All -- can someone give me a definitive answer on existing dried deer blood on clothes or on a arrow shaft that killed a deer prior... How does the scent of the dried deer blood effect the hunt?
Definitive scientific answer no. But a personal opinion through observation it doesn't affect it at all. I've had deer standing the exact place one was shot the previous day, seen them walk up and smell a gut pile and even had one walk up about 30 minutes after I shot a deer, walk over to the deer stare at it and then turn around and walk away. I couldn't imagine dried blood on clothing or arrows would be any different.
It could depend on whether or not the deer has witnessed another deer get shot or not. Like if they were with another deer, a hunter shot it and the smell of blood is associated with death or danger. But I'm just guessing, I'm not positive by any means.
I highly doubt it should affect you much, but I do go ahead and wash up an arrow and cleanup a broadhead after a shot, just kinda my ritual. I am sure that in the wild deer get cuts and bleed and I am sure that the other deer probably do not run off from it, so thats where I get my opinion from
Last year I made a complete pass-through on a buck, the arrow was laying roughly 30 yards from me. 15 minutes after I made the shot a small 6 pointer came up and sniffed the bloody arrow for awhile, then casually walked away. In my experience deer blood has no effect on other deer.
It does not do anything unless you have stomache content with the blood. I have had blood on boots and cloths and still killed again. I usually wash my shafts before reuse though.
Last night I watched a fawn sniffing around her mom's 4 day old gut pile for about 10 minutes. I wouldn't worry about it.
No, dont worry about it. Last weekend i shot a deer and it went 20yrds and piled up. He was with another deer and ran away just as far but came right back past the dead deer. I always get blood on my boots when i gut a deer and i just rinse it off the best i can and thats it. Doesn't seem to bother them any.
You need a little bigger coyote population it sounds like. Man I cant imagine anything lasting that long around here.
OK, I need to correct myself. She was sniffing around where the gut pile WAS 4 days prior. I went out the next morning looking for my arrow, and the gut pile was already gone. I really need to buy some lighted nocks!
I would beg to differ on this one. I would give anything to not have a coyote population, they are thick here. I lost a deer I thought I could let lay last year in less than 2 hours. I can guarantee any deer that needs to be left overnight in west central IL will not have much left of it 90% of the time.
