Tracking wounded deer—how long do you wait before pursuing?

[Butcherbill]

The majority of my deer have either been 4-5 steps and then down or have been bang flops, the ones that bolted didn’t make it past 30-40m. After the shot I slowly walk to where they took the hit, it’s always been an evident blood trail so finding them is easy. I’ve been lucky I guess but most of my shots have been between 75-125m.

 

[MTM]

Ok might be onto something here. With enough gun and decent shot placement they don’t seem to go far. Not that you need much to drop a deer. I hunt in B.C. so other species are on the agenda as well. .270 is the smallest gun I’ve used on deer. 06, 7 mags and 300s for lots but mostly my lightweight .338. A couple have gone 40-50 yards but most laying in their tracks or very close. Small sample though, I’d say 30ish.

 

[MK2750]

If you listen to a thousand stories the vast majority will have walked over and found the deer not far from where they last saw it. Then there will be a small percentage that bump the deer followed by a long tracking job or a lost animal. The found ones, after a long and or traumatic tracking job, are often poor table fare.

So most of the time it is okay to get right on it but sometimes it is not. Once you find the bloody bed empty or see your deer get up and run off the discission you made was the wrong one. For an ethical deer hunter, there is nothing worse.

In shooting whitetails for nearly 50 years I have never once experienced an instance where waiting longer was the wrong choice. I have never heard a story where waiting longer would have been the wrong choice. If he is dead right there or just over behind some bushes, he will still be there in 30-40 minutes. If he is hit fairly well and goes 50-100 yards before bedding, he will probably bleed out in that bed if you leave him for 30-40 minutes plus the time it takes to slowly track him. If he is poorly hit, it is unlikely you are going to recover the animal, however it is more likely on a careful stalk after enough time has passed for him to get beyond the initial shock of the incident.

I take the shot and listen. The vast majority of the time I hear crashing not far away and sometimes can even see the animal. I make careful mental note of exactly where the deer was when I shot, where I lost sight of him and where I think I heard the last noise. If not in a stand I mark where I am standing.

After 20 minutes or so I stalk slowly to the spot where the deer was standing when shot. Never do I head over to the last place I saw him or towards the last spot I heard him. I proceed as if I was still hunting watching the direction where the deer was last heard and seen. I find the spot and mark it. By this time approximately 30-40 minutes has passed and I can make my next choice based on the evidence found at the shot site and tracking conditions.

As far as predators are concerned, I don't think it is a factor in decision making. Coyotes live cautiously and I have never seen them on a kill in less than 30 minutes with a person within a 100 yards or so and a shot recently fired. Wolves, black bears and cats are even more cautious. If a Grizzly is on a kill it is best you gain that information approaching with caution after the fact.