Reading that article about blood trailing got me thinking about how I trail deer after the hit. I wait the proverbial "30 minutes" after the hit almost all of the time if I don't see the critter go down. Once I pick up the trail, I don't stop until I find the critter or the critters bed. Upon finding a bed, without an animal in it, this is where the decision making comes into play and the FUN begins. I have to decide if I jumped the critter or did it get up on its own? If the conclusion is "On its own", I wait an additional 30 minutes, look for more sign in the immediate area, and then continue. The thinking is that if the animal still has enough strength to lay down and get back up on its own, it has enough strength to go a long way away from me should I bump it. If I find a second bed within 50 yards or so, I often conclude that the critter is fading fast and should be within 200 yards of the last bed, which IME is a high percentage guess. IF the blood runs out, I immediately mark that spot and note the direction of travel of the critter. Many times a hit animal will continue on the same trail in the same direction. The thinking here is that it's easier to travel on a trail while hurt than bust brush. The first thing I do after I note the direction of travel is BACKTRACK the trail to see if the critter doubled back, which many many old white tails will do, and look for where they broke off. Upon finding nothing there, I continue along the path of travel looking for a body. The thinking here is that if the blood trail ended the animal might be out of blood and laying close by. If no body is found, then I start a half moon sweeping pattern to the front of the last blood sign in 3-5 foot increments. If I go 20-30 yards and find nothing, then I start the same pattern behind the last blood sign. IF that fails, I then look the area over and try to find the thickest, darkest, and safest looking cover within 200 yards of the last blood sign and follow the trails from the last blood sign toward that cover and search it. The thinking being is that the critter may have bedded in that cover and left blood that wasn't left on the trails getting there. Then I go toward water using the same process. If that fails, then I run thin pie shaped patterns from the last blood sign that radiate out much like the spokes of a bicycle wheel for 200-300 yards covering all the ground not covered previously looking for anything. If I find nothing, then I look for those same thick bedding areas within a mile and go check them out. Paying particular attention to the home range of the animal if I have enough information to know that. IF ALL OF THAT FAILS, the last thing I do is find the highest point in the area the next day and look for birds. YES, I've been lead to critters by watching for crows, magpies, and blue jays. I know this was long winded and may not be correct, but it's how I go about systematically finding a hit animal. If this helps find one critter, I'll be happy.
