John's Journal...

How to Find a Buck Deer That’s Hit with Todd Amenrud

How to Track and Trail Deer

Click to enlargeEditor’s Note: Click to enlargeTodd Amenrud of Ham Lake, Wisconsin, the director of public relations for Mossy Oak BioLogic, has taken many deer with his bow and never has failed to recover an animal he has arrowed. Even if you’re a master hunter and an excellent shot, if you fail to recover your deer, your hunt will be less than successful. In this week’s upload, Amenrud will teach us all how to recover the whitetails we shoot - with our bows or our guns.

If I reach the region after dark where I’ve shot a deer, I immediately start looking for the blood trail. Having a hunting buddy helps me trail, track and find the deer much quicker. When my dad, Randy, helps me trail, he stays at the spot where I’ve found the last blood, while I search for the trail. Also if someone is with you at night, if you lose the trail, you can return to the last drop of blood and utilize a flashlight to look into the woods to pick- up the line of travel the deer has taken. I usually trail deerat night with a Coleman lantern because it gives off such a bright light and makes the blood easy to see. I also have discovered some products that cause deer blood to almost glow in the dark. By spraying one of these products on the trail, I can follow the blood mucheasier and quicker and see it much better. These new products have helped me to track deer easier at night than I can in the daytime.

If I lose the blood trail, I’ll return to the last two or three drops of blood and try to line them up in a straight line. Click to enlargeBy walking in that direction, once again I may pick up the trail or find the deer. Generally a buck will take the line of least resistance. Keep in mind that when a buck’s is arrowed, he wants to get away from the place where he’s been shot by the easiest route posClick to enlargesible. When I can find no more blood, if I’m lucky enough to have a good track, I’ll follow the track. But if I have no tracks to follow, I’ll begin to comb the area. Don’t assume the entire trail is on the ground. Many times if the arrow doesn’t penetrate the deer, the blood will be on the deer’s side. The only way you’ll ever see that blood is when the deer brushes up against trees or bushes as he runs. Look above the ground for the blood trail as well as on the ground. As I go through the woods trailing and tracking, I flag the trail. Then I easily and quickly can see the direction the deer has traveled and also get an idea as to the intervals at which I’m finding blood. Flagging the trail is especially important at night. You can watch the direction the flagging tape is headed and walk right to the deer because most of the time the deer will stay on the same course as it moves through the woods.

Tomorrow: What to Do if the Deer’s Trail Ends


Check back each day this week for more about "How to Find a Buck Deer That’s Hit with Todd Amenrud"

Day 1: What to Do first
Day 2: What Happens Once You Shoot
Day 3: How to Track and Trail Deer
Day 4: What to Do if the Deer’s Trail Ends
Day 5: Recovering Deer in Water





 

Entry 537, Day 3