Prerylyon]

O-M-G [emoji44][emoji32][emoji21]

Just catching up on this thread now. All I can say is, "holy chit!"

Tough deal. Wow. Sounds like a heck of an adventure, no matter. Definitely tale for the family legends file.

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[husker hunter]

That's definitely a crazy story...sorry it didn't work out for you. Do you think he sank or drifted away or did another hunter take it?

 

[Prerylyon]

It was definitely eaten.

By the 'KRAKEN'! [emoji223]

(lil joke-sry, I couldn't resist)

Still, joking aside; yikes.

That's definitely a crazy story...sorry it didn't work out for you. Do you think he sank or drifted away or did another hunter take it?

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[BrettKoenecke]

What a crappy deal! That's nuts. Just plain nuts. I suppose he filled up with water and sank.

 

[mallardsx2]

I was thinking about this post as I watched that episode of "Dropped" Last night. Referring to when his moose was going down the river. My wife said "What would you do?"

I told her if there was only one raft you wouldn't have much choice but to let him drift and hopefully find him after we had loaded up our camp. You couldn't risk leaving your equipment behind in Alaska. I wouldn't anyhow. With two rafts I would have wet after him for sure. Calculated risks that may or may not be worth it around every corner in Alaska.

 

[kesand72]

That's definitely a crazy story...sorry it didn't work out for you. Do you think he sank or drifted away or did another hunter take it?

Well, my first thought was that he sank. But when I got out to max depth with the waders, there was some current and I thought he may have floated off. But I drove around the lake and glassed what I could. No sign of him. I googled how long a shot deer would float and there were a bunch of posts about how they usually float. But some about how they will soon sink. This is my one and only experience with this and the best I can come up with is I'm not sure. There were no boats on the lake that morning and no other hunters seen.

 

[tdcour]

Mine floated for several hours getting pushed by the current on the Missouri River. Heartbreaking to watch, but it ended better for us. Mine was an archery shot and wasn't a pass through. I'm guessing that is why mine floated. The entrance hole was in the water, but no exit means harder for water to go in and fill the body cavity. I'm guessing a rifle shot going through both sides would let water sink it pretty quickly.

 

[CrimsonArrow]

I wish I'd been there with you. I've swam in near freezing rivers to retrieve a mallard or a goose in my younger years. Cold water doesn't seem to bother me at all, especially when I know it's only short term.