Longest tracking job

[Jerry Jeffer]

I tracked a doe on a one lung hit for 2 miles in the snow. Other then that, never more then 35-100 yards.

[GrnMtnTradNut]

90 percent of the deer I have shot no matter the weapon have gone down in sight. I did shoot a 6pt in NY one time with a compound in front of the back legs(damn unseen twigs) jumped him 150 yds from the shot  the next morning and he had clotted up evry time he laid down he would clot so I did the one thing I hate to do I pushed him and ran him into the ground 24 hrs later I finished him off with another arrow, I felt terrible btu got him. I also shot a deer in VT with a 270 weatherby mag. some how hit it in the guts with a gun I can touch bullets with at 150yds. I shot him again 31 hours later and 6 miles away as the crow flys and sometimes with no blood and no snow. Things happen with what ever we use as a weapon you have to try your best and never give up on a mortally wounded animal, most people I know and some of the best shots and trackers have lost atleast 1, if yu haven't you are lucky, haven't been at it long or do not shoot very many animals. I am 30 and have taken 61 deer with my bows and and 17 others with a gun or muzzle loader but I have lost only 2 mortally wounded deer it made me sick. Take only good shot, good decisions usally have good outcomes. Chris

[Bob B.]

My longest ever was a muzzleloader roundball shot.  tracked over 4 miles, found the deer looking up at a thicket he thought I would go through (he kept doubleing back)I went anround and got to within 100 yards of him looking up to where he thought I would be and BOOM!! ... someone else shot him!  I ran up and soon discovered why the tracking was so long.  I had shot him in the foot only!!  Double set triggers were set real light!

Nearly every deer I shoot goes down quick and in site, broadheads, balls or bullets.

Bob.

[MOstate]

Wingnut, did not mean to trap you if thats  what it feels like. I just wanted to see how far people had to track game.

[Eric Krewson]

Shot a 5 point at 7:30 one morning, good blood at first but lost it after a couple hundred yards. Picked up one drop about 500 yards away and jumped the deer a little later at 10:30. I played cat and mouse with this deer for hours, tried three shots through the brush at different times and couldn't get an arrow in him. Every time I jumped him he would start bleeding again so I kept after him. At 2:30pm and down to my last arrow, one that had already been shot at him several times, I saw him bedded with a clear, softball sized hole through the brush I could shoot through.

I said a little prayer asking for help to end this deer's suffering and put an arrow directly through that opening in the brush.

Distance covered was only about a mile  but it was along day.

I had aimed at the heart with my first shot, when he ducked his elbow came up and covered his heart. I hit his elbow and this directed the arrow back into the liver and paunch.

[longbowman]

Back in 1981 I shot a doe right a first light.  I watched the aroow go through what I thought was a perfect heart shot.  The deer turned an "shuffled" away stright up a big mountain (Pennsylvania).  I left and came back 2 hrs. later and jumped the deer.  I followed it at a steady walk for 2 1/2 more hrs. down that mountain and back up 4 times when I heard it go down.  I have a picture of me holding the heart with the old Bear Razorhead "X" through the bottom tip of it.  Total distance had to be more than 2 miles.

[DRR324]

My farthest- over 1 1/2 miles, quartering shot missed by couples incehs (wheels) clipped the inside of the front leg.  Saw the shot well, knew that I hit the inside of the leg and chose to push the buck to make it work and keep bleeding.  We jumped him several times, tried to work a poster in front of him a couple times, only to have him go past outside bow range.  After 6 hours, he smoked across a 1/2 mile section and got bedded down- where he clotted up.  We jumped him from the last bed and lost all blood.  He lived- and was taken by the neighbor 6 weeks later with a rifle.  The front leg was healing- but not very well- and he looked worn out.  We tried the best possible option I feel, and lost that match.  My shortest (outside of a spine shot)
2 steps.  Hit a doe at 7 yards- she took 2 steps to the side, looking around as the drain cork had been pulled- about 20 seconds later- just tipped over.

[leatherneck]

About 6 years ago I hit a buck back into the liver. We tracked about 900(8 hours) yards up and down hills following a drop here and a drop there. lost the trail in some pines. Did a grid search and found nothing. A month later found the remains about 30 yards from where we stopped the search. Head was gone but the bones were there. Not sure if it was my deer or not but I think it was.

[tradtusker]

we once tracked a blue wildebeest 14kms over a few days till recovered.

also had ostridge and eland go a long way,
 but the blue wildebeest seem to be tuff as nails when badly hit in my experience

[Lonesome Wind]

My Kudu we tracked for 9 hours. Like Eric said, the distance travelled wasn't huge, but the day was VERY long. Had to put another 2 arrows in him once we found him. First arrow seemed perfect, but somehow wasn't lethal.
I know what you mean about wildebeest Andy! With an arrow thru him diagonally he still came after us! Blood trail was short though, he was sitting waiting for us.
Longest whitetail trail was accross a river, about 400 yds. She was lying dead on the other bank.

[John Scifres]

Hit 'em in the lungs and you won't track them far.  But still, you need to learn how to track a deer.

My longest track job was a bad shot with a shotgun.  600-700 yards with drops of blood most of the way.  I trailed him to his bed and jumped him.  He was never recovered.

All my good bow shots were within 100 yards for both compound and trad.

It is my learned opinion that short shots on calm deer result in the shortest track jobs regardless of the tool used.

[Paul WA]

I have 2 friends that tracked an elk so far they spent the night in the woods...PR

[Shawn Leonard]

John, the problem is that the deer always do not cooperate, everyone strives to make a quick clean kill but if ya hunt long enough we all know that is not always the case! Shawn

[Arwin]

My wife was with me for mine. 4 years ago I crawled on hands and knees for over 500 yds following pin drops of blood. I hit a doe too far back and had to leave her over night. After 4 hrs of painfull tracking, I found my doe dead in a swamp, bloated and covered with flies. It had got warm the night before. Not being the wastefull type, I gutted the doe and nearly passed out from the smell. I had dry heaves and my wife was standing 100yds away and could smell it. She was laughing at me AND trying not to gag. Still optimistic, I drug it to the car and put it in the trunk. We drove for 1/4 mile and we couldn't take it, out went the doe. I hate wasting meat.  

[PAPA BEAR]

not proud of this but i tracked a blacktail buck that i shot with a 7mag (when i was young and dumb)around 5 miles before i found him within 500 feet of my truck.    no wonder i switched to archery  :D    :D