Carried a .270 for the first time this year. Shooting 130grain corelokts. Shot two deer with it. I have shot lots of deer. And I've used 13 different cartridges so far... Ranging from .243's to .45-70s, 12 ga slugs
I shot a small buck this year on the run at about 50-75 yards. Hit him twice and he ran into the brush and disappeared. Almost no blood. I went slow on the trail and found him about 40 yards into the thick stuff piled up. The first shot was through the upper chest, hitting both lungs. The second shot entered in front of the shoulder, hit the heart, and exited right in front of the guts. Again, for some reason, VERY LITTLE BLOOD... on a shot that should have opened the faucet on him.
The second one was a nice doe. Facing me, less than twenty yards away. I shot her right on the white patch on the neck, and dropped in her tracks. No trailing needed.
If I based it off this experience, I'd say the .270 leaves no blood trail and I wouldn't recommend it.
However, I know that things happen and deer hunting is full of the unexpected. I'll carry it again, with full faith that it'll work fine. And I expect the next one to give me a good blood trail with a similar shot type.
-Jake
