Well I took a shot at my second deer ever and connected. Now I need some tracking advice but first the rundown:
Around 6ish a large group of does showed up around my stand. A big momma and two smaller does broke off and placed themselves in front of me. When the mom started grazing I took aim and took the shot. Her hind legs went high in the area and I saw blood. She took off with the two towards the back corner of the woods, and I kept my eyes on her. She stopped in brush and I lost sight. I got down from the stand after about an hour and headed back to the house, got flashlights and a headlamp. Going back I could not find my arrow at all, but found a good blood trail. The blood trail went all the way back to where I last saw her and her young ones. A couple big puddles and a couple small droplets then I lost the trail. After two hours I could not find beyond the last droplet, marked it and figured I'd return tomorrow.
Here is where I am worried. I started to walk back but must have headed the wrong way in the dark and started towards the back of the woods. Suddenly I caught two sets of eyes in my headlight. I stopped immediately and could tell in the LED light it was the two yearlings (almost positive). They didn't run and only moved a little further on then laid down and watched me. I didn't see a third set of eyes or a larger doe. I flipped on the red light of my headlamp and tried to back out as quite as possible. I am now back at the house writing this. Phew
Question: Will the deer most likely stay put or did my un-intentional run in with them probably bump them further. Is it OK to just resume tomorrow? AccuWeather says possible rain in my area so the blood trail I marked up might disappear. Also with the mild temps if the mom kicks the bucket tonight will the meat be spoiled?
Last year I got my first deer. I tracked it myself into late standing corn and then had to call a friend for help. He along with my help found it in the "corn maze". This year im on my own and hope I didn't just lose my first deer :smiley_blackeye:
SG
Around 6ish a large group of does showed up around my stand. A big momma and two smaller does broke off and placed themselves in front of me. When the mom started grazing I took aim and took the shot. Her hind legs went high in the area and I saw blood. She took off with the two towards the back corner of the woods, and I kept my eyes on her. She stopped in brush and I lost sight. I got down from the stand after about an hour and headed back to the house, got flashlights and a headlamp. Going back I could not find my arrow at all, but found a good blood trail. The blood trail went all the way back to where I last saw her and her young ones. A couple big puddles and a couple small droplets then I lost the trail. After two hours I could not find beyond the last droplet, marked it and figured I'd return tomorrow.
Here is where I am worried. I started to walk back but must have headed the wrong way in the dark and started towards the back of the woods. Suddenly I caught two sets of eyes in my headlight. I stopped immediately and could tell in the LED light it was the two yearlings (almost positive). They didn't run and only moved a little further on then laid down and watched me. I didn't see a third set of eyes or a larger doe. I flipped on the red light of my headlamp and tried to back out as quite as possible. I am now back at the house writing this. Phew
Question: Will the deer most likely stay put or did my un-intentional run in with them probably bump them further. Is it OK to just resume tomorrow? AccuWeather says possible rain in my area so the blood trail I marked up might disappear. Also with the mild temps if the mom kicks the bucket tonight will the meat be spoiled?
Last year I got my first deer. I tracked it myself into late standing corn and then had to call a friend for help. He along with my help found it in the "corn maze". This year im on my own and hope I didn't just lose my first deer :smiley_blackeye:
SG