Had a fun track.

[Gobblerforge]

Well there I was, sitting down and relaxing the other night about sun set and the phone rings. One of my buds, Dan, has hit a nice buck bow hunting. It ran 40 yards out of sight and laid down. He bumped it out of it's bed and it took off. He thinks it's hit good, just behind the front leg, leaking out both sides. Problem is it's getting dark and ,oh by the way, he's color blind and can't see blood. On the snow, to him, it looks like the dirt or bark or everything else in the woods. Needs help. 1/2 hour later, as it's getting darker, we're heading into the woods. We both have a flashlight and he has his bow. Now I'm a pretty fair tracker and that's why he called me, but to tell you the truth, I really get off on it. We took off after this thing and within the first hundred yards we come across another bed. Hmmmm. two beds within a hundred yards. He doesn't want to run. He's hurting. Now I've established his stride and track and we are tracking at a good pace. The buck was doing every thing correct for a mature buck trying to evade a predator. It crossed trails. It walked trails. Went down hills, up hills, along hills. Around down falls and stood on the other side watching it's back track. And the whole time, dripping out both sides but never out the center. Thus I've concluded no lung or heart hit. Probably pouch shot. The blood never clotted unless he laid down. Good, he's hit well on something in there. I also note that every time he jumps or goes up hill or strains, he bleeds better. All righty. If pushing will kill you, I'll push. Several times Dan asked, just out of curiosity, could I still see blood? At the pace we were going No healthy deer would have laid down. This buck laid down at lest three more times in a mile. At the end of that mile, we were back to within two hundred yards of where we started and now it's a couple hours later. Just like the giant rabbits they are, it ran a great big circle trying to lose us. Now back in home turf it starts another drop into a small ravine filled with blow downs and we stopped. Dan's depressed and I'm stoked. We conclude it still has some run in it and to stop where we are because of the ease to get home. Based on it's pattern, I expect it is laying down some where in the next 150 yards of brush and tree tops, watching it's back track, again. He's home. By leaving now, He feels he lost us. He's hit and doesn't want to run and he's been pumping hard for the last two hors or so. Good. Dan had to work the next day but I did not. At day light I went back. Now there's a half inch of new snow. The tracks are still readily visable so off I go. Quietly, slowly, binoculars working the hiding spots. Another two hundred yards of zig zaging through some delightfull bushy hell, he came out to a field. Now here the fields are either on the ridge tops or bottoms. Not hill sides. Too steep.This is a ridge top. Up over and then stops, left turn, walk, stop, circle, out the other side through another wonderfull pile of love, then back to the left again to the crest. There it had layed down and could see it's back track. Then twenty yards then layed down. Then twenty yards and died. It's some 400 yards from Dan's house. Not bad considering the posabilities. It's10 am. Sweet. Now I can't just leave this thing here, so I field dressed it for him. That was fun, but it did allow me to determine that Dan had made a good shot. The arrow had passed on the abdominal wall but never touched the lungs. In stead it opened anything touching the abdominal wall from the other side. Get it? Thanks, Dan. Well he was happy he got it. He stopped by on his way home from checking it in. Nice.
Gobbler

[RIHMFIRE]

Nice buck!

[AndyM]

nice buck - and good job tracking - I bet that was fun.
Your buddy should be thankful he can call you friend...

I also have a friend who is color blind and will contact my Dad everytime he hits a deer with his bow and arrow to help track it, unless he sees it fall within sight.

[JReed]

Good work. Persistance pays way to stick with it.

[Travis Morgan]

You know, to me, killing is one of my least favorite things about hunting. I love shooting, tracking, calling, etc.. The kill just ends my fun!

[kimwcook]

Good job. And that folks, is called hunter ethics. It should be a part of every hunters bag, but unfortunately it isn't.

[Griff]

Good job. And that folks, is called hunter ethics. It should be a part of every hunters bag, but unfortunately it isn't.

Ditto.

[nemhed]

I applaud your persistence. I can't say that I enjoy tracking a wounded animal. I spend the whole time thinking of the would of's, could of's, and should of's, but the relief at the end of a successful track is indescribable. It seems many hunters are quick to write off a wounded deer, but they're not all "dead right there". Tracking is a necessary skill that is only learned the hard way. Good hunting!

[Hobie]

Ah, the joy of accomplishment!

[Old Ironsights]

Nice mass & spread there. Good job recovering him.

[Modoc ED]

Nice job.

[piller]

Thanks for the post, I enjoyed it. Tracking is a big part of the fun, isn't it.

[KirkD]

I enjoyed that account, Gobbler. Thanks for posting it and the photo. Nice buck.

[Dave]

You are a tracking machine! Of course, using snow is cheating

[Borregos]

Well done Gobbler!!
Very nice buck, I have always enjoyed the challenge of tracking myself

[iceman]

Nice going!!! Tracking is interesting in that you can see what they do and hopefully make it easier on the next attempt.

[Jaguarundi]

Now that is what call hunting.Fine rack.