Tracking after the shot

[davidlt89]

Well, in light of recent events, I was wondering what protocol some of you follow after the shot has been made, to track your deer. It seems for me that blood is never really abundant. I did  successfully track one bear three years ago with a blood trail, but other than that, animals I hit don't seem to bleed. I double lunged a bear one year and all we found for blood was three drops coming out of the exit hole. Where do most of you "prefer to put your arrow" when taking the shot. I was under the impression that when deer are hit with an arrow, blood would be abundant since there is an 1 1/4 cut going through it. Anyway, just interested in what you guys do after the shot, and interested in where you prefer to put your shot. God bless.

[Antler3]

Never have taken a deer with the bow as of yet. But have read and been told a quartering away shot behind the front shoulder is the best to take. Sometimes when hit high on the animal , it will take awhile for the animal to bleed. Also sometimes it takes about 50 to 75 yards before they bleed. An animal will hold it's breath after the shot and when hit in the lungs won't bleed until it has to take a breath...giving it several yards to get away. There are other signs to follow besides a blood trail...always watch the general direction it goes after the shot. Look for turned up ground, overturned leaves, broken twigs or branches. There is alot of good info. out there on the web. Just type in tracking after the shot and go from there. Good luck to ya.

[davidlt89]

that is interesting Antler3, and good stuff to know. The only thing I had ever had to track is bear. First one I got with a bow bled like a stuck pig and we were only 5 minutes finding it. I double lunged a bear the next year with a bullet and only found 3 drops of blood around the exit hole when we found it. Shot a deer with a bow last year and it did not bleed one drop on the ground, only inside. So you can see I do not have alot of experience finding blood. It is interesting what you said about them holding thier breath. When I hit this deer this year, it ran in the woods and stopped and blew 3-4 times. There were 3 nice blood spots that we found, must of been when she blew. I will keep these things in mind. I have bought some illumanating spray that I hear works good from people that have used it. Thanks and God Bless.

[RatherBHuntin]

the one I had last year I had to track for so long taught me a lot. I think at various times I was using 3 or 4 different methods.
 
I started by simply going in the direction I saw the deer run. I had to mark the spot she was standing, then used flagging tape to try to get a line on her by marking the few blood drops I found. Many times I had to follow here tracks in the numerous muddy spots she kept running through. Sometimes there would be a good drop or two on the ground. Once or twice there was some on trees where she turned. Once when she was coming out of a stream, the water on her belly made the blood smear real good on the high grass giving me a good arrow. I finally lost her on a rare dry hump where she turned and didn't bleed before or after she did that. In the morning I started circling the last spot until I found some more.....where she was travelling 90 degrees from the previous direction. More blood here and there, followed an obvious trail(old fence line) for a while after the blood ran out and found here. Also could see the tracks in the dew sometimes.
 
Lots of "tricks" to use, though they may not all be appropriate at any given time. Down here, bugs will concentrate on the blood trail. If you see daddy long legs gaggled up, shoo them off and there might be blood underneath. Turned up earth and leaves, especially if it they were running. If you see large pools where it was probably standing, look to the sides to see if it turned after starting to move again. And follow trails.

[davidlt89]

where did you hit her Glenn? Just curious. You certainly earned that deer. Maybe I gave up to soon!!!!!!!!!

[RatherBHuntin]

looked like one lung and the liver probably, and high.  I didn't dress her as there wasn't much left. Thats the one the coyotes ate up by the time the sun came up.