Bloodtrailing
09-04-2009, 02:08 PM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 654
Bloodtrailing
With all the seasons cranking up and some already in it's time to start up a tracking thread. I happen to own one of the top tracking dogs in this country so I look at things a little different than most folks do. If I could I would like to encourage everyone to check their respective states to see if you have a tracking dog available in your area and if you do write that persons name and number down and keep it with your license. I belong to Unitedbloodtrackers.org and we have a state by state registry of available trackers. Other states like Georgia have access through magazines such as Georgia Outdoor News where they have a listing of trackers. In New York and some of the surrounding states you can find local trackers through Deersearch, Inc. which is the founder of bloodtracking within the US. It's founder John Jeanney is the guru of training blood trailing dogs and he's written two very informative books on the subject. You can find them at Born to Track. org. if your interested in training a tracking dog.
Most people do their own tracking and this is what this thread is about and I would like to start things out by saying that I am not an expert and don't claim to be but I['ve seen what does and doesn't work in the woods. I know a lot of folks will jump in to contribute some knowledge they have on the subject that will help us all to recover the deer we have the priviledge to shoot.
There's been volumes written on the subject about evaluating the shot site, type of blood, arrow (if found), hair, etc etc. I know there's also a lot out there that doesn't make it to print and if you've something to add pls. do. I will start off with a couple of pet peeves. Buy some relective tape. You can find tape that is biodegradable and it will degrade over time. I personally don't mind seeing a reminder of a bloodtrail I've worked in my section of woods but to see it all over the woods marking stands etc. is unsightly. I would also suggest using a color such as blue or anything that is different than the norm used in your area. This tape needs to be a part of your bowhunting gear. I would also like to suggest how I start the tracking process. I have this programmed into my brain. What happens immediately after you release the arrow and follow through will make or break the recovery. Pay attention!! and follow that deers path making mental notes of "exactly" where he/she passes. Things happen fast and this is something you need to remind yourself of before you release that arrow. When you have marked that last spot you saw that deer remember it and then follow that path back to the spot the deer was standing when you shot and pick out the other obvious spots the deer passed. I can't stress how important this is and know that recovery percentages would go up tremendously if folks could just "make" themselves do this.
After this I then do whatever celebrating I deem appropriate. I've learned that a shot deer isn't a dead deer until I have my hands on him/her so I don't do much celebrating these days in the tree. How long you wait to get down is determined by circumstances that I will let others comment on if someone has a question about it. Things look very differently than they do in an elevated position or ground blind so once I get my feet on the ground and get my bearings I walk directly to the last place I saw that deer. I don't look at the hit site. I don't look for my arrow or a bloodtrail. I beeline it to that last spot I saw that deer and mark it with my marking tape. You will find that as soon as you look for a bloodtrail, your arrow and signs of a hit your mind will go blank and you will lose all sense of direction. It will happen. After I have marked my "last sighting" spot I then backtrail to the next visual marker that I have remembered and mark it. I work my way back to the hit site marking any visual reference I have. Now you can start the bloodtrailing process.
This is the starting place you want to be in with at least a good idea of where that deer passed. That's how I start the process. Like I said before there's volumes written on bloodtracking and we owe it to the animals we hunt to learn as much as we can about the process. This is just a tidbit of how I do things that has helped with my success. I can't tell you how beneficial it would be to a tracking dog handler to have a well marked line from the memory of the hunter he's working for.
I know other's have their pet peeves so pls. jump in and tell us what makes you successful in your recoveries.
Dan
Most people do their own tracking and this is what this thread is about and I would like to start things out by saying that I am not an expert and don't claim to be but I['ve seen what does and doesn't work in the woods. I know a lot of folks will jump in to contribute some knowledge they have on the subject that will help us all to recover the deer we have the priviledge to shoot.
There's been volumes written on the subject about evaluating the shot site, type of blood, arrow (if found), hair, etc etc. I know there's also a lot out there that doesn't make it to print and if you've something to add pls. do. I will start off with a couple of pet peeves. Buy some relective tape. You can find tape that is biodegradable and it will degrade over time. I personally don't mind seeing a reminder of a bloodtrail I've worked in my section of woods but to see it all over the woods marking stands etc. is unsightly. I would also suggest using a color such as blue or anything that is different than the norm used in your area. This tape needs to be a part of your bowhunting gear. I would also like to suggest how I start the tracking process. I have this programmed into my brain. What happens immediately after you release the arrow and follow through will make or break the recovery. Pay attention!! and follow that deers path making mental notes of "exactly" where he/she passes. Things happen fast and this is something you need to remind yourself of before you release that arrow. When you have marked that last spot you saw that deer remember it and then follow that path back to the spot the deer was standing when you shot and pick out the other obvious spots the deer passed. I can't stress how important this is and know that recovery percentages would go up tremendously if folks could just "make" themselves do this.
After this I then do whatever celebrating I deem appropriate. I've learned that a shot deer isn't a dead deer until I have my hands on him/her so I don't do much celebrating these days in the tree. How long you wait to get down is determined by circumstances that I will let others comment on if someone has a question about it. Things look very differently than they do in an elevated position or ground blind so once I get my feet on the ground and get my bearings I walk directly to the last place I saw that deer. I don't look at the hit site. I don't look for my arrow or a bloodtrail. I beeline it to that last spot I saw that deer and mark it with my marking tape. You will find that as soon as you look for a bloodtrail, your arrow and signs of a hit your mind will go blank and you will lose all sense of direction. It will happen. After I have marked my "last sighting" spot I then backtrail to the next visual marker that I have remembered and mark it. I work my way back to the hit site marking any visual reference I have. Now you can start the bloodtrailing process.
This is the starting place you want to be in with at least a good idea of where that deer passed. That's how I start the process. Like I said before there's volumes written on bloodtracking and we owe it to the animals we hunt to learn as much as we can about the process. This is just a tidbit of how I do things that has helped with my success. I can't tell you how beneficial it would be to a tracking dog handler to have a well marked line from the memory of the hunter he's working for.
I know other's have their pet peeves so pls. jump in and tell us what makes you successful in your recoveries.
Dan
09-04-2009, 02:27 PM
#2
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
I have a blood trailing dog "on call"....lol. I used him/handler, last season on my Halloween buck. He wassn't successful (I recovered the buck, much later....not 70yds from where I shot him). But I give them an "A" for effort. He wouldn't take a dime over fuel costs (drove 1.5hrs, one way). Great guy. Tough dog. We went through some NASTY styff for 9hrs.
09-06-2009, 02:37 AM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: May 2009
Location: INDIANAPOLIS,IN.
Posts: 146
i think deer tracking dogs are legal here in indiana,as long as there on a lease and you have no wepon with you.i have beagles and i'm very intersted in training one to track deer blood trails,but know nothing about how to train them.where can i get info?
09-06-2009, 04:56 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Burke, VA (raised in MD)
Posts: 1,096
Bino's
1. After the critical seconds follwoing the shot, you need something productive to do before taking up the trail.
Part of my post-shot routine is to conduct a thorough visual search with my bino's. With bino's, you can usually see the arrow and possibly determine the color/consistency of the blood on it. You should also be able to see the quality and size of the blood trail from your stand.
Sometimes you can visually follow the trail to the spot of last sighting. Most importantly, you can identify small landmarks that are not readily visible with your naked eyes. These landmarks can make it a lot easier to orient yourself after climbing down.
2. I take a compass reading from my stand to the last sighting. If I have trouble find the last sighting spot, I can use a reciprocal heading to get myself to the right spot.
3. When in doubt, back out.
4. If you can't convince yourself to back out. Call a buddy and seek his advice. He will be more detached and able to offer a un-biased opinion. Send him a text after the shot and you can use the time on the text to mark the time of the shot.
Part of my post-shot routine is to conduct a thorough visual search with my bino's. With bino's, you can usually see the arrow and possibly determine the color/consistency of the blood on it. You should also be able to see the quality and size of the blood trail from your stand.
Sometimes you can visually follow the trail to the spot of last sighting. Most importantly, you can identify small landmarks that are not readily visible with your naked eyes. These landmarks can make it a lot easier to orient yourself after climbing down.
2. I take a compass reading from my stand to the last sighting. If I have trouble find the last sighting spot, I can use a reciprocal heading to get myself to the right spot.
3. When in doubt, back out.
4. If you can't convince yourself to back out. Call a buddy and seek his advice. He will be more detached and able to offer a un-biased opinion. Send him a text after the shot and you can use the time on the text to mark the time of the shot.
09-06-2009, 05:06 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Where the ducks don't come no more
Posts: 4,420
Most important thing I have found is to be patient and take your time. Give the animal ample time to expire. If he is dead already... he'll still be dead an hour or two from now.
Mark your last blood.... and maintain a trail! Things look a lot different in the dark and with your eyes on the ground most of the time, you can end up very lost very fast... make sure you tell someone where you are going in the event you do get lost.
Mark your last blood.... and maintain a trail! Things look a lot different in the dark and with your eyes on the ground most of the time, you can end up very lost very fast... make sure you tell someone where you are going in the event you do get lost.
09-06-2009, 05:51 AM
#7
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 654
lightfoot52- Here's a link to the UBT website. You can find training information there.
http://www.unitedbloodtrackers.org/
Dan
http://www.unitedbloodtrackers.org/
Dan
09-06-2009, 05:56 AM
#8
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
Here's my tracking kit. I compiled this after spending a night in the woods (on a trail) with equipment ill-equipped for the task at hand. I vowed to never be put in that position, again.
Good stuff, KWilson. I plan to incorporate my GPS into this.....AND some cheap glow sticks I picked up at wally world.
Hopefully, all your trails are short. BUT......I LOVE the trailing aspect of hunting. It's something I hope to get better and better at.
Here's my tracking kit..........always at the ready.....
Good stuff, KWilson. I plan to incorporate my GPS into this.....AND some cheap glow sticks I picked up at wally world.
Hopefully, all your trails are short. BUT......I LOVE the trailing aspect of hunting. It's something I hope to get better and better at.
Here's my tracking kit..........always at the ready.....
09-06-2009, 06:39 AM
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: South Central PA
Posts: 415
Wow GMMAT, that is an impressive kit. I like the idea! I may copy your kit, hope you don't mind! The only thing that I will add will be a Primos blood trailer light. A friend of mine had one of those lights last year. It works great! I thought that it was another gimmik, but I was wrong. Blood shows up like it is glowing.
09-06-2009, 06:44 AM
#10
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 654
Great idea GMMATT
Another point I would like to add. For tracking jobs the old saying "three's a crowd" really applies. You need to formulate a plan for tracking your deer and who you can rely on for help "before" you go hunting. The most successful tracking teams are usually made up of two good friends that work together well and that have a plan of attack and a system they use. I hate it when I'm called to a mob scene to find a deer that the crowd has lost. Do yourself a favor and make a pact with a good friend that you can depend on to help you out and that you can help with your tracking jobs this season. If you feel compelled to call a crowd in to help wait until you've found the deer and you need help dragging it out.
Dan
Another point I would like to add. For tracking jobs the old saying "three's a crowd" really applies. You need to formulate a plan for tracking your deer and who you can rely on for help "before" you go hunting. The most successful tracking teams are usually made up of two good friends that work together well and that have a plan of attack and a system they use. I hate it when I'm called to a mob scene to find a deer that the crowd has lost. Do yourself a favor and make a pact with a good friend that you can depend on to help you out and that you can help with your tracking jobs this season. If you feel compelled to call a crowd in to help wait until you've found the deer and you need help dragging it out.
Dan