Strategies for locating animal after the shot when solo

[wetzel]

I feel like a kid in school, afraid to ask a stupid question. Maybe it's just me, but I have shot animals across a canyon and then struggle to locate them when I get over there? I am curious if anybody has a strategy to help with that. I have always found my animals, but sometimes it can take a while due to steep terrain, tall sage brush, and everything looking different from a different perspective. It happened again the other evening and with dark almost full on by the time I found it, I began to wonder if there was a better way that I am missing. Just so you know, I take time to analyze the area, look for distinguishing landmarks to help locate the animal. Sometimes this works better than others. When a large open face without anything special to vary the landscape, things can be difficult.

 

[FlyGuy]

I'm not great at it either, but here are a few things you can try. Obviously mark the shot from location on your GPS or phone. I also like to give the shot from spot a visual mark as well that you can see from the other side of the canyon (ribbon in tree, stacked rocks, etc). Get a compass bearing on the shot to location and a range to that spot. Try and put a waypoint on your GPS that matches while you are still in that location. Take note of your current elevation and estimate the elevation of the shot to location. Then write all that down.

Next, draw a simple diagram with ranges for any key landmarks. Distance to creek bottom. A few big rock outcroppings that are left and right of the shot location. Finally, take out your phone and take a wide angle picture of the shot location before you walk away.

Like you said it looks way different when you get over there to the side and the last thing you want to do is climb back up to your shooting location to re-orient yourself.

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[dirtclod Az.]

Try to triangulate landmarks,then you have three points of origin with which to work.Down from #1 ,right of #2 and left of # 3.Or even box an area so you know the animal is in that quadrant.Then search in a circular pattern.

 

[juan trueno]

Plot your position on your map. Shoot an azimuth to the animal with your compass. Use the straight edge of your protractor to draw that azimuth onnrhe map. Plot the ranged distance to the animal on the azimuth. Assure that the plotted mark and the actual terrain feature correlate. Route selection is on you. But you now have a grid coordinate that you can enter into your garmin. An 8 digit utm/ mgrs grid coordinate will get you within 10 meters


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[hodgeman]

I use a compass....a reverse bearing to your marked shooting position (game bag or a cap on a branch works well) will put you on a straight line to the critter.

Fast and easy to use.

 

[wetzel]

Plot your position on your map. Shoot an azimuth to the animal with your compass. Use the straight edge of your protractor to draw that azimuth onnrhe map. Plot the ranged distance to the animal on the azimuth. Assure that the plotted mark and the actual terrain feature correlate. Route selection is on you. But you now have a grid coordinate that you can enter into your garmin. An 8 digit utm/ mgrs grid coordinate will get you within 10 meters


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I am going to go try this method out!

 

[Owenst7]

Compass and rangefinder are real useful tools.

Recent tool that comes in real handy (for stalks also) is to take a picture with your phone. Marking the spot on a sat image can work sometimes too.

 

[davsco]

arrowed a whitetail a while back and lost blood trail at nite. our golden retriever got me to the deer in 10 minutes.

i will def use the above suggestions for my hopeful first elk kill for colo first rifle.

 

[mtnwrunner]

I use a compass....a reverse bearing to your marked shooting position (game bag or a cap on a branch works well) will put you on a straight line to the critter.

Fast and easy to use.

This works perfect. ^^^^^^^^^^^^. And landmarks.
Main reason I still carry a silva ranger after 48 years.......

Randy

 

[Rokwiia]

A thermal scanner would help but an expensive solution. I would use the compass to assist me.

 

[5MilesBack]

Even for archery distances I keep a few strips of orange marking tape in my pocket. I mark where I shot from and I mark where the animal was standing when they were hit. And if there was a different spot that was "last sighted spot" I'll mark that as well. Then I search for my arrow, and then the blood trail. Sometimes it's hard enough with just a 40 yard distance between shot and animal. I can't imagine what it's like for the LR guys shooting over 1000 yards when their animal disappears. Just finding the general spot he was hit in would be tough.

 

[juan trueno]

Terrain More so than range. Anytime there’s a terrain feature between you and the meat and you are losing line of sight on your way there because you can’t walk straight to it. That’s the killer moreso than range. 275 across a draw is most likely a chip shot- but might mean walking a a mile or mile and a a half whatever to get there -during none of which you can see to the spot.


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[Huntindog45]

I almost always have my phone on me so i take a picture of the area from the area i shot. when you get over there it is a little easier to recognize individual trees or other features.

 

[beachbunny]

plus whatever# on range,compass and reverse heading on landmark where you took the shot.we shoot on wide open salt marshes with hi grass, so this works well

 

[dirtclod Az.]

Reverse bearing sounds like a sound strategy.Thanks Juan!

 

[wind gypsy]

I almost always have my phone on me so i take a picture of the area from the area i shot. when you get over there it is a little easier to recognize individual trees or other features.

Yep, might be tough as the OP mentioned an open face. If you have downloaded aerial images on your phone Ap (onx, backcountry navigator, etc) you can likely find the exact spot. You can also verify it's the right spot by ranging and measuring distance on your app. You could do these things in concert with the compass tools and shot location marking ideas mentioned.

Lots of good ideas guys, thanks.

 

[zimagold]

Garmin 62/64 will allow you to sight a way point with a known range. Range the spot of animal. Slowly turning Garmin a few times to orient magnetic compass. Point atenna at spot and add way point at range from rangefinder. Normal I'm within 50ft at a few hundred yards. Last year I was within 10ft of the blood spray from impact.

 

[DavidH]

I almost always have my phone on me so i take a picture of the area from the area i shot. when you get over there it is a little easier to recognize individual trees or other features.

I do this also. I take a picture and mark my location after the shot. You may have to return to the spot to get your bearings

 

[wetzel]

Plot your position on your map. Shoot an azimuth to the animal with your compass. Use the straight edge of your protractor to draw that azimuth onnrhe map. Plot the ranged distance to the animal on the azimuth. Assure that the plotted mark and the actual terrain feature correlate. Route selection is on you. But you now have a grid coordinate that you can enter into your garmin. An 8 digit utm/ mgrs grid coordinate will get you within 10 meters


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Last night I went out and tried this, it worked perfect! It got me within about a 100 feet (probably due to my own error, which should get better with practice). The reverse bearing and a range finder would also help with this greatly! Anyways, I am thrilled with the results and appreciate everybody's input! I am hoping to use this next week on an Elk!

 

[FlyGuy]

I've never thought to practice it. That's a Great idea! That practice will come in handy post shot when your addrenalin is pumping and your brain is scrambled.

I think half the battle is just recognizing that it's going to be harder than it looks, so don't just race off to get there without a good plan. Calming yourself down, taking some notes /photos, and a little planning before you start moving goes a long way. It also helps keep your mind busy while you fight to stay put for 30 min and give the animal time to expire.

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