Simple question but something I think gets overlooked VERY often.........not really sure why as it is probably as vital if not more so then anything else to complete a successful hunt. I think I am a good tracker.........not great, but good. My one brother calls me "the tracker"........of course he calls my other brother "the dragger" so maybe he is insulting us and I am just realizing it now Seriously though, one thing I think people either have or they don't........the ability to remain calm, focused, and think logically...........and most of all have the willpower to fight the urge to do something stupid. You can know everything there is to know about tracking and it won't help you a bit if you lack patience and control. I have heard more stories of botched recovery attempts then I care to recall. I often wonder how much bowhunting success rates would rise if everyone was as good a tracker as they are a shooter. I'm not starting this as a jab at those who can't track very well........I actually think it's common. Both my brothers and my best friend SUCK at tracking.......they don't even bother, they just wait until I get there Both brothers are color blind so that doesn't help. I enjoy the cerebral/instinctive nature of tracking........I think it's cool to try and solve the puzzle that is laid out before you.......sometimes with easy clues and other times barely a hint. I hear the tracking that occurs in Africa is nothing short of an art form........would be cool to see.
I like to think that I am. I’ve been able to gain tons of experience at it from tracking both mine & my Dad’s bowkills over the years. Even ones that drop in sight I will follow the trail just to see how it was. I’ve become very deliberate with following the sign that is there & not trying to guess where the deer went. I don’t think this can be over stated.
I have done well with the limited experience I have. I know I am better than some others I hunt with. Rob's thread on the other place helped me out quite a bit. I printed it and studied it. There is a copy of that in my camper out at the deer camp just in case I need a reminder.
I don't have to be, I shoot a rage broadhead! Seriously, I think I am a good tracker. My Dad is a great tracker and I learned a lot from him growing up and still learn from him today. If it's dead, the man will find it.
Learning more about it each year. The first part of the tracking is done while you are still seated in your tree or ground blind. You have to think about where you hit the deer and how it reacted before you even decide about what to do next. I used to rush my track jobs, now I am as patient with my tracking as I am with my hunting. I have tracked and found deer that had been hit in many different spots and I believe that will help me with all my future hunts.
Me and my buddies take pride in our tracking...we've spent hours into the night tracking pin drop blood 10 yards apart...feels great to finally find that animal. We have always helped each other, and the more you do the better...another very exciting part of the hunt for me. Luckily, the more deer I take with a bow...the more I witness them falling in sight (shot selection & placement).
I think I'm pretty good, I have only had one deer that I feel was lethally wounded and not recovered, and been on probably a few dozen tracks between myself and buddies. My main hunting partner (Jaws) is one of the best I've seen that doesn't have a dog. We have been on a couple of tough tracks over the years, and 99.99999% of the time he's the one who finds the deer first, or that first tough to find sign of blood. One of our other buds (Mario, also registered here, but doesn't post often) has a trained tracking dog and has been on well over 100 tracking jobs over the years, I believe he did just over 30 last year alone. That guy and his dog Cheyenne can find some dead deer......it's pretty impressive stuff to watch. 2 years ago Dan and I were on a track for the better part of 2 days before we called Mario in with his dog.......we tracked that deer for over a mile and lost blood on the second day. We waited until the following day to take up the trail again. He and his dog had us on the deer in less than 15 minutes, and this was a deer that was shot 3 days before........impressive stuff.
When it comes down to tracking.. I have to say this.. The shooter should NEVER be the leader as far as I'm concerned. Too much excitement and emotion going on in the shooter's head for them to make a clear(er) judgment. Of course this is not always true.. but I think it holds water for just about everybody.
I would have to say I'm pretty good. When guiding bear hunters, the most important skill to have is good tracking sense and know how to read the sign.
Right on Jeff and Russ!!! Tracking Is my strongest point. My dad Is an unbelievable blood trailer/tracker or whatever you want to call It. He brought up my brother and I pretty damn well on what to look for when tracking a wounded deer or even a well hit deer and also what not to do when on a blood trail. Many times as a youngster my brother and I got our ass's chewed good, best thing that ever happened. There's so much more to tracking deer or any animal for that matter that gets over looked by I'd bet at least 70% of the people who are out there blood trailing. My phone Is always ringing off of the hook during the gun season here In Mn, people know who to call when their having trouble and I take pride In them calling me and me finding their deer. We don't always find the deer but I know for a fact It won't be for lack of trying and knowledge. Back 2 years ago my brother hit a doe and grazed her back leg down by her hoof on her tendon. Only one blade on his broad head cut her, 8 hours later we got her. How many others would of kept at her knowing the hit and lack of blood from the shot? Hardly a soul I bet. That tracking job was outstanding If you ask me, we all played It perfect!! Jeff said It earlier, patience Is huge!! Leave the deer/bear/ or whatever the animal your hunting Is for a good 2 hours after the shot regardless If you saw that arrow center punch the lungs. What you see Isn't always what may have happened. Never have I tracked an animal right after the shot, big no no In my book. Besides I enjoy the company of good hunting buddies on the blood trail while tracking, that's part of the hunt too In my opinion.
I used to be until my eye sight started fading... Now I can't see that tiny drop of blood unless its 6 inches from my face.
I thought I was a good tracker until I was following my tracker in Africa. To this day I have no idea what sign he was following, unbelievable!
That's amazing isn't it BWF. Although I've never been there I've read a few articles about those guys over the years. One particular tidbit always comes to mind.. the fact that they have NO concept of time.. which is why they don't ever rush.
I am not good at following a blood trail b/c I am colorblind and I cannot see the stuff. However, I do a decent job at reading sign such as broken twigs on the ground, russled leaves, the regular stuff. Usually though, I just wait for help b/c the blood trail is the best to follow when possible.
I'd say I'm still learning, I have had a great teacher in my father as I'd consider him the best of anyone I have ever hunted with. I know how to read the sign and I have only lost a couple deer over the years. Those were from pressuring wounded game and not giving them the proper amount of time to expire, back then nobody gave estimates on waiting times for certain hits. Last year a good friend of mine shot his biggest buck. He's been hunting longer than I have, but he's not ever had much success. He started hunting with me last year and thought he had missed cause he couldn't find any blood. I took him back to the spot and went over the terrain looking back at the stand and questioning him I found the shot location and trailed the buck for over 200 yards until I lost the blood completely in the middle of a cow pasture. I followed two different directions and searched everywhere and couldn't find the buck. I was pretty upset I couldn't find it for him so the next morning after first light I went the only other direction the buck could have went and after another 150 yards or so I found him down in a ditch. I was mad at myself that the coyotes got to him before me, but glad I found his buck. The expression on his face when I saw him over the buck made my day. I may have missed out on that mornings hunt but I gained so much more.
I think I'm a good tracker. Good post and all good advice so far. I agree patience is the key. Also keeping your wits about you and not losing concentration when things don't look very good or the trail goes dry. It only takes one little drop or sign to pick it back up and get on the right track. Too many times I see and hear about following "good blood", turning into pin drops and then losing it all together. Next thing you know the tracker is trampling through the woods 100 yards ahead of last blood almost in a hurry to find more. Slow down, refocus, reavaluate the situation and think it through. Early on I wasn't a very good tracker and probably got lucky on a few recoveries. After I lost my first (only) deer I vowed it would never happen again and it hasn't.
To he honest...I dont' know? I've rarely needed to do much tracking. I ussually just end up following a blood trail for about 50-100 yards and then find the animal.
