How long after the Shot do you leave Big Game before Tracking

I bang flopped a cow moose at about 175 yards one year that dropped about a foot off a logging trail. She piled up and didn't even quiver. After calling the rest of the group on the radio, picking up my brass, putting on my back pack and climbing off the big rock I was perched on, at least 5 minutes had passed. I walked up to about 50 yards from her and she got up and started to run like she wasn't even hit. The next shot put her down and one between the lookers made sure she wasn't getting up again. If I would have let her lay there for 1/2 hour she would have bled out, but since she didn't even quiver when I put her down the first time, I thought she was down for good.

I have also put an arrow through a deer and watched it clear a 4 ft cattle fence like nothing. It went another 40 yards and died.
 
only needed enough time to go grab the truck and head to where i shot it. which was at most 5 minutes. the most i have heard giving is 15 minutes. but this animal was hit with a 530 grain lead slug from my muzzle loader, it did a barrel roll got up and ran off with 1 shoulder shattered. so i knew it wasn't going far (that and the rooster tail of blood it sprayed out when it took its first jump)

i TRULY dislike the hunting shows that leave the animal over night. that should be a chargeable offense for wasting game meat. many times i have seen them find only a ribcage after doing this and the guys don't even bat an eyelash. pretty much just shrug and walk away.
 
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Depends on the time of day. If its late in the afternoon, get on the track/blood asap.

If earlier in the day I will set a spell watching the tree tops. if you spot a magpie or two sitting on a tree,in the general direction your game went, and they are looking down a lot, chances are your game will be at the base of the tree. It is uncanny how fast magpies will find a dead meal from the air.
 
Bowhunting I will give him a half hour unless I see him drop. Rifle hunting I have never had one go far enough that I didn't hear the crash. But I tend to hunt Deer with a 7mm rem mag so The odds are in my favor.
 
Unless i see it drop it gets a 1/2 hour, most times it wouldn't make a difference but after trying to eat a deer roast that was given to me from a buddys deer that he chased for a hour through the woods i give them time.

Never before have i seen any meat that tough, just about had to grab a splitting maul and block to eat it!
 
The worlds most deadly chambering!!


Laugh2

Sorry but I just had visions of s Colt 45 commercial!


xenasdad said:
Bowhunting I will give him a half hour unless I see him drop. Rifle hunting I have never had one go far enough that I didn't hear the crash. But I tend to hunt Deer with a 7mm rem mag so The odds are in my favor.
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Speaking as a rifle hunter, I'll go to where I last saw the animal as soon as I've regained my composure, and am able to shoot again if I have to.

Aries- said:
TRULY dislike the hunting shows that leave the animal over night. that should be a chargeable offense for wasting game meat. many times i have seen them find only a ribcage after doing this and the guys don't even bat an eyelash. pretty much just shrug and walk away.
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^^^^^ This doesn't sit right with me either. I wonder how many of these types actually eat the animals they've left overnight, or do they pawn it off on the unsuspecting?
 
I shot a buck with my 300wsm this year and lost sight of it. I figuered 30 min would be pleanty but i left it for 45 min. I think that should be pleanty for it to find a spot where it thinks its safe and for shock or bleeding to do its job
 
Most times I either see the deer crash or hear it crash....usually within 50yds or so. After my knees stop shaking I'll climb down and track blood if I only heard the crash.
 
When I smoked, first thing I'd do after the shot would be to light one up. I don't smoke now but I still generally give them at least ten minutes. Elk and moose at least 20. If it's raining or snowing I will creep after it right away though. Just go nice and easy ready to pop him again if he jumps up in front of me.

Buddy of mine shot a mulie doe last fall with his bow and ran out of light tracking it. We found a ribcage and a clean skull in the morning. It was laying ten yards from where he left the trail the night before.
 
Answer for WESTCOASTER. DOES THE ADRENALINE from a hip shot deer decrease as it crawls away or lies in pain bleeding to death? Respectfully Jim
 
I'm pretty much an exclusive muzzleloader hunter so right away I have the clean / load / prime delay between shot and recovery. Add texting your buddies, upgrading you Facebook status, calling to your wife to advise you're gonna be late and a pre-tracking pee break...that's usually sufficient.
 
Depends on shot placement and whether the animal falls where hit.
I have been taught to shoot with my eyes open and watch the bullet hit the animal.
Most times this can be done.
This way you know how and where the critter is hit.
One deer jumped over the hill.
I knew I hit it well and just waited a bit. Ten minutes maybe.
Wandered up the hill and he didn't go far from where he was hit.
Forty-fifty yards maybe.
If you know where you hit them, this is good on determining the
next course of action.
I've been pretty fortunate so far.
 
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