June NEWSLETTER 2010 |
For more information, questions or comments, please drop us a note by mail or email. If you
have topic you would wish to be discussed in a future newsletter, let us know and we will
consider it.
If you do not want future newsletters, please email or write us advising so and you will be
removed from the list.
Write to: Disappear Hunting Products Inc., PO Box 414, Wadsworth, OH 44282
Email: discoverscent@disappearhp.com
have topic you would wish to be discussed in a future newsletter, let us know and we will
consider it.
If you do not want future newsletters, please email or write us advising so and you will be
removed from the list.
Write to: Disappear Hunting Products Inc., PO Box 414, Wadsworth, OH 44282
Email: discoverscent@disappearhp.com
| Disappear Hunting Products |
HUNTERS
Picking up where we left off last month, let us further discuss the tracking of wounded deer. You have
made a shot, established the spot the deer was located when hit, as well as the direction of departure. Now,
think back, when hit, did the deer hump up somewhat ( gut shot ) limp a bit ( broken leg ) leap in the air
before a mad dash ( heart shot )? You want to apply all the tiniest bits of information you can, in order to
assist yourself or whomever may be helping you recover the animal. Unless the deer collapsed within sight, I
always wait a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes before moving, as to not spook a wounded animal and get the
adrenalin stirring at a high level. The next step is to very carefully examine the area the deer was located
when hit, without disturbing any evidence. The first order of business, is look for hair. An arrow or bullet will
always cut various amounts off, as it enters and exit’s the animal. Sometimes it is profuse and other times
very slight. This is the first evidence of where the deer was hit. Is it all white, ( hit low or grazed the bottom
of the deer ) if it is brown, what about the length, ( body hair is longer, neck and leg hair is shorter ) and is
there hair from both sides of where the deer was positioned when hit, ( indicating entry and exit wounds )?
Next, look for blood, especially the color and texture. The following comments are meant to be a guide, not
etched in stone facts. Bright red often indicates a muscle wound which can be superficial or mortal, medium
red and profuse, heart shot. Medium red and frothy is a lung shot. Dark red often is a liver shot and medium
to dark red with foreign substance is usually a gut shot. Once you have a pretty fair idea of where you hit the
deer, you may want to wait before beginning the tracking process. Unless there is a massive blood trail, I
will wait another 20 to 30 minutes before starting to track the deer. If I think it is a liver or gut shot, I will
wait an hour or more before commencing. Exceptions would be if it is snowing or raining heavily, then you
better begin right away, before the blood trail is wiped out. A shot taken under these circumstances should
have a high percentage of success or passed up on, as often failure to recover is the result.
As I start to track, I place a marker at each bit of evidence of the deer’s passing, that way if I lose the
trail, I have reference points to come back to. I move extremely slow while tracking and constantly scan
ahead as well to the sides, searching for movement, which would indicate the position of the animal I am
tracking. I f there is someone with you, have them do the looking, while you do the tracking. If the deer is
spotted ahead, immediately stop and carefully observe the deer. Is it still on it’s feet, is the head up, if lying
down, does it appear alert, are there other deer nearby? Unless the deer appears to be close to death, I will
wait patiently to see what happens. Alarming a deer at this stage really tends to complicate matters and
severely hampers recovery. Depending on a blood trail alone, is a recipe for failure, so search for hair on
tree trunks, limbs and bushes, that deer in flight will leave. Disturbed leaves and sticks, as well as tracks
themselves are always helpful. If I lose the trail, first I follow the line of sight my markers would indicate the
deer may have gone, for at least several hundred yards, searching extremely carefully for the slightest bit of
sign. If that fails, I go back the last marker and start searching in semi circles, moving out about 20 to 30
yards with each new search. When I find some more evidence, I mark that spot, then repeat the same
process as I just described. I cannot emphasize the importance of patience enough. Sometimes drops of
blood or other evidence may be 10 to 100 yards apart. Deer will at times backtrack, then turn in a totally
new direction, which can really throw you off the trail. These are situations that can still be successful, if you
understand by past studying of deer movement, the directions they might choose to go. The average
distance that I have tracked deer that I have recovered is a little under 200 yards. The longest successful
tracking job, took me almost a mile to the recovery point. It required the patience of Job as well as most of a
day to complete, but was extremely satisfying when concluded.
Keith Dotterer
Picking up where we left off last month, let us further discuss the tracking of wounded deer. You have
made a shot, established the spot the deer was located when hit, as well as the direction of departure. Now,
think back, when hit, did the deer hump up somewhat ( gut shot ) limp a bit ( broken leg ) leap in the air
before a mad dash ( heart shot )? You want to apply all the tiniest bits of information you can, in order to
assist yourself or whomever may be helping you recover the animal. Unless the deer collapsed within sight, I
always wait a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes before moving, as to not spook a wounded animal and get the
adrenalin stirring at a high level. The next step is to very carefully examine the area the deer was located
when hit, without disturbing any evidence. The first order of business, is look for hair. An arrow or bullet will
always cut various amounts off, as it enters and exit’s the animal. Sometimes it is profuse and other times
very slight. This is the first evidence of where the deer was hit. Is it all white, ( hit low or grazed the bottom
of the deer ) if it is brown, what about the length, ( body hair is longer, neck and leg hair is shorter ) and is
there hair from both sides of where the deer was positioned when hit, ( indicating entry and exit wounds )?
Next, look for blood, especially the color and texture. The following comments are meant to be a guide, not
etched in stone facts. Bright red often indicates a muscle wound which can be superficial or mortal, medium
red and profuse, heart shot. Medium red and frothy is a lung shot. Dark red often is a liver shot and medium
to dark red with foreign substance is usually a gut shot. Once you have a pretty fair idea of where you hit the
deer, you may want to wait before beginning the tracking process. Unless there is a massive blood trail, I
will wait another 20 to 30 minutes before starting to track the deer. If I think it is a liver or gut shot, I will
wait an hour or more before commencing. Exceptions would be if it is snowing or raining heavily, then you
better begin right away, before the blood trail is wiped out. A shot taken under these circumstances should
have a high percentage of success or passed up on, as often failure to recover is the result.
As I start to track, I place a marker at each bit of evidence of the deer’s passing, that way if I lose the
trail, I have reference points to come back to. I move extremely slow while tracking and constantly scan
ahead as well to the sides, searching for movement, which would indicate the position of the animal I am
tracking. I f there is someone with you, have them do the looking, while you do the tracking. If the deer is
spotted ahead, immediately stop and carefully observe the deer. Is it still on it’s feet, is the head up, if lying
down, does it appear alert, are there other deer nearby? Unless the deer appears to be close to death, I will
wait patiently to see what happens. Alarming a deer at this stage really tends to complicate matters and
severely hampers recovery. Depending on a blood trail alone, is a recipe for failure, so search for hair on
tree trunks, limbs and bushes, that deer in flight will leave. Disturbed leaves and sticks, as well as tracks
themselves are always helpful. If I lose the trail, first I follow the line of sight my markers would indicate the
deer may have gone, for at least several hundred yards, searching extremely carefully for the slightest bit of
sign. If that fails, I go back the last marker and start searching in semi circles, moving out about 20 to 30
yards with each new search. When I find some more evidence, I mark that spot, then repeat the same
process as I just described. I cannot emphasize the importance of patience enough. Sometimes drops of
blood or other evidence may be 10 to 100 yards apart. Deer will at times backtrack, then turn in a totally
new direction, which can really throw you off the trail. These are situations that can still be successful, if you
understand by past studying of deer movement, the directions they might choose to go. The average
distance that I have tracked deer that I have recovered is a little under 200 yards. The longest successful
tracking job, took me almost a mile to the recovery point. It required the patience of Job as well as most of a
day to complete, but was extremely satisfying when concluded.
Keith Dotterer
| Special: Order Disappear Cover Scent and receive free S & H ORDER SCENT |