Newbie with a question.

Cbyrnside

Member
I'm new to hunting and am trying to gather a strong knowledge base on the ins and out of deer hunting and was curious about how blood tracking works. Is there any good literature, videos, or even advice from yall that could help me learn more about it. Is there a good way to tell what the direction of travel is when doing it? I mean I know in perfect world you get that shot that downs the deer right there and you aint gotta do no tracking but as new hunter I would like to know how to do it properly so if the time comes I can properly recover the animal.
 

kmckinnie

BOT KILLER MODERATOR
Staff member
I carry white tissue paper. I place at blood found. Not every time but about 20’ apart. If u lose blood u can always go back easy to the last spot.
Sometimes if u look at your trail of paper u can maybe tell which direction it’s trying to head.
Always after the shot try and listen for the crash or the kicking as it dies.
I’m sure more will give more advice.
 

Cbyrnside

Member
Nice and sounds easy enough keep on ya too just carry around one those small travel size things of like kleenex that can fit in pocket?
 

kmckinnie

BOT KILLER MODERATOR
Staff member
Nice and sounds easy enough keep on ya too just carry around one those small travel size things of like kleenex that can fit in pocket?
I keep a roll of TP in the truck. I just roll off some and take it with me. I use it to wipe my scope Len. Glasses and every now and then. Mother Nature calls. It don’t take a big piece by blood. About 2” square will work.
 

Havana Dude

Senior Member
Make a mental note of where the deer was when shot, and it’s general direction of travel.Obviously, start there. look for blood at impact spot. If you have a hard time finding exactly where it was standing, look for kicked up leaves( this applies to the entire tracking job). Also, look not just at the ground, but look at bushes and trees as well, 2-3 feet high. If you know your woods, and you lose blood trail, take a minute and think about its previous travel route, should give you a general route to start fanning out to look for actual deer. If there is a nearby water source, don’t neglect to check that out. If blood plays out near a dirt road, check to see if they crossed it. Of course, there are many variables involved, terrain, etc. experience is your best teacher. Good luck in you hunts.
 

bany

Senior Member
SEE Where the deer was when you shot and exactly what the deer did when hit. Having a good idea of travel routes will help.Give the animal time to lay down and expire. Mark the trail as these two fellas stated. Move slow and deliberate and scan the forward area. Assume it’s heading toward water. A lot of blood should mean a good shot and it’s close. If it’s not bleeding much it was a bad shot Or high. After a mile or so and very little blood accept that it will live or call a dog. Don't stomp all over and jack up the area!
 

across the river

Senior Member
Good advice all around so far. One thing I have found that is helpful is once you have decided you are going to shoot, make a mental note of where the deer is standing, especially if you are in the woods. By a certain log, a crooked tree, a bush, whatever. A lot of times finding the spot you shot it and the initial blood is the toughest part. Once you find it, if the blood trail is good, it isn’t hard to follow. Also watch the deer as far as you can see it run and take a mental note of that spot as well, but always start where you shot it, unless you see it go down. Easier said than done when you are just starting to hunt and a deer walks out, but it helps if you do it. If it is sporadic, mark it as you go, so you can always go back to where you last saw blood. And if you don’t have good blood and plan to get help via someone more experienced or a tracking dog, just get out of the area and go get help. Don’t wander all over the place everywhere looking because they will often make it worse. I’ve never used it, but the Primos guys have an app, deer cast I believe it is, that lets you pick the spot and angle you shot the deer and it will give you feedback on how long to wait, what organs were hit, etc…, which might be good info for someone new. The other advice I would give would be to make sure you gun is on, always have a good rest, and only shoot the deer if it is broadside. If you do those three things, IMO you will have very little trouble tracking the deer the you shoot. Most of the long tracking jobs I have seen over the years were a result of poor shot angles and placement.
 

bfriendly

Bigfoot friendly
If it is getting dark or is dark, leaving a lighted nock or any light, at your starting point can be helpful. We tracked a deer two years ago that went maybe 75 yards. Even though we were careful, we got turned around and probably walked 150 yards in circles…..pitch black and coyotes hollerin will get that blood going!
When we went after the other guys deer and bows, they both had a nock lit up and finding their stuff was easy. Even a cheap glow in the dark wrist band of sorts works. Have a good headlight with spare batteries.
 

splatek

UAEC
Shoot them in the spine, they don’t go anywhere. Just teasing. Don’t do that.

Use a bright light. Even during daylight hours. Particularly at dusk, the light makes droplets pop. I learned that from a buddy this season tracking a bear for over 500 yards. I was very surprised how the blood specks would just illuminate.
 

sea trout

2021 Turkey Challenge Winner 2022 biggest turkey ?
Great advice from all the above already!
I'll emphasize again what's already been said and thats make mental notes of where the deer was standing when you shot! AND the last place you seen it! AND the direction it was goin! Those are key to gettin yer blood trail started.
REMEMBER things will look different on the ground 100 yards away than it does from yer tree stand so make mental notes of obstructions on the ground, (weird bush, white fallen log, rock pile, or similar)
The deers reaction ta bein shot can also usually give you clues as ta where it may ah been hit.
A good light with good and or exta batteries.
Kmac leaves a toilet paper trail that's great. I do the same thing with a few old orange hats that I keep in my back pack. But I always have a backpack full ah stuff.
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
The most important thing is noting exactly where the deer was standing when you shot it, and watch it run off if you can, noting landmarks. You can often tell a lot about where the deer was hit by the color of the blood and the type of hair that is laying where the deer was shot. If you have pink, bubbly lung blood, that deer won't be far. If it's dark colored, it's likely a liver hit, and it's best to wait a while before tracking it, etc. The main thing on a tough blood trail is to slow down, and not let people trample all over the place. If you have a buddy, have one person stand at the last spot of blood while the other circles to find the next one. You can also often figure where the deer was headed by terrain features.
 

DynamicDennis

Senior Member
I would say always start where you shot the animal, unless you see it fall. I have went to where I had last seen a shot animal, and ended up having to go back and start at the shot zone. Also look for roughed up areas, like running tracks, broken limbs, etc. Vast majority of the time the animal is going to stay on a trail, unless it is really hurt. I seen a deer run into the thickest stuff after a shot, but only went about 20 yards.
 

BeerThirty

Senior Member
I have been in a couple recovery efforts where the blood trail has been extremely faint... a drop here and not another drop for 5-6 feet, rinse and repeat... Make sure if you get into a situation like this, that you are being extremely careful of where you are stepping, as to not step on blood or overturn and leaves that might have blood on them. It sounds silly, but you may have to get down on your hands and knees to track like this.
 

kmckinnie

BOT KILLER MODERATOR
Staff member
I have been in a couple recovery efforts where the blood trail has been extremely faint... a drop here and not another drop for 5-6 feet, rinse and repeat... Make sure if you get into a situation like this, that you are being extremely careful of where you are stepping, as to not step on blood or overturn and leaves that might have blood on them. It sounds silly, but you may have to get down on your hands and knees to track like this.
We have had to look for ants getting the blood more than once. Good advice.
 

JustUs4All

Slow Mod
Staff member
Lots of good stuff above, I will add just a little.

Marking the spot where the deer was shot is a great idea if there are any landmarks. Remember that things will look very different from that end of the shot. If you can't find blood there you might be able to find hair. A bullet will sometimes cut cleanly through some hair on entry and that hair can drop nearly directly to the ground. There will not be much but good eyes can sometimes find it. On the off side and in line with the shot the exiting bullet may carry blood spray and possibly fragments of bone, meat, or organs.

A deer will sometimes blow blood droplets out to the side when he breathes well before the blood accumulates to the point of flowing out of a wound. These droplets will be hard to see but may be on the sides of plants instead of on the ground. Similarly, blood may be wiped onto a tree or brush that a deer passes by. Getting on hands and knees is not silly and sometimes it's necessary.

The toilet paper idea is good. If you stick a little piece of TP (1/4 sheet) on a limb just above the blood it is very easy to see at a distance even at night with a light. Nature will take care of this paper in no time.

If you are an evening hunter, carry at least two good lights and way more batteries than you think you will need. I keep those in my pack to help others. I am working on being ancient and cataracts have robbed me of my night vision so I no longer hunt late in the evening for fear of not being able to locate the deer.

Finally, don't overlook the value of a dog. There is a list of tracking dogs on this website and GON Magazine publishes a list before the season opens. If you have exhausted all else, a hunter's wife's lapdog has been known to find a dead deer on occasion but be very careful not to loose your wife's dog. LOL
 

thumper523

Senior Member
I also keep 2 good lights with me. As mentioned before, watch where deer runs and how it is reacting. I also keep a cheap spray bottle with hydrogen peroxide when it gets tough. I have found deer with no blood by circling back from which it came and doing a criss cross pattern looking for disturbed bushes, briars and ground. Also, your nose is your friend too. If you shoot a deer, let's say right shoulder, it will more than likely be turning to the right as it runs.
 
Take a compass bearing to the last place you saw your deer and then when you get down do a reverse bearing back to your treestand (I typically leave an orange hat in my treestand if its a long way away. I can't tell you how many times I have done this. It works well.
 

sportsman94

Senior Member
I pull the compass on my phone out after I shoot. I screenshot one reading at the point of impact and another screenshot where I last saw or heard the animal running. It’s very easy to get off when you’re walking to those points. Things don’t look the same from the ground as they do from a stand.
 

elfiii

Admin
Staff member
It sounds silly, but you may have to get down on your hands and knees to track like this.

This, ^ especially when the sun goes down. Even if you made a good shot the deer may run and if it does the farther it runs the more faint the blood trail will be as the animal bleeds out. And like others have said when you're marking the trail don't let anybody walk in it. That one small drop of blood on the leaf that got turned over because somebody was careless and kicked it may make the difference in finding the deer tonight or tomorrow morning after the yotes have gotten to it.
 
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