# Tracking Question



## Fishin' Coach (May 19, 2004)

Let me start by saying,I have never bow hunted. So when my wife showed an interest I was all for it but I'm no road map. I have been real proud of her she has seen 7-8 deer in the 25-35yrd range and hasn't shot because she doesn't want to overestimate her ability?

Last night she had a buck of a lifetime walk within 15 yrds, She said she had "buck fever" and was shaking like a leaf. But she drew back took a breath and shot. The deer bucked and was off. She then called me on the cell and I came over to help her track it.

The arrow was stuck in the ground and was broke in half It had blood smeared from the tip to the feathers. I could only track it about 300 yrs then it got to dark to follow the tracks which were light already.

But there was almost no blood to track, other than on the arrow, there was only a drop or two of blood for every two hoof prints. 

I plan to go back today after work, 12:00 but I was just wondering what you guys think?

She is extremly worried because she would hate to think that the buck is wasting away out there some where.

Any and all advice is welcome and needed

Thanks
--Coach


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## truck (Apr 12, 2004)

Good luck,tracking can be hard!!The more you do it the better you will be.carry tissue paper with you,If you loose the track mark it with the t/paper-start making 20to 30ft circles till you pick up the track again.If you don't find it go back to the paper and start again!


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

My first question that comes to mind is where does she think the arrow hit? What was the color of the blood? Light or dark? Did it have bubbles in the blood or and other material? These are the kind of things that can lead you to a better assessment of how well he was hit.

Another very important factor that many do not follow well enough os the length of time between shooting and tracking. How long did you wait before beginning to track the deer? If you moved him too early he may have had time for the blood to clot up enough to lose the trail. There are many theories to the right amount of time. But if there was no rain in the air or in the forecast then you should give him 3-4 hours at minimum or longer if it looks to be a gut shot or any other less desired location. If it is a good hit and you find definite lung shot evidence you can proceed sooner but still should wait at least an hour unless he has dropped in sight.

Hopefully, you can find the blood trail again today and find him. If he was not hit well, though there is that chance that you may not find him. It stinks when this happens but you owe it to the deer to do plenty of searching. If you lose a blood trail, mark the last sign and start moving out from there in circles searching for anything unusual. If there is any water around the area check around that area as well because they often times will head there. Chances are he will not be out in the open unless he dropped over on the run. More likely he will be stuck in a thick area bedded if the shot was fatal.

If you have a dog, take him along. They can cover a lot more ground than you and they have the nose for the job.

Good luck and be persistent in your effort.

Let us know how it goes. If you get stumped check back in with your progress and maybe some on here can offer up suggestions.


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## worminator (Aug 20, 2004)

Just from my experience which is very little I have found that the deer that I have had to track will circle around to the area that they originally came from. I have also learned not to push a wounded deer but leave them stop and lay down. Also in my pack I keep a roll of orange tape to mark the blood trail. If you have to come back the next day you can start from where you left off. If the deer she shot is showing any pattern of circling back to the original area she took the shot it may give you a general idea where he is headed. I think you should be OK with the overnight temp. but you want to get to him before the other critters do. I have even used the tracker line on my X-bow only to have two deer remove all 800 yards of line because they were both pass threw shots which doubled the line. I also started tracking both deer too soon thinking it would be just like bringing in a big fish. NOT TRUE. They just ran farther till the line pulled out. All I had then was a blood soaked line and no deer.
Good luck.......... it's always a learning experience tracking a deer.


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## Fishin' Coach (May 19, 2004)

I could't find enough blood to make a color detrermination. the blood on the arrow looks brownish or dark...how ever the blood on the groung were small spots like the size of a pencil eraser or smaller every 10' or so.

It was at least an hour before I came there from when she called me...
Also she said it jumped when it was shot... but it never really sprinted off just sort of trotted 200-300 yds untill she lost sight from her tree stand.

will start today in about three hours... we marked the last spot w/ her hat will use the toilet paper to keep track this time thanks all


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## Onion (Apr 10, 2004)

I bet you he is laying dead 20 yards from where you stopped last night. Seems like these stories always end this way  

Good luck!


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## truck (Apr 12, 2004)

Don't forget while tracking,like worm said-look back once in awhile at your marked trail to give you an idea to witch way he is going.I know it is hard but look for the trail not the deer.


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## shadowalker (May 7, 2004)

By the color left on the arrow it sounds like a paunch hit, this deer can be recovered but it will take perserverance. As for blood it will be in short supply however there can be parts of green bowel and other wet looking product coming out. After knowing hit location that will dictate how long to wait and how to go about the recovery.On this deer if you have a friend with a dog that can track this will be your best chance of finding him now. good luck,shadowalker


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## jeffmo (Apr 7, 2004)

a lack of a good blood trail isn't that uncommon.sometimes,if you're hunting from the ground and the deer is hit somewhat high,it will simply bleed into the body cavity instead onto the ground.that's another advantage of hunting from a stand,it gives the shot a downward trajectory and if the arrow passes through,you have a better chance of it bleeding out onto the ground.
it does sound like the shot was somewhat back a little but it still should be a lethal hit.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

I am coming up to Findlay this afternoon.

I would be happy to help you look for it.

Just send me a PM with your Phone number to contact you.

Kim


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## Fishin' Coach (May 19, 2004)

I just wanted to thank all for all posts I really appericate everything. I thought I owe it to you all to let you know how it turned out. On Monday I went and tracked where we left off Sunday. Trail (foot prints w/ no visable blood) circled around and was lost when It re-entered the woods. On Tuesday I enlisted the help of one of my student/ football players who lives to bow hunt... Showed him the the tracks and he went to it. In the woods about 15 yrds we found the spot where he bedded down and found one blood spot between a quarte and a 50 cent piece. There was fresh scat and pee from the foot trail from there. still no blood. we tracked him another 600yrds to another woods (had to stop and ask permission to continue) about a half an hour before dark we entered that woods and as soon as we did that buck an 7 other does fleed out the east side. My "tracker" suggested that it must of been a leg wound "because he sure looks fine now"

Last night, Wed my wife Heather went out again and saw a couple of the does out of range but on her way back to the the car she went past her other stand "the one she shot out of" and noticed the mock scrape had been visited by a buck with the same size footprints as the one we've been tracking  

She's still sad she didn't get him but at least he's still out there


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Glad to hear you put out all the effort to recover the deer. Also glad to hear you determined that it is still going strong.


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## truck (Apr 12, 2004)

Like SD said glad to hear you all put in the effort to find the deer,too many people don,t .


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## Walter Adkins (May 20, 2004)

I am sorry that she did not get the deer.The two of you have gained far more from this deer that if you had got it. I find several deer every year that have been left because people would not put forth the effort to track it. Some deer are just not trackable but most are. The effort that was put out for this deer goes to show what type of people that you and your wife are.


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## EMRDUCKS (Jun 28, 2004)

I Always Carry Tp With Me When I'm Hunting For Obvious Reasons. But When You Start Finding Blood I Put A Tiny Pice Of Tp Where It Is And If You Look Back Toy Wont Lose The Trail If It's Not Bleeding To Good. You Can Find The Exact Spot Where You Last Marked Blood And Go Back To It, So You Can Find Another Mark From That Area. Good Luck


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