I think every situation is different. The main thing I listen for USUALLY is the "death kick" as I call it. If you put a good hit on a deer and you see it run off and hear kicking and leaves rustling...you more than likely have a dead deer. I listen for this'commotion' and give it a little while and take up track. I have never jumped one out of it's bed after hearing the above 'commotion.'

However, I made a mistake this past October and took up track too soon. I did not hear the "death kick" and thought that perhaps the buck had died silently.[&:]Well, I jumped him after waiting 30 minutes after the shot. Waited about 3 hours and jumped him again. Had to wait until the next day and recovered him. Well, come tofind out thatI had a one lung hit and did not realize he could live that long on one lung.

I have learned to never underestimate a Whitetail.

PS: Read the book Trailing Whitetails by John Trout, Jr. He covers about every situation possible that could happen to a bow/gun hunter based on shot placement.