This is a great thread, this alone could be the best advice on getting your deer. The first thing I do after the arrow releases is try to watch or look for that little piece or flicker of white which is my veins to determine where I shot the animal. Some times we get excited and don't really watch where the arrow hits. This will give you a ball park idea. So it is good to have light colered veins and maybe white cresting around your arrow. Second, before anything I watch the animal run away marking spots in my head where I saw him last. Third I sit back down and try to calm down your excited at this point , the last thing you want is to fall out of the tree. Fourth , I listen just to hear the direction he went and maybe hear it fall. This could be third if you wanted. Fifth, I look at my watch to determine what time it is, very important to know when you shot it. Sixth, I gather my gear together piece by piece, I have a little note in my pocket to remind me of what I brought into the woods, in all the excitement I've lost more than my share of gear. After that I make sure I have it all and then lower my bow and them my pack down to the ground slowly, just killing time at this point. Next I carefully climb down from the stand. I always back out and go back to my truck or call my buddy on the radio and tell him to meet me at the truck. This also kills some time. I never go after a deer in my hunting clothes, I have a set of tracking gear that I have , different boots, jackets, pants, spend to much money on scent-lok to get it bloody, plus all my field dressing equiptment is back at the truck, kind of gives me a excuse not to go right after the deer, so I leave it there, more time involved , which in turn give the animal time to die. After I put on my tracking clothes, my flashlight , my knife, and other gear, I double check everything so I don't forget any thing, Then I walk back with my friend, just 1 friend because the more people you have the more chance you have of contaminating the blood trail or disturbing it, so limit the number of people tracking. Next I go right to the stand and look at where I shot the deer, because it dosen't always look the same from the ground, so that's why you pick or mark the spot in your head low to the ground. Then we look for the arrow, The arrow is probably the single most important clue on where you hit him, analyze the blood and determine either to move foward or back out. If there's bubbles you hit lung, also try to remember what side youshot him on it might come into play later on tracking. Dark blood could be liver , bright blood could be lungs,muscle or heart, so it is important to not only see the blood and where it lays on the ground put how it is placed there, such as spraying, drops, little or alot at the hit sight, or where it stopped , such as a pool of blood. Also figure out if the deer is bleeding out both sides and determine where the entrance hole and exsit hole might be, you can do that by looking at the ground and at trees , the scene is 3 diamentional and evidence can be anywhere. Make sure that the most expierenced trackers is first, and let no one go ahead of him or you, contamination of course.If there is no arrow to be found, undersatand that it may not bleed as much, due to the arrow blocking things, remember this with type of hit less blood at the beginning is very common, but does not mean it not dead by this time, just be patient and follow clues. Try to be as quite as possiable as you track, if for some reason it's not dead, you don't want to jump it, or if you do jump it back out for a while. Many say 3hr or 4hr, bottom line if your unsure, wait at leat 6hr on questional shots. One thing I forgot to mention , on less than perfect shots, aalways smell the arrow, if it stincks then you have got some stomach and need to back out for a while unless there is tons of blood sprayed everywhere, be for warned the exit hole on a gut shot will clog up due to the intestines , so even if you have good blood and it stops, to just a drip every few yards, back out, give him some time to die. All of this takes years to develop, patience is your best chioce. Read books about diferent blood types and what to look for, go on tracking jobs with your friends as much as you can. While I may not have the best techniques, I find what I do effective, and that's why all my buddies call me, even people I do not know call me, to help track downed game. I break it down completly and look at all the scenerios. I'm not the best, and some of my techniques are questionable, but as long as your are willing to learn and understand the process you will be fine. I did forget one thing, when you loose blood, do small circles until you find more and mark your spots as you go. Like STAN POTTS says, WHEN IN DOUBT, BACK OUT. Hope this helps. lou-lou