Originally Posted by brooksrange
Yes, and at 100-150 yards with that kind of trail, or even just drops of blood, you'd find your deer. If you're hunting the way I described, you shouldn't have to worry about another hunter following your blood trail and claiming your deer- heck, if you're that close to other hunters it's got to be downright dangerous! eek




Every situation is different- but I have "lost" two lung shot moose (about 10 times the size of most deer and no worry about other properties or hunters)) long enough for the meat to spoil - 12 hours will do it. In both cases, I was two steps away and following my nose some time later before I could see them- or what was left of them. Several other times ( with CNS- tho not necessarily DRT shots) I have had similar experiences - but I knew where they were, since they went straight down. In one instance, My foot was about 18 inches from the butt of a 42 inch bull before I caught sight of his antler tips some 10 feet away in the grass and deadfall.... In this case, I'd shot him in the spine @ 70 yards just forward of his hips, as the only shot offered, the front half being covered by a big spruce, and him about ready to bolt. He was DRT, only it took a second shot to the back of his head- once I could see it - but he wasn't going anywhere...

In more open country, or at longer ranges, I'll go for the boiler room, being assured I'll likely find them, but in the jungle I hunt moose in, it is CNS/DRT if I can get it. - even if it takes a second shot- which I always give them anyway, several times having had the crap scared out of me by "dead" animals that weren't, quite.

Blood trails are not all that reliable - and admittedly, I'm not a very good tracker, so I work around it....


The only true cost of having a dog is its death.