A Buck in the Bush
White-tailed deer have an amazing stamina. Know what to do once you take that shot

The shot felt good, but instead of collapsing on the spot, the deer ran off. And, as it vanished into cover, you couldn't help but be concerned, because you know that even a mortally wounded whitetail can travel a long way before giving up the ghost. As you sit and let your heartbeat settle into something resembling a more normal cadence, you realize that what you do next will make the difference between success and the heartbreak that comes from losing a deer.

The First Few Minutes
Though instinct urges you to follow immediately, experience tells you sitting still is best. This ensures you're not pushing away a mortally wounded animal that might otherwise expire nearby. Even if the deer isn't hit quite as well as it should be, sitting still gives you the edge. It allows the unpressured animal to move off at a slower pace, hopefully leaving a better blood trail, and possibly bedding down and stiffening up.

It also permits you to listen. I've heard wounded deer cross creeks, crash through thickets, run into a page-wire fence, or thrash in their final death throes. Obviously, information like this is useful in locating it.

Sit still and that deer might even show itself again. If so, don't hesitate to take a finishing shot. Don't be one of those hunters who, while worrying about ruining a little more meat, loses the whole deer in the process.

Even if a follow-up shot isn't possible, you might glimpse the deer as it slips off. If so, note how it's moving. This can indicate where it's hit and how much life is left in it – things that are not always evident as the animal initially takes off.

You might also see the animal lie down and die or thrash the surrounding vegetation or tall grass as it succumbs. All this is why sitting still and paying attention immediately after the shot is important.

The Wait
Barring weather that threatens to obliterate a blood trail, waiting an additional 30 minutes, at least, before you proceed is generally wise.

During this time, recall the shot. Remember every detail: the shot angle, where you aimed, how the deer reacted, its posture as it ran off, where you and it were at the shot. Each of these things is an essential part of the puzzle.

The deer's reaction to the shot is particularly important. Did it jump straight up and buck (an indication of a heart shot)? Did it hunch over and run off with tail low (probably a gut shot)? Did it hang one leg? Fall and get up again? Sit like a dog and then drag itself off (perhaps spinal damage)?

Knowing this helps you understand where the deer might go and how hard to push it. For instance, if you conclude it was gut shot, backing off and waiting several hours before taking to the trail is prudent, unless the weather is unseasonably warm. On the other hand, a deer hit in the heart/lung area might already be dead as you're making this assessment.

Hitting the Trail
After waiting, mark the spot from where you took the shot with flagging tape or whatever else you have on hand. Then, also mark the location where the deer was. While there, search for blood, bone fragments, hair, bile, your arrow, or anything else that indicate a hit or a miss. Then, proceed to where you last saw the deer. Mark this spot, too.

Once this is done, get help, if available. Initially, have one person help you track. This gives you an extra set of eyes without too much additional noise or the risk of people stepping all over the trail or spooking the deer.

Start at the spot where the deer was when it was shot at. Examine the evidence. Frothy blood indicates a lung hit. Dark blood can indicate a muscle hit. Bile and stomach contents indicate a gut-shot animal. Of course, the more blood the better.

Having said this, remember that sometimes a good blood flow only opens up after the deer has travelled a bit, so don't be discouraged if it's not there at first. I tracked one running deer whose heart was literally centrepunched by a 12-gauge slug. The blood trail only opened up after 60 yards, but after that anyone could have followed it. We recovered that little buck a short while later.

When trailing a deer with another person, designate specific jobs. My partner has the flagging tape and marks sign every few feet. He waits at the last sign; I cast ahead until I find the next. We keep our whispering to a minimum and use hand signals, if possible. We make sure to walk beside, rather than on, the trail.

Track slowly and deliberately unless the trail is obvious. Look primarily for blood, but if you can't find any, carefully follow tracks (even if they're just indents in the leaves). Sometimes, a wounded deer will slip and scuff up the forest floor or bend saplings. If you don't find blood or bodily fluids within 200 yards or so, stop tracking, since that's ample proof to indicate a miss or superficial hit.

When looking for blood, don't just examine the ground; check tree trunks and vegetation along the route, too. Often, a deer will lean or brush against them or they will be marked by blood spray. Look at the underside of leaves, too. I once temporarily lost the trail of a heavily hit buck until I examined the underside of the ferns it passed through and found they were smeared with blood.

Listen and look ahead as you move and be ready to shoot. Your partner should watch the sides and behind, in case a less than mortally wounded animal circles back.

If you lose the trail, mark the last sign with two pieces of tape and then search in increasing circles around it until you find new sign or the animal. Also look for the path of least resistance. Often, a hard-hit deer will follow it. I once lost the trail of a deer that was heading into a heavy cedar bush when I saw an obvious opening. I walked to it, found more sign, and the deer 20 yards later. If you bump your deer and it takes off wounded but with some vitality, back off and wait at least an hour or two, or overnight if it's late.

Generally, however, if the blood trail is good and you hit the deer in a vital area, you will find it within 100 yards or less, provided you didn't push it too early. But sometimes they get into dirty spots, such as swamps, and you lose the trail no matter how hard hit the deer was or how careful you've been.

This is the time to execute a grid search. Here's where you could use the help of more people or even a good dog, where legal. The basic idea is to sweep the area surrounding the last sign you found. Start by searching the immediate 100 yards, then expand the grid area, if required.

Instruct the crew to look under blowdowns, in thick cover, and anywhere a desperate injured deer might tuck itself into. Look in unusual places, too. My brother once found his stone-dead buck wedged standing between two cedar trees. Also check the margins of nearby ponds.

Hopefully, all this effort results in venison for the freezer. But, even if it doesn't, at least you will walk away with the sure and certain knowledge that you missed cleanly or did everything you possibly could to recover the deer.

What You Need

• Flagging tape
• Map, compass or GPS
• Knife and gloves for field dressing
• String for tying off deer's anus
• Deer drag (if inaccessible by ATV or other vehicle)
• Flashlight