I shot a big typical whitetail with a muzzleloader. I waited 30 minutes and went to tracking . The blood trail looked like someone had a gallon of red paint and a brush just wiping it on the ground . He doubled back and the trail got a little thin. He was standing ten yards from a thicket and of course went in there. We are resuming in due time.....

Bet he is close by. Ran outta blood and crashed soon thereafter.

That’s what I think too, 10gauge.

With that much blood and the confidence of a good shot, I wouldn't be afraid to go in there after him right now.

If you do jump him then of course wait for morning, but I suspect that won't be the case.

Good luck finding him. Does TN allow tracking dogs?

Yep. Go get the deer.

I’m a single parent and gotta resume in the AM .

I think’ you can use tracking dogs here.

Not this [bleep] again.

Good luck, I lost a nice 8 point Saturday night. Looked for it Sunday morning in the daylight and found a little blood in the thicket, but not enough to track.

That sucks, makes a Hunter feel bad.

A guy may want to check the local Drahthaar chapter. Lot of guys like to work their dogs on blood tracks and they do damn well on them. I'm on call here if the need arises.

I would say if you have a dog available...use it. Nothing can find them like a dog.

But in reality, sometimes we lose them. I have lost 2. I still think about them and what I did and what I could do differently.

One thing I've noticed when I've had a long blood trail, with good blood is, somewhere close to the end, they take a hard 90 degree turn in either direction. Meaning off the trail. One suggestion I could make would be, at the end of your blood, take a good look up to 50 yds either way for the deer. All 3 times I've had this happen, they were piled under a tree or into a brush pile, like they were trying to hide.

We found him in 15 minutes. I probably walked within feet of him in the thicket last night.

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Nice one and glad you found him!

Thanks!

Fantastic buck! Congrats!

Glad you found it. Nice buck, congratulations.

Good shot and finding him that soonwas good. Edk

You were sand baggin....that's a monster. Congrats.

Congrats on a great deer. How far had he run after he entered the thicket?

Congrats, that is a dandy.

Holy smokes! What a dandy buck. Nice job of staying on him. Those big guys can take a licking and keep on ticking and they know every trick to throw you off their trail.

Thanks. He was dead less than 50 yards from where he went in (and where I shot) . He definitely made at least one hard 90 degree turn in there .

Thank you everyone. I’m tickled.

The last thing I wanted was to jump him. It was below freezing last night so waiting was the best I think.

Exactly what my buck did Saturday. Made a death run and hooked back in a J. Was within 15 yards of the end of blood. I stood at last blood and looked left where I had last seen him, there he laid.

Congrats on a toad of a buck.

Looks like you had a little help finding g him too!!

Congrats on sticking with it. Not getting frustrated and giving up.

Very nice buck!

Good call, glad you got him.

If it wasn’t for my master tracker, I may not have found him so quickly. : )

He field dressed 230 pounds which is large for this area.

Dang good buck. Congrats!

Congrats, that a fine buck!

Congrats on a fine whitetail! No need to call Sierra on this one.

Thanks!

Thanks!

Thanks!

CONGRATULATIONS! That is a BEAST.

Nice Buck. Had me worried when I started reading, thought maybe you were trying those new "Game Changers" in your muzzle loader. Haha. That would make some Campfire lore.

Thanks, hillbilly !

Thanks!

I’ve only tried two bullets ever: powerbelt and TC 240 gr XTP . I don’t like power belts and have had good success with the XTPs for years as long as I don’t hit a tree limb. They kill stuff and leave a big blood trail. I missed two mature bucks the last two previous seasons hitting a limb while in the timber.

STUD !!! Congrats

Thanks!

Damn fine animal! Congrats!!! 🍺

Thanks!

Dandy TN buck!

Not enough Blantons on the planet to get that puppy into the Dink-a-thon. Guess you'll have to settle for all that meat and those massive antlers. Better luck next year.😜

Very nice.....congrats!!!

Thanks ! Settling indeed. Haha

Damn that’s a dandy!! Grats

Thanks!

Wow nice muzzle loader buck

I agree! Very good buck and love the character of those brow tines. Congratulations!

Here in North Louisiana, there is 1 or 2 fb pages with men and women who have dogs who will track bloodied deer. The ones on one of the groups doesn't charge anything, but they do say that if you want to tip them for their fuel costs, etc. it is acceptable and appreciated. Back in the last week of primitive season here, my nephew made a bad shot on a young deer and I called a guy who had told me last year he had a good dog, so we called him. Because of lack of blood and the terrain, we most likely would have lost the deer if not for the dog. I'd advise anyone who might even think they might could use a dog to track a wounded deer to ask around and search fb for a group that might be near you....because you never know.

Thanks!

Great job, I think you made the right call, especially being a single parent partner! Well deserved.

Thanks! I swear I wasn’t in the thicket at 11 pm with a 1911 , a 38 for backup ,and a flashlight. : )

I think you had a good day in the deer woods.