Blood trails and the missing airliner

[Blackhawk]

Great post Bob...and I like your analogy with the that missing airplane.  As I watched the news shows this  morning, I kept thinking about these posts of following a wounded deer.  I've had a couple bad experiences with this and appreciate all the good tips being presented.  

I'm just thankful I don't have look 12,000 feet on the bottom of the Indian Ocean.    

This is a really good thread with a lot of good info!

Bisch

[Roadkill]

Hydrogen peroxide spray bottle to get blood to bubble
Heard daddy longlegs spiders are attracted to blood, we have none here so...
Use a traching stick, they do work!  Practice on a deer you know where it is, and practice to see the benefit

If you know the lay of your area, you might look in likely spots in heavy cover.

[Butchie]

Originally posted by kbetts:
Glow sticks.  After this year, I'll always have them.  You can mark your ditch crossings, last blood, anything.  Most have a hanger for branches and you can see them from a long way away.

X2

They are great for after dark trailing!

[Mojostick]

Owlgrowler,

I agree 100% on some gut and liver hits going a very short distance before stopping. I was just simplifying for those that may not have dealt with such a hit. Meaning, if you don't push them, they won't go far.

This thread is hopefully to help others learn from our experiences and mistakes. Sadly, most people learn about how to properly track a liver hit from first losing deer to a liver hit.

Like you, I've had liver hit deer go maybe 50 yards and just stand there, then very slowly move off. But one still has to leave the stand or blind.

But for those who haven't dealt with a liver hit, Owl's description is more exact and he is spot on about deer sometimes stopping within sight on such hits.

[ChuckC]

Bows, when walking thru spiderland, cut yourself a little bough from a tree and hold it up in front of yourself as you walk.  Doesn't have to be big, but it needs to be more than just a stick.  Spiders and webbing get in the stick, not on you.

ChuckC

[Pat B.]

I've used the glo-sticks but use the ones with a battery and a slide switch ---- so you can use them over and over..  They are an aid on a blood trail if laid down or hung over sign every 20 yards or so.

I like the little CREE flashlights, most of mine use the 123 batteries, I also always have a headlamp.

I almost prefer to track at night. Seems like my focus is right there on the ground in my light. Plus I rarely have the time to hunt in the morning so 99% of my hunting is in the evening.

After some experience, I have gotten to the point where I can often look ahead 5-15 feet or so and "see" a dark spray on the foliage. This will appear dark brown or almost black to my eyes. Often it's so faint you're almost are using your imaginaion to see it.
What I am seeing is the blood trail with the spray that is so light you can't pick up individual drops. This one takes some experience to realize what you're seeing and to trust and believe it. After experiencing this a few times and then picking up a heavier trail and ultimately the animal you will consider it a valuable tracking skill.

Mark the trail as you will often be going back to that last blood you found. Mark to the blood trail !

Learning to trail wounded animals is key to your bowhunting success..  If you cannot hit animals with your arrows you will never harvest one, yes?
Trailing is just as necessary to your success, absolutely!

[ThePushArchery]

Good post here!

Another tip would be to make an absurd circle back to your truck or camp leaving the area of the shot and fleeing animal to ensure you're not bouncing the animal.

A few of our hunting party have done this in the past. Unknowingly, the game animal took an unlikely course after they lost sight of it after the shot. Thinking the animal would stay on it's course, it took 90º turns and ended up laying down between the treestand and the truck/camp. Made the track job a lot harder than it needed to be.

Also, don't check for first blood when you get out of your stand to give the animal some time while hunting in thicker cover. Sometimes the animals will lay down quickly (especially on a gut hit). You can bounce them within the first 30 yards if you're looking for first blood to give yourself something to think about while you give the animal time.