This is an incredibly important topic. If you shoot a deer and can’t find it that’s a problem! Let’s go over some useful information and resources to help in the event it happens to you.
Here's an interview with Shane Simpson who is part of the United Blood Trackers Association. Here we'll break down common mistakes hunters make when tracking wounded deer.
PAYING ATTENTION RIGHT AFTER THE SHOT
We receive the same story over and over again from viewers - “I hit a buck last night and can’t find any blood. I didn’t see where the hit was. What should I do?”
This is a common mistake we’ve all made. You finally get the chance at a buck you’ve been waiting for all season, release the arrow and go totally ham. In other words, the adrenaline rush and excitement of the shot overpowers our critical thinking mechanism in the brain and you immediately lose focus after the shot. Every one of us has made the same mistake so don’t feel bad if this has happened to you. Learn from it and move on.
Here are some things we've learned over the years:
1) Use lighted nocks
They help you see the impact point of the arrow and find it as well. If you have a good idea on the shot placement, this will help when determining what type of hit was made. More on that later.
2) Don’t take focus off the deer until you can no longer see or hear them. Focus on them immediately after the shot. Too often we begin to celebrate and start calling our buddies immediately after the shot when this is a crucial time to pay close attention. I can’t tell you how many blood trails have started near a landmark we saw the deer run past while watching footage back after the shot. Most people don’t have the luxury of video so you’ve got to take mental pictures. Here are some crucial things to pay attention to.
Landmarks they run past.
Let's say you shoot a buck and it runs off to the end of a field and enters the woods. Mark the exact spot where the buck left the field so you can go to that spot and pick up blood. Hours and hours are sometimes spent just trying to find first blood. By paying attention to these things, you can eliminate a lot of the guess work.
Watch their body language.
Often deer are surprised by the shot and bound away but will often stop to look back. Is their tail up or down? Are they showing signs of injury?
Listen carefully for crashing or walking the leaves.
Once the deer is out of sight listen closely for sounds of crashing or bedding down. If the buck has stopped down in the woods 100 yards away and you're making noise celebrating, there’s a chance he will hear it and go farther making for a longer blood trail.
The fleeting moments immediately following a shot are not the time to lose focus. This is the time to pay serious attention.
NEVER ASSUME THE DEER IS DEAD UNLESS YOU WATCH THEM EXPIRE
We’ve all made this mistake also. To many unpredictable things can happen with a deer that’s had an arrow shot through it. Countless times we’ve looked at a shot on film and said “that deer is double lunged and laying dead just out sight” only to find out MUCH later he wasn't hit where we originally predicted.
DETERMINE SHOT PLACEMENT
After you calm down and collect your thoughts, it’s time to determine what you hit on the deer. Here’s a video that shows several archery shots on deer. We’ll discuss our immediate guesses on the shot followed by the actual placement when we found the deer. You’ll notice that our guesses are often WRONG. This is why the section above is so important.
HOW LONG DO I WAIT TO TRACK?
The answer to this question depends entirely on other factors such as the shot placement and weather. As we get further into the tracking process, you’ll see that every step is incredibly important and leads to the next one. Using the information from closely watching and listening to the deer will help you determine shot placement. Your determination of shot placement will help you decide when and how to track.
NOTE: The initial decisions you make often change rapidly while tracking. Don’t stay married to an initial plan or idea of shot placement if things aren't what you thought once you start tracking. If you think a deer is double lunged but jump it 3 hours later out of a bed, it’s time to rethink the hit and tracking strategy.
Weather conditions need to be taken into account also. Ask these questions:
1) Is the deer going to spoil if it’s left overnight in warm temperatures?
2) Is rain in the forecast that could wash away blood?
REMEMBER: A wounded deer that’s still alive is often difficult to recover, especially when they are pushed. You can’t recover a deer that isn’t dead.
Question: "Where did I hit the deer?"
It's common for hunters to take shots in fading light, hear the arrow impact, but have no idea where it hit the animal. It's possible to look at blood, hair, and other bodily fluids to determine the hit location. In the video, Shane takes us through ways to determine your hit. We'll also discuss the key steps you need to take when tracking.
