Originally Posted by
Wisco94
I had something similar happen this year, just with a bow. I shot and hit a branch i missed while clearing shooting lanes and I thought I missed behind the deer until I found the arrow and there was blood on it. I left it for 8 hours and went back and tracked it. Tracking it I had the same experience with pools of blood followed by drops. About 400 yards from where I shot it I ended up jumping it. Decided to let it sit overnight after that. Next morning got on it again and tracked it another 2 miles and eventually found it. Last 150 yards there was no blood, was just going on leaves that were kicked up. He ended up just running out of blood. Was a muscle shot. If you can I would try to stay on it as long as possible.
***That is what hunting is all about and not just squeezing the trigger on your rifle or bow. Many people just do not know how to track, when to back out, etc. and it costs a lot of lost animals every year. Your method was exactly the way it should have been done unless it was going to snow or rain a lot that would have washed any trail away and that might necessitate trying a faster recovery. Good job and glad you found your animal as it shows to never give up until all avenues are exhausted. We owe it to the animal to try for a quick, humane kill, but sometimes **** happens and then you need to know what to do to increase your chances of recovering the animal.