We'll continue on from where we left off. We've covered the different blood colors, hit types, and hair colors.
Now, after you're at the hit site and you've determined where you hit the animal, mark the hit site with something. Toilet paper is good to use for this. You should already have some in your pack somewhere, so it's available, and the toilet paper is biodegradable. Orange surveyors tape will also work, but you'll need to take it down when you're done. Start moving in the direction that you last saw the animal, staying to the side of the blood trail as to not disturb it. You may have to come back to that spot if you loose the trail. The first few places you find blood, hang up one of your markers. You'll eventually start to see a flight line. This is a general line of course that the animal took out of there. This is important because it gives you a direction to look ahead in case you loose the trail. Stand at the last blood/sign and look ahead to find the next spot. This is where it's helpful to have 2 people tracking. One can stay at the last blood while the other goes ahead and looks for more. Autumn leaves can be somewhat deceiving at times with red spots on them. There are several products on the market to make the blood glow, show up better, etc. The cheapest and easiest thing to use is hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle. When the peroxide contacts blood, it bubbles. For less than $1 you get 16 oz. to use blood trailing. Also, don't just look on the ground. Look on the sides of trees, on the sides of tall grass, etc. If the animal rubs against these things, blood will get transferred to them.
When trailing, make note of which side of the trail the animal is bleeding on. The reason for this is if the animal doubles back on the trail on you. I've had it happen, and the first time it took me a little while to figure out what happened. Also, if you're hunting out of a tree stand and are shooting down on the animal, you'll have a high entry hole and a low exit hole. If your shot doesn't pass through, you may only have the high entry hole. If this is the case, it may take a little while for blood to start coming out and onto the ground.
Keep tracking/trailing the animal, staying to the side of the trail and marking the blood spots as you find them. This is important if you loose the trail. If you do loose the trail, follow your flight line and check out in front a little ways. If there's nothing there, go to the last spot of blood and start walking in ever-widening circles around the blood. Doing this, you should find the trail. For some reason, right before a deer goes down, they will make a right angle turn to one side or the other. I've had several deer do this. If you do loose the trail and can't find it again, go get some help if you're by yourself. If possible, get a woman to help you. Women can see different "shades" of colors, whereas men see the color itself........red, black, blue, etc. I've had people tell me that they followed a trail as far as they could and lost it. They returned with a woman to help them trail and the woman immediately picked up the trail and followed it to the animal. Also, if you're in a state that allows the use of trailing dogs to find animals, utilize this. Some states do not allow the use of dogs for trailing, so check the regulations in the state you are hunting. There are organizations made up of people who have trained tracking dogs and will voluntarily come out and help you recover the animal.
That's pretty much it. Trailing an animal like that isn't difficult, but it does take some time to learn to do right. If necessary, get down on your hands and knees and look for sign. I've had times when, by doing this, this was the way that I found the animal. Check out Part 3 of this for a way to get some "practice" during the off season.
Big58cal