Blood Trailing
By Marina Childress
Time seems to stand still after you take a shot at a whitetail. Mission accomplished! Now the hard work is done, right? Actually not just yet. Not every shot ends with a short, quick walk to your fallen buck. Following a blood trail is a skill you can hone, and the more practice you get, the better you become. So let’s talk about tracking basics!
What exactly does blood trailing a deer mean?
Blood trailing is the process of following sign (not just blood, but mostly blood) left by a wounded deer in an attempt to locate it after a shot. It requires careful tracking as you follow clues such as hair, tracks and the color, amount and pattern of the blood, which helps determine the deer’s condition and where it might have gone.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
The most important factor in the beginning stages of blood trailing is to pinpoint the last location you saw the deer. It’s easy to lose track when your adrenaline is pumping and your heart is pounding in your ears.
Try to remember how the deer reacted when it was hit. Reactions can tell you a lot about a shot. If a deer kicks its back legs, there’s a good chance you hit a vital/lung area. If you see it hunch up, it was probably a gut shot.
ASSESSING YOUR SHOT
The color of the blood also can tell you a lot about shot placement.
For a lung shot, blood will typically be bright red and frothy due to air bubbles. This is a good sign of a vital hit, and the deer will often expire within 200 yards.
With heart shots, the blood will be dark red with a heavy trail due to the nature of the hit. The deer should be down within a short distance.
Gut shots produce dark blood that often has bits of bile and food. The deer will usually run farther before expiring, and it’s best to give the deer time before following the trail. Don’t go looking for more blood, and try to sneak out of the area as quietly as possible.
Finally, shoulder shots usually result in bright red blood, possibly with pieces of muscle tissue Recovery depends quite a bit on the exact hit. The deer might have difficulty running but could take a long time to expire. Or it could run a long way and create a difficult tracking job. In the former case, it’s more humane if you can sneak up on the deer and perform a finishing shot.
AFTER THE SHOT
Once you take the shot, wait at least 30 minutes to an hour before starting to track, especially if it was a gut shot or you have any doubts. This allows the deer to bed down or expire, reducing the risk of pushing it. Gut-shot deer will often bed down within 100 yards of the shot location and can usually be found expired in that bed if it isn’t bumped. Once you jump a deer from its bed, it often will run for great distances, up to a mile or more!
Start by marking the location where the deer was standing when you shot. You can use orange flagging tape or even toilet paper.
Next, look for blood or hair. Go slowly and follow the sign. When following a heavy trail look ahead and slightly off to either side of the trail. You’ll often notice a white belly or an antler tine sticking up if your deer is dead.
But what do you do when the trail suddenly goes cold? It’s like your deer just vanished into thin air. This can be extremely disheartening, but there’s still hope.
In these situations keep the deer’s direction of travel in mind. A wounded deer may circle or change direction, which sometimes accounts for losing sign. In those cases, once you find where the deer deviated from its path, you’ll find blood again. When trying to determine if a deer veered off its current path, look for broken twigs, hoof prints, hair and disturbed vegetation that may indicate where it went. If you’re still struggling to find clues, take a break and give the animal more time.
WHO LET THE DOGS OUT?
If all else fails and you’re still struggling to find a blood trail, a tracking dog can often save the day. Dogs are most effective within the first few hours after the shot, as blood scent becomes weaker with time. However, some highly trained dogs can track older trails.
If you’re planning to use a dog for blood trailing, it’s important to work with a trained dog and handler to ensure the best chances for success.
Since blood trailing often continues into nighttime hours, a good flashlight is a must.
I prefer a light that has a green light option. Green light is often better at making blood stand out compared to red or white light, especially when the blood is fresh. Green wavelengths are less absorbed by red and brown hues, making them appear more vivid. The contrast between the blood and the surrounding environment can be enhanced with a green light, making trailing easier.
By taking your time, staying patient and maybe phoning a friend or two to help, you can read the signs a deer leaves behind. Practice tracking, and study trails on even easy to find deer so you can increase your chances of successfully trailing and recovering a deer when things don’t go as smoothly.