Deer Tracking Jackson County

[RJones]

this past Friday, Veteran's Day, my wife and I were hunting on our 50+ acres in Jackson County (SE Ohio). At 8:35am I received a text from my wife who shot a buck ( strongly believes it's a 10pt). I asked her where she hit it, if it kicked, and how it left the area. This is where I messed up. I said lets sit for about 30 mins then we'll track, so we did. Had a great blood trail for the first 1/2 - 3/4 of mile (big blotches on the leaves, briars and fallen trees). Then for the next 1/2 - 1 mile or so just timy drips of blood then it disappears. We walked the entire blood trail 3 times to make sure we stayed on path and we kept ending up at the same location. Sun went down, day over.

Next day (24 hrs after shot), went back out with my dog (3yr Weimaraner) who has not been trained to per-say hunt deer but he did recently drag a fawn back to my house about a month ago, so I thought I'd give him the opportunity. Still no luck. Yesterday, thinking that the buzzards would move in, still no luck. I'm going back out tonight for about an hour after work till dark, hoping I get a sign from the buzzards or the smell.

Does anyone have suggestions of what to do from here? I'm diappointed that the meat has spoiled, I'm at the last resort to find the deer for it's rack as well as close the chapter of this hunt.

[mrbb]

best I can offer is to try to get a few buddy's together and start doing grid search's
too late now, but since there are guys on this site with tracking dogs, trained to do this, maybe next time, it would be better off, doing a search, and before getting way out there getting one

good dog can find thong no man can

but you cannot like they say trample all over and then get them , its a judgement call on your part, if thing start to look bad best to get help before help cannot help

not bashing you, we all want to try to find our deer as fast as we can , been there and where your ate before

but now I know about the dog service, I wouldn't hessitate to use it, ( I did once but too late i think and weather was bad, snow and rain, plus I did look a bunch too!, that didn;t help)

call your buddies and see if they will come help, its your best chance

looking for buzzards, is a very very low way to find one!, some times a deer can lay for weeks before they get into it! or longer! if weather , froxen or where at it dies!

they say deer run towards water(never had that happn much) thicker cover yes, but found many in the open

grid search , and keep it close!

[mrbb]

I will add this, in case you don't have friend s to help you ,look

go to local gun/archery store, most have folks hanging out with nothing better to do, ( my store ha dtoo many of these lol)
and would more than likely be glad to help you look, new eys are always a help!
or can maybe get you some guys to help you look, just a suggestion if you need help getting help!

[RJones]

Thanks for the comments. I offered some $$ to one of my neighbors (by hunting property) if he would look, he did and still nothing. Where the blood disappears is where the woods get thick, lots of brush, hard to walk through or even ride an ATV. I think he's in the area but he
Is camo'd better than I'll ever be! Just frustrating. Thanks!

[Bigcity]

Find water, I've had it happen more than once. Or watch for the crows, they will seek-out the rotting meat which I'm sure coyotes have found and started on. Good luck. I always wait at least an hour before tracking an arrowed deer. Eat a sandwich, send a couple of texts to your buddies telling them about how good of a hunter you and your wife are, grab a bottle of water then start the tracking. Again best of luck, it's happened to all of us at one time or another.

[hunter1099]

i have found out if i cant see or here the deer go down to wait atleast 1/2 to and hour to look for it but if you see it go down go like you did