Blood Trail Problems
 

Hey all,

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.

I attached some images of the trail. Any ideas about the possible hit types and/or likelihood of finding the deer would be appreciated. Thanks!

My advice is go back at daylight and retrail the deer. Looks like it was hit good. Hope you find whats left of it. Good Luck!

First off, if it was "far off" your property, did you have permission to be on the property it went on? If not, then I'd suggest getting ahold of whoever owns it to be sure you don't get in a heap of trouble. From what you say, I'm pretty sure you have a muscle hit and you pushed the deer too hard. If you had hit vitals, the deer wouldn't go that far and a gut shot wouldn't give the bright red blood.

You may never recover this deer if it is a muscle hit. Taking low light shots are risky unless you know for a fact you can put the bullet in the right place. Often it is better to hold off for another day.

In that scenario you probably should have backed out until daylight and shouldn't have gone any further when you jumped it the first time and it kept going like it did. Do what Flags said and get permission to go back ASAP and see if you can find it, but I'm guessing he's correct and it was a muscle wound that will heal if it went that far. Blood trails can look like a deer is spilling gallons when in actuality it's not that much when compared to how much they have in them.

He's talking about following a blood trail and you go off on property rights???

:bash:

Did you actually read his post? He said it had traveled far from his hunting property after he wounded it. In many states you can't legally follow a blood trail onto someone else's property without permission. If he doesn't have permission he is likely asking for trouble. Before he goes back, if he doesn't have permission, he should contact the owner.

If you honestly think I gave him bad advice please be so good as to explain your reasons. Remember the second time he looks he isn't on a smoking hot blood trail and can't use that as an excuse. That ship has already left the port.

I agree with those who say go back and try again in daylight.

You really can't do less than to exhaust all possibilities before giving up.

The more Murby posts on this site in the couple months he's been on here the bigger headache he's becoming. I really am beginning to wonder if he really is a hunter or just a plant or troll on this site with all the crappola he keeps coming up with. Talk about :bash:, LOL!

He might be a politician ...notice how he keeps trying to talk and explain things for everyone else. :) just sayin

Well jee whiz.. I did read it.. again.. and I still don't find anywhere in his post where he was looking for any advice on laws or property rights.. For all you know, he could be surrounded by state land.. who cares.. he didn't ask for that kind of advice.

Since it would seem that you believe he needs legal advice because he's traveling off his property in search of a blood trail, why not give him clothing advice too? Maybe driving advice? Weather updates? Heck, you can even throw in some astrology while you're at it.
(ya, I'm being sarcastic but you get the point)..

I understand the property thing is a big "hot button" for you.. but he's looking for help following a blood trail.. lets stick to that..

:lolabove::lolabove::lolabove::lolabove:

Why don't you just lay flat on the ground and start banging your hands and feet.. maybe that will get you some attention...

whats wrong with giving a little friendly advise on possibly trespassing? OP looks like a decent hit but could be in a non vital area..as others said if its a heart/lung/liver shot its not going to go a mile. If the blood stopped it either clotted in which case its not a mortal wound (in the sense its going to die quickly). Or a possibility someone else found your deer and picked it up...or its dead somewhere near the last blood.

Wilcam47---I think in the two months that Murby has been on this site that he has already appointed himself as Super Moderator, LOL! If you haven't noticed already, he has made many similar posts on other threads and has also made some statements that would make one wonder whether he's a hunter or a PETA member plant. A good one was his latest comment to Flags that trapping with foothold traps should be outlawed. I was going to respond to that, but decided that with all his goofy rejoinders to my recent posts that all he would do would be to come back with some more BS and his little smilie critters!!!

Well if we're comparing comments in this manor, I would say that your statements condoning the act of booby trapping property lines with dangerous nails to potentially cause injury to people would take the cake for sure!

And you call me goofy? :happy0157:

There you go little one.. I gave you some attention... Lets watch you run with it.

Whatever. You may be of the opinion that the advice I gave was unwarranted. However, the other members don't. So, I'm going to go with the majority opinion on this and not your's.

Now, you may be correct and he could very well be surrounded by miles and miles of public land. Then again, he may not. You can't tell by his post can you? So when he asks for advice about recovering the deer (which the entire post is about) it seems logical to make sure the given advice doesn't get him into any possible legal trouble. Verifying he has permission is something that will prevent such issues. You may be comfortable working on the assumption that he can just go on with the blood trail without considering such things, I however am not, which is why I mentioned it. In my experience, assumption without verification is the mother of most major screw-ups and can easily be avoided.

Now, you are welcome to disagree with any advice I give the man but I will point out that you have yet to show where the advice lacks validity. In other words, you are being obtuse simply for the sake of being obtuse due to the fact that we have differing view points about property boundaries. Or is there another underlying issue I'm not aware of? Remember, advice is merely a suggestion. Nobody can force anybody else to take action on it. It isn't "telling" someone to do something, rather it is an offer of possible solutions and it is up to the person doing the asking, and not you, to decide which course of action to pursue. You don't seem to be able to grasp that concept.

Doesn't this section have a moderator?
Appears to me a ticket needs to get the do not pass go punch.

:D Al

Guys, just keep reporting him. Eventually the moderators will become tired of getting complaints, and remove him and block his IP address.

Drop it already .O.K.

Murb, if I was you, I'd spend far less time posting and more time reading. It has become apparent in the few short months you've been here that you lack the knowledge and experience of many on this site.

It was unwarranted.. And the majority opinion would back me up if it was tested fairly.
Copy/Paste the question to 10 other forums not related to huntingnet.com and see how many members will respond with legal advice about property boundaries.
If fact, while it would probably seem odd to do so, you could copy and paste that question into a legal forum filled with lawyers and I bet you STILL WOULD NOT get property boundary advice...

Flags, you might want to look up the definition of obtuse.. the insult doesn't fit the situation.
You were being obstinate with the totally unwarranted advice.. I was just pointing that out.

Think of it this way.. If a member asked "My buddies and I are driving up to our cabin for the season and we need advice on a good cabin heater"

And people started responding "Please make sure you don't drink any alcohol while you're driving up there!"...

It doesn't make a lot of sense does it? The advice is perfectly valid, it is also totally off topic.

And yes, the only reason I called you out on that was because of our previous debate.

With sincere respect, I hope you understand my position. I've made my point and made you aware.. I won't call you out on it again.

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.

Buddy, you got major issues if you can't let a minor disagreement on a completely different topic control you and every post you make from now on. Especially when it is a fact that what I offer someone else as advice is simply none of your business if it doesn't directly affect you. Here's a radical observation: The opinion of Murby really doesn't carry much weight with me.

Flags---It is obvious from the comments made by many other members on threads this guy posts on, including here, that you and I are not in the minority regarding him. This relative Newbie that came on the site 2 months ago has a large number of posts with a lot of stuff that is incorrect (ie. a bow doesn't need to be quiet to hunt whitetails, gun caliber mistakes, theory on head shots that don't hit the brain, etc.) or telling other people what to post and not to post like he just did you in this thread. I don't "attack" him, as he has just stated above, but I do call a spade a spade and when he posts stuff that is completely incorrect or appears to be just to stir things up by telling others what not to post I'll darn sure call him out on it. I wish he would take the advice given by a member a few posts up and read more before he makes posts that show he doesn't know what he's talking about. All it does in most instances is get a thread off track and away from what needs to be discussed. He could have very easily said nothing about the one part of your post and was/is the only one who had a problem with it. Nope, he had to get us off track by starting an argument over nothing and continues to do so. I believe that sort of fits the definition of an internet troll. It seems to be a common denominator every time he starts posting and I'm sure I'll have a rejoinder as soon as he reads this about it being a free country with freedom of speech or some such gibberish to keep things stirred up and will also have to add a few more smilies for emphasis, LOL!

EDIT: I see he just had to get in the last word with that post below here, but that is not surprising or ironic!!!

Now there's irony... off topic comments.

Out of respect for the moderator's request, I digress.

These posts are getting so long I'm going to have to get a cup of coffee to stay awake reading them.

So anyways make sure you aren't trespassing and get permission to look for your deer if you are going on someone elses property if its state/public land don't worry bout that...just worry someone else found your deer...but most likely it was a low shot in the brisket and not lethal...but good luck searching.

Thanks for getting back on track.

:party0005:

This person is probably looking at this site now and asking himself what goes on here? Two answers to his questions and three pages of fighting. Jeez, If I was a member of PETA looking at this site I'd think a bunch of teenage girls were hunting and posting it on here.

Back to topic, I think Topgun has a great answer here. It you are EVER unsure of a hit, back out and come back the next day. A deer that is mortally wounded will usually bed down within a few hundred years and expire. With the snow you have, it would be an easy trail in the AM plus you can pick out a deer laying from a long way off. Good luck and let us know how you do.

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.

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

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.

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.