Seeing the animal go down is by far the most important thing to see. One thing I've learned from tracking is the shooter rarely knows exactly where the shot goes, and I speak for myself as well. Too many things play tricks on the eyes so if I don't see the animal go down, I don't necessarily trust what my eyes told me. I use it as an aid but not the most important piece to the puzzle...

Example: On film, I shot a buck at 19 yards, head down, feeding, leg forward. Chip shot....I buried the pin right behind that leg forward at the top of the heart, squeezed off the shot and I SAW the arrow pass thru the boiler room. My buddy filming it filmed the buck run down the alphalpha field and it stopped. When it stopped he turned the camera on me. I questioned him, film the deer go down and he shook his head no...I'm puzzled. I grab my binos (take them, use them) and glassed the buck...no exit hole...I'm really puzzled. I know I shot him right above the heart.....or that's why my eyes said.

When playing the video in slow motion, the arrow was perfect but the deer dropped so far that the arrow went through his hide just above his spine. In real time my eyes didn't see the deer drop, my eyes only saw my yellow and white fletch disappear through his hide.

I don't trust what my eyes see at that exact moment. I trust what I see when the deer runs off and what my binos tell me.

If I don't see or hear the animal go down, I wait!