Lost Game? Tips?

[ORsouthpaw]

Every year it seems the topic of loosing game comes up just before the start of Archery season. We all know that no matter what weapon that you choose to hunt with that it is always a very real possibility that it can happen.

There are some that feel if you wound an animal and do not recover it that you should be done hunting for the season. While others feel that it's perfectly fine to move on another animal. What do you feel is appropriate action?

If you are of the move on to another animal mindset what do you feel is reasonable amount of time to spend searching before actually moving on?

If you're of the one lost and done mindset, do you just pack it in and head home at that point?

Also if you have any tracking tips that might help to keep someone from having to experience the anguish of loosing an animal, Please share them.

[DogZilla15]

You keep looking as long as you have sign to follow. If at some point you reach the end of the trail, try to think like a wounded animal and keep looking. Lots of times the animal is very close to where the last sign was located.

[Thehunter]

I've wonded an animal before. I shot it right behind the sholder like you should. There was blood for about 500 yards and then nothing. I would take that shot and placement 100 time over. Why it didn'g go down we will never know. I hunted the same area hoping to stumble upon it for the next 15 days. In the same area a another bull presented him self and i shot him in the same place and he went down. I look hard and long for the wonded animal........However if and when one is wonded it sucks but they do not go to waste. Waste is something that never gets touched. Other animals will take care of them.

I shot a bear this last year. Less then 10 hours from the time i shot it another beer had completely cleaned up the gut pile.

It does suck and it happens to every one. I know over the years we have killed elk and deer with arrows and bullets in them. I think a lot of people would be suprise to see how many animals wonded end up living.

Still no one likes that situation....It's just makes you sick to your stomach.

[Thehunter]

One more thing to add......If they are wonded, especial gut shot they will go to water.

[ehunter]

My point is that you get one tag per animal make the best of it. That is why long distance shooting of arrows is not a sign of a responsible hunter. Plus archery hunting you had better be able to track a animal and know the signs of a lethal hit or superficial hit. TAKE A BOWHUNTER SAFTEY CLASS IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO TELL IF A HIT IS LETHAL OR NOT. I get really riled up over these types of questions if your a new bowhunter and have not tracked a single animal get educated.

The goal is not to stick animal but to make a humane shot. Don't think its fine and dandy that you let a wounded animal get away to be coyote fodder because that is a sign of a poor hunter. GRR!

The number one thing to do is back off if your not sure and give them time if you jump a marginaly hit animal too soon you will probably never recouver it. Take some time.....

[nakoa]

the guy i hunted with last year wound a spike about 5 minutes after legal light and we looked until dark on an 75 degree day, we did hunt the next day but wasn't much into it because all we could think about was what we did wrong, which was nothing we waited 1 hr he even started to cough up lung bubbles, our last blood was on a stump were he leaned against and then nothnig. we think that when he did that he had joined up back up with the herd, and they put him in the middle to protect him. we never did find his arrow. it wasn't until he shot his buck and his arrow didn't come out until about 10 feet from were he died(and no blood) we relized it was his broadheads(crimson talons).

[WSU]

I agree, the number one worst thing to do is bump an animal. This will be my first year bow hunting, but I have tracked numerous animals shot with both rifle and muzzleloader. I made the mistake of bumping a deer once, and it made the job much harder. Had I waited longer, the deer would have gone a total of 75 yards rather than a couple miles. Wait, and when in doubt, wait more...

[Mello-Yello]

I wrote this up a few years ago when this topic came around. Doesn't cover everything but hopefully some will find it helpfull.

- Give the animal time to die. This isn't very easy to do. The adrenaline is pumping, you're brain starts bouncing positive and negative messages to you and it's easy to get panicky. A lot of animals are lost because they hear,see or smell you coming and go on what we call the "death march". These animals can march for miles like this. A wounded animal rarely travels any farther than they have to before bedding down, unless it 'knows' you are on it's trail.
- Before moving foreward, make a mental note as to exactly where the animal was standing when you shot it. This is often difficult cuz things sometimes look different once you 'get over there'.
- If you aren't sure of a solid hit, assume it isn't. Expect to devote hours of your time ruling out that the animal either wasn't hit, or that it wasn't a mortal wound.
- If you can find the exact place the animal was standing, look for hair on the ground (very apparent w/archery hits). The color/length of hair will often give you an idea where the animal was hit and if nothing else, will confirm the hit.
- If you have no blood, but saw the direction the animal went, slowly head in that direction looking for any telltale sign. I always carry TP with me, and not just for the obvious reasons. Pull of a square and wipe it on bushes, limbs, etc that the animal may have made contact with. Often, the TP will show faint blood where you would have otherwise never seen it. That little trace of blood can be a real moral boost when one is beginning to doubt.
- Animals will often head towards thickets after being shot. These may be big thickets, or nothing more than a large cluster of bushes. Make sure and check these areas out real well.
- There's a general rule that wounded animals won't go uphill. While I have seen many occasions where this didn't hold true, I would have to agree that it is a 'general rule'. IMHO, they don't like to go downhill either. They do like to sidehill though.
- A wounded animal will often head towards water, espcecially if it's a gut-shot.
- Listen for birds. There isn't much happens in the woods without the birds knowing about it. Crows in particular. I have found them on animals within a couple hours of being shot. Pine squirrels will often raise a fit as well. Same w/steller jays (blue jays).
- If you do find blood, mark it! I never leave home without flagging tape. Hang the tape from limbs if you can, and make sure the tape can be seen easily, especially from the direction you are heading. If you go aways further without finding blood, go back and start a different track. Sometimes you get so far from your last mark you risk losing your 'place' entirely. What I like to do is pull off a length of tape and tie both ends to two limbs so it's strung horizontally (so it doesn't get confused with a 'blood marker'). This is just a marker of 'where you've been', but should be very easy to see. If you decide there's nothing in that direction, return to the tape and start on a different route.
- What is the wind doing? Even wounded animals prefer to smell clean air and will often head either into the wind, or perpendicular to the wind. This is their means of heading in a direction free of predators.
- Move slowly and quietly, using your binoculars to look far ahead, even in brushy areas. Many times an animal will lay down and watch their backtrail. No yelling back and forth amongst trackers. Even regular talk can be heard at great distances away and is often enough to get an animal up and moving again.
- When an animal lays down and stops moving, the lack of movement often allows some sealing of the wound. If they get up and move again, they can sometimes cover a lot of ground before leaving blood again.
I guess the main advice I would give is, exhaust every option before deciding it was a miss or a non-lethal hit.

Good shooters make bad shots, and bad shooters get lucky sometimes. Lean the odds in your favor and practice, practice, practice. Know your ability for different types of shots before you ever hit the woods. Know the ability of your weapon too. It will reduce the number of times you go home with your tail between your legs wishing you'd never taken the shot or wishing you'd done things a 'little different'.

M-Y

[nakoa]

Originally Posted by WSU

I agree, the number one worst thing to do is bump an animal. This will be my first year bow hunting, but I have tracked numerous animals shot with both rifle and muzzleloader. I made the mistake of bumping a deer once, and it made the job much harder. Had I waited longer, the deer would have gone a total of 75 yards rather than a couple miles. Wait, and when in doubt, wait more...

i wait no less than an hour made the same mistake and did alot of walking.

[ehunter]

Mello-Yellow good post


We have seen this happen before and the elk will go with the herd until he falls out or lies down. He died even if he lost one lung, they can travel a long ways. Best bet is if you lose a marginal blood trail back off and come back later when you can start casting around for tracks and the animal.

Peroxide in a bottle can be really helpful if you can't see blood and lose a direction peroxide can help spray it in a arc and it will foam with the blood and it can really help on over cast day in rain or salal has a red color to it to get the direction travel if your stumped.

Animals hard hit will also back track on their blood trail and then lay down watching for predators following their trail. We have see deer do this several times you will follow the trail and it seems to stop you have to go back and walk the trail on both sides to see where they jumped off at.

[nakoa]

Originally Posted by ehunter

We have seen this happen before and the elk will go with the herd until he falls out or lies down he died even if he lost one lung, they can travel a long ways. Best bet is if you lose a marginal blood trail back off and come back later when you can start casting around for tracks and the animal.

Peroxide in a bottle can be really helpfull if you can't see blood and lose a direction peroxide can help pray it in a arc and it will foam with the blood and it can really help on over cast day in rain or salal has a red color to it.

Animals hard hit will also back track on their blood trail and then lay down watching for preditors following their trail. We have see deer do this several times you will follow the trail and it seems to stop you have to go back and parrell the trail on both sides to see where they jumped off at.

ya i had heard of the peroxide in a spray bottle but not that they would double back,

[ORsouthpaw]

Originally Posted by Mello-Yello

I wrote this up a few years ago when this topic came around. Doesn't cover everything but hopefully some will find it helpfull.

- Give the animal time to die. This isn't very easy to do. The adrenaline is pumping, you're brain starts bouncing positive and negative messages to you and it's easy to get panicky. A lot of animals are lost because they hear,see or smell you coming and go on what we call the "death march". These animals can march for miles like this. A wounded animal rarely travels any farther than they have to before bedding down, unless it 'knows' you are on it's trail.
- Before moving foreward, make a mental note as to exactly where the animal was standing when you shot it. This is often difficult cuz things sometimes look different once you 'get over there'.
- If you aren't sure of a solid hit, assume it isn't. Expect to devote hours of your time ruling out that the animal either wasn't hit, or that it wasn't a mortal wound.
- If you can find the exact place the animal was standing, look for hair on the ground (very apparent w/archery hits). The color/length of hair will often give you an idea where the animal was hit and if nothing else, will confirm the hit.
- If you have no blood, but saw the direction the animal went, slowly head in that direction looking for any telltale sign. I always carry TP with me, and not just for the obvious reasons. Pull of a square and wipe it on bushes, limbs, etc that the animal may have made contact with. Often, the TP will show faint blood where you would have otherwise never seen it. That little trace of blood can be a real moral boost when one is beginning to doubt.
- Animals will often head towards thickets after being shot. These may be big thickets, or nothing more than a large cluster of bushes. Make sure and check these areas out real well.
- There's a general rule that wounded animals won't go uphill. While I have seen many occasions where this didn't hold true, I would have to agree that it is a 'general rule'. IMHO, they don't like to go downhill either. They do like to sidehill though.
- A wounded animal will often head towards water, espcecially if it's a gut-shot.
- Listen for birds. There isn't much happens in the woods without the birds knowing about it. Crows in particular. I have found them on animals within a couple hours of being shot. Pine squirrels will often raise a fit as well. Same w/steller jays (blue jays).
- If you do find blood, mark it! I never leave home without flagging tape. Hang the tape from limbs if you can, and make sure the tape can be seen easily, especially from the direction you are heading. If you go aways further without finding blood, go back and start a different track. Sometimes you get so far from your last mark you risk losing your 'place' entirely. What I like to do is pull off a length of tape and tie both ends to two limbs so it's strung horizontally (so it doesn't get confused with a 'blood marker'). This is just a marker of 'where you've been', but should be very easy to see. If you decide there's nothing in that direction, return to the tape and start on a different route.
- What is the wind doing? Even wounded animals prefer to smell clean air and will often head either into the wind, or perpendicular to the wind. This is their means of heading in a direction free of predators.
- Move slowly and quietly, using your binoculars to look far ahead, even in brushy areas. Many times an animal will lay down and watch their backtrail. No yelling back and forth amongst trackers. Even regular talk can be heard at great distances away and is often enough to get an animal up and moving again.
- When an animal lays down and stops moving, the lack of movement often allows some sealing of the wound. If they get up and move again, they can sometimes cover a lot of ground before leaving blood again.
I guess the main advice I would give is, exhaust every option before deciding it was a miss or a non-lethal hit.

Good shooters make bad shots, and bad shooters get lucky sometimes. Lean the odds in your favor and practice, practice, practice. Know your ability for different types of shots before you ever hit the woods. Know the ability of your weapon too. It will reduce the number of times you go home with your tail between your legs wishing you'd never taken the shot or wishing you'd done things a 'little different'.

M-Y

Great Post!

ehunter - I know we all don't like the thought of loosing game, with all the "I'm a new archery hunter"posts that have been floating around here recently I thought it would be good to get people thinking about it. Who knows with posts like Mello's we may just prevent an animal from being lost

[nakoa]

i agree

[dla]

Originally Posted by Mello-Yello

I wrote this up a few years ago when this topic came around. Doesn't cover everything but hopefully some will find it helpfull.

- Give the animal time to die. This isn't very easy to do. The adrenaline is pumping, you're brain starts bouncing positive and negative messages to you and it's easy to get panicky. A lot of animals are lost because they hear,see or smell you coming and go on what we call the "death march". These animals can march for miles like this. A wounded animal rarely travels any farther than they have to before bedding down, unless it 'knows' you are on it's trail.
- Before moving foreward, make a mental note as to exactly where the animal was standing when you shot it. This is often difficult cuz things sometimes look different once you 'get over there'.
- If you aren't sure of a solid hit, assume it isn't. Expect to devote hours of your time ruling out that the animal either wasn't hit, or that it wasn't a mortal wound.
- If you can find the exact place the animal was standing, look for hair on the ground (very apparent w/archery hits). The color/length of hair will often give you an idea where the animal was hit and if nothing else, will confirm the hit.
- If you have no blood, but saw the direction the animal went, slowly head in that direction looking for any telltale sign. I always carry TP with me, and not just for the obvious reasons. Pull of a square and wipe it on bushes, limbs, etc that the animal may have made contact with. Often, the TP will show faint blood where you would have otherwise never seen it. That little trace of blood can be a real moral boost when one is beginning to doubt.
- Animals will often head towards thickets after being shot. These may be big thickets, or nothing more than a large cluster of bushes. Make sure and check these areas out real well.
- There's a general rule that wounded animals won't go uphill. While I have seen many occasions where this didn't hold true, I would have to agree that it is a 'general rule'. IMHO, they don't like to go downhill either. They do like to sidehill though.
- A wounded animal will often head towards water, espcecially if it's a gut-shot.
- Listen for birds. There isn't much happens in the woods without the birds knowing about it. Crows in particular. I have found them on animals within a couple hours of being shot. Pine squirrels will often raise a fit as well. Same w/steller jays (blue jays).
- If you do find blood, mark it! I never leave home without flagging tape. Hang the tape from limbs if you can, and make sure the tape can be seen easily, especially from the direction you are heading. If you go aways further without finding blood, go back and start a different track. Sometimes you get so far from your last mark you risk losing your 'place' entirely. What I like to do is pull off a length of tape and tie both ends to two limbs so it's strung horizontally (so it doesn't get confused with a 'blood marker'). This is just a marker of 'where you've been', but should be very easy to see. If you decide there's nothing in that direction, return to the tape and start on a different route.
- What is the wind doing? Even wounded animals prefer to smell clean air and will often head either into the wind, or perpendicular to the wind. This is their means of heading in a direction free of predators.
- Move slowly and quietly, using your binoculars to look far ahead, even in brushy areas. Many times an animal will lay down and watch their backtrail. No yelling back and forth amongst trackers. Even regular talk can be heard at great distances away and is often enough to get an animal up and moving again.
- When an animal lays down and stops moving, the lack of movement often allows some sealing of the wound. If they get up and move again, they can sometimes cover a lot of ground before leaving blood again.
I guess the main advice I would give is, exhaust every option before deciding it was a miss or a non-lethal hit.

Good shooters make bad shots, and bad shooters get lucky sometimes. Lean the odds in your favor and practice, practice, practice. Know your ability for different types of shots before you ever hit the woods. Know the ability of your weapon too. It will reduce the number of times you go home with your tail between your legs wishing you'd never taken the shot or wishing you'd done things a 'little different'.

M-Y

Very good. A few more thoughts.

A double mantle lantern with some tin foil to bounce the light down is great for night tracking. The river rock 1 watt headlamp at Target ($25) or an equiv should be on your head.

Christmas tree tinsel works great at night for a trail marker. Blaze trail mark tape doesn't show up well at night.

Mark the blood drops often enough that you can look back and establish a direction of travel.

If you lose the blood, starting circling from the last marked spot, I used to hang a glow stick to give me reference when circling. Now there are little squeeze lights that work better and longer.

Elk will often lay down and die in deep cover - often a depression or behind a log. Sometimes with cows, the rest of the group will hang around the dying animal.

Plan on tracking all night. Don't plan on quitting just because it is getting dark.

[ehunter]

Orsouthpaw I know it is good info I just get worked up because I have seen a lot of screw ups and I have made some. Also I can't count how many times I have heard the term I stuck one but not very well or he will live. I need to mellow out sorry guys.. I am taking a chill pill now


DLA

Good info and I like tracking at night with a lantern as long as your not color blind

The key is to go slow, and take your time if you rush it you can mess up the trail. Elk are tough becuase they have so much hair it takes a lotof blood to get a good trail. Deer seem easier because they have shorter hair and it drops off easier. You may have to lay down and to find drops and don't forget to look under ferns waist high because if they it brush as they walk the underside may pick up some blood as well.

One final though after yout done if you use flagging go back and clean it up.

Originally Posted by dla

Very good. A few more thoughts.

A double mantle lantern with some tin foil to bounce the light down is great for night tracking. The river rock 1 watt headlamp at Target ($25) or an equiv should be on your head.

Christmas tree tinsel works great at night for a trail marker. Blaze trail mark tape doesn't show up well at night.

Mark the blood drops often enough that you can look back and establish a direction of travel.

If you lose the blood, starting circling from the last marked spot, I used to hang a glow stick to give me reference when circling. Now there are little squeeze lights that work better and longer.

Elk will often lay down and die in deep cover - often a depression or behind a log. Sometimes with cows, the rest of the group will hang around the dying animal.

Plan on tracking all night. Don't plan on quitting just because it is getting dark.

[spottedhawk36]

i know whats it like i lost a big 6x6 bull one year, i looked until i ran out of a blood trail, and looked until i couldnt see its tracks anymore then looked some more with my uncle and his friend and nothing, it surely wasnt do to lack of looking. its not a good feeling but like was said earlier its a fact of hunting no matter how much you practice or what weapon you choose to pursue your game with, i will pass up shots if they are unethical and i dont feel comfortable with, know your abilities but in the end things can and do happen more at longer ranges. i too feel thats alot of times when the blood trail runs out the animal may not be too far so get more of your hunting buddies if you have to and fan out because he might just be laying behind that next log. good luck this year and shoot straight. <--------<<<- Tony

[ORsouthpaw]

Tony, I think you nailed the one point that really needs to be emphasized especially with newer hunters, really it applies to everyone and can have more effect than anything else. IMO

Know your limitations - If you go to a 20 yard range and shoot all year long at that distance then why would think that you can make a 60 yard shot on an animal. Same thing with a rifle. Why would you shoot 500 yards across a ravine when the furthest you have ever practiced is 100yrd. Just because your weapon is capable of those distances doesn't mean that you are.

Also for those that do practice at longer distances you need to be aware that just because you can hit a target shooting on an indoor range or off a bench doesn't necessarily mean that you can shoot that far when you are afield .You have to be aware of the wind, weather, angles and of course nerves (i.e. Buck Fever)

[DogZilla15]

This "right behind the shoulder shot" as mentioned can have mixed results. I had a bad experience with the same shot in rifle season. The same kind of shot I'd take a hundred time and get different results every time. The Bull was only 5 yards away so it was pretty tough to make a bad shot and it wasn't a bad shot. On the way in, the bullet cut the fourth rib and on the off side it nicked the fifth rib and stopped under the hide. This was a 180 gr Partition at 2950 fps. The bull had eaten so much, all his internal organs were pushed ahead and the bullet ended up hitting the diaphram and the liver and only bruised one lung. The bull couldn't breathe so he couldn't run but he kept moving and took over a half hour to expire.

[spottedhawk36]

no matter how well you "think" you hit an animal, always wait a 1/2 hour to an hour before getting on the blood trail, you always hear stories of guys who jumped up there deer or elk which they had shot and the find where it was laying and theres a huge pool of blood, if you had given it longer you would of found your animal right there. Okay heres a question which i think is a good one " if you are lets say hunting the coast range for elk, you shoot an elk and it takes off and its raining pretty good how long do you wait in fear that the blood will wash off the ferns ect?"

[ORsouthpaw]

Here's my personal experience with this issue. I shot and lost a lead cow a couple years ago. Everything was as perfect as could be. She came in, stopped behind a small tree, I drew back, she stepped forward and stopped and I released. My point of aim was behind the shoulder but replaying the shot in my mind I suspect that I hit shoulder blade. She was at 17 yards! I waited 40 minutes or so then looked for blood for another 30 minutes and saw none, even though I recovered my arrow which had watched fall out. It showed that it penetrated about 8-10 inches according to the blood and hair line on it. Being relatively inexperienced at tracking and knowing it I marked where I had shot from, Where I had shot to and the last place I visibly saw her. Then I backed out and went to camp. I came back about 45 minutes later with 4 other hunting partners then we proceeded to search the area for several more hours until a down pour started to crush my hopes of finding her. 5 people looking and not one of us found any blood on the ground or on the underbrush. The conclusion of the group was that she was not mortally wounded. I was not convinced. By myself, I went back the next day and searched from day break until around noon when we had to gather our things and head back home 6 hours away. I punched my tag when I left. To me my season was done.

Now, looking back I feel good about taking that shot. It was well within my range and the cow was not at all alarmed or aware of where I was positioned. The point of aim was too far forward and I just didn't leave room for any error. At the time I thought about giving up archery hunting all together but I have come to realize it is part of the game and if a person hunts long enough it's a very real possibility that it will happen to them. If that had happened to me on the 1st day of our 8 day hunt instead of the 2nd to last day then I'm not entirely sure if I would have punched my tag or not. Maybe I would, but should I have? If every effort was made by myself and with the aid of 4 other hunters we couldn't recovery her within a day or so she was either dead and inedible or she had somehow managed to survive. I have since come to the conclusion that I would have likely continued hunting. Not because of a lack of ethics or that I am oblivious to the fact that I have caused suffering but because this is a part of life in the woods. Perhaps that is not the correct answer for everyone as each hunter must come to grips with errors made. Having lived through it I can't judge what someone else may do. However I would have an issue with someone continuing to hunt after loosing an animal if they showed a blatant disregard for what they had done by not putting forth a reasonable effort to recovery the animal first.

[Mello-Yello]

Originally Posted by spottedhawk36

no matter how well you "think" you hit an animal, always wait a 1/2 hour to an hour before getting on the blood trail, you always hear stories of guys who jumped up there deer or elk which they had shot and the find where it was laying and theres a huge pool of blood, if you had given it longer you would of found your animal right there. Okay heres a question which i think is a good one " if you are lets say hunting the coast range for elk, you shoot an elk and it takes off and its raining pretty good how long do you wait in fear that the blood will wash off the ferns ect?"

Good question but hard to answer because of the variables.

In my experience (and I've hunted coast range almost exclusively), I would almost rather have a rainy day than dry weather for tracking.

I wouldn't change much of anything regarding how soon to go after the animal. If an animal is hit good, they're going to lay down soon if left alone. Jumping them isn't going to help anything, raining or not.

Often times, you'll find a better blood trail than if conditions were dry. A little bit of blood can go a long ways when you mix it with water. This is where the toilet paper really comes in handy. If you're on the right track, the toilet paper will find blood you'd have otherwise missed. Swipe your TP along the undersides of ferns, bushes, etc. This is where the bloody water will linger.

Fresh tracks will be undeniable.

Your wet-conditions stealth will also help ensure you don't make too much noise should the animal still be alive as you approach. And as always, approach very slowly, keeping noise to a minimum and glassing ahead a lot.

My ...

M-Y

[ehunter]

Well put and it has happened to us all Orsouthpaw I lost a elk once and ate the tag and it took me 2 years before I would even shoot and tag another one. What happend to me was a fluke I did every thing right but it still happened. But that is hunting. The highs and the lows.

In the rain the peroxide trick works well but it is not always handy. M-Y The tissue is a good idea. Never tried that but it makes sense.

Hunting in the rain is a risk, tracking then can be a pain. If you hit the animal mortaly your still better off waiting then trying to push it. If it is hard hit it should bed down in a 100 yards or so. That is easier to find than a mile or more.

There are occasions you might want to push an animal but it depends on the situation. I know a guy who leg wounded a elk and kept it moving for 2 miles until it got too weak to get up and he was able to arrow it. That elk may have been fine if he had not pushed it, but he did what he had to to get it. Would not have worked in the rain.

Originally Posted by ORsouthpaw

Here's my personal experience with this issue. I shot and lost a lead cow a couple years ago. Everything was as perfect as could be. She came in, stopped behind a small tree, I drew back, she stepped forward and stopped and I released. My point of aim was behind the shoulder but replaying the shot in my mind I suspect that I hit shoulder blade. She was at 17 yards! I waited 40 minutes or so then looked for blood for another 30 minutes and saw none. Even though I recovered my arrow which had watched fall out. It showed that it penetrated about 8-10 inches according to the blood and hair line on it. Being relatively inexperienced at tracking and knowing it I marked where I had shot from, Where I had shot to and the last place I visibly saw her. Then I backed out went to camp. I came back about 45 minutes later with 4 other hunting partners then we proceeded to search the area for several more hours until a down pour started to crush my hopes of finding her. 5 people looking and not one of us found any blood on the ground or on the underbrush. The conclusion of the group was that she was not mortally wounded. I was not convinced. By myself, I went back the next day and searched from day break until around noon when we had to gather our things and head back home 6 hours away. I punched my tag when I left. To me my season was done.

Now, looking back I feel good about taking that shot. It was well within my range and the cow was not at all alarmed or aware of where I was positioned. The point of aim was too far forward and I didn't leave room for any error. At the time I thought about giving up archery hunting all together but I have come to realize it is part of the game and if a person hunts long enough it's a very real possibility that it will happen to them. If that had happened to me on the 1st day of our 8 day hunt instead of the 2nd to last day then I'm not entirely sure if I would have punched my tag or not. Maybe I would have, but should I? If every effort was made by myself and with the aid of 4 other hunters we couldn't recovery her within a day or so she was either dead and inedible or she had somehow managed to survive. I have come to the conclusion that I would have likely continued hunting. Not because of a lack of ethics or that I am oblivious to the fact that I have caused suffering but because this is a part of life in the woods. Perhaps that is not the correct answer for everyone as each hunter must come to grips with errors made. Having lived through it I can't judge what someone else may do. However I would have an issue with someone continuing to hunt after loosing an animal if they showed a blatant disregard for what they had done by not putting forth a reasonable effort to recovery the animal first.

[dla]

I've never lost an elk. And I have tracked all night and come back in the morning. I don't have particularily good eyesight, I can't even smell myself let alone an elk.

I have made the mistake of starting after an animal too soon after the shot. Spooked it up out of it's death bed close by and I ended up blood tracking for another 4 hours.

I have tracked and recovered an animal that was gut shot (bow) and there was 100yds between blood drops at one point.

My point is not to brag, but to let folks know that with a little preparation ahead of time (tinsel, lanterns, a buddy, radios, gps, etc.) and a lot perseverance you will find them.

Of course if you double-lung them in the 1st place it will be easier

[Diehard]

All very good points. There is one thing I might add for the inexperienced hunter: Watch where you put your feet. If you walk all over the blood trail, if you have to backtrack, it will be hard to pick up where the blood left off or where the animal changed directions. Also, always have a lantern in the pickup (Something one in my hunting party taught me). Just my . Good luck all and be safe hunters!

[Hunt'nFish]

As a rifleman, I expect every shot to be for keeps. If I screw up and don't recover because of MY mistake.....
I'm done, tag in fire. I feel that strongly about it.
Yes I have burned a tag before. That animal was mine, still is....and I'll keep looking tomorrow. The hunt is not finished.

How can someone say, "Oh well..maybe next time" and move on .....
and then turn around and whine about a little subsistence harvesting.
Seems like a real selfish double standard.

As you all know, I turn my head when it comes to rural subsistence harvesting.
I'd rather see us fix the other problems before worrying about that. A families gotta eat.
Think of it as a food stamp...that you actually have to work for. Not some welfare handout.
Wanton Waste is one of my biggest pet-peeves, subsistence harvest is not.
Pretty pompous for us to compare our sport wants to their food needs.

I'll burn my "filled" tag for them any day. I screwed up, my loss.
Hunt'nFish

[Thehunter]

Originally Posted by Hunt'nFish

As a rifleman, I expect every shot to be for keeps. If I screw up and don't recover because of MY mistake.....
I'm done, tag in fire. I feel that strongly about it.
Yes I have burned a tag before. That animal was mine, still is....and I'll keep looking tomorrow. The hunt is not finished.

How can someone say, "Oh well..maybe next time" and move on .....
and then turn around and whine about a little subsistence harvesting.
Seems like a real selfish double standard.

As you all know, I turn my head when it comes to rural subsistence harvesting.
I'd rather see us fix the other problems before worrying about that. A families gotta eat.
Think of it as a food stamp...that you actually have to work for. Not some welfare handout.
Wanton Waste is one of my biggest pet-peeves, subsistence harvest is not.
Pretty pompous for us to compare our sport wants to their food needs.

I'll burn my "filled" tag for them any day. I screwed up, my loss.
Hunt'nFish

So if your tag is burned and find him the next day how do you tag him?

[Thehunter]

I mark all blood trail spots with some sort of marker that i can see. Makes back tracking nice.

[spottedhawk36]

i use the flourecent orange ribbon to tie to tree branches to mark the last spot i find blood.

[Hunt'nFish]

Originally Posted by Thehunter

So if your tag is burned and find him the next day how do you tag him?

I'm not stupid....not gonna toss it until I've given up on recovery.
The one time I burned a tag, it was day 3. We were all around the BS fire with the camp next door celebrating (in my case wishing I had a "do over"), comparing stories and such. Yes, they had some paid guns in camp and yes, I tossed it in to prove a point.
Some may say it was a stupid act, but I didn't see it that way. I was done, had my chance, and goofed it up.
Disappointed w/ myself for making such a rookie mistake.

Long story, don't care to recount it again. You can do a search, it's on here some where.
Beautiful behind the shoulder uphill 450yd shot, my best to date. Layed it right out after a good tumble. Nobody thought it'd get up. We took our eyes off it, should'a kept a rifle on it until we were sure. But we thought we WERE sure. Bones shards, bloody mess the whole works. Looked like someone had butchered a cow.
Was just a spike only meat tag but it was MY meat.
Only thing we chould figure is I took out the front lung and missed the other lobe.
Nasty country....BIG country. Blood gave out & too many tracks.

Lesson: ALWAYS keep a rifle on them! If they even move, whack'em again.
Hunt'nFish

[uhmw]

boooooomer come on old boy lets go do a little grousin down yonder. Camp dog to the rescue.

[ssengine1885]

It doesnt take being new to archery to make a mistake as some of you have said you lost animals of your own. I knew a guy that stopped tracking because the trail led into a canyon that he didnt want to have to pack it out of and it was only a doe. (His words not mine) I think it was an unethical thing to do and have been asked to hunt with this guy for the last three years and always find a reason not to. This guy has been an archery hunter for 30+ years and always brings home game. I guess my point is I am new to archery and dont like being generalized when anyone can loose an animal or make a bad shot. I appreciate the tips and that is part of why I joined the ifish network. I think those of us that are new to the joy of archery prefer advice to blame. Just my .
John

[Joe]

Originally Posted by Hunt'nFish

As a rifleman, I expect every shot to be for keeps. If I screw up and don't recover because of MY mistake.....

Just so you know, archery is ABSOLUTLY no different. Wounding and loosing an animal is no more "acceptable" with a bow. Broadheads are every bit as lethal as bullets! Some people take shots they shouldn't take and have bad results but the weapon is not to blame. Sure sometimes bad things happen but it shouldn't be any more often with an arrow if people are acting responsibly and not forcing shots. My guess is more bow looses are discussed than rifle losses due to the nature of the weapon (short range verses long range) but don't assume it's more of a problem. According to the studies I've seem that is just not the case.

About the only thing I can think of to add to aid in the recovery of an animal (regardless of weapon) is that you need to be prepared to do what it takes if you take the shot. If that means a 12 hour blood trail to the pits of hell that's the way it goes.

Good info BTW!

[Hunt'nFish]

You are so right Joe, makes no differance. Rifle or bow....Every shot is for keeps.

It shouldn't be a matter of "I think I can make that shot"....it should be I KNOW I can make that shot.
Otherwise don't shoot. Taking shots beyond your capabilities IS wanton waste.

IMO, had that boy up in WA that shot that hiker, operated under this rule, she'd still be alive and he'd sure be feeling a whole lot better about himself right now.
Know your target, know your POI, and KNOW you can make the shot.
Anything less is just not right. And tracking will be a whole lot easier.

I kringe when I hear the statement, "If there's lead in the air, there's always a prayer."

OK, got off topic there....
Here's a tip: 9x out of 10 in steep country a wounded animal will go downhill.

OK, now I got a question....
I heard that blood "glows" under UV "black" light. Is that true?
Hunt'nFish

[Rank Amateur]

The only thing I can add is with bow or rifle, once you hit them, don't let up. You may think that is was a good hit, but another good hit is a sure thing to bring them down. Darn elk can get a death march mode going, don't let them start, keep hitting them until they drop. As long as you are lung shooting them it won't waste much more meat. Then make sure they stay down as Hunt'nfish just related.

My weakness is running shots, not that I start with that, but on the follow up shots, people really need to practice that type of shot as they do also really close shots with a rifle, that darn scope/bore differential can mess things up. I've had three really close shots on bulls and all three did not go as planned, but ended up fine with the backup shot. Do you know where you will hit at 20 yards and your taking a head shot?

[spurcrazy]

This is a great thread with lots of very valuable information.

I"m surprised they have not made it mandatory for people to take a class of some sort before they are allowed to buy a bow tag. One that covers so many of the things in here that are normally learned the hard way, if at all.

Being proficient with a bow is just a small part of the equation.

[ORsouthpaw]

I found this to share. Focused more towards deer but it has some useful information for any game hunting.

The following describes types of hits and how you should track for each.

* A lung-shot deer will run hard 50 to 65 yards. After that he will
usually walk until he falls. The blood will sometimes have tiny bubbles in it. This blood trail usually gets better as you track the deer. However, if the deer is hit high in the lungs, the blood trail may sometimes become light and even disappear completely. The deer could be "filling up" inside with blood, showing very little external bleeding. The hair from the lung area is coarse and brown with black tips. The deer will usually go down in less than 125 yards. Give the deer 30 minutes before tracking.

* A heart-shot deer will sometimes jump wildly when hit. The blood trail may be sparse for the first 20 yards or so. A heart shot deer may track as much as a quarter of a mile, depending on what part of the heart is damaged. The usual is less than 125 yards. The hair from this shot will be long brown or grayish guard hairs. Again, a 30 minute wait is advised. But, if while trailing you find where he has bedded back off and wait an hour before taking up the trail again.

* A liver-shot deer. The liver lies against the diaphragm in the
approximate center of the deer. It is a definite killing shot. The blood trail will be decent to follow and the deer should bed down and die within 200 yards, if not pushed. A one-hour wait is best. The hair from the liver area is brownish gray and much shorter than the hair from the lung area. If you push the deer out of his bed, back off and wait another hour.

* A gut-shot deer is probably the most difficult to recover because of the poor blood trail and the hunter's impatience to wait him out. A lot of bowhunters want to hurry up and find the deer. Since the liver and stomach are close together, it is possible that the deer will go down and die quickly if the shot also penetrates the liver. If the deer is dead in an hour, he will still be dead in 4 hours. Have patience, he will not go anywhere. Wait him out for at least 4 hours. Wait overnight if the deer is
shot in the evening.

When a deer is shot in the stomach area, he will usually take several short jumps and commence walking or running. His back will usually hunch up and his legs will be spread wide. The hair from this wound is brownish gray and short. The lower the shot is on the animal, the lighter colored the hair will be. The blood trail is usually poor with small pieces of ingested material (stomach contents). If the intestines are punctured there will be green slimy material or feces Take your bow with you because a second shot might be required.

* A spine-shot deer will usually drop in his tracks or hobble off. Either way, a second shot will probably be required to finish off the deer. If a spine-shot deer hobbles off, wait a half-hour and track slowly and quietly. Look for the deer bedded down.

* A neck-shot deer will either die in 100 yards or he will recover from the wound. The lower portion of the neck contains the windpipe, neck bone (spine), and carotid (jugular) arteries. If the arteries are hit, the deer will run hard and drop in less than 100 yards. The blood trail will be easy to follow. A shot above the neck bone will give you a good blood trail for about 150 to 200 yards before quitting. The deer will more than likely recover to be hunted again.

* A hip-shot deer. A large artery (femoral) runs down the inside of each deer leg. This artery is protected from the side by the leg bones. The femoral artery is most often severed from the rear or at an angle. If this artery is cut, the bleeding will be profuse and the deer will usually be found in less than 100 yards. The ham of a deer is also rich in veins with a lot of blood. A hip-shot deer should be tracked immediately. Track him slowly and quietly to keep him moving (walking). If you jump him and he runs, back off for a few minutes then continue trailing. You want him to walk, not run. A walking deer is easier to trail.

* An artery-shot deer will almost always go down in less than 100 yards. The aortic artery runs just under the backbone from heart to hips, where it branches to become the femoral arteries. The heart also pumps blood to the brain through the carotid (jugular) arteries.

Sever any of these arteries and you've got yourself a deer. There is one catch, these arteries are tough. It takes a sharp broadhead to cut through them. A dull broadhead will just push them aside. Keep your broadheads sharp! Give the deer half an hour before tracking.

GENERAL TRACKING TIPS

* After shooting the deer, stay put and be quiet for the
recommended time 30-45 minutes minimum. A noise might push your deer away. He could be bedded down less than 100 yards away.

* I have found it very helpful to tie a piece of pink surveyor ribbon around my stand tree at eye level from where I shot. After noting several terrain features near where the deer was standing and where it ran too, I tie on the ribbon before coming down. From the ground looking back up to the ribbon, I can get a better visual for locating exactly where the deer was and went.

* Before beginning the tracking, mark where you shot the deer with a piece of white toilet paper hung on a branch.

* Mark the trail periodically with more toilet paper as you track. This will give you a line on the deer's travel.

* When you find the arrow, check for hair, tallow, blood, etc. This will give you a good clue on how to track. Example: Tallow and slime means you should wait 4 hours.

* Check for blood carefully, walking off to the side of the run.

* Look for blood on trees, saplings, and leaves that are about the same height as the wound. Blood will sometimes rub off the body.

* If tracking as a group, spread out a little. Keep noise to a minimum. In tracking, sometimes "too many cooks can spoil the stew." It would be better if only 2 or 3 people tracked the deer. If the blood trail runs out, you can always get more help to search for the deer

* While tracking a deer that you have shot and you jump a deer and it flags its tail, it's probably not your deer. A wounded deer will very seldom "flag." BUT - check it out anyway.

* Gut-shot deer have a habit of going to water. If you lose a gut-shot deer's trail, check out the water holes in the area. He could be down by one.

* Tracking at night presents special problems with visibility. The blood and the deer will both be hard to see. A Coleman gas lantern will help a lot in both cases. If the deer is not hit well, and no rain is forecast, wait until morning. If he is dead in 10 minutes or 4 hours, he will still be dead in the morning.

* Take a compass bearing to where you last saw the deer, and another one to where you last heard any noise from it's flight. It might prove very helpful.

* It helps to have someone who did not shoot the deer to help with the blood trial. Many an experienced hunter in his excitement misses things.

* Stay off of the blood trail, and use a small piece of tolled paper to mark each spot

* Get down on your hands and knees when a blood trail is hard to see it helps. From this angle while night tracking you can shine the light in the direction of travel and often see blood that does not show when standing over it.

* Look at the bottom of leaves on branches at deer body height. Sometimes as the branch slides along the body of a deer it is the under side of the leaf that picks up the blood.

* You will often find a gut shot deer or liver shot deer dead in the water not just beside it. so look for an ear or the side of the deer in deeper water too.

* Some shots that look good may be one lung or a poor liver hit because of the angle. These deer can take several hours to die. Be careful about pushing them to soon, since they will rarely leave much blood sign if they are jumped when bedded.

* Look ahead as you blood trail for deer parts and movement. Your deer may still be alive and you might be able to get a second shot or back off with out spooking it.

* Look for disturbed leaves and broken twigs as well as for the blood sign on hard to follow blood trails.

* It is often hard to follow a blood trail in grass. It seems that the blood can fall all the way to the ground without hitting a single blade of grass.

* Look for clusters of ants, flies and daddy longlegs. You can find small drops of blood because these bugs are feeding on it.

* Often times when the blood trail seems to end you will find the animal off to one side and not in the same direction of travel.

* Listen for birds like magpies, jays, and crows. Sometimes they make a ruckus where the animal lies dead.

* Be persistent !!!!

* A dog can often prove very useful if legal. Even your house pet. They can see with their nose what we can not see with our eyes.

* Use your nose. sometimes you can smell a deer you can't see. A gut shot is even more likely to have a smell.

* When trailing at night use a couple of the Chem Lights that you can get at WalMart for less than a buck. You don't use these as lights to see blood, but they are hung on limbs at the last blood found. That way nobody has to stand on the last blood and everyone can easily see where the last blood found is at

Did I say be persistent?

[RedneckFishin]

i always pack flags and ribbon with me. i use to just pack 2 rolls of ribbon but when your in a clear cut, those flags come in handy. now i dont pack the flags in my day pack, i leave them at the pickup with my pack board. i do agree with the statement that allowing time is a good thing but not in every condition. on a very rainy day....i really dont give an animal a ton of time. if you do give that animal alot of time, you at times risk losing that blood trail.
it seems to me that its just as important to be a good tracker as a good shooter and here is my example .

last september i got a call from a buddy. he had shot at a pretty nice bull but the shot placement wasnt the best. i drove down to help him track the bull and the blood they had found by the time i got there was very minimal. we had no more than a table spoon of blood over the corse of about a mile. it was 10 PM. we all spread out in this clearcut and worked our way along the edges, at midnight, we found more blood. the blood trail got thick and now....being almost two miles from where the shot was taken. we were standing over a dead bull. the shot was directly in the hine quarter. the carbon arrow had broken off leaving the broadhead in the animal, with every step it took, that arrow got closer and closer to a main blood vessel. when it finally got there....it was a matter of about 100 yards and the bull was dead. that just shows that even when the shot isnt the best....and trust me, hine quarter is about as bad as it can get.....if you track long enough and make up your mind that your going to do whatever it takes to find that animal, most of the time you can make it happen.

[steelhead22]

Originally Posted by ORsouthpaw

If the deer is dead in an hour, he will still be dead in 4 hours.

That whole thing was GREAT info, but I thought this one sentence was the best.

Personally, if I don't see the animal fall (or hear it), and there's no "rush" to get on the trail (i.e. forecast calls for rain, etc.) then I'm going to wait for at least a few hours (head back to camp and grab lunch and a celebratory beverage). Seems like everytime a track "goes bad" it's when the guy didn't wait long enough, and jumped the elk/deer out of its bed. Once you bust 'em, your odds of finding that animal goes WAY down.

Quick story. I watch my buddy shoot an antelope last year in Montana from 20 yards. Perfect shot, 6" behind the shoulder, lower 3rd, double lung. We watched that goat run out about 200 yards and bed down (seems kinda far for a double lung...and on one of those wimpy goats, right?). Of course, we thought, "OK, let's go get this thing dressed out." About that time, it stood up.

TEN HOURS LATER, after watching that goat get up, then bed, get up, then bed and then taking a second shot (since we finally had to "make a move") we were on the animal. I was miserable, had the worst headache of my life from dehydration while sitting in 95 degree heat next to the blind jockeying for shade all day and looking through my bino's for 10 hrs.

Lesson learned: Even with a well place shot, it may take the animal FOREVER to die.

To this day, I still can't understand what happened. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I honestly wouldn't believe it.

[baltz526]

shot a cow one year, 3 years later i found the bone pile. it had gone with the herd about 1/3 mile then turned a hard right went another 1/3 mile then layed in a thicket 100yds 1/4 towards me with a 30-06. the reason i now shoot magnums for elk.

[WSU]

Originally Posted by Hunt'nFish

You are so right Joe, makes no differance. Rifle or bow....Every shot is for keeps.

It shouldn't be a matter of "I think I can make that shot"....it should be I KNOW I can make that shot.
Otherwise don't shoot. Taking shots beyond your capabilities IS wanton waste.

IMO, had that boy up in WA that shot that hiker, operated under this rule, she'd still be alive and he'd sure be feeling a whole lot better about himself right now.
Know your target, know your POI, and KNOW you can make the shot.
Anything less is just not right. And tracking will be a whole lot easier.

I kringe when I hear the statement, "If there's lead in the air, there's always a prayer."

OK, got off topic there....
Here's a tip: 9x out of 10 in steep country a wounded animal will go downhill.

OK, now I got a question....
I heard that blood "glows" under UV "black" light. Is that true?
Hunt'nFish

I'm not an expert, but I have to disagree. While every shot is for keeps, the margin of error with an elk caliber rifle has to be much greater than a bow. I have seen a .300 win go through some serious bone and cleanly kill an animal. I'm not sure the same margin of error applies with a bow. Does this mean an unwise shot should be taken with a rifle? No. But, assuming that both rifle and bow hunters mess up, it seems reasonable that the extra margin of error with high power rifles makes the likelihood of wounded game smaller.

[Joe]

Originally Posted by WSU

I'm not an expert, but I have to disagree. While every shot is for keeps, the margin of error with an elk caliber rifle has to be much greater than a bow. I have seen a .300 win go through some serious bone and cleanly kill an animal. I'm not sure the same margin of error applies with a bow. Does this mean an unwise shot should be taken with a rifle? No. But, assuming that both rifle and bow hunters mess up, it seems reasonable that the extra margin of error with high power rifles makes the likelihood of wounded game smaller.

The margin for error isn't greater......the variety of shots that can kill are more numerous with a .300 mag but with that comes added opportunity to not get things done right. If your saying that a shot thru the shoulder blade of an elk with a bow is less effective than with a .300 mag your right on but if anybody is dumb enough to try that shot with a bow they shouldn't be hunting right? A properly placed arrow is as deadly as any gun out there. The hard part for some is having the discipline to wait for the right shot. Granted if everybody shooting a .300 mag waited for a 40 yard or less broadside shot they would probably never fail to kill but unfortunately many don't wait for that shot do they?

[arlie]

My brother-in-law shot a bull behind the shoulder"just right" only to have the cheap broadhead come apart and stay in the animal. He didn't find the bull. The next year he was hunting the same area, called in a bull after splitting the herd. This time he killed the bull and upon gutting it he felt a mass in the lungs. There was his broadhead blade from the year before.
If I make a hit on an animal I first watch and listen, that last sound is important. I mark where I shot from and then line up a flag towards where the animal was standing. I will mark the point on my GPS and then either sit down or quietly leave the area. When I come back to take up the trail I am quiet, no talking. I first line up the flags to find where the animal was standing and look for hair and blood. I like to have 2 people when tracking. One to trail and the other to mark the sign and to watch ahead. Should the tracking take a long time you can switch jobs from time to time as eyes get tired from straining to see. That last sound of the animal leaving often is the end of the trail.
Should I have to track a gut shot animal I will wait 5 hours. By first marking the shot site and then tracking the animal, should I then jump it, I will mark that spot on the GPS and back off for another 5 hours. I also will note travel direction and plot that information on my map as well as the first distance traveled. It is surprising how an undisturbed gut shot animal will only travel as far the 2nd time as it did the first when it was shot. This allows you to make an educated guess as to where it will be. On one animal I actually entered those coordinates and found the animal within 50yds of that point. But being good at recovering a gut shot animal is in no way an excuse for shooting one there. My first elk, a spike, I killed that way and I hope to never do that to an animal again. For that whole long wait, that animal is suffering. I've tracked a number of gut shot animals for others and we didn't lose a single one using this method but it still make a bad feeling as it is a bad kill.

[WSU]

Originally Posted by Joe

The margin for error isn't greater......the variety of shots that can kill are more numerous with a .300 mag but with that comes added opportunity to not get things done right. If your saying that a shot thru the shoulder blade of an elk with a bow is less effective than with a .300 mag your right on but if anybody is dumb enough to try that shot with a bow they shouldn't be hunting right? A properly placed arrow is as deadly as any gun out there. The hard part for some is having the discipline to wait for the right shot. Granted if everybody shooting a .300 mag waited for a 40 yard or less broadside shot they would probably never fail to kill but unfortunately many don't wait for that shot do they?

I guess my point is that I have heard multiple people, both on this board and in person, state that they unintentionally shot too far forward on elk and hit the shoulder blade. This is the margin of error I am talking about. I have a friend who did it and was able to get another arrow a little farther back to finish off the elk. It was a responsible shot to start with in the 30 yard range and broadside. If it was a rifle, it would have been totally lethal, even if it was unintentional.

[Hunt'nFish]

Originally Posted by arlie

My brother-in-law shot a bull behind the shoulder"just right" only to have the cheap broadhead come apart and stay in the animal. He didn't find the bull. The next year he was hunting the same area, called in a bull after splitting the herd. This time he killed the bull and upon gutting it he felt a mass in the lungs. There was his broadhead blade from the year before.

Huh...me too.
I shot a 5x5 20yrs ago that had a thunderhead incased in a similar mass. It was sitting right on the front scapula bone. It didn't penetrate.
Elk was fine and eat just as well.
Hunt'nFish

[baltz526]

some times there is no blood trail to follow, you will be tracking the animal by the way it is leaving one leg drag marks, stumble steps, hair on fence lines where it fail jumps and fell and flopped. one front foot leaving deeper tracks from running on three legs. tracking game is an art, be prepared and learn more every season. broadheads and bullets do not always follow the path you think they should.

[Joe]

Originally Posted by WSU

I guess my point is that I have heard multiple people, both on this board and in person, state that they unintentionally shot too far forward on elk and hit the shoulder blade. This is the margin of error I am talking about. I have a friend who did it and was able to get another arrow a little farther back to finish off the elk. It was a responsible shot to start with in the 30 yard range and broadside. If it was a rifle, it would have been totally lethal, even if it was unintentional.

If your friend is a good shot at 30 yards then he probably got excited and didn't pick a spot which means he made a mental error not that his equipment failed. I've done it! It happens.....we learn from our mistakes and those of others and move on. Of course if he had a .300 mag in his hands at 30 yards he could have gotten away with not picking a spot but if he tried a 500 yard shot without really picking a spot the potential for failure is huge. At any rate......my only real point here is that people shouldn't assume if they are bowhunting there is a certain amount of "acceptable" loss. On occasion I get the feeling people think that and it really concerns me. Given proper shot selection and good decision making bad endings should be really rare regardless of weapon. We all have limitations and being honest about what they are is the #1 step toward not loosing game.

[WSU]

We agree, we are just discussing a slightly different perspective.

[Rank Amateur]

Originally Posted by Hunt'nFish

Huh...me too.
I shot a 5x5 20yrs ago that had a thunderhead incased in a similar mass. It was sitting right on the front scapula bone. It didn't penetrate.
Elk was fine and eat just as well.
Hunt'nFish

I had a 5X5 with a broadhead in the scapula too, found it with my knife while cutting it up. Half way through, bone growed into the gaps in the broadhead blade. I have also had a bull that had a funny looking paler meat and a membrane around it in the back strap. A couple of years earlier a rifle hunter that I know had dropped a bull and then it got up and got away. Yep, high over the spine will not kill them. They are tough critters.

I think the scapula shot is not so much placement, but the failure to watch and make sure the leg is forward, not back. It is the right place to shoot, but not with the leg back. This is easily over looked in the heat of he moment.

[ehunter]

We have killed 2 bulls with broad heads in them one near the back bone and we recouvered part of the arrow that had broke off. What was interesting on that one we shot that bull opening day and it was a older wound um!! Then we shot another bull with a broadhead in the neck. Not to be out done we have shot several deer with 22's in the hides too?? Wonder how those got there???

[hunter97051]

Originally Posted by Mello-Yello

I wrote this up a few years ago when this topic came around. Doesn't cover everything but hopefully some will find it helpfull.

- Give the animal time to die. This isn't very easy to do. The adrenaline is pumping, you're brain starts bouncing positive and negative messages to you and it's easy to get panicky. A lot of animals are lost because they hear,see or smell you coming and go on what we call the "death march". These animals can march for miles like this. A wounded animal rarely travels any farther than they have to before bedding down, unless it 'knows' you are on it's trail.
- Before moving foreward, make a mental note as to exactly where the animal was standing when you shot it. This is often difficult cuz things sometimes look different once you 'get over there'.
- If you aren't sure of a solid hit, assume it isn't. Expect to devote hours of your time ruling out that the animal either wasn't hit, or that it wasn't a mortal wound.
- If you can find the exact place the animal was standing, look for hair on the ground (very apparent w/archery hits). The color/length of hair will often give you an idea where the animal was hit and if nothing else, will confirm the hit.
- If you have no blood, but saw the direction the animal went, slowly head in that direction looking for any telltale sign. I always carry TP with me, and not just for the obvious reasons. Pull of a square and wipe it on bushes, limbs, etc that the animal may have made contact with. Often, the TP will show faint blood where you would have otherwise never seen it. That little trace of blood can be a real moral boost when one is beginning to doubt.
- Animals will often head towards thickets after being shot. These may be big thickets, or nothing more than a large cluster of bushes. Make sure and check these areas out real well.
- There's a general rule that wounded animals won't go uphill. While I have seen many occasions where this didn't hold true, I would have to agree that it is a 'general rule'. IMHO, they don't like to go downhill either. They do like to sidehill though.
- A wounded animal will often head towards water, espcecially if it's a gut-shot.
- Listen for birds. There isn't much happens in the woods without the birds knowing about it. Crows in particular. I have found them on animals within a couple hours of being shot. Pine squirrels will often raise a fit as well. Same w/steller jays (blue jays).
- If you do find blood, mark it! I never leave home without flagging tape. Hang the tape from limbs if you can, and make sure the tape can be seen easily, especially from the direction you are heading. If you go aways further without finding blood, go back and start a different track. Sometimes you get so far from your last mark you risk losing your 'place' entirely. What I like to do is pull off a length of tape and tie both ends to two limbs so it's strung horizontally (so it doesn't get confused with a 'blood marker'). This is just a marker of 'where you've been', but should be very easy to see. If you decide there's nothing in that direction, return to the tape and start on a different route.
- What is the wind doing? Even wounded animals prefer to smell clean air and will often head either into the wind, or perpendicular to the wind. This is their means of heading in a direction free of predators.
- Move slowly and quietly, using your binoculars to look far ahead, even in brushy areas. Many times an animal will lay down and watch their backtrail. No yelling back and forth amongst trackers. Even regular talk can be heard at great distances away and is often enough to get an animal up and moving again.
- When an animal lays down and stops moving, the lack of movement often allows some sealing of the wound. If they get up and move again, they can sometimes cover a lot of ground before leaving blood again.
I guess the main advice I would give is, exhaust every option before deciding it was a miss or a non-lethal hit.

Good shooters make bad shots, and bad shooters get lucky sometimes. Lean the odds in your favor and practice, practice, practice. Know your ability for different types of shots before you ever hit the woods. Know the ability of your weapon too. It will reduce the number of times you go home with your tail between your legs wishing you'd never taken the shot or wishing you'd done things a 'little different'.

M-Y

Well said!!!

[stlhdr1]

3 years ago a friend of mine shot a spike bull right before dark. Actually shot it after it crossed the road he was walking out on. After shooting it he finished his walk back to the meeting point, where 3 of us were and let us know he thought he had made a good shot on it. So as we grabbed our pack boards and headed in he didn't remember where he had shot it... So we spent the 1st hour trying to find where the elk had crossed the road. Needless to say we spent 4 hours trying to locate the animal before everyone gave up. I proceeded to look until 1am for any sign of blood or what not.

The following morning we headed back in there and I had a gut feeling we weren't looking in the right area so I kept heading down the road further and found more elk tracks that looked fairly fresh and walked into the brush there he was.

Point being never trust the shooter, adrenaline can make him forget everything.... All he had to do was throw something down on the ground and it would have been much easier to have a starting point.

Keith

[Linejerk]

So everone on here is talking about big game but what about waterfowl we lose a lot of birds in a year of duck hunting if you lose a bird is that one less then you will shoot that day??

[ehunter]

Having more than one tracker and is really a good idea. I am terrible about tracking game that I shoot I tend to move too fast if it is a animal my partner shot I am fine. Good comments are about the shooter needing to take a chill pill and I have done the same thing that your friend did and looked in the wrong area to start with. When you shoot something mark where your standing if with nothing more than pushing a arrow in the ground at the spot.

Good stuff guys

Originally Posted by stlhdr1

3 years ago a friend of mine shot a spike bull right before dark. Actually shot it after it crossed the road he was walking out on. After shooting it he finished his walk back to the meeting point, where 3 of us were and let us know he thought he had made a good shot on it. So as we grabbed our pack boards and headed in he didn't remember where he had shot it... So we spent the 1st hour trying to find where the elk had crossed the road. Needless to say we spent 4 hours trying to locate the animal before everyone gave up. I proceeded to look until 1am for any sign of blood or what not.

The following morning we headed back in there and I had a gut feeling we weren't looking in the right area so I kept heading down the road further and found more elk tracks that looked fairly fresh and walked into the brush there he was.

Point being never trust the shooter, adrenaline can make him forget everything.... All he had to do was throw something down on the ground and it would have been much easier to have a starting point.

Keith

[Half fast Toyn]

I keep a roll of highly visable engineer tape in my pack and throw out pieces or tie off to trees at locations that are important. Im a very good tracker and have located game that otherwise would have been lost just by noticing a bent fern then finding a few drops of blood a few yards down the trail. Try not to beat down the area, because it destroys clues.

One thing I would advise not to do is sick Fido on lost game. A deer being chased by a dog will run till its last breath into the densest brush around.

[b0bbyg]

Newer hunter but one thing I put in both my pack and my sons pack is a small tracking guide.

After you make a successful shot you can sit down re-read the tracking guide to kill some time and refresh the memory. You should have already read and know this info but a refresher can not hurt.

This is assuming that the Elk/Deer has left your field of vision after the shot was made.

[Duckwheat]

This should be mandatory reading for anyone who hunts. Some great advice. Reading MY's post I was picking out things I had learned on my own and when I learned them.

I always thought guys who lost game were incompetent, until it happened to me. Muzzleloading and shot a pretty nice bull to just watch him motor on up the hill and away like nothing happened. Found some blood spots at 730 am and trailed him to the spot I saw him cut up and over a hill then nothing for 3 hours. Got the great idea to take my lab up there who I just happened to take along for company. Two hours later she finds him in a thicket. She kept wanting to go one direction that I was trying to talk her out of. It was a miserable walk and area to be in. I was just about to throw in the towel when I saw a patch of hide. I can still remember how upset I was about the possibility of losing that elk. Thanks to Bosco the All purpose hound we got him out of there.

DW

[Thehunter]

Originally Posted by Duckwheat

This should be mandatory reading for anyone who hunts. Some great advice. Reading MY's post I was picking out things I had learned on my own and when I learned them.

I always thought guys who lost game were incompetent, until it happened to me. Muzzleloading and shot a pretty nice bull to just watch him motor on up the hill and away like nothing happened. Found some blood spots at 730 am and trailed him to the spot I saw him cut up and over a hill then nothing for 3 hours. Got the great idea to take my lab up there who I just happened to take along for company. Two hours later she finds him in a thicket. She kept wanting to go one direction that I was trying to talk her out of. It was a miserable walk and area to be in. I was just about to throw in the towel when I saw a patch of hide. I can still remember how upset I was about the possibility of losing that elk. Thanks to Bosco the All purpose hound we got him out of there.

DW

That is illegal just for your knowlege.

[Hunt'nFish]

WOW! This thread is getting super, some VERY good reading.
I've considered myself a pretty good tracker. But even I've picked up a new thing or two to take into consideration.

Richard "Baltz", that's some good points you make about watching and reading the animals "behavior" in the tracks.
Your right, blood isn't always present.....but there is still signs to be read.

Very good stuff!
Hunt'nFish

Originally Posted by Linejerk

So everone on here is talking about big game but what about waterfowl we lose a lot of birds in a year of duck hunting if you lose a bird is that one less then you will shoot that day??

This is a little far off topic for this thread. Perhaps a new one.
I'm not going to say I put birds in the same catagory as big game, but yes I hold myself accountable for downed birds all the same. Don't always recover all them but sure give it my best. A good dog sure helps though.

[ORsouthpaw]

Originally Posted by Thehunter

That is illegal just for your knowlege.

Here in OR but what about Idaho? I don't know.

[Blue Tip Spinner]

Originally Posted by b0bbyg

small tracking guide.

where did you get it and where can i (or anyone else interested in one) get one? does it fit in a pocket or is it a big book? i have a couple of people in camp that need to read that so i don't have to work as hard...