... or you find somebody else's blood trail. As it was getting light enough to see last Friday, I looked down and saw a spec.
I then spent the best 3 hours of the morning tracing out at least 300 yards of a dark red and watery path with a few bits of chewed and half digested acorn scattered along the way of what I suspected was a gut shot deer. Never found a bed, or the deer, or the hunter.
Such drama unfolding and none of us; deer, hunter, or volunteer blood trailer, knew the whole story. But the woods was especially still that morning and I suspect the wood peckers and blue jays know what happened. But nobody was talking, save the raven.
I thought he'd show me the way, but when I followed him he just laughed at me and flew away over the next ridge, never to return. I went home with a heavy heart that day even though I had not even set arrow to bow.
It's funny how often we can share the same woods and have consistently different experiences.
I have a friend who sees deer every time we hunt together. I could lock him in the closet and go hunting all day and it's more likely that he'd see a deer than I would.
By that same token, I've lost count of the number of blood trails I've found in the woods. Usually the end of the trail is marked by a gut pile. But I have, over the years, ended up with two 8 pointers and a spike that were left undiscovered by their hunter. All during gun season.
This was my 1st bow season blood trail.
Maybe the lesson here is if I kept my eyes on the horizon more instead of on the ground trying to avoid stepping on twigs, I'd see more deer and less blood :)
You need to do both Steve. See everything, learn HOW to see everything, just like clean releases and using back tension....easy to preach, but...what is it really.
I look around more than down. While Iâm looking for game Iâm also looking at trees, bushes, and other things that stand out so I can remember my way out of the woods. lol
... or you find somebody else's blood trail. As it was getting light enough to see last Friday, I looked down and saw a spec.
I then spent the best 3 hours of the morning tracing out at least 300 yards of a dark red and watery path with a few bits of chewed and half digested acorn scattered along the way of what I suspected was a gut shot deer. Never found a bed, or the deer, or the hunter.
Such drama unfolding and none of us; deer, hunter, or volunteer blood trailer, knew the whole story. But the woods was especially still that morning and I suspect the wood peckers and blue jays know what happened. But nobody was talking, save the raven.
I thought he'd show me the way, but when I followed him he just laughed at me and flew away over the next ridge, never to return. I went home with a heavy heart that day even though I had not even set arrow to bow.
Steve, Iâve hunted public land most of my life but never had that happen before.
I once got out in the woods before sunrise with my climber, when the sun came up there was another Hunter in a treestand no more than 30 yards away.
It's funny how often we can share the same woods and have consistently different experiences.
I have a friend who sees deer every time we hunt together. I could lock him in the closet and go hunting all day and it's more likely that he'd see a deer than I would.
By that same token, I've lost count of the number of blood trails I've found in the woods. Usually the end of the trail is marked by a gut pile. But I have, over the years, ended up with two 8 pointers and a spike that were left undiscovered by their hunter. All during gun season.
This was my 1st bow season blood trail.
Maybe the lesson here is if I kept my eyes on the horizon more instead of on the ground trying to avoid stepping on twigs, I'd see more deer and less blood :)
You need to do both Steve. See everything, learn HOW to see everything, just like clean releases and using back tension....easy to preach, but...what is it really.
I look around more than down. While Iâm looking for game Iâm also looking at trees, bushes, and other things that stand out so I can remember my way out of the woods. lol