tracking deer

[cayuga]

Well it is this time of year again.. When you shoot a deer and it does not bleed, what method do you use to find them. Personally, I have a dog that can find them so fast it always amazes me... but what do you use?

Have you ever used a step stick? Maybe we can all learn something here.

 

[AJ]

I always watched which direction/route the deer took after the shot. Granted that can be hard when shooting the stinky stuff. But careful examination can reveal small drops of blood or hair. I had also had to track hit deer through pine thickets where there was no blood and no tracks. A zig zag pattern in the general direction worked great.

 

[cayuga]

I've walked circles, zig zags, and grid methods too... There are a lot of things that can be done.

 

[Bucker]

Tracking

Dave, I get a lot of people say hurt deer head dowen hill never up, alsoi eard they will head for water when hurt? I admit I have pulled deer that were hit and went down to the water to die..... If they go up they aren't hurt that bad? I am still not a beleiver in that.

 

[AJ]

Very true, one of my better ML whitetails was climbing a ridge after being wounded by the neighbors. If I did not see him dragging the front leg, I would have never guessed he was hit. The hit was not a fatal hit but it still buggered up the shoulder.

I have seen on multiple occasions where wounded deer headed to water. It's not a guarantee, but worth checking out if you are tracking one.

 

[g.g.]

I use every available option to find a deer that didnt leave much blood.

sometimes this is walking grids, looking for ants, using tracking blood lights and calling in dogs.

gotta use them all if needed.

IF you think you will need the dog, stay out of the area as much as possible to give the pup as much to work with as possible

 

[vabowhntr]

First it is very important to note direction taken and listen for sounds as the deer runs off. Identify a landmark where you last saw the deer, as they sometimes take 40-50 yards to start bleeding externally. Usually a deer that is hit will also leave a lot of sign as it runs away in the form of tracks and dirt kicked up on leaves. Listen for the deer to "crash" as well, that way if you can't find a bloodtrail, you at least have a general idea of where to start your grid search. Main thing, take it slow, you can destroy a lot of good sign if you start charging down the trail while not seeing the sign right away.

 

[cayuga]

All very good ideas... its snowing now, so tracking here just got easier.

 

[Bucker]

Tracking

Ok Cayuga, rub it in. I can't remember last time we had snow for hunting.

 

[Okie Hog]

Yep, snow sure does make tracking easier. Problem is that we never have it in OK in deer season. What we do have is tall grass that turns red in the fall. Looks like blood. Hunters here slometimes carry a small spray bottle filled with household peroxide. If the red stuff fizzes when peroxide is sprayed on it then it is blood.

 

[little red]

I use toylet paper to mark a spot of blood. When you have to double back because you lost the blood trail, it saves time. Sometimes you can look back at the paper trail and it can give you a direction that you lost. If you are hunting in big country, or swamps, it will also help get you back out or help a buddy, you called on the cell for help, find you. It never hurts to carry a roll of toylet paper.

 

[wayles]

tracking

Most folks move way too fast sometimes messing up a blood trail. They are anxious to get their hands on their critter. Remain calm. Slow down. Find a drop of blood, track, hair, bone, ect. If its not a plain trail get down on your knees. Try to determine if the deer is bleeding out both sides. Use the terlet paper mentioned above. Pin it to the ground next to the droplet with a twig. Use the peroxide mentioned above it works! Try not to move much from the last drop till you see the next sign. Look up at wound highth on grass trees limbs ect. If you have to move up a little try to stay to the side of the trail to avoid messin it up. be patient , go slow don't give up untill your sure you have lost all sign. If you don't have good sunlight light have a really bright light available. Coleman lantern with a reflective shield works good. If that don't work come back in the morning when the light is better. After that its look in the direction he went first. Then grid search[really hard to do in super thick stuff] Deer are notorius for turning 90 degrees. Or doing a circle then continueing in the original direction but over to one side of the original. They will also circle out and watch their back trail then scare the crap out of you when they blow and spook. All of the above can be avoided if you have a good dog as mentioned above. If you believe the deer is down and ther is no sign recruit help for an in line search. Some times if you come back before daylight, slip in and listen for coyotes. Come daylight watch for birds. Magpies and crows have led me to a couple of deer.
Wayles

 

[Rolex Dr.]

All great advice including the snow one LOL

i was taught to track in a 2 man team (SLOW IS BEST) why 2 man

one guys runs the track/trail other stays at last blood and uses his eyes just in case tracker is not on correct path plus the stander can be looking out a head down trails etc. and the tracker normally has his head buried and may miss a big sign
(i have actually been so focused on sign that i have actually walked up to a deer and it startled me)

i also am a detail freak so i tend to look a lot better/longer then many (i am a watchmaker so i tend to be very anal retentive to little things out of place)

 

[Gruntmaster]

Sometimes just thinking of yourself as a deer...What way would you go.
Sounds crazy, but works for me.
I been tracking deer for over forty years and have a way of finding some deer that others have given up on.
My motto is not to give it up till all avenues have been exhausted, we owe that to our game animals.
Losing a deer is one of the worst things that can happen to me, that makes be very selective in taking my shots, bow or firearm.

 

[bigge_al]

If returning the next day to track take a pistol with you. I have walked up on my deer twice without a gun and it can't get up but all I had was a pocket knife. In NC they have pass a new law which allows you to carry a handgun when tracking so check your local regulations.

Had a friend going on a trip up north a few weeks ago and he was so excited about his ML hunt and after talking to him I realized he had not check local regulations that required #11 or musket caps and no scopes. He had to go purchase a new ML to take with him since his shot 209's and scoped no iron sights. I saved his trip.

 

[JStanley]

Re: tracking

Come daylight watch for birds. Magpies and crows have led me to a couple of deer.
Wayles

On more than one occasion when tracking a downed deer, I have been led in the right direction by the sound of a bluejay screaming at the top of his lungs. Can't say it's scientific but I always listen for those little buggers now.

 

[03mossy]

More often than not in my experience deer usually will circle back around to the original path they were on or the direction they came from before the shot ruined there day. I have also found that since I have become mostly a muzzleloader hunter over the past few that I am way more selective of my shots and that also equals less tracking.

 

[guitarpicva]

Thankfully, so far I have not had to track over 50 yards, but I ALWAYS take the time to track even if can already see the deer. It is excellent practice for the day I won't be so fortunate.

 

[Flhtr]

I use my GPS to mark blood spots. It displays a general pattern/direction in which the deer is running.

 

[Edwardamason]

Two man tracking is the best.

One man stands at the last point of blood while the next man searches for the next spot.



When the blood runs out II resort to man tracking skills and behaviour. The best advise I can give is start opening up search in a circle. Open the circle up until you find a spot of blood. This could be feet or it could be yards. I generally start by the length of a yard stick. If a deer has been pushed you can count on about 3 yard sticks. The key is to go slow and methodical.

I also look for disturbed ground. This can give away information when blood or droppings are not available. Look for disruption of leaves or kicked out dirt. On heavy dew mornings you can practically see a path where they have walked. A turned over rock or stick turned over will perhaps give you a sign of direction of flight. When those are turned over you can see where the sun has dried out the top of the rock or stick but the under belly is damp and dark. Same goes for leaves.