Unfortunately, I could use some tracking advise.

[kpk]

Shot a whitetail this morning with handgun at 40ish yards in a field. Basically, everything went wrong with the scenario. He ran 90 yards, stopped and stared back for awhile. Slowly walked along the woods another 70 yards and then he went in the woods and I lost sight of him.

It's cold here, so I waited 4 hours to even look for blood. Found sparse blood from where he stopped to where he went in the woods. Lost blood at the woods. The trail in Y'd, and I went left about 30 yards. Deer jumped out of bed basically to the right of the Y and ran. He was buried in a couple downed trees. I was certainly within 20 yards of him and he let me walk by. I backed out and am now waiting until morning - so 24+ hours.

Blood was sparse but I'm hopeful that since he bedded as soon as he got into the woods, and I got that close to him that he's feeling too sick to go much farther. I would've preferred to wait even longer but snow was supposed to move in and I at least wanted to see if he was hit and get a direction of travel.

He'll likely be dead in this strip of woods that's now about 250 to the road in one direction. It's only about 90 wide but it's a deep ravine and a mess. Hopefully he didn't run miles. I'm considering trying to get in touch with a tracking dog. Been a long long time since I wounded and lost one and I hope it doesn't play out that way.

Blood from where he was bedded.

 

[Schmoops]

Are you able to get a tracking dog in there?

Edit: yeah man, make that call now. That’s chunky blood, I hope it’s cold tonight.

 

[kpk]

Are you able to get a tracking dog in there?

Edit: yeah man, make that call now. That’s chunky blood, I hope it’s cold tonight.

I believe those chunks are actually fecal matter. It's either that or mud - but I didn't think dirt would be all covered in blood like that.

 

[HilltopHitman]

Tracking dog

 

[RockAndSage]

I believe those chunks are actually fecal matter. It's either that or mud - but I didn't think dirt would be all covered in blood like that.

My first thought was gut contents too. If a dog is an option, just pull the trigger on that and move forward on getting that buck secured.

 

[fwafwow]

Please keep us posted

 

[kpk]

Tracking dog lady was reluctant to come as we can't access one of the adjoining properties (in the direction I believe he went), which I understand.

It started snowing shortly before sunrise and kept up until we had close to half inch. Grid searched everything I could with no luck.

Probably nothing more than antler recovery at this point but we'll watch for crows and eagles congregating. If he went into that one neighbors property - it's a no go. He is not friendly with anyone.

If there's any silver lining here, my friend shot his target buck tonight that he's been watching all fall, so it wasn't him.

I think it's been close to 15 years since I made a bad shot and lost one. Sure sucks.

 

[Rich M]

Tracking dog lady was reluctant to come as we can't access one of the adjoining properties (in the direction I believe he went), which I understand.

It started snowing shortly before sunrise and kept up until we had close to half inch. Grid searched everything I could with no luck.

Probably nothing more than antler recovery at this point but we'll watch for crows and eagles congregating. If he went into that one neighbors property - it's a no go. He is not friendly with anyone.

If there's any silver lining here, my friend shot his target buck tonight that he's been watching all fall, so it wasn't him.

I think it's been close to 15 years since I made a bad shot and lost one. Sure sucks.

I recall a post about a guy who had a small dog he was training for deer recovery. Dude shot a deer in the afternoon and it snowed that night - couple inches. He went back out to look some more and took the dog - went to last blood area to start grid searching and fido just takes off - end up yapping. Dog ran straight to the deer, even with the snow on the ground.

Losing a deer sucks, but it does happen, as do misses. Shake it off.

 

[WVHUNTER99]

Did you find it?

 

[CMF]

He ran 90 yards, stopped and stared back for awhile.

Couldn't get another shot off?

Can't believe the handler wouldn't take the track, why not just track up to the property line at least...

Any luck?

 

[kpk]

Couldn't get another shot off?

Can't believe the handler wouldn't take the track, why not just track up to the property line at least...

Any luck?

He ran to a treeline and stopped on the other side.

She said with the property line being only 250 yards away, the dog could potentially cover that in a matter of minutes only to have to stop and end the search. Basically a 50/50 shot that it wouldn't be worth the drive. I'm thinking she's very busy and covers a huge radius this time of year. She was super nice and helpful - nothing bad to say about her.

 

[JBrew]

Thermal drone...if it's legal there.

 

[Radford]

A handgun at 40 yards? What was the setup?

 

[knale87]

Only 1 tracker in your area?

 

[mtnbound]

He ran to a treeline and stopped on the other side.

She said with the property line being only 250 yards away, the dog could potentially cover that in a matter of minutes only to have to stop and end the search. Basically a 50/50 shot that it wouldn't be worth the drive. I'm thinking she's very busy and covers a huge radius this time of year. She was super nice and helpful - nothing bad to say about her.

Have you cut for sign along the property line of the unfriendly owner? Is there a fence? Are there natural lines of drift into that property? Which way was the wind blowing the last time you saw him or sign of him?

 

[kpk]

Have you cut for sign along the property line of the unfriendly owner? Is there a fence? Are there natural lines of drift into that property? Which way was the wind blowing the last time you saw him or sign of him?

Good questions, Sending you a PM.

 

[wytx]

Yep, I'd walk the property line and check for sign of it crossing the fence, if none keep looking.
Gut shot tend to circle back to where they were safe before getting shot, sometimes. Check any water too, they go right to it if gut shot.

Best of luck, hope you find him.