After the Shot. Tips for the upcoming seasons.
09-04-2002, 10:00 AM
#31
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Logan Ia USA
Posts: 678
RE: After the Shot. Tips for the upcoming seasons.
Great post!!! If you use the arrow marking the spot of the animal it can also help you to determine if you judged the distance correctly. Pick an exact leaf or plant in the spot the deer was standing and shoot at it. If you hit it or close you were right on. Maybe you hit high, low or somewhere else and need to wait alittle longer. Anytime you shoot something wait wait wait. When you have waited your hour or 8 hours depending on where you think you hit. Then stop and wait an extra 1/2 hour.
For the newer members to the board, you have heard about the posts in the past about i hit one and can't find it. This post was not meant to keep people from asking advice on tracking, we all have been in a situation when it is nice to pick someone elses mind. If you follow the above advice then you will find that deer usually within 250 yards, expired, and all you have left to post is the pic!!!
For the newer members to the board, you have heard about the posts in the past about i hit one and can't find it. This post was not meant to keep people from asking advice on tracking, we all have been in a situation when it is nice to pick someone elses mind. If you follow the above advice then you will find that deer usually within 250 yards, expired, and all you have left to post is the pic!!!
09-04-2002, 01:19 PM
#32
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Hughesville, PA USA
Posts: 18,322
RE: After the Shot. Tips for the upcoming seasons.
SW Iowa Hunter you made a great point. This topic was not intended to prevent members from posting for help come season. I'm sure it'll happen, could even be me. This post is meant to help everyone, including me at that moment after the shot. Everyone can use a little help in the woods and why not start now with this.
I'd also like to make another plug for using binoculars for bowhunting. They don't only help you scout during the season from your stand, looking for rubs, scrapes and movement. They will help you post shot. This other buck I took a couple years back was found easier due to the use of binos. I shot a buck right at fading light in the woods. I made what I thought was a good hit and lost the buck as it ran. I then picked up the binos and scanned the direction he ran and caught him standing looking back over his trail. I couldn't see him with my naked eye. I glassed him as it grew dark and watched him lay down. I knew I had to stay and watch for he wasn't but 60 yards out on the side hill. I glassed as it grew dark and watched him get off and limp away. I waited til way after dark and marked where he layed and left. I came back the next morning to a good blood trail and found the buck about 150 yards into a field laying under some growth. If I hadn't glassed him, I might of got down and spooked him off farther. I always follow up a shot with glassing.
<font color=blue>Good Luck and Good Shooting</font id=blue>
<font color=red>Rob</font id=red>
I'd also like to make another plug for using binoculars for bowhunting. They don't only help you scout during the season from your stand, looking for rubs, scrapes and movement. They will help you post shot. This other buck I took a couple years back was found easier due to the use of binos. I shot a buck right at fading light in the woods. I made what I thought was a good hit and lost the buck as it ran. I then picked up the binos and scanned the direction he ran and caught him standing looking back over his trail. I couldn't see him with my naked eye. I glassed him as it grew dark and watched him lay down. I knew I had to stay and watch for he wasn't but 60 yards out on the side hill. I glassed as it grew dark and watched him get off and limp away. I waited til way after dark and marked where he layed and left. I came back the next morning to a good blood trail and found the buck about 150 yards into a field laying under some growth. If I hadn't glassed him, I might of got down and spooked him off farther. I always follow up a shot with glassing.
<font color=blue>Good Luck and Good Shooting</font id=blue>
<font color=red>Rob</font id=red>
09-05-2002, 10:27 PM
#35
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: cazenovia, NY USA
Posts: 2,973
RE: After the Shot. Tips for the upcoming seasons.
All great advice.
Even if you see or hear the deer go down, do not hurry to it, give it at least 1/2 hr more if you are not pressed for daylight, or rain isn't an issue.
After the shot, I had a deer lay down within 30 yds of my stand last year, and I thought that was it. It was a morning hunt, good weather conditions. I knew the shot was too low and at a steep angle, but THE DEER WENT DOWN, I SAW IT - I hoped for 1 lung. I sat still for 1/2 hour, and was getting ready to get down when he got up and slowly wandered off. I was sick! I waited another 1/2 hr then snuck out and came back 4 hours later. Coyotes had pushed him out of the area - at a dead run some time after I left. I trailed him over 500 yds to a huge field, where he disappeared. The blood was very sparce after the intitial 30 yds. Turns out, it was a brisket shot, and the deer likely evaded the coyotes and made it ok, but I'll never know for sure.
I'm not an unexperienced bowhunter (20 yrs at it) - but I made a mistake. The deer appeared jumpy, he approached from my entrance point. I waited for a slightly quartering away shot, and PURPOSELY aimed a little low, expecting the deer to react to the sound of the bow by ducking a little. I will never do this again on a deer within 20 yds, as I now know that even a "duck" of 8" would put my arrow in the spine, had I been aiming where I should have been. As you might have surmised, the deer did not react, and I even hit a couple inches lower than my aiming point. I had a classic "bleeding brisket shot" that never hit a vital organ, yet the deer STILL laid down, most likey confused about what happened.
The reason for my story is two fold. Do not trust what you see, assume the worst. Second, even veteran hunters make mistakes on occasion. I think I was one that got "blistered" last year for taking a "bad shot" on this board. IF you do have a bad hit, take your time and do not bump your deer. If you hit a non vital area, you will not likely recover the deer - regardless of how long you let it lay. At least you will know that you did the best you could, and its likely the deer will survive.
Even if you see or hear the deer go down, do not hurry to it, give it at least 1/2 hr more if you are not pressed for daylight, or rain isn't an issue.
After the shot, I had a deer lay down within 30 yds of my stand last year, and I thought that was it. It was a morning hunt, good weather conditions. I knew the shot was too low and at a steep angle, but THE DEER WENT DOWN, I SAW IT - I hoped for 1 lung. I sat still for 1/2 hour, and was getting ready to get down when he got up and slowly wandered off. I was sick! I waited another 1/2 hr then snuck out and came back 4 hours later. Coyotes had pushed him out of the area - at a dead run some time after I left. I trailed him over 500 yds to a huge field, where he disappeared. The blood was very sparce after the intitial 30 yds. Turns out, it was a brisket shot, and the deer likely evaded the coyotes and made it ok, but I'll never know for sure.
I'm not an unexperienced bowhunter (20 yrs at it) - but I made a mistake. The deer appeared jumpy, he approached from my entrance point. I waited for a slightly quartering away shot, and PURPOSELY aimed a little low, expecting the deer to react to the sound of the bow by ducking a little. I will never do this again on a deer within 20 yds, as I now know that even a "duck" of 8" would put my arrow in the spine, had I been aiming where I should have been. As you might have surmised, the deer did not react, and I even hit a couple inches lower than my aiming point. I had a classic "bleeding brisket shot" that never hit a vital organ, yet the deer STILL laid down, most likey confused about what happened.
The reason for my story is two fold. Do not trust what you see, assume the worst. Second, even veteran hunters make mistakes on occasion. I think I was one that got "blistered" last year for taking a "bad shot" on this board. IF you do have a bad hit, take your time and do not bump your deer. If you hit a non vital area, you will not likely recover the deer - regardless of how long you let it lay. At least you will know that you did the best you could, and its likely the deer will survive.
09-06-2002, 09:47 AM
#37
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SW Michigan
Posts: 1,906
RE: After the Shot. Tips for the upcoming seasons.
Excellent posts guys. Rob, thanks for the tips on the binos. I'll admit I never thought about using them after the shot---I guess this year I will.
I do have a few things to add, even though they're obvious they are not stated. For the most part, follow the Rules of Ochman's Razor---take the simplest explanation as it is usually correct, and that for every action there is a reaction.
If a buck came into range walking on a trail from a field edge and after the shot turned 180 degrees---then more than likely he bolted back up the same trail towards the field---if he ran away from you, then look for known trails. When deer are spooked or anxious, they are just like humans in that they stick to the simplest and easiest. It is only when the deer bed down that they leave the confines to what is "known"---hence trails---and head off to remote areas. I'll estimate that 9/10 deer shot will follow a trail until too weak...or bumped...to continue.
And remember that for every action there is a complementary reaction. Everything you do on stand has consequences, everything...
If you need to come back in the morning, be sure to leave your stand in the opposite direction of the traveling deer...
A little known fact about men & women...women actually have slightly more cones than rods in their eyes, as well as "clearer" optic nerve input---ok, sorry about the science lesson---women not only differentiate between colors better, they see them more vividly. If possible, bring a woman along on a tracking job, they are almost uncanny at picking out the red blood trail on Autumn leaves...
And finally, if you have to perform an extensive trailing for a wounded deer (and you have multiple tags), let the area rest for a week or the next good rain, if possible. We often forget about scent control and cover while we track our trophies.
Happy hunting, 11 days left before arrows fly in CT.
S&R
Edited by - Strut&Rut on 09/06/2002 10:50:51
I do have a few things to add, even though they're obvious they are not stated. For the most part, follow the Rules of Ochman's Razor---take the simplest explanation as it is usually correct, and that for every action there is a reaction.
If a buck came into range walking on a trail from a field edge and after the shot turned 180 degrees---then more than likely he bolted back up the same trail towards the field---if he ran away from you, then look for known trails. When deer are spooked or anxious, they are just like humans in that they stick to the simplest and easiest. It is only when the deer bed down that they leave the confines to what is "known"---hence trails---and head off to remote areas. I'll estimate that 9/10 deer shot will follow a trail until too weak...or bumped...to continue.
And remember that for every action there is a complementary reaction. Everything you do on stand has consequences, everything...
If you need to come back in the morning, be sure to leave your stand in the opposite direction of the traveling deer...
A little known fact about men & women...women actually have slightly more cones than rods in their eyes, as well as "clearer" optic nerve input---ok, sorry about the science lesson---women not only differentiate between colors better, they see them more vividly. If possible, bring a woman along on a tracking job, they are almost uncanny at picking out the red blood trail on Autumn leaves...
And finally, if you have to perform an extensive trailing for a wounded deer (and you have multiple tags), let the area rest for a week or the next good rain, if possible. We often forget about scent control and cover while we track our trophies.
Happy hunting, 11 days left before arrows fly in CT.
S&R
Edited by - Strut&Rut on 09/06/2002 10:50:51
09-06-2002, 10:24 AM
#38
Boone & Crockett
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Hughesville, PA USA
Posts: 18,322
RE: After the Shot. Tips for the upcoming seasons.
Rut&Stut, great post and good points. You know your right about women....first time you ever heard that huh? <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>..although very inexperienced at tracking, I was surprised at how well and damn good my wife is at it. I'd never hesitate to take her when she wants to go.
<font color=blue>Good Luck and Good Shooting</font id=blue>
<font color=red>Rob</font id=red>
<font color=blue>Good Luck and Good Shooting</font id=blue>
<font color=red>Rob</font id=red>