Trailing a deer “after the shot” is a critical skill. Due to the nature of trailing, scientific research is difficult to conduct, so it’s paramount that hunters take ethical, high-percentage shots for the greatest and quickest recovery. That said, things can go wrong at that final moment when the deer suddenly moves, a bullet or broadhead strikes a limb, range is incorrectly estimated, or other malady that causes a poor hit. This most informative article
from Outdoor Life was written by Craig Dougherty, one of the most influential men in whitetail deer management over the last 50 years. He’s had extreme influence in deer matters through the Quality Deer Management Association and more recently the National Deer Alliance. Additionally, Dougherty and his son Neil, operate a unique whitetail deer habitat in New York state, an idea that began as a hunter’s dream and soon became a site of habitat experimentation and deer management.
Expect to be surprised by the 10 elements of this article. We have all grown up with hunting information handed down from generation to generation and some of it is solid, yet other blood trailing tips are are only founded in truth, or downright fiction. Before getting to trailing specifics, I’d like to offer a tip that can facilitate the process before you take one step from your stand. Since many of us carry cell phones while hunting, as you ponder the results of your shot, use your cell phone to photograph the spot or make a quiet video so that when you climb down or hike across the ridge, you can look back and get critical land marks and reference objects to begin trailing. The moment of truth is such an adrenalin-packed moment that it’s easy to become confused as you approach the shot site and see things from a different perspective. … [continued]
