Whitetail Are Tougher Than You Think

Whitetails are tougher animals than most of us give them credit for. I have butchered enough deer to know that not all seemingly-deadly wounds from broadheads and bullets are fatal. Assuming infection doesn’t set in and ravage the buck (or doe) internally, a whitetail can take a lot of abuse and still recover.

I was reminded of this the other day when a friend sent me this trail cam picture of a nice buck. This beautiful whitetail was shot by a muzzleloader hunter last fall and, though the buck was not recovered, was presumed dead. Obviously, these photos prove that the buck is very much alive, though he bears a scar that should make him easier to identify this fall!

So how about you guys? Have you harvested a buck that exhibited old wounds that amazed you? Or, have you grazed a buck one day, only to get a second chance down the road? Interested in hearing similar tales of whitetail toughness