npaden

Very misleading information.

While maintaining a visual on your game might be possible in some areas, it is completely out of the question in others. I'm lucky to maintain a visual for 2 seconds on a lung shot deer on my hunting land in Texas as it runs off into the mesquite. I'm not about to go stumbling around after it pushing it farther and farther away and ultimately off my property if I made less than a perfect shot. Generally they are piled up within 50 yards, but I'm not going to risk pushing one off because I had to go find it immediately.

Convential wisdom is to leave them alone and allow them to expire before attempting to recover them unless you are VERY sure of the shot and saw them crash or unless some other factor is going to take away your ability to trail them (raining, snowing, etc.).

It's called convential wisdom because that's the most commonly agreed upon way to do things. Not always the right way, but most of the time in most circumstances.

kswild

You are right and make some very good points! I took the time to bold a few words in your post. I agree with your point about keeping a visual in the scrub in Texas which is why I said Depending on terrain. I never assume that any deer hunt is going to be general as you said Generally. And just like you said conventional wisdom doesn't mean it's always right so I would call it common knowledge not really "wisdom" but that still doesn't mean it's right..for example for many years conventional wisdom said the earth was FLAT. I prefer NOT to follow the herd or common knowledge. That doesn't mean I'm always right. But I think it's always good to look at both sides of the coin. I don't believe there is an absolute right or wrong when talking about blood trails and how soon to pursue after the shot Because of all the variables involved, and because we are dealing with living animals that don't all act alike. I would agree that hunters need do what works for them in their area, and gives them the most success at recovering their game.
Live it up! Doug

DougE

I disagree.Poorly hit deer are found by using common sense and patience.I strongly feel that gut shot deer or other mortaly wounded deer should have near a 100% recovery rate.If you let them die,most should be found with or without a blood trail.

npaden

Maintaining a visual on a whitetail deer after the shot would seem to be more of an exception to the rule in most places where they are found. Maybe you are hunting open river bottoms in Kansas, but in the hardwoods in the Northeast and Midwest or the Pines of the South or the Mesquite in Texas (Basically where the bulk of whitetails live) you are going to have a very hard time maintaining a visual on a deer after the shot.

Convential wisdom in this case has been proven by years and years of people shooting deer and then either finding them or failing to find them. I personally see a lot more posts on "I started tracking my deer/elk/etc. and jumped it" than I see "I lost the blood trail and never found it".

Growing up in Northeast Montana we never bothered to wait to go after a deer or track it because on the open prairie you could see the deer laying there dead 100 yards away. Hunting in different circumstances now, I'm going to wait at least 30 minutes before going after a deer unless I see it hit the ground dead right there.

I think it is irresponsible to tell other people they should start going after them earlier and risk pushing the deer and losing it.

kswild

I agree with everything you said especially about it being irresponsible to tell other people what to do, that's why if you read my posts I say this is what I do, and as stated in my last post "I would agree that hunters need do what works for them in their area, and gives them the most success at recovering their game." I'm am not telling anyone to do what I do!
Live it up! Doug

BillBrasky

Is there any truth to the idea that wounded deer will head to a near-by water source? Something I've heard but never tested.

kswild

Yes Bill I've seen it happen!
Live it up! Doug

bigcountry

Doug, are you an archer or gunner? Yes, it makes all the difference.

kswild

Both I hunt all season every season. Archery, muzzleload, rifle, shotgun.The recovery on deer using a bow is 82% leaving 18% not recovered. Do you find 20% unrecovered deer acceptable? This tells me that conventional wisdom is not wisdom at all. This is from the following study:
http://www.marylandqdma.com/files/Download/Pedersen-31-34.pdf
We determined wounding rates of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) by bowhunters using modern (compound bow and crossbow) archery equipment. Our study relied on daily reports submitted by bowhunters who participated in managed hunts at the Naval Support Facility Indian Head at Indian Head, Maryland. Bowhunters were required to pass the International Bowhunter Education Program and an annual pre-season shooting proficiency test. During the 1989–2006 hunting seasons, 104 bowhunters failed to recover 162 of 908 deer hit by arrows or crossbow bolts, corresponding to an 18% wounding rate. There was no difference in deer recovery metrics between compound bow and crossbow users (χ21 = 0.01; P = 0.92). Bowhunters who harvested the most deer (>20 deer per hunter) had a lower pooled wounding rate than bowhunters who killed fewer deer (χ21 = 22.2;
P < 0.005). Based on our estimates, qualified bowhunters were able to recover 1 deer for every 1.4 shots using modern archery equipment.
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This only tells me that recovery tactics need to be rethought! But do what works in your area and gives you the greatest success at recovering your game.
Live it up! Doug

halfbakedi420

mr.wild,
in no way is it better to start pushing a deer when its wounded.
but to each their own i guess.
i have lost 1 deer, and its because i pushed her. she jumped the creek onto lands i had no business being on. had i waited a lil longer, i would have that perfect record.
as lots of young hunters look to these forums to help them be a better hunter, i hope they take what you say with a grain of salt.