After the Shot. Tips for the upcoming seasons.
09-03-2002, 11:43 AM
#21
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Lehigh County PA USA
Posts: 12,157
RE: After the Shot. Tips for the upcoming seasons.
Rob,
I think you had a great idea with this post and after last season's "discussion" regarding this very issue I think it was really appropriate.
But, here is something that I don't think many of you experience and that I think directly leads to hunters trailing the deer too soon...
...other hunters.
Where I hunt it is an absolute certainty that there will be another hunter within 100 yards of my location...give or take 50 yards or so. With such a tight hunting population most guys get nervous and worried that another "hunter" is going to take there deer and rightly so if you knew some of the guys I have seen hunting in my area.
Here is my piece of advice for those faced with the potential for the situation I illustrated above....
...Look for new areas with less hunting pressure even if they are in the same general area. Hunters prefer easy to access routes so look for some more dense thickets or steep hills to hunt.
Less anxiety over another "hunter" stealing "their" deer should result in less hunters rushing a poor shot or following up too soon...at least in my neck of the woods.
Edited by - PABowhntr on 09/03/2002 12:45:38
I think you had a great idea with this post and after last season's "discussion" regarding this very issue I think it was really appropriate.
But, here is something that I don't think many of you experience and that I think directly leads to hunters trailing the deer too soon...
...other hunters.
Where I hunt it is an absolute certainty that there will be another hunter within 100 yards of my location...give or take 50 yards or so. With such a tight hunting population most guys get nervous and worried that another "hunter" is going to take there deer and rightly so if you knew some of the guys I have seen hunting in my area.
Here is my piece of advice for those faced with the potential for the situation I illustrated above....
...Look for new areas with less hunting pressure even if they are in the same general area. Hunters prefer easy to access routes so look for some more dense thickets or steep hills to hunt.
Less anxiety over another "hunter" stealing "their" deer should result in less hunters rushing a poor shot or following up too soon...at least in my neck of the woods.
Edited by - PABowhntr on 09/03/2002 12:45:38
09-03-2002, 11:51 AM
#22
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 159
RE: After the Shot. Tips for the upcoming seasons.
I agree entirely with MATT/PA. I don't know how many times I've come to the aid of others for a trailing job only to find they have NO clue as to where the deer ran. Then it's always.... over there(with a wave of their hand) or I think he went left of those three trees in that group or was it right? Usually you're lucky to drag out of them a North, East, South or West. I mark within a couple feet where they ran and closer if I can. Once I determine the exact last place I saw a deer... I try to keep it in view as I decend... because it doesn't look the same from the ground. A crooked limb from above may look almost straight from ground level. Even when a deer drops within site I track it out from the point of impact to the animal. It's really good practice as some of these shots can still leave very little blood. If someone else shoots a deer and are on it, when they're gutting I will track it out just for the fun of it.
Last year I helped a friend who had shot a deer with a bow. He said the last he saw of it it crossed into posted property. Rather than mess around with going to get permission we waited until dark, left our bows behind and went to look. Well, after I found nothing in the area he saw the deer I said we'll start from the stand and do it right. On the way back to the stand I was flashing the ground. I got 50 yards from the stand and hit a speck of blood. I said, well, I'll start from here. 20 yards later I found the deer still well inside our property lines. He should have seen it fall from the stand and we should have had it gutted an hour earlier. It never left our property. I had another with a young kid a few years back. It dropped 150 yards from the stand still in the open grassy field. The kid had me down in the woods 100 yards from the deer, where he thought it ran. He had called me to come and help since it was his first and I had set him up. The other problem he created was he called 4 of his friends while I was driving to his house. TOO many people tromping around is a NO NO. I finally had to hog tie them and give them a job. One, holding a light ... the other 4 dropping off on each spot of blood and leap frogging when I found the next. I didn't need them but it kept them out of the way and they thought they were helping. I found the deer balled up in waist high grass. I had the shooter on my hip pointing blood trailing and things out to him. We're 5 feet from the deer and he doesn't see the deer. So I concoct this elaborate story of how he rushed his tracking, pushed the deer, see where he was running here etc etc etc. I then told him your deer is GONE. His jaw dropped and with his head hung he ask,"Is he really gone". I said yup, he jumped here and when he got here he was "GONE", with that I put the light on the deer. The little guy went balistic. I made everyone else stay back for a minute while he looked his deer over and had sometime to himself. We critiqued the shot and exit holes. Then I let him strut and tell the story to his friends AGAIN. Kids are fun.
Edited by - shortdraw on 09/03/2002 13:12:39
Last year I helped a friend who had shot a deer with a bow. He said the last he saw of it it crossed into posted property. Rather than mess around with going to get permission we waited until dark, left our bows behind and went to look. Well, after I found nothing in the area he saw the deer I said we'll start from the stand and do it right. On the way back to the stand I was flashing the ground. I got 50 yards from the stand and hit a speck of blood. I said, well, I'll start from here. 20 yards later I found the deer still well inside our property lines. He should have seen it fall from the stand and we should have had it gutted an hour earlier. It never left our property. I had another with a young kid a few years back. It dropped 150 yards from the stand still in the open grassy field. The kid had me down in the woods 100 yards from the deer, where he thought it ran. He had called me to come and help since it was his first and I had set him up. The other problem he created was he called 4 of his friends while I was driving to his house. TOO many people tromping around is a NO NO. I finally had to hog tie them and give them a job. One, holding a light ... the other 4 dropping off on each spot of blood and leap frogging when I found the next. I didn't need them but it kept them out of the way and they thought they were helping. I found the deer balled up in waist high grass. I had the shooter on my hip pointing blood trailing and things out to him. We're 5 feet from the deer and he doesn't see the deer. So I concoct this elaborate story of how he rushed his tracking, pushed the deer, see where he was running here etc etc etc. I then told him your deer is GONE. His jaw dropped and with his head hung he ask,"Is he really gone". I said yup, he jumped here and when he got here he was "GONE", with that I put the light on the deer. The little guy went balistic. I made everyone else stay back for a minute while he looked his deer over and had sometime to himself. We critiqued the shot and exit holes. Then I let him strut and tell the story to his friends AGAIN. Kids are fun.
Edited by - shortdraw on 09/03/2002 13:12:39
09-03-2002, 12:47 PM
#23
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: QDM Heaven
Posts: 847
RE: After the Shot. Tips for the upcoming seasons.
For gosh sakes...know exactly where the deer was standing when you shot it, where it ran after you shot it, and the absolute last spot you saw it last before it disappeared. Be observant of deer behavior after the shot. Did it do a high mule kick? Did it tuck it's tail and hunker and run? Did it bound away with the tail flying high in the air? Try to find the arrow if you can because it can tell you volumes in regards to where the deer was hit by the color of the hair, the color of the blood, the smell of the arrow or particulate matter on the arrow (hopefully it doesn't smell like arse), and if there are bubbles in the blood hopefully indicating a nice lung shot. Without the arrow it is possible but much more difficult to discern these things. Tracking an arrowed deer is like putting a puzzle together...the more pieces you have that fit the more accurate a picture you can see and a much more effective retrieval strategy you can formulate.
09-03-2002, 02:21 PM
#25
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 159
RE: After the Shot. Tips for the upcoming seasons.
ALWAYS being willing to accept that what you think you saw or what evidence indicates is NOT true. I've seen to many squirrely things in bowhunting to take things as ALWAYS. For example... bubbles in blood. I know I've told the story but I once shot a deer busting his shoulder and exiting in front of it traveling through all the slime and grissly stuff behind the shoulder blade. As the bad leg swung and the deer ran working the shoulder the only thing I can determine was the movement caught air and created bubbles. Luckily I cut the artery and found the deer 600 yards away. The arrow never entered the chest cavity but every drop of blood after the first 100 yards was frothy with bubbles. I also shot one clean through the ribs exiting in the off side arm pit. The arrow was covered with green slime and smelled like gut shot. The arrow passed through the food tube and the deer must have been in the process of reguritating some cud and the arrow passed through it. A thorough inspection showed the arrow entering 5 or 6 ribs up and leaving the arm pit. Go figure. What you know for fact can sometimes NOT be. Persistance pays off.
09-03-2002, 09:30 PM
#26
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Hughesville, PA USA
Posts: 18,322
RE: After the Shot. Tips for the upcoming seasons.
Big Country, yup, and great add about the arrow. Analizing the arrow while in the deer is a great indication of the hit. AND, as I'm sure you meant, if the arrow passes through the animal, inspect the arrow and learn about the differences in blood and matter including hair that can be found on the arrow and around on the ground at the impact point.
Lilhunter great point about seeing/hearing an animal go down. Sometimes I loose myself into thinking about whitetails due to the vast amount of people who hunt them. I sometimes forget about our bretheren who hunt other species as well. Good point. Great point about the peroxide as well. Sometimes that is a little known fact and why I love relying on others as well to help me, teach me and remind me. My hunting partner is color blind to red pigments, especially in leaves etc...he's an amazing trailer on kicked up leaves, broken branches, tracks and things. He had to be, it's all he's known. That brings up some more good points in trailing...I hope some touches on that.
Jimmymac great point about using toilet paper to mark the last spot. Again, something not everyone might know or remember. It's always a good idea to mark the last spot and as you go along, looking back over your shoulder will give you a line as you connect the marks giving a possible direction of travel.
Bow shopper good point about the processing once you find the animal.
Wimp Kudo's and your right, only take high percentage shots and that is when all the practice has paid off and hopefully the tracking will be easy or not necessary as the animal falls in sight.
Iroq More great stuff...again, toilet paper to mark the trail and more importantly mental mark the spot the deer was standing when you shot, that is where you want to start analizing the shot. Also mental mark the last place you saw the animal. Many times blood doesn't start for several yards or more and knowing where he was and where he went will give you the best odds of picking up some blood or clues. That's also an interesting theory on the compass, one I never thought of or tried.
JesseJ yes, don't take the shot unless your prepared for the shot. I'm glad you also brought up and I missed mentioning it from Iroq, about not having too many people tromping all over and possible messing up the blood trail. Especially when you've come down to drops here and there.
Keep them coming.
<font color=blue>Good Luck and Good Shooting</font id=blue>
<font color=red>Rob</font id=red>
Lilhunter great point about seeing/hearing an animal go down. Sometimes I loose myself into thinking about whitetails due to the vast amount of people who hunt them. I sometimes forget about our bretheren who hunt other species as well. Good point. Great point about the peroxide as well. Sometimes that is a little known fact and why I love relying on others as well to help me, teach me and remind me. My hunting partner is color blind to red pigments, especially in leaves etc...he's an amazing trailer on kicked up leaves, broken branches, tracks and things. He had to be, it's all he's known. That brings up some more good points in trailing...I hope some touches on that.
Jimmymac great point about using toilet paper to mark the last spot. Again, something not everyone might know or remember. It's always a good idea to mark the last spot and as you go along, looking back over your shoulder will give you a line as you connect the marks giving a possible direction of travel.
Bow shopper good point about the processing once you find the animal.
Wimp Kudo's and your right, only take high percentage shots and that is when all the practice has paid off and hopefully the tracking will be easy or not necessary as the animal falls in sight.
Iroq More great stuff...again, toilet paper to mark the trail and more importantly mental mark the spot the deer was standing when you shot, that is where you want to start analizing the shot. Also mental mark the last place you saw the animal. Many times blood doesn't start for several yards or more and knowing where he was and where he went will give you the best odds of picking up some blood or clues. That's also an interesting theory on the compass, one I never thought of or tried.
JesseJ yes, don't take the shot unless your prepared for the shot. I'm glad you also brought up and I missed mentioning it from Iroq, about not having too many people tromping all over and possible messing up the blood trail. Especially when you've come down to drops here and there.
Keep them coming.
<font color=blue>Good Luck and Good Shooting</font id=blue>
<font color=red>Rob</font id=red>
09-03-2002, 09:42 PM
#27
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Hughesville, PA USA
Posts: 18,322
RE: After the Shot. Tips for the upcoming seasons.
Lazyarcher great point about listening as well as watching for the animal. Look with your ears so to speak.
Nic Excellent, I like to refer to that as picking a hair. Don't just be satisfied at hitting the vital area, pick a hair and nail that hair and you'll have an easy time of the recovering, more time for quality pictures....but that's another post.
Sisk that brings up a good lesson for us all. Your right, many times the animal doesn't know it's hit and really doesn't know what happened. Take the buck in my post above. After running off from the initial noise and whack....he stopped and was looking back over his trail wondering what happened, I softly grunted and estrous doe bleated to calm him. This is when he entered the woods and layed down. Had I made alot of noise, movement, I might of spooked him farther off......thanks for bringing up that point.
Cloud 9 waiting is the name of the game and more successful recoveries are because the hunter waited the appropriate amount of time. Time is our friend after the shot.
Matt thank you for the H.R.A.O.P., I'll have to bring that around again. All great points. Are you going to post the quality picture topic or should I. I, like you find it to be very important.
Moosehead that is a very interesting thought on marking the departure site with an extra arrow. Everything does look different once on the ground.
Rad Your right, follow through is an important part of the shot execution. Peeking too soon can throw off the shot. Make it count and then look and watch and listen.
JayCrayford That is sound advice and simply put....Slow Down.
<font color=blue>Good Luck and Good Shooting</font id=blue>
<font color=red>Rob</font id=red>
Edited by - Rob/PA Bowyer on 09/04/2002 08:24:38
Nic Excellent, I like to refer to that as picking a hair. Don't just be satisfied at hitting the vital area, pick a hair and nail that hair and you'll have an easy time of the recovering, more time for quality pictures....but that's another post.
Sisk that brings up a good lesson for us all. Your right, many times the animal doesn't know it's hit and really doesn't know what happened. Take the buck in my post above. After running off from the initial noise and whack....he stopped and was looking back over his trail wondering what happened, I softly grunted and estrous doe bleated to calm him. This is when he entered the woods and layed down. Had I made alot of noise, movement, I might of spooked him farther off......thanks for bringing up that point.
Cloud 9 waiting is the name of the game and more successful recoveries are because the hunter waited the appropriate amount of time. Time is our friend after the shot.
Matt thank you for the H.R.A.O.P., I'll have to bring that around again. All great points. Are you going to post the quality picture topic or should I. I, like you find it to be very important.
Moosehead that is a very interesting thought on marking the departure site with an extra arrow. Everything does look different once on the ground.
Rad Your right, follow through is an important part of the shot execution. Peeking too soon can throw off the shot. Make it count and then look and watch and listen.
JayCrayford That is sound advice and simply put....Slow Down.
<font color=blue>Good Luck and Good Shooting</font id=blue>
<font color=red>Rob</font id=red>
Edited by - Rob/PA Bowyer on 09/04/2002 08:24:38
09-03-2002, 09:57 PM
#28
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Hughesville, PA USA
Posts: 18,322
RE: After the Shot. Tips for the upcoming seasons.
DaveC I'll third that, be patient and quiet, many times the deer/animal will turn even circle and you might just see/hear them come around.
Amosgreg Your welcome, this thread and all it's great points from everyone is good for all of us, I'm learning alot and gaining confidence in my fellow bowyers. Last several season we always get the "I've hit him, now what?" posts, I hope this topic/replys helps us all....Marking tape is another great idea, especially in bad weather, just remember whatever we take into the woods, we should take out.
RockytopGood point about the lighting and partnering up on animals.
PABowhntr thanks for the vote and you know what I'm talking about....Great advice about high pressured areas. That's another lesson we all read about or have experienced. I can't believe that people like that call themselves sportsmen or hunters, I think their slobs and poachers.
Dav...Shortdraw More great stuff....Dave's right, it's important that we pay more attention to what the deer does and goes after the shot that way we can relay the information on to those who might come to help us, the more information we relay to a good tracker, the more the tracker and do his/her job.
Wolfen You make it sound easy....and your right, it can be when everyone takes the time to practice, take good shots and listens to all the advice here. It should be that easy. Great stuff on determining the sign on the arrow. Keep it coming.
Again, Davidmil Your right, most of the time what we think is usually wrong. Especially when all the wheels are turning and the adrenaline is pumping and everyone might be around...etc....
ALL
This is why it is very important to slow down, wait, be patient and listen to all the advice given above. There sure is alot of experience here to read up on. Hopefully with everyone's help here and the more I hope that follows, we can find all our animals this year. I know some get away and I hope they are the ones we see again. If we all heed the above advice, lost ones should be a thing of the past of this board and our members.
Let's keep this current through the season, just a bump or two from time to time. Something here for everyone, including me.
<font color=blue>Good Luck and Good Shooting</font id=blue>
<font color=red>Rob</font id=red>
Amosgreg Your welcome, this thread and all it's great points from everyone is good for all of us, I'm learning alot and gaining confidence in my fellow bowyers. Last several season we always get the "I've hit him, now what?" posts, I hope this topic/replys helps us all....Marking tape is another great idea, especially in bad weather, just remember whatever we take into the woods, we should take out.
RockytopGood point about the lighting and partnering up on animals.
PABowhntr thanks for the vote and you know what I'm talking about....Great advice about high pressured areas. That's another lesson we all read about or have experienced. I can't believe that people like that call themselves sportsmen or hunters, I think their slobs and poachers.
Dav...Shortdraw More great stuff....Dave's right, it's important that we pay more attention to what the deer does and goes after the shot that way we can relay the information on to those who might come to help us, the more information we relay to a good tracker, the more the tracker and do his/her job.
Wolfen You make it sound easy....and your right, it can be when everyone takes the time to practice, take good shots and listens to all the advice here. It should be that easy. Great stuff on determining the sign on the arrow. Keep it coming.
Again, Davidmil Your right, most of the time what we think is usually wrong. Especially when all the wheels are turning and the adrenaline is pumping and everyone might be around...etc....
ALL
This is why it is very important to slow down, wait, be patient and listen to all the advice given above. There sure is alot of experience here to read up on. Hopefully with everyone's help here and the more I hope that follows, we can find all our animals this year. I know some get away and I hope they are the ones we see again. If we all heed the above advice, lost ones should be a thing of the past of this board and our members.
Let's keep this current through the season, just a bump or two from time to time. Something here for everyone, including me.
<font color=blue>Good Luck and Good Shooting</font id=blue>
<font color=red>Rob</font id=red>
09-04-2002, 05:53 AM
#29
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Lehigh County PA USA
Posts: 12,157
RE: After the Shot. Tips for the upcoming seasons.
Rob,
I have an idea for another thread about an issue that was also somewhat of a sore spot last year...<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
I have an idea for another thread about an issue that was also somewhat of a sore spot last year...<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>