Game Recovery Hunting Tip

by Steve Kane
(Courtenay, BC, Canada)

Nice Blacktail buck!

Nice Blacktail buck!

After the Shot Tip(especially with a bow)

Whether you're bow hunting moose, elk deer or whatever big game species. After you've made that shot, the game rarely goes down right away.
It usually runs or walks off, most times out of view, so you can't really see it go down.

Heed this Hunting Tip

If you know you made a good double lung or heart shot, be patient and wait at least 20-30 minutes before going after your trophy. This gives the game a chance to expire, without being disturbed and possibly jumped.

I've seen too many bow-hunters go after their game only minutes after the shot, and wonder why they can't find it.

If you think you're shot wasn't such a great one, then back right out and give the game 4-5 hours to bed down and at least weaken to a point where you can trail it, and finish it off, without jumping it and having it get away on you.

This coastal black-tailed buck was one I had to let go overnight, because I wasn't sure about the shot, and he had already ran full tilt across an open field to the bush-line about 250 yards away.
I came back in the morning and there was no blood trail, so I started a grid search and found him less than 20 yards from where he entered the bush-line.

Be patient, it pays off in the end.

Comments for Game Recovery Hunting Tip

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May 19, 2011
 So true (reply to Mark)
by: Steve Kane(buckee)

Yes Mark, I've seen it too many times in my almost 20 years of bow-hunting, whether it's personal hunting friends or stories I have read on-line.
I have seen wounded deer start to go up-hill, because they like to head to higher ground instinctively, but then change their minds (because they are to weak) and head back downhill again.
I had a nice Blacktail buck do that very thing one time. He was hit good, but still traveled more than 200 yrds from point of impact. I followed the good blood-trail, after first waiting that crucial 1/2 hr. through a boggy swamp. He was headed toward a high ridge. I followed his blood trail up the ridge about 30 yrds. where it came to an abrupt end. I was surprised he was even attempting that after the long and good blood trail I had already followed. I stopped and took a good look around, knowing from experience he most likely changed his mind and headed back down toward the swamp. Sure enough, there he was, about 50 yrds away, laying dead further down along the bottom of the hill.
May 19, 2011
 Game Recovery Hunting Tip
by: Mark - Site Owner

Thanks for a great tip Steve!

I witnessed a gut shot deer be chased for several hours and kilometers, before the fatal shot was placed. The deer would run until it felt safe then bed down... waiting at full alert for the hunters. Because the deer was not given time to bleed or stiffen up as soon as it heard the approaching hunters it would jump from it's bed and run.

With all the adrenalin pumped through that deer the hunters apparently could not eat the meat because it tasted like urine!

They ended up throwing the whole thing in the landfill! A little patience would have gone a long way. A likely would have saved the meat!

Another tip that may be of help. Wounded animals will inherently take the path of least resistance... which is usually downhill!

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