Push 'em, or Let 'em Lie Down and Die?" BY Robert Miller

Below is short article by Robert Miller of Michigan Deer Trackers 

Robert wrote this about when to push a deer and cause 'em to bleed out or wait for them to bed down and die. Of course you don't always know about shot placement and many other factors, but when you do know, making an informed decision can make it easier one way or the other.

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After a marginal shot you have been told to give the deer some time to stiffen up!!

 "It's going to be really cold so the deer will stiffen up and be dead in it's bed!"

Have you ever been told this and do you believe this to be true? 

Picture below is owned by Peterson Bow hunting magizine of a bedded stomach shot buck.

I've seen these eyes plenty of times and it's important to know how to handle these situations!
What you do next will be an important part of recovering your deer.

Deer only stiffen up after they die!!! The“stiffen up” theory is false.

 They lie down because they are very sick or dizzy from sudden decrease in blood pressure and they have reached an area that they feel safe lay down. In most cases you don't want to bump a wounded deer out of its bed but there are times when it’s your only option to end suffering. Large muscle and broken bone hits produce bleeding which will lead to death if enough blood is lost. Pushing the deer can keep the heart pumping at an elevated level which can stimulate blood loss and work against blood coagulation and healing.

 A single lung shot is another time that requires you to immediately start tracking and be ready to make a follow up shot. By keeping the deer moving you increase the blood flow and exhausting the deer to the point you can get a second opportunity. If you can push the deer hard enough and get the diaphragm to collapse this will suffocate the deer and killing him.
The trick is understanding the type of wound you're dealing with. Keep the deer bleeding if the hit is not inherently fatal — this won’t happen if the deer beds, quiets down, and the blood coagulates. On occasion, pushing a wounded deer is your best option.

Getting on him right away can sometimes allow you to get another shot into him, the rapid blood loss with cause dizziness or be disoriented and will allow you to quietly approach for a follow-up shot. You typically have a small window of 15-45 minutes to make this follow up shot. A none lethal wound will start to coagulate in a matter of minutes and the spleen stores blood cells so it realeases white blood cells to prevent infection and platlets start to coagulate the blood. Bone marrow starts making new blood.

A deer with a broken leg is easily tracked by a dog because of the bone marrow that's expelling from the broken bone along with all the scents the dog has been trained to follow. 

This is why it's important to understand your shot placement and understand when it's best to track immediately or know how long to wait. 

This is another reason I've always said it's best to know someone with a deer tracking dog before you ever need the assistance of dog. 

Find a tracker in your area and save their number because if you hunt long enough you will find yourself in the need of the hunters best friend a deer tracking dog.

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I am Marcus de la Houssaye, a breeder and trainer of Louisiana Catahoulas and I recommend finding a tracker in your neck of the woods or gettting your puppy or finished blood tracking dog now, before the season starts so you are ready if you need one later once the season opens.

I can be reached by email at: catahoula1@gmail.com

I am in Lafayette, Louisiana and I do deliver puppies, started and finished dogs personally to you.