Those youngsters hauling water and wood was a Godsend!
My doe was a lesson in woodsmanship (thanks Ron!) She was a close, 7 yard shot from a low treestand....maybe 10 feet high...and my Li'l Fav did her job perfectly. Double lung, right where you want it. But the rain started,hard, just about when I released the arrow. Due to my superior LaClair training, the first thing I did was check my compass and got a good line on her departure. Being in thick pines, I could only watch her for a few feet before she disapeared. I followed the vanishing blood for about 20 yards, where I found my arrow...covered in bright bubbly blood. But that was it. No more blood, and the rain took care of any miniscule drops. Greg N. and I looked for about 2 hours that night, in a pretty strong rainstorm. No luck.
We came back at first light, and methodically worked out the trail(s). First we stayed on the obvious runway she was on, for about 2 hundred yards (a long way in the pines). Then we seperated to opposite sides of the runway, and worked about 25 yards off of it back to the arrow. No deer, no blood. At the arrow, he turned left (west) and I turned right (east) and using our compasses, stayed on a straight line in our individual directions. I was counting my paces, and intended on going 100 yards, or to the 2 track, whichever came first. At 80 paces, there she lay. I was a happy Shrew-Shooter!
When I started hunting with Ron, I was no rookie...but I was smart enough to listen when he preached. In short, he taught me that when it all seems lost, a compass oriented, methodical search will get it done. Thanks Old-Timer!! I felt like he found it for me, and he wasn't even there!
By the way, will I void my warranty if I start carving notches in my Li'l Favorite?