After tracking solid bright red blood for ¾ of a mile through the thick nasty, we finally found the mature 8 point in his final resting place with all 3 inches of the arrow still in him. So, what did I do? Knowing there was very little penetration, we went back to the cabin, cooked up some dinner and headed back into the timber 3 hours later. I had caught part of the shoulder, which limited the penetration to one lung at most. The image of the buck turning and running through the tightly spaced poplars with the pinging of the 20”+ inches of aluminum shaft bouncing off every tree still remains vivid as ever. This was back in the days of the jumbo aluminum arrows and slower bow speeds. I remember a hunt I had in Northern Wisconsin that is still today the most memorable track job of my hunting career. One word of caution, there is still the possibility that you hit only one lung, in which case they can run a LONG way. If this is the case, you are usually safe to track the animal 30 minutes after the shot and it should be dead upon arrival. Bright red blood almost always indicates a shot to the vitals (lungs or heart). This is exactly what you want to see after every shot, aside from actually seeing the buck fall. You have landed a pass-through shot and the arrow is covered in bright red blood and even a few blood bubbles are laying on a nearby leaf. Scenario 1: Bright Red/Pinkish Blood with Bubbles Since then I have learned from my mistakes and have become a better hunter for doing so, and it all starts with analyzing the bloodied arrow or first specs of blood. Trust me, if you hunt long enough, inevitably you will too. I have been on both ends of this decision-making process, which lead to unfound game and plenty of sleepless nights. Most of the time emotions are still running high and you want to lay your hands on that animal A.S.A.P., thus, leading to foolish decisions. However, the fact of the matter is the overwhelming majority do not have the luxury of reviewing video following their shot. Here they analyze the shot placement before making the decision on whether to pursue the animal or give it some time to expire. The sniff test is one way to check your arrow if you suspect you hit too far back.Įveryone has seen it done in some hunting show, following the shot they head back to the lodge and gather around a 50”+ HDTV. It is your duty as an ethical hunter to do everything in your power to find that animal and it starts by meticulously analyzing the scene of the shot. Thirty minutes later you climb down out of the stand and what you do next can be the difference between that ‘story book ending’ or the dreaded ‘one that got away’. After several minutes of personal fist pumping and phone calls to your buddies saying, “I got him! I just shot a giant!”, you finally settle down. Attempting to calm your nerves, you settle your pin directly behind the shoulder and SHWAACK! The arrow plunges through the animal and emotions are running at an all-time high. The moment you have been waiting for all season is closing the distance.
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