Great post Rob, and I hope you files it away to post again next year.
(I'd give you a H.R.A.O.P. but alas I'm not qualified)<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
I agree with everything said here.......and what Iroquois said struck home a bit. I've seen people just flat out "Blank out" after that adrenaline rush that follows the release,and quizzing them about what just happened turns into a guessing game.
I've been on the same end of helping track animals, only to hear the infamous phrases......
(Where was he standing exactly?)<font color=red>"He was standing right here......I'm pretty sure anyway?"</font id=red>(Well where did he run?)<font color=red>"He took off that way, but I'm not sure Exactly where because there were 2 deer with him and I got them confused as they ran"</font id=red> (Ok...how did the deer react when shot)<font color=red> "I don't know.....it just ran off"</font id=red><img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>
Etc.....etc......etc.....you get the drift.
I know it's tough to do, and I guess it comes with taking a few animals and getting a bit more "ice in the veins", but don't "ZONE OUT" in the excitement.......take as much in as you can like an investigator.
Excecute the shot then analyze the results as they unfold, and truly MARK the last spot you saw the animal. Pick something.....ANYTHING that you can absolutely identify from the ground.
You can know a patch of woods like the back of your hand, but from ground level, and many yards from your stand it's a whole new world. If your off by only a few yards, you can seriously compound your tracking job.
So like everyone said before me.....take quality shots,follow Rob's timeline, and pay attention.
Oh yeah......take a camera along with you for the celebration at the end of that trail! ( but I'll save all that for the yearly "Quality Picture" post.
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