HuntingNet.com Forums - Blood Trail Problems

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Wisco94 (Post 4110489)

I had something similar happen this year, just with a bow. I shot and hit a branch i missed while clearing shooting lanes and I thought I missed behind the deer until I found the arrow and there was blood on it. I left it for 8 hours and went back and tracked it. Tracking it I had the same experience with pools of blood followed by drops. About 400 yards from where I shot it I ended up jumping it. Decided to let it sit overnight after that. Next morning got on it again and tracked it another 2 miles and eventually found it. Last 150 yards there was no blood, was just going on leaves that were kicked up. He ended up just running out of blood. Was a muscle shot. If you can I would try to stay on it as long as possible.

***That is what hunting is all about and not just squeezing the trigger on your rifle or bow. Many people just do not know how to track, when to back out, etc. and it costs a lot of lost animals every year. Your method was exactly the way it should have been done unless it was going to snow or rain a lot that would have washed any trail away and that might necessitate trying a faster recovery. Good job and glad you found your animal as it shows to never give up until all avenues are exhausted. We owe it to the animal to try for a quick, humane kill, but sometimes **** happens and then you need to know what to do to increase your chances of recovering the animal.

I have blood trailed a lot of deer at night and my rule is if you jump it, leave it. If you tracked it as far as you say you did, then you most likely won't find it. But in no way would I not go look for the deer again. You owe it to yourself and the deer. The blood looks bright red and not foamy or a purple color, so I agree with the others and think it's a muscle hit. One pic shows that blood is coming out both sides so you still may have hope. Good luck. Post if you found it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Murby (Post 4109756)

While I understand you are from Nebraska, moderators don't normally remove people simply because they stir controversy with differing opinions that hold validity.

Moderators usually ban people when they launch personal or insulting attacks against other members. (IE: watch as Topgun attacks me in various threads)

Of course, there are forums where its "My way or the highway" and dissenting opinions are not tolerated...but most folks wouldn't want to be a member of one of those forums anyhow.. regardless of your opinion.

oh.. and one other thing.. If you start reporting someone just because you don't agree with them, it will just get you ignored..

Boy who cried wolf scenario.

And being from Nebraska means what.....? That wasn't a lead in to a personal attack was it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by MedMinded (Post 4109339)

I shot a deer with a muzzleloader this evening and was unable to locate it. I followed a pretty consistent blood trail for what I'm guessing was over a mile. It would be pools of blood followed by drops for a while, then pools again, and so on. I'm guessing I kept jumping the deer, but it was dark and so far off my hunting property I just kept after it hoping for the best. Eventually I lost the trail, but have no idea if the wound clotted or I just need to go back and look again during daylight. Since I shot it in low light, I have no idea where I actually hit it. I wasn't sure if muscle hits could bleed that consistently for so long? If so, I'm guessing that's how it traveled so far. The trail seemed to taper off the last few hundred yards, but it was after over a mile of a consistent trail. I just wish I knew if it was a lethal shot or not.

Deja vu. A couple years ago, a buddy of mine shot a smallish doe with a muzzleloader about 2 hours before dark. We attempted to track it too soon. I could not believe a deer could bleed as much as this one did and keep going. Went back the next morning. We were on a military installation, and the deer eventually ran into a restricted area. Never found it, but the trail was starting to thin out by the time it hit the restricted area--clotting I assume. While tracking we found a spot where it looked like the deer had bed down (big bloody spot). If we had backed out immediately, we probably would have found it in the morning. Harsh reminder about how to do things.

No doubt the deer was pushed too quick and too far before stopping. It may have laid down and bled out early on, but now the odds of finding the deer would probably be minimal unless you have a trained blood dog on leash (if legal) to help find the deer. It would also be wise to get permission to be on that property.

Quote:

Originally Posted by timbercruiser (Post 4110659)

It would also be wise to get permission to be on that property.

Shhhh! Careful now! Old YOU KNOW WHO will come roaring on the scene and accuse you of giving "unwarranted and useless advice". We can't be having that can we?
:devil::fighting0007::kt::fighting0007::devil:

On a side note, it has been several days since the OP posted this. I wonder what the outcome was? Did he recover the deer or not? I for one sure hope he did.

Quote:

Originally Posted by flags (Post 4110685)

Shhhh! Careful now! Old YOU KNOW WHO will come roaring on the scene and accuse you of giving "unwarranted and useless advice". We can't be having that can we? :devil::fighting0007::kt::fighting0007::devil:

On a side note, it has been several days since the OP posted this. I wonder what the outcome was? Did he recover the deer or not? I for one sure hope he did.

haha

most cases that type of shot is never recovered..or if it is..coyotes have got it.

Flags is right on again, LOL! I would have to agree that the deer will probably survive or has been eaten by yotes if it wasn't found the next day. Yotes are very opportunistic little buggers and don't take long to find an animal like that. A few years ago I shot a spike from a treestand with my bow up here in southern Michigan right before dark and had to go 1/2 mile back to the truck to get our two wheel cart. In the little time it took to dress the buck out and go get the cart there was a pack of yotes closing in on the carcass and I was wondering if I was going to have to do battle with them to get out of the woods with the buck.

bottom line..............did ya find the deer?

Son, you should....

have had Tonto with you doing the tracking, and the Lone Ranger doing the shooting in the beginning.