Tracking Wounded Deer

All across the United Staes this fall, millons of deer hunters will launch arrows and fire bullets at whitetails. Many of these shots will hit their mark and the deer will flee, leaving only a blood trail. Your ability to follow that blood trail will determine whether your hunt is successful.

As a whitetail deer hunter, you have an obligation to your quarry to know how to follow a blood trail to successfully recover the deer and complete the hunt. Many shots require the hunter to track the wounded deer, and basic knowledge and skills are needed to find the trophy at the end of the blood trail.

Observation is key

At the shot, it is critical that you carefully note where the deer was hit, how it reacted, and the direction it went. Did the deer flinch from the noise or from being hit?

Archers can often tell where the arrow struck the deer. Gun hunters can sometimes see a hit from the shockwave that pulsates through the hide or a blood spot on the animal. Deer that are obviously hit will stagger, run hunched over, or hobble off.

They often run in an all-out panic without regard to the best path through the woods and will run roughshod over trees and brush in an attempt to flee the area.

But most critical of all is to observe the direction the deer is going and watch it as far as you can. Did it run off in the direction it was facing or circle back the way it came? Is it running up or downhill? Is it headed toward a creek or thicket?

Being keenly observant at the shot and the immediate aftermath will help in confirming a hit and getting started in the right direction.

Waiting game

There is much debate and discussion over the proper amount of time to wait before taking up the trail. It depends on the circumstances, but here are a few guidelines to consider.

In most cases, wait at least 30 minutes. Most whitetails that are hit with one of today's modern, high-powered calibers will not travel far or last long. Arrows that pierce lungs will bring a quick death to most animals. If it is near dark or rain is coming, get started soon.

The problem is when you don't hit the deer properly. This goes back to carefully observing the shot. It also goes even further back to your practice and preparation prior to the season.

A deer hit in any place other than the chest shoulder area should be given at least an hour or more. Gut shot deer should be given several hours. The problem with taking up the trail too soon is jumping a dying deer out of its bed, causing it to run further and complicating the tracking job. Let dying deer lie and go look for them when they're dead.

Clues at the shot spot

After the deer has thundered off, proceed to where the deer was standing when it was hit and start looking. Look for the arrow, hair, track scuffs, and blood spatters. For bowhunters, the arrow and the depth of its penetration will provide much information about the potential path and longevity of the wounded whitetail.

Arrows that enter the body high and have no exit hole will not bleed much. Pass-throughs are great because you have two holes to bleed from. There will not always be much blood at the shot spot because it will take time for the blood to trickle out in some cases with the deer having bolted at the shot.

Look over the arrow, if found, for flesh, meat, skin, fat, hair, viscera, or other clues to determine where it passed through the animal.

Many times the volume of blood will tell the hunter a lot about the hit. Heavy blood often means an entry wound with a large shattering exit wound.

Hitting the heart or a major artery usually means that much blood will be pumped out of the deer's body and onto the forest floor for the hunter to follow.

In contrast, a stingy trail means only one hole, a high wound, and an area of the body was hit that does not contain ample amounts of blood. The more blood, the faster the deer is dying and the easier the tracking.

Examine the blood type

We're not talking O-positive here, but the color, density, and particulates in the blood. Frothy blood with bubbles will indicate a lung hit and the animal should die quickly. Dark blood reveals a liver wound and extra time should be given.

Viscera in the blood means a gut or paunch wound and a long day of trailing a gut shot deer. Pieces of fat and skin can reveal a flesh wound or perhaps a hit to fatty areas, such as along the back.

Examining the blood itself will tell you the anatomy of the wound and how long the deer will last before dying.

When the deer is on the move, the blood drops will take on an elongated shape, which can tell the tracker the direction and approximate speed of the fleeing animal. Keep in mind that the deer in most cases is running as it is bleeding.

Consider the speed a whitetail can move through the woods and you can see how the blood drops are spaced out by a quickly traveling animal. Blood drops that are far apart indicate either a fast moving animal or one that is bleeding sparsely.

In addition to looking for blood drops on the forest floor, look for smears on grasses and saplings a few feet above the ground. Blood that is smeared in the hair will often be rubbed against adjacent brush as the deer moves along.

It will also reveal the approximate location of the wound on the deer, depending on the height of the deer. Excessive blood on brush may also indicate a staggering animal about to die.

Blood pools and scuff marks

You know the dying deer has laid down or stopped for a while when you see a pool or large amount of blood. Deer that are close to death will often lie down. Deer that are resting up will lie down. Deer that were spooked up from their death bed by over-anxious hunters will also leave a pool of blood where they were laying.

Scuff marks and tracks will often help you follow the trail when blood is hard to find. Wounded whitetails will drag their feet, stagger, and trip over obstacles because of their waning strength.

Helpful aids

Following a blood trail alone can be daunting. Using a friend, tracking dog, or game tracker can help. Fellow trackers can fan out when the trail is lost to help find the next spot.

Placing tissue or markers at each blood drop will show the tracker the animal's direction and where the last drop was if they need to go back to it. Commercial products such as Starlight Bloodhound will help find blood at night.

You should also be aware that most wounded animals head downhill, toward water, and toward thick areas. Wounded whitetails do not always follow a straight line and will sometimes take a 90-degree turn, zigzag, do U-turns, and other crazy things.

With their life bleeding out of them, they can be unpredictable and desperate. While tracking, keep looking ahead for the white belly or some part of your wounded deer.

With the thousands of Tennessee hunters following blood trails this fall, consider these tips when following your blood trail. Analyzing the anatomy of a blood trail may provide the clue needed to find your trophy at the end of the trail.