Finding a deer starts before you climb down. The routine is simple: watch, read the sign, wait the right amount of time, then track slowly. The NDA says waiting the right time keeps you from pushing the deer farther and from walking up on a wounded buck. The guidance below comes from the National Deer Association and other sources listed at the end.
Step 1: Watch and listen at the shot
The NDA says to note how the hit sounded (a crack like bone or a hollow thud) and watch how the deer reacts. A deer that stops, hunches, wags its tail a lot and walks away was most likely hit in the liver or guts, it says. One that bolts was probably hit in the vitals or bone.
MeatEater's Wired to Hunt quotes Mark Drury: a deer that leaves "as a scolded dog" is generally a good sign, while a hunched deer may not be immediately fatally hit.
Stay quiet, listen to which way it went, and use landmarks to note where you last saw or heard it, the NDA says.
Step 2: Read the arrow and the first blood
Find your arrow if you can, and photograph it, the NDA says. A pass-through gives a good chance of recovery. Bone fragments usually mean a non-lethal leg hit, and the NDA says to start tracking those right away and look for a follow-up shot. Then read the color and smell:
| What you see | Likely hit | Wait before tracking (NDA) |
|---|---|---|
| Bright red | Vitals or muscle | Heart or lungs: 15 to 30 minutes for archery |
| Pink, frothy | Lungs (not always frothy) | 15 to 30 minutes |
| Dark red | Liver or guts | Liver: 8 to 10 hours |
| Green or brown matter, stomach odor | Digestive tract | Guts: 10 to 12 hours |
Waits vary by source. MeatEater says opinions vary and gives a generally accepted range: heart right away, double lung 30 to 90 minutes, single lung or liver about 4 to 6 hours, and gut 8 to 12 or more. When the sources disagree, the longer wait is the safer one for a questionable hit.
Step 3: Back out and wait
For hits behind the diaphragm, the NDA says to wait at least eight hours, because those deer need more time to expire and often bed quickly. Waiting makes the trail easier, not harder.
What about rain? American Hunter's writer says that even with rain coming, he waits the full time and then looks for the deer rather than pushing it. He also notes blood left in a gut-shot deer spoils fast, so venison can suffer on a long wait. One more reason shot placement matters.
Step 4: Track slowly
- Bring a good light and something to mark the trail. The NDA suggests flagging tape or clips, or bits of toilet paper if you want something biodegradable.
- Go slow so you don't disturb the sign. On a tough trail, the NDA suggests one person stands on the last blood while others search ahead.
- Record your path. The NDA suggests the tracking mode in onX Hunt and a waypoint at good blood. See how to use onX Hunt.
- If you shine eyes, back out quietly. The NDA says the deer will likely expire there.
- Look beyond the ground. MeatEater says lung-hit deer often leave blood on vegetation and trees around waist height.
- If you jump the deer, stop. The NDA says a deer that gets up again was probably hit somewhere other than you thought. Back out right away, assume a gut hit needing 10 to 12 hours, and subtract the time already passed.
Where wounded deer go
From the NDA:
- Wounded deer do go uphill. They head for cover they feel secure in.
- A double-lung-hit deer can sometimes go up to 200 yards.
- Gut-shot deer may go to water, often by a roundabout route through heavy cover.
- In the rut, a hit deer may travel much farther to reach preferred cover.
When the trail runs out
For a gut-shot deer, the NDA says go the way you last saw it, since it's often not far ahead. Then try a blood tracker with a dog, or do a grid search around the last blood. The Southern Outdoorsmen podcast episode 635, "Blood Trailing Misconceptions with Shane Simpson," covers signs of a non-lethal hit and how tracking dogs work, per its show notes. Check your state's rules on tracking dogs before you call one.
What to carry for recovery
My pack always has game bags, a deer head puller and a gutting knife. I drag with a Vecacosic deer drag strap and harness. For how drags compare, see deer drag harness vs sled vs cart. For the full carry list, see what's in my pack.
Other good options
- A dedicated tracking light. See blood trailing lights compared.
- Better shots, shorter trails. Shot angle from height changes what you hit. See saddle shot angles and broadheads, fixed vs mechanical.
Questions hunters ask
Should I track a lung-shot deer right away? The NDA says for archery, wait 15 to 30 minutes for heart or lung hits.
No blood at the hit site? Use the deer's reaction and your arrow, and look at the line the deer ran. If you're unsure, the NDA's advice to back out and give time applies.
Is dark blood always liver? No. The NDA says dark blood is usually liver or guts, and American Hunter says the two often mix depending on the shot angle.
Sources
- National Deer Association, "You Just Shot a Deer. Here's How to Find It.": https://deerassociation.com/watch-you-just-shot-a-deer-heres-how-to-find-it/
- MeatEater Wired to Hunt, "How Long Should You Wait to Blood Trail a Deer?": https://www.themeateater.com/wired-to-hunt/whitetail-hunting/how-long-should-you-wait-to-blood-trail-a-deer
- American Hunter, "You Shot a Deer: Now What?": https://www.americanhunter.org/content/you-shot-a-deer-now-what/
- Southern Outdoorsmen podcast, episode 635, "Blood Trailing Misconceptions with Shane Simpson": https://open.spotify.com/episode/6AFVEu02Fu9Voh6E3Kv6tP