Sabots do not leave blood trails as they do not penetrate the deer. Not teasing you though. I know what you mean.

The projectile you want to shoot should be made for the kind of shooting you might encounter. If you want a good blood trail you need a pass through. That pass through has to be where a lot of blood from the deer flows, like the lungs, heart, or main artery. The problem I find when you do not get a pass through is, many times the body cavity has to fill up with blood before it can drip out.

Short ranges I always look to the hollow points. I like this new Speer Deep Curl in 300 grain, but to date I have not shot a deer with it.

Shockwaves will often blow right through deer, but some claim no blood trail and others claim massive. Again, I think it is all where that bullet hit.

Conical bullets normally get a pass through. They also do extensive interior damage so blood trails are common with them. Also I find their knock down power real good.

I think it is the bullet you shoot. If I wanted a blood trail I would be shooting one of these; a Barnes MZ Expander, Nosler Partition, Speer Deep Curl, Traditions 350 grain all lead Keith Nose .430, Buffalo Bullet 375 gr SSB or Hornady XTP 300 grain. But again, no field experience with sabots to back up my views. Only my speculation.