Bobcat hit

[Brushwolf]

Yesterday evening hit a cat. Called it during daylight hours right up a frozen creek at 30 yards. Put the German dot on the chest and squeezed the trigger. After the shot the cat took off the best it could favoring the one front leg and making allot of cat growing and moaning getting out of there. Sat there listing as is goes into the thick brush. After 5 mins started tracking and got on the track and noticed that it would go 5 to 10 yards and likely is dragging it's one leg or laying down it was hard to tell cause it was very thick cover. Sometimes I would half to crawl on my hands and knees to get through it. After tracking it for 400 yards there was not one drop of blood not one. I shot it with a 17 fireball 25g Berger hp. Now I shot a coyote with this same bullet last year and did not recover it either. When I got out of bed this morningI just keep thinking of my shot placement and how come no blood. Any thoghts?

[Misterjake23]

Bad shot placement......If it went 400 yards, my guess is he's going to make it.  Was it a broadside chest shot or a straight on chest shot?

[j76clev2]

Was the cat quartering either way?  With it laying down it could have got snow packed into the wound and the blood trail goes bye bye. I've seen it happen with deer in these cold temps. With it being this cold if the cat lays down it should stiffen up and not be able to get back up.  Next time if it happens just find the start of the blood and mark it, and if you don't seem the animal laying within eyesight, back out for an extra hour before you begin your search. I would resume the search in the daylight.  Let us know if you find it post some pics.

[Brushwolf]

It was a front on shot.

[j76clev2]

Misterjake is probably right but you owe it to the animal to exhaust all efforts before giving up hope.  Once the blood runs out mark the last drop then start making circles around that spot bigger and bigger each pass.   If u cant find the animal or any more sign then its safe to say there's a cat with a nasty limp out there.  Hope you find it.

[shadowchaser]

With the snow tracking should be easy.  As for the blood its going to eventually stop and with low temps last night the wound is probably going to freeze over stopping anymore blood flow.  Just remember the season is now closed so if the animal isn't dead you may want to call the PAGC.  Lets not get a "Bear" thread over here.

[Brushwolf]

Update. Went after work and went to my setup and found blood. Then I started tracking where I left off last night and started tracking. Found blood and some bone then it took off in front of me about 50 yards and I could tell I hit the cat in the leg. All that work and I screwed up my shot.

That was my frist successful daylight stand. So disappointed in myself.

[shadowchaser]

Well you did all you could.  It will probably recover and next year you'll get 3 Legged Tom.

[Misterjake23]

Don't feel bad.  There are a lot of hunters who would love to simply have one come in to the call....Me included.

[Predator100x]

Brushwolf says,

That was my frist successful daylight stand. So disappointed in myself.



I know it sucks,I called one in for a buddy a couple years back,we found chunks of bone an little blood,tracked it about 300 yards,right into a den.He was all bent out of shape for a day or two,I told him it happens,not much you can do about it.