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Animal Tracking Tips 101

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Tracking is an art IMO and it takes a ton of track jobs to really get a feel for how things work. I try to track as many deer in a year as I can. I tell people to call me when they shoot one so I can track it with them so I can experience a new track job. If I shoot one that I see go down, I will still track it for the experience. I've been on 3x's more track jobs than deer I have killed and I credit this experience for making me a pretty solid tracker. So my first suggestion is to track as many deer as you can even if you did not shoot it...

One old adage that I have seen proven time and time again is that shot/wounded deer will head towards water. I have seen it happen enough to know that is something that can salvage a track job when things get tough. Water tends to lay in the path of least resistance (i.e. down hill) and I think this is one of the things that contributes to finding a lot of deer in and around water. Also, deer shot in the stomach/guts will develop an intense thirst (along with other wounds) and this will drive them to seek out a water supply. Searching the local water supplies is something that becomes important when the blood trail is lost and you are simply searching for a body.

Another great pointer is to limit the number of people involved on the track job. IMO, 3-4 people is plenty. When I work a tough trail, I like to be the lead bird dog and have 2-3 "scout" dogs on either side of me. At most, you should have 2 people working the trail, with the others keeping an eye ahead of the trackers for signs of the deer as well as checking side trails for signs of the deer. When you are tracking in the dark, I think it is even more important to limit the amount of people on the tracking job. TOO many people on a track job can destroy the limited amount of sign that might be present. Only when the blood trail has been lost and you are grid searching for a body should you involve more than 3-4 people IMO.

And the No. 1 tip of all time that we have heard time and time again, but is o' so true: WHEN IN DOUBT, BACK OUT!!! I learned this lesson the hard way in my first bow season with a 130ish 8-point and it is something I will never overlook. I'm not alone in that regard, so it is a mantra that we've heard a thousand times. If you do not know for certain you 10-ringed an animal; if you didn't see it go down; if you did not hear anything to indicate the deer went down or where it went, then stay in your stand for 30 minutes to an hour at least before checking the impact site. If the impact site and the first 50 yards of the trail are iffy, go back to the house/truck and give it another hour. That animal will not rot in a couple hours time, so it is far better to error on the side of caution and give it time!!!
 

saddlepants

Member
1,224
0
central Ohio
I used to track with bloodhounds. First things first. Find first blood and move slowly...DO NOT jump the gun when you think you have a straight strong bloodline, It can change direction or STOP in a heartbeat and then you have tramped all over the little stuff that could have been your saving grace. #2 hands and knees, or call for help, or call the dogs first BEFORE just going on a tramping scout when you lose blood. #3 If the blood is just a drip line steady but no splash or foam and going steady uphill?? Back off and go to lunch, your deer is probably still alive if you have followed this line more than a few minutes. #4 DO mark your path of blood with something like TP which is Biodegradable but easy to see should you have to start over. #4 study the blood a deer turning a fast left turn can spray drops several feet when pumped with adrenaline making a fast left look like a definate right that all of a sudden just dissapears and the new path of blood is several feet away because he Jumped left by 6-8 feet!!
 

saddlepants

Member
1,224
0
central Ohio
I could go on and on. Never discount no blood at the impact site as a no kill or bad shot. Keep looking in expanding circles. Ive found deer with dead on heart shots not far at all with no blood or hair at first. Depends on the terrain and how the deer lunged from the impact. Ive gone back after and found "the spot" buried under a mass of Debri after which the deer had covered it in his lunge away.
If your line is going straight and stops. Mark it and continue on carefully to the left or right of where it could be studying turned up leaves smashed grass whatever and if it heads toward a downhill (or towards water) then scout that way and check the bottom before going back or giving up...chances are hes at the bottom.
 
* If they're hiding, like in a corn field or brush pile, they're hurting and will die soon. Another reason to back out and give them more time.
* Once the deer slows to a walking pace, break off a stick to the approximate stride of the deer's tracks. Also, use that same stick to measure the hoof prints and make a mark on the stick. This will help, if the wounded deer gets into a deer trail laiden with other hoof prints...to find YOUR deer.
* Watch the deer's reaction to the hit. The tail down as it runs away, indicates a good (if not mortal) hit.
* Most deer will run in the path of least resistance. A creek bed, logging trail, open field, etc.
* If the blood trail and/or tracks start "zig zagging", it's dying and should be close by.
* If you're blood trailing and jump the deer, but it falls immediately. Chase or push it, as hard as you can...usually in a short distance it will either drop and die due to blood loss or it will present an opportunity for a second shot.
* If you come upon a downed deer and it appears that it may still be alive...shoot it again.
* Eyes open it's dead. Eyes closed it's alive...be careful, very careful.

Bowhunter57

* If you're on a blood trail and lose it. Don't start wondering around in a non-directional search, as you'll just mess up what you should've found for sign. Go back to where you seen the last sign and start looking again.
* Watch for overturned leaves, they'll be wet on the top...unlike the surrounding leaves.
 
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