The deed is done. You assume you’ve hit the target, but instead of dropping quickly, the deer has trotted or walked off into cover. The wait begins and it’s agonizing. Buddies are texting you, “wait at least an hour” and asking you to replay what happened over and over. Some may say “he’s smoked” and laying right inside the thicket, while others are doing the mental forensics and aren’t buying it.
Any experienced whitetail deer hunter has experienced some version of this scenario and the anxiety that goes along with it. Sometimes, there is a happy ending, and other times, deer hunters carry the disappointment forever – wondering what happened to that deer. It may even take weeks before a full night’s sleep is possible or stop thinking about it every waking hour. In a nutshell, it really sucks losing a deer.
While there is no secret to tracking deer, for some reason, many hunters grow impatient and do exactly what they shouldn’t, and that is go charging in too soon and consequently messing up the “evidence”. Some hunters are just better at tracking and the first thing they may say when summoned goes something like “don’t move…don’t go look. I’ll be there as fast as I can” because they know how critical a clean scene is to put the pieces together.
The situation really isn’t much different than a crime scene investigation that is hindered by a local deputy who tromps around touching things before the trained investigators get there. Think of it that way.
With cooperation from adjacent landowners and acceptable weather conditions, some hunters do manage to pull off miraculous recoveries. Sometimes, it happens a day or two after the broadhead or bullet broke skin. But, even with today’s amazing technology and the help of a modern version of ancient canine utility, many hunters still manage to lose their deer. Regardless of how the situation evolved, nearly every time a deer is lost, impatience is the cause.
“To me, tracking begins the second you release the arrow or let a bullet fly,” said Bow Hunt or Die big buck magnet and ScentLok pro-staffer Kurt Thorsen. “It is crucial to remain as calm as possible in the moment and recollect as many details as possible. Where was the impact? What was the deer’s reaction to the shot? Which direction did the deer head for cover? What landmarks did it pass by to give a sense of direction while tracking? All of these details will paint a picture and give you a much better head start on the track job.”
Thorsen continued, “When it comes to blood trailing, slow and steady wins the race. Far too often we get ahead of ourselves and push along the trail too quickly, missing pivotal clues along the way. Slow down, mark your blood trail along the way using toilet paper, lay down a GPS track and don’t be afraid to back out when your gut tells you to do so, because more often than not your instinct is right.”
Discipline is crucial and it doesn’t end until the tag is attached to the animal. Thorsen says it’s also important to remember that your eyes can lie to you and suggests videoing hunts so you can review footage to confirm where the deer was struck. Video can also reveal clues as to what sign to expect when tracking such as where blood should be located and what shade you may encounter.
“Be patient. If you have a questionable hit and if the weather is okay…if it’s going to be no more than 50 degrees and you didn’t see it physically fall over, give it 4 to 8 hours,” said Michigan saddle hunting guru and ScentLok pro-staffer John Eberhart. “Nowadays the arrows go so fast you can’t see where it entered, especially with a crossbow. If you push it, say it’s hit in the liver or the stomach and you go after it and bump it, it’s going to go a lot farther potentially.”
While some hunters feel a bumped deer exhausts itself quicker and will therefore succumb sooner, Eberhart makes an important point, “When you bump a deer wounded like that, they still have all of their mental faculties, so when they get up and leave, they head to the nastiest, thickest crap they can find to bed down and that’s eventually where they will die. A lot of the time that is where there is water, so it’s damn near impossible to blood trail because the blood dilutes into the water. Give it time.”
When deer hunters are faced with a long track and potential weather issues such as warm weather (that will spoil a deer) or incoming storms, they now have other options available for recovering a deer. When it comes to tools and technology, you can utilize them where legal. Just make sure you are knowledgeable of state laws and do the necessary research prior to the hunt. Do not just take another hunter’s word, inquire with the authorities because each state may vary, and laws can change either way.
“As someone who has seen both tracking dogs and thermal drones in action, I can say they are invaluable tools that can uncover the hardest tracks,” said Thorsen. “One of the most important things when it comes to utilizing these services is to get ahead of the ball game quickly. If you feel you made a poor shot and know that the track job ahead will be difficult, it’s important to call and get either one lined up ASAP because you are never the only person calling looking for help! Furthermore, if you are going to utilize a tracking dog, it is critical to stay off the track and let the dog search an undisturbed trail.”
Eberhart agrees wholeheartedly, “If it’s a big buck, my recommendation is to call somebody with a dog. Let a professional come in so you don’t have to go in there and tear up a place with your tracks. It may cost a couple hundred dollars, but today, two-hundred dollars isn’t all that much. They’ll probably find it within 10 minutes!”
Eberhart saw the value of using a professional deer tracking dog last season after he tracked a big buck he had hit through standing corn into the edge of large cattail marsh. After a long wait, he started to follow sign, but it grew weaker as he moved through the cover. Eventually, he made the decision to call for backup, and when the handler and tracking dog showed up a couple hours later, it took less than two minutes for them to find his trophy. Despite having tracked hundreds of deer, this buck laid down to expire nowhere near where John thought it might be.
Even with a few new options to track a hit deer, in the end success is often dependent on some steadfast rules that have always worked well for elite deer hunters such as Eberhart and Thorsen. Follow their advice to put the advantage in your favor so you can eat well…and sleep well.
