Lost deer with a 444

[Warren]

Well I shot a doe with my 444 this weekend for some freezer meat. I shot her 80yds away right in the boiler room. I found pink bubbly blood where I shot her and a few yards away. I found no more blood and couldn't find her in the thick stuff she went in. This is the first deer I have shot with this gun and I am not happy. I guess I should of shot her right in the shoulder, but I was trying to save meat. Every deer I have ever shot with a rifle has been right behind the shoulder with a good blood trail. Sucks feeding the coyotes instead of my family.

[RebelYelp]

what round are you shooting ? i've killed a bunch of deer and pigs with my .444 shooting 265 gr. leverevolution ammo and have yet to even have one run.

[edub20]

[Smoke68]

You may have looked for an entire day, so this may not apply:

Did you search that thick area high and low, grid it off, and walk the whole thing? A doe laying the right way can be very easy to walk past.

Sorry you lost her. Never a fun thing, but just happens sometimes.

[Warren]

I put a good five hours or more looking. I searched about every trail that she could of used and found no blood. I then just went looking through all the nasty thick stuff makind a grid pattern as best as I could and nothing. I am shooting remingtons in it. Basically looks like my core locts for the 270.

[DanP]

[Rowdy53103]

[SNOT]

[Dux Be Us]

I lost one with the Hornaday ammo and my .444 during doe season, first one that ever ran from it. Think I hit her high. Sux, but caca happens....still my favorite deer gun

[Kealhofer]

I had one and used Hornady and shot two bucks with it. One I shot 60yds broadside and it never exited. I looked and looked and never found blood and I thought I made a bad shot. Later I picked up a blood trail about 80yds away and found the deer.

The next I shot broadside at 30yds and it never exited either. There was no blood until the cavity filled up and would drip from the entry wound. I sold the gun and bought a 35 w and use core locks and it is like hitting them with a 30-06.

[GrizwalD]

[mlj300]

I have no experience with the .444 but out of my 45-70 i have found that one of two things happens shooting hornadys. It either flattens deer in there tracks or they run and run and run. I have lost a few. It seems that my 45-70 doesn't consistently knock down deer like my 30-06 or .300 win mag. I usually shoot deer behind the shoulder. It is inconsistent enough that after this year, with the law change and all i probably wont hunt with it anymore.

[BR549]

[medic11]

You got to skillet shoot them does in the neck or head......hate to hear about one getting away, my dad shoots a .444 and has had nothing but good things to say about it. I believe he is shooting Hornady ammo.