buckwild41

Like stated above limit the distance of your shots if the first step. Never over 30 yards.

Wait at least 30 minutes but 60 is better. If a gut hit, wait several hours at a minium. If he's dead he'll still be dead 5 hours later...

While he runs off watch his feet. Pay attention to where his feet last touched the ground. Easier to reference where he was. Theres usually a stump or branch , something to mark the last spot you saw his foot touch the ground.

If it's getting dark look for your arrow while still waiting in the tree with binoculars. You may find the start of the blood trail before youeven start down and while it's still light.

Go slow.. Drop TP while you're moving along, it may help show the general direction of travel.

Oneshot7

If you lose blood, got back to last blood and make circles around that spot until you pick up blood again. they love to turn circles for some reason, my doe did three circles before she expired this year, over 200 yards away with a shot that took out two lungs and the Heart. My buddys doe did a complete 360 and we walked by her three times before we figured it out.

The blood on the arrow is PRICELESS and needs to be found if possible.

TeeJay

Wow where do you start, all depends on where you hit it and weather coming in.

davidmil

There are no tricks. It's patience and slow and easy. All the tricks you need are posted in Robs sticky thread at the top entitled, Recovery, what to do after the shot.

TNBowHuntr

Watch the deers tail. A very hurt deer will not have its tail up. Also pay attention to how its run, hunched back and scurrying run will typically point towards a gut shot. Pay attention to the blood, dark red blood that dries fast is typically muscle blood, a pinker, frothy blood w/ small air bubbles would be lung blood. And as said before pay attention to the arrow, smell for ponch etc.

Schultzy

Here's a few off the top of my head.

1. Wait a couple hours regardless If It's a double lung before tracking It.
2. Bring a compass or GPS If your not familiar with the area.
3. Good tracking light for at night- Lanterns
4. Toilet Paper for marking blood.
5. Take the blood trail slow.
6. Don't go to far ahead without finding blood. Go back and start all over.
7. Walk on the side of the trail/blood trail, not on it.
8. Keep your ears In tune when tracking.
9. If tracking during the day, make sure you have your bow with. Ask Hunsucker about his friends buck.
10. Look at the height of the blood that's rubbing off the deer on tree's, It could tell you If It's a higher hit.
11. The smell of your arrow will tell you things as well on where It could be hit.
12. When In doubt, back out and take the trail In the morning where you left off. Mark It good before you leave.
13. Listen to what the blood trail Is telling you- beds, lots of blood, not much blood, blood In hoof tracks, etc.

I hope some of this helped.

Edcyclopedia

1st - Make an accurate broadside shot without compromising your shooting lanes, as too many deer have been wounded by the "little branch you didn't see" during the heat of the moment or low light (voice of experience).

2nd - Wait a minimum of 1 hour (assuming the shot was accurate) and track 100 yards or so to the dead deer, by the mass amounts of blood loss from a well placed shot.

wi_buckstomper

i no that everyones goal is to have a clean quick kill. but lets face it, it happens to everyone eventually, wheather its a bad shot, hit a twig, people will have those tuff blood trails. I just thought it would be interesting to here everyones things that maybe arnt so obvious that may helpothers on the forum. The more we learn thebetter off we are when the worst happens. Keep the ideas comming!!

Grasshopper13

I'm color blind and tracking is a very difficult thing for me. Blood just doesn't jump out at me like it does for others, but if I go slowly and take my time, I usually get it done.

One thing I have learned....you won't find a colorblind woman.....and they can see blood from a mile away usually. When I'm really struggling, I'll go get my wife or daughter to help. She can point out the small amounts of blood, so I can decipher what's happened.

The tip about paying attention to how the deer holds it's tail is good too....a really hurt deer will often "swirl" it's tail in circles. A great big white flag......usually, but not always indicates a miss or marginal hit.


GH

tschammel

One trick that I can tell you is to use "Slick Tricks"