blood- Video

From the Publishers of traıling Calling Back Buck After Miss Montana Scapula Shot whıtetails Features 42 The Science of Spoilage 2 Deer Blood! The key to obtaining top-quality venison starts Nothing stirs a hunter’s soul quite like the sight the very moment you pull the trigger or release of splashes of crimson on the forest fl oor. an arrow. Close Bow Shot on Rutting Buck New Hunter Shoots Buck in Brush 6 20 Blood-Trailing Tips 46 Where Does the Buck Stop? Did you make a good shot? Great! Now be sure A closer look at the legal rights involved when you close the deal with a successful trailing job. two hunters shoot the same deer. 9 Arrow Analysis How you decipher the evidence after the shot Resources greatly affects your blood-trailing success rate. 49 Vital Analysis 55 On the Trail 13 The First 50 yards The shot might seem perfect, but you can still 50 Shot Placement 56 Deer Are Built to Survive lose that deer if you’re not careful. 51 Complete Anatomy 57 Deer Aging by Double-Lung Shot with Crossbow Texas Rifl e Hunt with Dan Schmidt 17 3 Tough Acts to Follow 52 Skeleton A hit in the vitals will take a buck down, but Teeth 53 Circulatory Searchable PDF fi les are viewable in Adobe Reader. what about hits that are not immediately fatal? 58 Field Dressing Download for free at http://get.adobe.com/reader 54 Organs Videos viewable in QuickTime. 21 Solo Blood-Trailing 59 Hair ID Download for free at http://www.apple.com/quicktime The shot might seem perfect, but you can still lose that deer if you’re not careful. BLOOD-TRACKING WHITETAILS is presented 25 The One-Lung Shot by Deer & Deer Hunting©. Copyright 2011 by How to make the best of a tricky situation. F+W Media Inc. All rights reserved. 28 Dead-Space Debacle CONTRIBUTORS: Dr. Phillip Bishop, Bill It’s time to once and for all crush one of Vaznis, John Trout Jr., Dr. Tim L. Lewis, John T. Trout, Daniel E. Schmidt, Jacob Edson, bowhunting’s biggest myths. Al West, Dustin Reid, Chris Hermans, Tyler 34 The Femoral Artery Dallmann, Ben Sobieck Deadly shot choice ... or blatantly irresponsible? Deer & Deer Hunting© and its logo are reg- istered trademarks. Other names and logos 38 Brisket..Why Risk It? referred to or displayed in the content of this A closer look at the shot that leaves very little disc may be trademarked or copyright. room for error. To order additional copies of this disc, call (800) 258-0929, or visit www.deeranddeerhunting.com.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 1 DEER BLOOD! Nothing stirs a hunter’s soul quite like the sight of splashes of crimson on the forest floor. by Dr. Phillip Bishop

ONE OF THE BEST DEER I HAVE got off a good shot, and the deer EVER SEEN came into view about immediately disappeared into noon that day. I was hunting a the saplings, briars and assorted very thick creek bottom on the tangle. Oakmulgee Wildlife Management After a suitable waiting period, Area, a public hunting area near I maneuvered down the tree and my home in west Alabama. slipped quietly over to the spot As I discovered later, the deer where he had stood. I only had to was literally belly-crawling from search a moment or two and there the creek to a nearby cutover it was, a small puddle of bright whose brush stood over head-high blood with just a few deer hairs and was almost impenetrable. scattered about. Just before the deer stepped into The mere sight of deer blood the cutover, he stood for just stirs something primal within me. a moment on a small hillock. I love to see a deer fall as soon as Fortunately for me, that put him I shoot, but when that doesn’t broadside about 35 yards from happen I’m usually not too disap- my portable tree stand. I quickly pointed. There’s something special

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 2 DEER BLOOD!

about locating deer blood, and I we harvest with a bullet, succumbs admit that my heart beats faster to blood loss. And, except for rare Blood’s primary when I am trying to piece together instances and very good snow, function is the puzzle of blood drops that almost every deer we track is be- will lead me to the treasure of the cause of the blood trail they leave transporting oxygen greatest trophy in North America, a behind. mature whitetail. In early Jewish Scripture, blood is that permits energy Practically every deer we kill with accurately identifi ed as the basis for production that an arrow, and the majority of those life. And this is clearly true for all but the simplest animals. Indeed, sustains life. A Cherokee Myth “the life is in the blood,” (Leviticus One day Kanati The Hunter brought home boys could push the rock back over the cave 17:11, 14). gives blood its magical abilities. a deer for his wife, Cornwoman, to skin and mouth, out ran not only deer after deer, but Hemoglobin is a protein composed cook. His wife was about to birth their first also bears, panthers, rabbits, wolves and Carrying Oxygen of thousands of carbon, hydrogen, child. As Cornwoman washed the blood out raccoons until finally even the mice ran out. Deer blood is indeed fascinating. oxygen and nitrogen atoms, and of the meat, a wild boy grew from a clot of Kanati, the keeper of the animals in the We tend to think of blood as a dor- just four little iron atoms. What’s deer blood and, at the same time, she gave cave, heard the sound of all the hooves, mant fl uid, like water, when really interesting about these iron-bear- birth to her own son, Younger Brother. paws and feet pounding the earth as the it is living tissue — just like muscle. ing proteins is that they have a Wild Boy had magical powers, and Younger animals ran out of the cave. Kanati ran to In fact, a principle role of blood is particular changeable shape. This Brother was strong and brave. Kanati killed the cave mouth where he found Wild Boy to help keep all other tissue alive. changing shape gives the hemoglo- many deer, and the boys wanted to find out and Younger Brother, heads hung in shame. Blood’s primary function is trans- bin protein its properties. where their father found so many deer. Wild Kanati said nothing to them but went inside porting oxygen that permits energy When there’s a lot of oxygen Boy was curious also about his deer-blood the cave and kicked over the containers full production that sustains life. available, the protein shape is ancestors. of bees, wasps, fleas and ants who swarmed Sounds simple doesn’t it? But such that it sucks up oxygen very The boys tried to follow their father on his out stinging and biting the boys. bear in mind that blood must easily. This is what happens when deer hunts, but he would never let them. One When the insects had gone, Kanati told be able to pick up oxygen at the the blood comes in contact with day, Wild Boy used his magic to become a his sons, "Until now, our life has been good. appropriate location, travel in a the high oxygen concentration fluff of bird down and rode along on Kanati’s I came to this cave and got deer for us to network of pipes (blood vessels) to in the deer’s lung. But when the shoulder without his father knowing. He saw eat. Now all the animals are gone. We will tissues needing oxygen, and upon oxygen level falls, as it does in the Kanati go up to the sacred mountains to a have to hunt hard for the rest of our lives. arrival, the blood must release the leg muscles of a running deer, the cave covered by a stone. Kanati pulled the We will have to wander the forest to hunt oxygen so it can be utilized. The shape of the protein changes and stone off, and out ran a deer. Kanati closed game. Some days we will go hungry. This blood delivery system is incredibly oxygen is released. the cave, hunted and killed the deer. Wild Boy is because you thought only of yourselves. effective in achieving this. Amaz- The amount of change in the saw everything and hurried to tell Younger From now on, you must always be careful ingly, blood was doing a near- protein shape depends on how Brother. when you deal with nature. Before you act in perfect job of pickup and delivery much oxygen is present. If the deer The next day, the two boys went to the the forest you must always give thought." thousands of years before Federal is quietly walking along feeding, cave. From the cave mouth, they heard the And so to this day, hunting has been hard Express or the United Parcel Service muscles and tissues don’t need sounds of every kind of animal. The two boys work and required the Cherokee to have computerized their services. much oxygen, so the hemoglobin couldn’t resist opening the cave to let out great skill. A key component of deer blood doesn’t release much. If the deer one animal to hunt. They pushed and grunted is hemoglobin contained inside is running for its life, the oxygen and finally moved the rock away. Before the — Phillip Bishop each red blood cell. Hemoglobin levels in the muscles are very low

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 3 DEER BLOOD! because oxygen is used up in pro- When we track wounded deer, we successful in fi ghting off bacteria ducing the large amount of energy most commonly look for the red and viruses that must be defeated needed for running. part of the blood, which carries ox- and expelled. Low oxygen levels cause all the ygen. However, the straw-colored oxygen to be released from the blood plasma accounts for most of Blood Pressure blood to the muscles. It works the water, proteins, as well as the The buck I was trailing was perfectly even when oxygen needs clotting factors needed to stop the leaving a pretty good amount of increase or decrease. I fi nd all of fl ow of blood when the circulatory blood, but it wasn’t the best deer this absolutely amazing, as do most system is damaged. blood trail I have followed. One of my deer hunting buddies. of the best deer I have ever shot Almost every cell I accidentally drilled through Carrying Other Things the center of both hams with a I wasn’t thinking of all this at the in the deer’s body 12-gauge slug. The high blood time I was searching for blood after depends on a regular pressure caused blood to spray Warm-Weather shooting at that buck. I knew the out both sides, leaving a trail that Blood Trailing more blood, the better my chances supply of blood to must have been almost 6 feet of fi nding that deer. That’s in part wide. That’s because the volume Down in the Deep South where I hunt, because in addition to oxygen, bring in nutrients and pressure of blood fl ow to that skinning and butchering early season deer blood carries everything else the deer’s back legs was very high. can be annoying. This is because the deer deer needs. and take away waste Blood fl ow to different parts of carcass draws swarms of flies and yellow- The deer’s blood circulates and heat. the deer is well regulated. When jacket wasps. I recently read a story about a through its stomach and intestines the deer is at rest, it needs large guy who shot a deer early in the season when where it picks up water, fatty acids, This clotting system is another portions of its blood fl owing to its flies and yellow-jackets were still active. proteins, and carbohydrates as well important and complex system. brain, stomach, intestines, kid- The hunter found the spot where the buck as vitamins and minerals necessary The blood must clot to avoid neys and liver. Only a had stood when he shot. He for the deer’s good health. Blood excess blood loss from a small relatively small portion began carefully trailing the transports these materials through scratch. On the other hand, if of the blood is needed deer. At first he followed the the kidneys and liver where the the blood clots in the circulation by resting muscles. tracks in the sand, only find- blood’s contents are regulated to the clot may shut down a major In fact, most of the ing a little blood. Then, as control body water by the kidneys section of the lung and kill the muscle’s smallest ves- often happens, the tracks — and, in the case of the liver, deer. A clot in the heart could do sels, the capillaries, are and blood became more blood sugar and toxins. the same, and a clot in the brain collapsed at any one and more difficult to follow, Blood also carries heat from would produce a stroke. So, the moment when the deer until ultimately he lost the the deer’s muscles to its nose and blood must not clot … except is resting. trail. Then he heard the mouth, where evaporation cools when it needs to do so, and what’s When the deer needs buzzing of flies on tiny drops the blood, which in turn circulates more, it must be able to tell the to run, the byproducts of blood. He moved along to cool the body from the inside. difference between the two condi- of the muscles produc- the faint blood trail using the Indeed, almost every cell in the tions. The white blood cells and ing energy causes the buzzing of the flies to lead deer’s body depends on a regular other immune system components active muscle’s blood vessels to him to the next blood drops. Thanks to the supply of blood to bring in nutri- of the blood circulate to the site of get bigger. Those small vessels flies, he was able to find his buck. ents and take away waste and heat. infections where they are usually enlarge so more blood can fl ow to — Phillip Bishop

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 4 DEER BLOOD!

the muscles. The deer’s muscles Mortal Combat side of the heart that pumps to the actually get bigger because of the As I tracked the big deer, I was entire body but lower on the side increased blood fl ow which allows hoping my bullet would overcome just pumping to the lungs. the muscles to receive the extra the deer’s very well-designed blood Remember, higher blood pressure oxygen and sugar (for energy) the circulatory system. The deer was means faster blood loss. However, muscles will need to escape the trying to maintain blood fl ow lung shots are usually preferred predator. against all challenges. I was hoping since they provide a much larger At the same time that these to have cut a major blood vessel target than the deer’s heart and its blood vessels are enlarging, hor- on the high-pressure side of the major vessels. mones cause the deer’s heart to system. I also hoped I had cut a big contract more forcefully. The hole, because if the hole is larger To Kill a Deer stronger heart contractions cause and if the pressure is higher, then Most of us have spent a large part higher blood pressure which also sealing the hole would be much of our hunting lives learning how increases the total blood fl ow to more diffi cult for the deer. to shoot deer in such a way so as to keep the brain and other vital This is the reason I want my drop them in their tracks. In fact, organs supplied with needed oxy- broad-heads to be very sharp when it is the ethical duty of all hunt- gen while allowing the muscles to I’m bow-hunting. Dull broadheads ers to kill animals as quickly and receive much more blood to meet cause more damage to the blood humanely as possible. But, when their much increased needs. This vessels, releasing more clotting things don’t go as planned, we can higher blood pressure gives the factors to clot the blood and seal devote ourselves to trailing and to deer’s muscles more blood, and the hole. Very sharp broad-heads retrieving our whitetails. gives us a better blood trail. cut more cleanly with less release After a short and exciting blood of clotting factors. You might have trailing job, I found that monster Parasites in Blood noticed that when you cut yourself buck. His rack now hangs proudly Because deer blood is a rich source of not produce symptoms in healthy animals but with a sharp razor blade, it takes in my offi ce and evokes special nutrients, it is a good environment for many usually less than 1 percent of deer have the a long time for that nick to clot. memories every time I look at it. parasites. Below are three parasites occa- parasite. Sharp broadheads cause slower And, if my heart beats a little sionally found in deer blood. Note that two of 3. Babesia odocoilei. This is another clotting and more blood loss and a quicker the next time I see splashes these are acquired from ticks. single-celled parasite that infests red blood quicker, more humane kill. of crimson on the forest fl oor, 1. Trypansoma cervi. This is a leaf-like cells of deer. Infection is brought by the deer When I pulled the trigger, my maybe it’s partly because I have single-cell parasite that can be found in the (black-legged) tick. Again, this parasite does sights were on the deer’s lungs. The some idea of just how magical deer liquid portion of deer blood. This parasite not appear to be harmful to healthy animals. entire blood volume of the deer blood really is. is not considered harmful to deer. It is only None of these blood parasites are danger- passes through its lungs to pick up occasionally found, and is probably transmit- ous to humans, but the deer tick can transmit oxygen. A bullet or arrow hitting — Dr. Phillip Bishop is a univer- ted by horseflies. Lyme disease, so be careful whenever ticks the lungs causes the deer to bleed sity professor, former NASA research 2. Theileria cervi. This is another single- are active. Deer are hosts to additional para- out pretty quickly. scientist and an avid white-tailed deer celled parasite found in the red blood cells sites including mites, ticks, lice and wingless A shot to the heart or to any hunter from Alabama. of white-tailed deer. It is transmitted via the flies that live on their skin. Few of these offer major blood vessel leaving the left Lone Star tick. The ticks pick up the parasite any risk to hunters and none are known to side of the heart is even better than from infected deer and then pass it to other survive thorough cooking. a shot to the lungs. This is because deer. Deer infection is permanent, and does — Phillip Bishop the blood pressure is higher on the

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 5 20 BLOOD- TRAILING TIPS Did you make a good shot? Great! Now be sure you close the deal with a successful trailing job. by Bill Vaznis

I carry orange surveyor’s If you prefer dark fl etch- tape, a fl ashlight and com- ings, like I do, consider 1pass afi eld, but I also keep 2 attaching fl uorescent nocks a gas lantern, a second larger to your arrows. They can help you fl ashlight with an extra bulb and determine the path of the arrow, batteries, a cell phone, topo map, helping you see the entry point dry clothing, and rain gear in my if you have a hit or marking the truck should I need it. A couple of arrow’s path past the deer if you whistles, a pair of walkie-talkies miss. They are also helpful when (where legal) and a GPS unit could you are trying to fi nd your arrow also come in useful. buried in the leaves.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 6 20 BLOOD-TRAILING TIPS

Tan a deer hide and study or discolored hide, sprays of wet enough to fi nd as it is. Markers the position of the vari- blood, or an unusual gait. such as this will also help you 3 ous types of hair during remember where you last saw the the off-season. This will help you Listen intently for any un- deer. determine where the arrow entered usual sounds. I once heard the deer as well as where it exited. 6 an aluminum arrow shaft One thing you don’t want Hairs that are half black and half go “tic-tic-tic” as the buck I had to do is yell, cheer or call gray with a black tip may lead you shot bolted through some brush. 8 your friends on your cell to believe you hit high on the back, Not only did this outline the phone after the shot. The deer indicating a possible heart/lung buck’s death route, but it also told may not have associated the hit hit if you were hunting from a tree me how far the buck ran before he with a human being and may stand. But curly, white guard hairs keeled over. Keep listening for at soon lie down. However, your will tell you it exited near the groin least 20 minutes. A liver-shot deer voice may force him deeper into region, indicating that you may be may lie down immediately, but the woods. dealing with a paunch-shot animal. then get up and move 15 minutes Even if you are sure the Too often, bowhunters want to get a gang deer is dead, wait 20 to 9 30 minutes before trail- of friends and go right after the deer. But ing. This will give you time to calm down and better assess the tracking your buck slowly — and alone — will hit. More than one “dead” deer keep you in control of the situation, giving has gotten up and run off when trailed too soon. you a better feel for what is really going on. Too often, bowhunt- later. Depending on the condi- ers want to get a gang Know where the vitals are. tions, you might just hear him 10 of friends and go right I once had an acquaintance walking. after the deer. But tracking your 4 tell me he shot a buck buck slowly — and alone — will through one kidney, the liver, If you shot the buck from keep you in control of the situa- both lungs and the heart with a the ground, mark your tion, giving you a better feel for single arrow. He couldn’t tell me, 7 exact location with a large what is really going on. however, why his “perfectly” shot strip of surveyor’s tape before you deer traveled over a mile before move anywhere. If you were hunt- Study blood drops and expiring! ing from a tree, shoot another droplets carefully; they arrow into the ground.Why? You 11 can indicate the deer’s Keep your eyes open! You may need to return to that spot exit trail. Generally, blood splat- might very well see the deer later to help you determine where ters act like fi ngers pointing out 5 drop or change course as he the deer was standing when you the direction of travel. Splatters tries to make his escape. Look for shot. Indeed, bits of bone and that circle a blood drop indi- evidence of a hit, such as a scruffy a few strands of hair are hard cate the deer was standing still,

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 7 20 BLOOD-TRAILING TIPS perhaps checking his back trail. trailing a wounded deer. If you get the blood trailing job. Generally, bubbly blood is a lung down on your hands and knees, hit, bright-red blood is a muscle you can often view the hoof If you believe the deer is hit, and dark-red blood is a liver, prints of an escaping deer. This hit in the paunch, wait paunch or heart hit. can be an important asset in the 18 at least 12 hours (18 absence of blood. hours, if you can stand it, is even Don’t rely on the better). The blood can be exten- blood’s color as the As you move about, do sive at fi rst, but then diminish to 12 only clue to shot place- not disturb the blood just specks. If you watch the deer ment. If your arrow obviously 15 trail, even if you are bed down, do not leave and keep went low and hit the brisket, tracking on snow. You may have a safe distance. Paunch-shot deer you will fi nd tallow on the arrow to re-examine the trail later. More are known to get up after fi ve or six shaft. If it penetrated the body than one buck has turned 180 hours and wander for several-hun- cavity, there will also be copious degrees and back-tracked several dred yards before lying down again. amounts of bright-red blood. If yards before continuing in a dif- your shot went wide and hit the ferent direction. A deer that is double-lung hit should paunch, the arrow will smell like feces. The amount of red blood If you must seek help, travel less than 200 yards before from a muscle hit, although en- remember any more expiring. Any further and it probably couraging at fi rst, will generally 16 than three is a crowd. peter out within 200 yards if not Do not talk: Use hand signals and, was not hit in both lungs. actively pursued. if necessary, fl ashlights to com- If you believe the If you believe the deer is hit in the liver, back deer is hit in the liver, 19 back off and wait at off and wait at least four to six hours. The least four to six hours. The No. 1 reason lethally shot deer are lost No. 1 reason lethally shot deer are lost is that is that they are pushed off their they are pushed off their death beds. death beds. Use other animals. A deer that is double- municate. Also, don’t give up the Crows, jays and squir- lung hit should travel trail unless you are physically 20 rels are often attracted 13 less than 200 yards exhausted. Get on your hands and to a deer carcass. I once located a before expiring. Any further and knees if need be, and continue to dead buck by watching another it probably was not hit in both look for important clues. buck as he stared into a brush pile. lungs. My buck had crawled inside that If you believe the ani- brush pile and died. Blood is not the only mal is mortally wound- sign you should pay 17 ed but still alive, wait 14 attention to when eight to 10 hours before resuming

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 8 ARROW ANALYSIS How you decipher the evidence after the shot greatly affects your blood-trailing success rate. by John Trout Jr.

THEY SAY THAT A PICTURE the arrow but thought the shot TELLS A THOUSAND WORDS. hit a little far forward. I did what Perhaps that is why my mind any bow-hunter should do follow- raced as I examined the back por- ing the shot: I watched the buck’s tion of the broken arrow I found reaction and the precise direction only 20 yards from where the he ran. However, I could not see buck stood as I released the bow- the arrow in the buck and was left string. Nevertheless, in the palm scratching my head. of my hand was the evidence nec- My anxiety continued until I essary to analyze the wound and climbed from the stand and found what lie ahead. the ground scuffed up where he had Thirty minutes earlier, the 9- been standing. I followed his faint point buck had passed in front of hoofprints to the broken arrow. me only 18 yards from my tree My fi rst impression of the arrow stand. I felt confi dent as I released was, “Oh no!”

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 9 ARROW ANALYSIS

You see, I had the fi rst 20 inches Arrow Signifi cance obviously hit something solid. We or so of the feathered end of the The importance of examining a were discouraged, to say the least. arrow. It was cleanly broken away spent arrow cannot be overempha- Nevertheless, we found the buck from the business end, and there sized. First, you can determine the a short time, and distance, later. were only a few specks of blood amount of penetration and sever- The arrow had hit the top of the where the break occurred. Then it ity of the wound. Alternatively, it brisket, just behind the front leg. It hit me. There was nearly 10 inches could help you decide whether to had also penetrated the heart. of arrow missing. That was cer- delay tracking, and the possibility Can we safely assume that if a tainly enough to get the job done of recovering the deer. Third, the deer carries the arrow from the hit ... had my arrow hit home. evidence sometimes provides 100 site that the arrow hit something percent proof of a lethal hit, while solid (like bone)? Absolutely not! Reading the Arrow other times it could still leave you Many arrows that penetrate com- Tracking wounded deer goes far beyond memorize the position of the shaft. Does it speculating. pletely are carried a short distance. your ability to follow a blood trail and read line up with the location where you released Although it’s wonderful to locate Last year, my wife Vikki shot a sign along the ground. Blood color and hair the arrow? Did it pass through debris after your arrow at the point of impact, respectable 8-pointer. She saw the on the arrow shaft could provide clues as to hitting the deer that might have cleaned the this does not always happen. arrow bury to the fl etching as the where your arrow hit. arrow of vital evidence? Is there any angle to I have been involved in many buck departed. We tracked the deer Here are some points to consider: the arrow that could indicate that it hit the tracking endeavors that contin- about 125 yards and found him. 1. The color of blood can vary from bright deer? If you notice scuffed up marks on the ued only until I located the arrow. There was no arrow nearby. Thus, to dark. The darker the blood, the more ground, note the distance from the deer’s Then, for one reason or another, we backtracked and soon discov- likely it is that your arrow passed through the tracks to the business end of the arrow. This the tracking continues, or is put on ered the arrow about 40 yards from abdomen of the deer, hitting the stomach, could help you determine if your shot was hold. If I do not locate the arrow where she shot him. intestines or liver. Hit to the lungs and heart, high or low. where the deer was shot, I expect A deer will often carry an arrow as well as muscle, typically result in brighter- 5. When you retrieve an arrow, pick it up at to fi nd it somewhere along the that penetrates completely, but sel- red blood. the nock end of the shaft. Avoid grasping the trail. Regardless of where and when dom for a long distance. Typically, 2. Hair could be found along the shaft from shaft with your hand since this could wipe off the arrow is found, however, it calls it will come out — broadhead fi rst the nock to the broadhead. Hair varies in blood or other matter. In some cases, blood for an immediate inspection. and usually a short distance away length and color from one part of the body to or tissue might be found only on one side if it did not lodge in bone and/or another. White curly hair could indicate a low of the arrow shaft, which could indicate a Distance Traveled heavy muscle. Naturally, if a deer abdomen wound. However, gray and brown graze. Consider a buck a friend of mine bolts and then walks away, an ar- hair is most difficult to determine where it 6. Inspecting the arrow is more effective shot a few years ago as it quartered row that completely passes through came from. One rule of thumb is the dark under bright sunlight. If that is not available, away. My friend had no idea where might not fall out as quickly. hair near the top of a deer’s back is about take it to your vehicle or home and use a the arrow hit the deer. Blood was Although I missed the arrow as I 2 inches long and longer than hair along the light to examine it carefully. If you detect found near the shot site, and we tracked Vikki’s deer, that is not un- ribs. something but are unsure, get another opin- tracked the animal quietly and pa- common. When tracking, our eyes 3. Identifying hair and blood color is most ion. One person could notice something that tiently until we located the arrow focus on the blood trail and often beneficial to determine when to start track- another does not. about 50 yards away. miss an arrow lying off to the side. ing. If this evidence points to an abdomen 7. Give it the sniff test. If it smells rank, The shaft and broadhead were wound, I will wait several hours before tack- chances are you are dealing with some type intact, lying atop some brush. Determining Penetration ing up the trail. of intestinal and/or paunch wound. Blood indicated it had penetrated Determining the amount of 4. Before picking up a spent arrow, first — John Trout Jr. only about 4 inches. The arrow had penetration is vital information for

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 10 ARROW ANALYSIS tracking the animal. Fortunately, reach organs that would allow you The calculation is simple. You the evidence is pretty straight- to recover the animal, providing of measure the amount of arrow forward. If the blood surrounds course you track the deer properly. (nock end) you fi nd and deduct the arrow shaft from the nock to Whether or not an arrow passes this from the total length of your the broadhead, it has penetrated through completely, it’s important arrow. The difference totally. If blood surrounds the shaft to note the distance an arrow is determines the amount 6 inches above the broadhead, you carried. Muscle and bone will often of penetration. Arrows can assume that much penetration. retain the arrow, sometimes for a seldom make an exit Blood could surround the shaft at considerable distance. However, hole and then break off one point, with splatters of blood these wounds could result in a at the broadhead end of found closer to the nock end of the broken or bent arrow and provide the shaft. Once a broad- arrow. However, blood specks do conclusive evidence that is neces- head passes through not indicate a pass through. They sary as the tracking continues. bone, muscle or organs, only provide proof that droplets it leaves a large enough of blood reached the nock end of Bends & Breaks opening for the arrow to the arrow, usually caused as a deer While any wood, carbon or alu- slip out without break- runs. The amount of penetration minum shaft could break, alumi- ing. remains at the point where the num shafts are often bent when Arrow bends could blood surrounds the shaft. they’re found away from the hit work differently. Before Exceptions do occur, however. site. However, each tells a story at switching to carbon shafts last year, Blood isn’t the only substance One is when the arrow passes the damage point and helps you to I shot aluminum arrows. I have a you can find on a spent through the abdomen. Abdomen determine the amount of penetra- collection of bent aluminum shafts arrow. Look for tallow or dark shots often usually result in less tion. that passed through deer. Some particles, which can explain blood and more tissue on the arrow Cleanly broken arrows usually shafts are bent halfway, some near what your arrow came into shaft. indicate penetration up to where the nock end and some near the contact with as it entered or Another example could be debris the shaft broke. It’s also true that broadhead. A bend occurs the same exited the deer. that an arrow hits after it passes the arrow has probably lodged way as a broken shaft, if the arrow through the deer. Foliage could in something solid. If you fi nd bumps against something solid as a wipe an arrow and remove some a piece of the broken shaft, it is deer leaves the scene. blood, making it more diffi cult to usually the nock end of the arrow. However, an aluminum shaft determine the amount of penetra- For instance, an arrow could enter could penetrate entirely, yet bend tion. high in the back with the broad- at the entrance or exit hole, de- Veteran bow-hunters are aware head burying into loin and bone. pending on how much shaft is that it does not take a pass-through The shaft is broken if it encounters exposed on either side. Therefore, to recover a deer. Most adult deer a tree or other debris as the deer you can assume that if you fi nd a are about 14 inches wide at the runs. The same theory applies if bent arrow as you track a deer, it shoulders, give or take a couple of the arrow hits the shoulder, neck will probably be surrounded with inches. Therefore, less penetration or hip. This could occur moments blood from end-to-end and will is enough to take out both lungs. after the deer is hit, or much later. have completely penetrated. More- Equally important is the abdomen. The arrow usually breaks just under over, if you fi nd a bent arrow along You need very little penetration to the hide at the entrance hole. the trail and before the deer has

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 11 ARROW ANALYSIS

gone down, it will have dropped Dark particles on an arrow shaft of his shot, but his determination out the exit hole. could indicate that the arrow to be certain of a hit or miss was Although examining the loca- passed through stomach or intes- extraordinary. tion of a bend or break is benefi cial tines. These specks are contents Keep in mind, arrows with tallow for determining penetration, don’t from the stomach and intestines, and dark particles could also pass overlook a close examination of and could appear dark green, brown through vitals. For instance, an ar- any portion of the arrow since it or black. Moreover, like tallow, the row could enter a vital area and exit could provide evidence of where particles could be lumpy along the where tallow is present, or through and what it hit. arrow shaft. A section of arrow that the abdomen and pick up dark par- Blood is not the only feels gritty could mean it passed ticles. Quartering shots, as well as Tallow & through stomach or intestines. tree stand height might affect the substance you could fi nd Dark Specks Several years ago, my dad shot angle of the arrow. It’s also true that on a spent arrow shaft. You Blood is not the only at a small buck and assumed he an arrow could be cleaned of some substance you could fi nd shot low and missed. He retrieved blood and telltale evidence when it also could locate tallow or on a spent arrow shaft. the clean arrow that was stuck in passes through a tallowy area. You also could locate tal- the ground and placed it back into dark particles, and each low or dark particles, and his bow quiver. After climbing Closure could explain what your each could explain what back into his tree stand, he took As for the buck mentioned at your arrow came into another look. He found no blood the beginning of this story, he arrow came into contact contact with as it entered but did notice a few dark specks a was found 100 yards from where or exited the deer. few inches above the broadhead. I made the shot. The arrow had with as it entered or exited Tallow is a white sub- The plastic vanes were clean, as was hit forward, breaking the scapula the deer. stance that is not easily the remaining portion of the arrow on the left side and penetrating noticed. In fact, I have shaft. just enough to pass through the often discovered it on an arrow Moments later, he climbed down lungs. Upon fi eld dressing the deer, only after running my fi ngers gen- and went back to the scene. On the I found that the small broadhead tly along the shaft. It is somewhat ground, he found several white bel- portion of the shaft had lodged gummy to touch. Sometimes you ly hairs. Assuming he might have in the shoulder on the right side. can see tallow sticking up off the hit the deer a little too far back and Nevertheless, I felt confi dent as I shaft if you inspect it closely. considerably low, he quietly left tracked the animal because I had Tallow is found at several loca- the scene. pragmatically analyzed the arrow. tions in the deer’s cartilage and I returned with him the fol- bones. It readily appears on the lowing morning. About 40 yards — John Trout Jr. is an expert blood arrow shaft if it hits near the top from where he shot the deer, we trailer from Illinois. He has authored of the back, or along the sternum found the fi rst drop of blood. Then many articles on the topic and the (brisket) at the bottom of the rib another and another. We recov- critically acclaimed book, Finding cage. When an arrow shaft breaks, ered the buck less than 150 yards Wounded Deer. tallow could be found at the from where he shot the deer. Upon precise location of the break, even inspection, we saw the arrow had though this portion did not pass only sliced the bottom of the deer through the deer. and the paunch. He was not proud

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 12 THE FIRST 50 YARDS The shot might seem perfect, but you can still lose that deer if you’re not careful. by Bill Vaznis

OVER THE YEARS, I’ve expe- hours of trailing to determine rienced some mind-boggling what kind of wound you are deal- blood-trailing endeavors. Some ing with. An observant hunter can have lasted for hours and a few learn everything he needs to know carried on for days. Fortunately, a short distance ahead, such as those episodes have been few and how long to wait before he begins far between. In fact, I’ve found the tracking, and precisely where the positive proof of what lies ahead deer was hit. in most blood trails is usually However, before getting into found within the fi rst 50 yards of obvious blood-trailing clues that where the deer was shot. will assist you most, let’s fi rst take You see, seldom does it require a look at the most palpable clue: a lengthy blood trail and several the one that follows the shot.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 13 THE FIRST 50 YARDS

Deer Reactions hits), it diminishes the possibility You must pay close attention to Because seeing is believing, we of seeing exactly where the arrow the direction the deer travels — can’t help but watch intently the hits. Therefore, we can only assume even if you suspect a miss. I have moment we release an arrow. More- as to where the arrow hit the deer. assisted in tracking many wounded over, what we see can provide evi- We are often correct, but it only deer only to fi nd it took an hour to dence of a hit, miss, or the precise takes an inch to turn a great day fi nd blood simply because we were spot where we hit the deer. into one you’ll never forget. not looking in the right direction. Every time I release an arrow at a Most deer typically respond to The longer it takes to decipher deer, I hope to see three things: being shot. There are exceptions, the clues of the fi rst 50 yards, the 1. The precise spot the arrow hits. such as when my son John once more disturbances you create. If 2. The deer’s reaction to the shot. shot a mature doe that merely ran you can choose a landmark, per- 3. The exact trail (or area) the a short distance, stopped, looked haps a certain tree the deer runs by, deer travels as it fl ees. back and snorted. She then fell you are sure to be closer to fi nding It’s often diffi cult to witness all over dead. The arrow had passed blood at the onset. three, especially No. 1. If we follow through both lungs. through on the shot (the process of That was the exception and not First Blood continuing to aim until the arrow the rule. Most deer will fl inch or Blood is usually found within jump when hit with an arrow. the fi rst 50 yards of where a deer is Some will tear off at supersonic shot. Even if you don’t locate it un- On-the-Spot Analysis speed, while others might casually til farther away, you can usually bet Blood is not the only sign that indicates where you have hit a deer. When bow-hunting, your lope off as if to say, “All is well.” that blood did reach the ground arrow is often the best clue you need to decide if you should begin or delay tracking. Some hunters believe that the before the deer traveled very far. A pass-through arrow is usually found 2 to 3 feet behind the location where the deer stood harder a deer is hit, the more However, how quickly a deer bleeds when you shot. Arrows that stick in the ground can provide proof that you passed through the reaction it will display. Nothing externally, and how quickly you heart and lungs, or abdomen. Rib bones typically break easily, but if the arrow hits bone or could be further from the truth. fi nd blood, can help you determine thick muscle, it could be carried a few yards, or much farther, before breaking off or falling I’ve watched deer with superfi cial where you hit the deer. to the ground. wounds, primarily those hit in I usually start looking where Arrows should be examined thoroughly before stuffing them back into the quiver. Dark-red muscle and/or bone, tear out at the deer stood upon release of the blood — and sometimes specks of organ tissue — are found on arrows that passed through break-neck speed, just as others arrow. Seldom is blood found in the abdomen. You also might detect an odor on the arrow. If the arrow passed through the do when shot through both lungs. that location, but it does happen. “boiler room,” it will usually be coated with bright-red blood. A damaged arrow or broadhead Alternatively, most gut-shot deer, Low hits are usually responsible for usually indicates it hit solid muscle or bone. even though mortally wounded, blood reaching the ground imme- Tallow is a sticky, milky-white substance that may or may not be present on the arrow. seldom run hard. Most leave the diately. Many heart-shot deer bleed Often, it is found mixed with blood on portions of the arrow shaft or fletching. Alternatively, scene slowly, and some appear hun- immediately, but so do deer with sometimes only tallow might be present. It is usually spotty and difficult to notice, appearing kered with legs wide-spread as they low-muscle wounds. as only a light glaze. Tallow is often found on arrows that pass through the brisket, located on walk. Some gut-shot deer also stop The speed in which the deer the bottom of the deer’s chest cavity, or high on the back. An arrow with tallow and little or no and stand within the fi rst 50 yards. leaves the scene will determine blood could indicate a superficial wound. However, always follow up by searching for blood In fact, I’ve often made the decision how quickly you fi nd blood. Most and tracking the deer as far as possible; it is possible for an arrow to wipe almost clean as it to leave the scene and avoid look- lung-shot deer, even those that exits the deer. ing for any blood or my arrow if I react normally to this wound and — John Trout Jr. suspect I hit a deer too far back. run hard, will bleed externally

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 14 THE FIRST 50 YARDS quickly. Blood is usually found and what happens the fi rst 50 within 20 to 30 yards of where yards. There are three primary the deer was shot. Similarly, high blood vessels that can be hit even muscle wounds and artery wounds when vital organs are missed. They result in blood reaching the ground connect with the heart and are within the same distance. found in the neck — under the The exception is the gut-shot spine and in the hips. Wounds deer. Although the precise location to major arteries usually result in of an abdominal wound, such as a blood trail intensifying once it liver, paunch or intestines might begins reaching the ground. deter the time it takes for blood to The blood trail of a lung or heart reach the ground, most bleed ex- shot also intensifi es once it begins. ternally before they travel 50 yards. It might begin a few yards from A liver-hit deer tends to bleed where the shot was taken and grad- externally a little sooner than the ually increase. Again, exceptions stomach wound, while the paunch might apply, such as the angle and wound bleeds a little sooner than height of the shot. Surprisingly, the intestinal wound. However, though, it’s common for the blood primary factors still apply, such as trail of a muscle wound to intensify whether there is complete penetra- as a deer travels. Thus, you could tion, and how low the wound is fi nd the blood trail easier to follow The blood trail of an abdominal located. the farther you travel, which can wound might appear promising for The location of the wound plays easily be confused with the trail of a role in whether or not the blood a vitally wounded deer during the a moment, but it often dissipates trail intensifi es the fi rst 50 yards. fi rst 50 yards. The fact is, a blood trail of a gut- The blood trail of an abdominal quickly. It’s common for tissue to clog shot deer might appear promising wound might appear promising for even a low exit hole when a deer is at fi rst but take a turn for the worse a moment, but it often dissipates long before the tracking ends. quickly. It’s common for tissue to shot through the abdomen. clog even a low exit hole when Quantity of Blood a deer is shot through the abdo- notice to the darkness or lightness Although I’ve discussed how a men. The lower the wound and the of the blood you fi nd, be aware low hit can result in blood reaching slower the deer travels, the better it that color can provide positive the ground immediately, keep in is for the tracker. However, at some evidence. mind it could also produce a larger point the blood trail will usually Different wounds can result in quantity of blood as the deer trav- worsen — or diminish — after the blood of various shades of red. els the fi rst 50 yards. However, keep deer travels 50 yards. Most lung-shot deer leave bright- in mind that some blood trails will red blood, but so do muscle promptly change, depending on Bright vs. Dark Blood wounds. The blood of arteries the precise location of the wound. Although you could have an and heart wounds appear similar, Let’s look at major artery wounds idea of the wound without taking except slightly darker — more of a

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 15 THE FIRST 50 YARDS

crimson, or cherry red. I will read- Dark-red blood is usually an Summary ily admit that highly experienced indication of a gut-shot deer. It’s amazing how much evidence blood-trailers can identify blood It sometimes it is considerably is found within 50 yards of where color with great accuracy, but it’s dark. There is some variation in a deer is shot. A wounded deer can still possible to confuse the colors the blood of a liver, stomach or travel that distance in less time of bright red and cherry red. intestinal-shot deer, but make than it takes you tell about it, yet no mistake that all three wounds it leaves behind positive evidence result in dark red blood. The liver that can help the hunter make pru- is a very dark-red organ. It’s also dent tracking decisions. true that stomach and intestinal What is perhaps most intriguing contents cause the blood to ap- is the fi rst 50 yards provides future pear dark. instructions for the tracker. Yes, Nonetheless, the longer any there are times when I don’t learn blood is on the ground, the darker everything I need to know until I it appears, particularly after it have tracked a deer a considerable dries. Soil and some types of distance. vegetation might also cause blood However, more often than not, to appear darker, which could I’m able to answer the most impor- confuse your attempt to decipher tant questions during the fi rst 50 the wound. However, the blood yards. you fi nd the fi rst 50 yards will Where did I hit the deer? probably not have dried if you are Do I track now, or wait? Hair Identification searching a short time after the What lies ahead? Although many hunters fail to locate deer hair at the location where they shot the deer, it is shot. What are my chances of recov- almost always present. An arrow tipped with a sharp broadhead will not pass through a deer For this reason, I like to evalu- ery? and fail to cut hair. The amount of hair left at the scene depends on the angle of the shot and ate blood not long after the shot. The chance of getting answers to whether the arrow penetrates completely. I’m perfectly happy to wait 20 to any of these questions makes me Hair is most evident at the precise shot location, and it also could indicate where you hit 30 minutes; then quietly ease over treat my approach to the fi rst 50 the deer. If you locate a pass-through arrow, look for hair within a few feet of where you find to the shot location and analyze yards with utmost care. I’m one of the arrow. Look closest for hair where you see scuff marks on the ground (usually obvious) the situation. That is providing I those bow-hunters who prefers to where the deer departed. am not aware of hitting a deer too play it safe rather than ask “what Several inches of hair in a straight line usually provides evidence that an arrow grazed the far back. If I locate dark blood and if” after botching the task at hand. deer, or deflected upon impact. However, when searching for only a few hairs, I suggest you then become aware that I’m cop- do so while on hands and knees. In the upright position, it can be difficult to spot hair. ing with an abdominal wound, — John Trout Jr. is a longtime Long, white, curly hair could indicate your arrow passed through the bottom of the deer’s I promptly and quietly leave the D&DH contributor from Illinois. He belly. Similar hair is found between the deer’s hind legs. Dark hair (usually coarse and black- scene to delay tracking for several is also the author of the critically tipped) could indicate a wound anywhere from the brisket to the spine. However, the longest hours. Most paunch-shot deer acclaimed book Finding Wounded hair typically comes from the brisket, and near the top of the back. Side hair, such as that from will bed if left alone. I also know Deer. the heart and lung area is about ¾-inch shorter than those along the spine and brisket, while that the farther I have to track leg hair is even shorter in length. the animal, the more diffi cult the — John Trout Jr. recovery could become.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 16 3 TOUGH ACTS TO FOLLOW A hit in the vitals will take a buck down, but what about hits that are not immediately fatal? by Bill Vaznis

THE TRACKS IN THE SNOW I thought I was busted, but the TOLD THE STORY. It was a year- little buck stared past me, then ling deer, but I couldn’t tell if it continued to pick his way through was a buck or a doe. The prints the brush along the face of the led along the lee side of a cliff. cliff. The deer was moving slowly, I decided to follow, just to see dragging a rear leg and feeding where he was going, when I no- nonchalantly along the way. The ticed a few red droplets of blood in trail was smoking hot, but I wasn’t his track. Another hunter in camp interested in shooting a yearling had taken a shot at a yearling buck Adirondack deer. Suddenly, a mere a few days earlier, hitting it in the 20 yards away, the 6-pointer raised right rear leg, he thought. He was his head for a casual look around. unable to recover it.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 17 3 TOUGH ACTS TO FOLLOW

Could this be that buck? Sud- Should he stay on the trail or I thought how easy it would be to denly, the wind changed. The buck give up the chase? If the hunter stalk the buck and run him down. smelled me and bolted, but not turns around and goes home, will Then something spooked him. before I saw he wasn’t running the buck survive the season? Will He bounded quickly back to thick normally. I snapped off a shot, it curl up and die in a thicket, days cover. He favored one leg, but he hoping to put the wounded deer later? could still outrun me and any four- down, but the shot only grazed his legged predators with ease. hindquarters. I committed myself A Dose of Reality Does this mean marginally hit to taking the animal if I could and Healthy bucks do not always sur- deer are rarely recoverable? Abso- began pursuing him. The vive marginal hits, but survival is lutely not! Preface OK, you’ll have Blood trailing a marginally trail was easy to follow. possible. Unless the injury has sev- to read a bit longer before I reveal The buck’s leg wound had ered a major blood vessel, muscle my Top 3 list. That’s because any hit deer whose injuries are reopened and was gush- wounds usually heal quickly, al- discussion on blood trailing must not immediately fatal is ing fresh, red blood onto though life-threatening infections begin with what you do right after the new snow. The buck can later set in. you touch off a round or release an often an iffy proposition. never gave up. I fi nally Liver hits are usually fatal, but arrow. Your actions in the next few caught up with him in the animal might take four to eight minutes often determine whether If the blood trail is sparse some thick laurel and hours to succumb to the wound. or not you’ll recover the animal. and disappears after 100 fi nished him off with a Although rare, gut-shot deer some- First, keep an eye on the deer as single shot to the neck. times survive. A deer shot in either it runs for cover. Mark the last spot yards or, worse, seems to Later, I learned that the a front or a rear leg often survives if where you saw the deer before it 6-pointer was, indeed, its territory provides adequate food disappeared from view. Any land- go on for miles and miles, the buck the other hunter and houses few predators. mark, such as a dead tree, a rock or the hunter is forced to had shot earlier in the Every few summers, I stumble a blow-down, will do. Don’t move week. upon a buck or two that survived yet. Listen intently for several more make a decision. The incident served to winter despite a serious wound to minutes. You might hear your deer remind me that not all the leg. They’ll hobble a bit, espe- fall over, change direction or stop shots go as planned. We as hunters cially when feeding, but otherwise running. Mark the last place you need to do everything in our power they appear perfectly healthy. One heard the deer, using a different to locate deer when our aim isn’t of these bucks was a fi ne 2- or 3- landmark. Next, mark the exact perfect. year-old 8-pointer that seemed to location where you took your shot. favor one of his front legs. You will need this location as a Survivor Bucks The bruiser carried about 200 reference point should you have Blood trailing a marginally hit pounds of live weight but, prob- trouble picking up the blood trail deer whose injuries are not imme- ably due to his injury, sported later on. diately fatal is often an iffy propo- a rather odd rack. One side was I use an extra-long swatch of sition. If the blood trail is sparse grotesquely lopsided. His deformed fl uorescent orange surveyor’s tape and disappears after 100 yards or, rack would defi nitely keep him and tie it to a branch or tree trunk worse, seems to go on for miles and out of the record books, but he at eye level. Almost anything will miles, the hunter is forced to make was still a magnifi cent animal. As do, including a handkerchief, a a decision. I watched him feed one evening, strand of toilet paper or an article

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 18 3 TOUGH ACTS TO FOLLOW of clothing. Do not move until you OK, drum roll, please. Here are friend or two to help you in this have marked this point. Before you my nominations for the Top 3 venture. I’ve helped other hunt- run over and look for blood, play worst blood trails in deer hunting. ers recover leg-shot deer simply by the whole shooting incident over in tracking the deer purposefully and your mind a few times. Where was 1. Leg Wounds relentlessly. The task will be easier the deer standing when the gun A deer with a leg wound often, if there is snow on the ground. went off? Where were the cross- but not always, exits the scene with However, without snow, blood and hairs? Were they steady, or did they an unusual gait. You might see scuffed-up leaves should give you a waver? Did you squeeze off a shot, blood on its leg, or you might see good idea of the buck’s immediate or did you jerk the trigger? What the deer hop, skip or leap forward whereabouts. was the deer’s reaction? Did it fl ee as it attempts to escape. You might Members of the tracking party as if you missed it cleanly? Did it even see the wounded leg fl opping should agree beforehand that kick up its feet like a mule? Did it back and forth. You should also see anyone in the party who fi nds the hunch its back? Did it run close to plenty of bright red blood on one the ground? Did you see where the side of the trail, at least initially. bullet struck the animal? Did you If you follow the trail long The 3 Worst Blood see a tuft of hair explode from its enough, you will fi nd where Trails in Deer Hunting hide? If it is raining, did you see the deer has bedded and see water spray off its hide? Did you more blood in the bed. hear the bullet strike something Many of us were hard, like bone? Did the deer slow taught to sit down down before it ran out of sight? and wait about a half It’s time to examine the place the hour, by which time a deer was standing when you shot. leg-shot deer would either bleed If there is snow on the ground, to death or “stiffen up” so the blood, hair, bits of bone and tracks hunter can easily approach for the should be easy to fi nd. If not, you fi nal blow. We now know these might have to get down on your are myths. When a hunter leaves hands and knees, then examine the a leg-shot deer alone, the deer will site very carefully. Mark each bit indeed bed, but it usually will not Liver Hit of sign with orange fl agging tape bleed to death. Instead, the wound as you go along. This will help you clots, and if the deer is not dis- Paunch Hit determine its line of travel if blood turbed by other hunters or preda- sign becomes sparse. tors, nature takes its course. How- If you fi nd evidence of a hit but ever, the deer might also survive by Leg Wounds don’t fi nd your deer within 200 losing the wounded portion of the yards, you probably hit it some- leg, or it might heal, leaving the where other than the vitals. You deer with a limp. must determine where you wound- In short, do not wait before ed the animal and react accord- pursuing a leg-shot deer. Pursue ingly. the deer with vigor, and get a

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 19 3 TOUGH ACTS TO FOLLOW

deer should fi nish it off at the fi rst trail of a liver-shot deer. A four- If you suspect you have a gut- opportunity. Otherwise, your group hour wait is even better. Unless the shot deer, the wise course is to might chase that deer for the rest deer is disturbed, you should fi nd quietly remove yourself from the of the day and, in some cases, into it dead in its fi rst bed, and that bed scene, then wait at least six to eight the next. will usually be within 150 yards of hours before blood trailing. The where you shot the deer. longer you wait, the better your 2. Liver Hits chances of recovery. In fact, wait- The liver is located in the middle 3. Paunch Hits ing overnight is never a bad idea. of a deer’s body, between the lungs If you think you hit your deer Your deer won’t be “any more and paunch. How can “a little too far back,” then you dead” the next morning than it If you fi nd evidence of you tell that you might probably shot it in the paunch or will be six to eight hours after the have hit the liver? If you intestines. After the shot, the deer shot. a hit but don’t fi nd your imagine a buck standing might act as if nothing is wrong Your other option is to keep the broadside, then the angle as it scampers away to thick cover, deer in sight all day by stealth deer within 200 yards, you of your bullet’s entry leaving you to wonder if you have and use of your binoculars. A deer probably hit it somewhere should give you a clue. missed it altogether. hit in the paunch will bed several The presence of dark, More often, however, a deer will times before expiring, often leav- other than the vitals. red blood, however, is a kick its hind legs like a mule and ing little or no blood trail. Staying dead giveaway. It usually bound off for 50 or 60 yards. It will within sight of the deer can be a You must determine where indicates that you missed then stop in its tracks, hunch his wise strategy. However, any dis- you wounded the animal the lungs and caught the back and move slowly away with turbance can spook your deer. It liver instead. The most an awkward, stiff-legged gait. You might travel several hundred yards and react accordingly. common mistake deer can confi rm your suspicions by to hide in a swamp, standing corn hunters make when trail- examining the shooting site for bits or thorn apple thicket deep into ing a liver-shot deer is to immedi- of partially digested food or tufts of your neighbor’s property. Your ately begin tracking after the shot. white belly hair. chances of recovering the buck However, unless the shot severs a There might also be a strong odor then are slim. main blood vessel, which will cause of feces. Fat and intestines usually the deer to expire quickly, the deer plug the entry and exit holes of Conclusion will jump up from its bed when this kind of wound, stopping slow- Some deer survive marginal hits, you get too close. This will lead to a dripping blood from reaching the while others run off and die with- scant blood trail for you to follow. ground. Thus, the blood trail might out ever being recovered. Look for A liver-shot deer that is jumped start out promising but dwindle to clues and pay attention to detail, from its bed will then travel for an occasional drop. In addition, then let logic takes its course. up to several hundred yards be- gut-shot deer can live for several fore bedding again. Unless there hours after being shot. They often — Bill Vaznis is a seasoned white- is ample snow on the ground, you travel 100 to 300 yards and bed sev- tail hunter and professional outdoor probably will not fi nd this deer, eral times before expiring. As with writer from western New York. because the “second” blood trail liver-shot deer, the biggest mistake will be sparse. Wait at least one or hunters make is picking up the two hours before picking up the blood trail too soon after the shot.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 20 SOLO BLOOD- TRAILING The shot might seem perfect, but you can still lose that deer if you’re not careful. by Bill Vaznis

THE SHOT FELT GOOD, and I I waited until the forest din watched as the shaft entered the returned before I breathed nor- buck low and behind the shoulder. mally again. Only then did I On impact, the 9-pointer replay the shot in my head, bunched his muscles tightly, confi rming the angle of the hit, jumped over a nearby blowdown where the broadhead entered the and disappeared. I remained mo- buck’s body and the amount of tionless, focusing on the last spot penetration. I saw the deer. The buck appeared A major front was approaching to have escaped unscathed, but the area, with promises of rain I knew better. Even a mortally before morning. If I hoped to wounded deer can fl ee quickly recover the buck quickly, I had and gracefully. no choice but to go solo.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 21 SOLO BLOOD-TRAILING

No Easy Job it will take inside the body. They’re also helpful when looking Typically, blood trailing a well-hit Here’s another example: One for an arrow buried in leaves. buck might seem easy. However, year while still-hunting, I hit a Of course, you must know the several factors can make it tough. buck high in the chest as he stood location of a whitetail’s vitals. I For example, radical weather broadside. But instead of passing once had an acquaintance tell me changes — like the one I was facing cleanly through the deer, the arrow he shot a buck through one kid- — can obliterate blood trails. Also, struck a rib and did a 90-degree ney, the liver, both lungs and the coyotes, wild dogs, bird hunters turn, traveling down through his heart with one arrow. However, he or even other bow-hunters might heart. That shaft might just as eas- couldn’t tell me why his “perfectly jump a mortally wounded deer, ily have passed through the gut, shot” animal traveled more than a making it run hundreds of yards which would have made blood mile before dying. and complicating the retrieval trailing more diffi cult. It also helps to know where process. Further, red leaves, thick That’s one reason why you various types of hair grow on deer. swamps, chest-high goldenrod should treat every shot as a hit and Studying the hair on a fi elds, and short, dead grass can every hit as deadly until you learn tanned deer hide dur- You should treat every make the job more diffi cult. otherwise. In fact, blood-trailing ing the off-season can To complicate matters, a seem- a bow-shot whitetail by yourself help you determine shot as a hit and every hit ingly good hit might not be as really begins before you step into where an arrow entered deadly as you fi rst surmised. One the woods and certainly before you and exited an animal. as deadly until you learn year, a friend said he’d shot a deer release a broadhead. For example, hairs that otherwise. in the lungs, with the arrow pass- are half black and half ing right behind the front shoulder. Be Prepared gray with a black tip However, we couldn’t fi nd blood. I carry a fl ashlight, a compass might suggest a hit high on the We later learned the deer was and orange surveyor’s tape when back, indicating a possible heart- quartering toward him when he I’m afi eld, and I also keep raingear, and-lung hit if you were hunting shot. The broadhead had entered a cell phone, a topo map, dry from a tree stand. However, curly the buck behind the front shoul- clothing, a gas lantern with extra white guard hairs suggest the arrow der, but because of the sharp angle, mantles and a larger fl ashlight exited near the groin, indicating it missed the lungs and passed with extra bulbs and batteries in that you might be dealing with a through the abdomen. Instead of my truck. A GPS unit, a couple of paunch-shot animal. tracking a double-lung-shot buck, whistles and a pair of walkie-talk- we were trailing a buck hit in the ies — where legal — might also be The Moment of Truth abdomen. useful. After the shot, keep your eyes Also, after you release your ar- Also, think about your arrows. open. You might see the deer drop row, its fl ight path and the buck’s If, like me, you prefer dark fl etch- or change course as it tries to es- reaction to the shot are out of your ing, consider attaching fl uorescent cape. Watch the deer for evidence hands. Your arrow might defl ect nocks to your hunting arrows. The of a hit, such as an unusual gait, off an unseen branch, or the buck nocks can help you determine the sprays of blood, or a scruffy or might fl inch at your release. Even path of the arrow, pinpointing the discolored hide. You might even if the broadhead strikes the deer, it entry point of a hit or the arrow’s see the arrow shaft hanging out. can be anybody’s guess what path path past the deer if you miss. I also mark the last spot I saw the

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 22 SOLO BLOOD-TRAILING

deer, using binoculars if necessary. from a stand, shoot another arrow Blood can be extensive at fi rst but Associating the spot with a large into the ground. Why? You might then diminish to specks. If you tree, swaying sapling or even an need to return to that spot later to watch the deer bed, don’t leave, old stump will suffi ce. help determine where the deer was but keep a safe distance away. Listen intently for unusual standing when you shot. Sticking Paunch-shot deer often get up after sounds, too. I once heard an alumi- an arrow in the ground will also fi ve or six hours and wander for num arrow shaft “tick-tick-tick” as help you remember where you last several hundred yards before lying a buck bolted through brush. That saw the deer. down again. outlined the buck’s death route and Do not yell, cheer, war-whoop or If you believe the deer is hit in also told me how far it ran before it call friends on your cell phone after the liver, back off, and wait four to keeled over. the shot. The deer might not have six hours, with eight hours being Also, pay attention to other associated the hit with a human better. The No. 1 reason lethally noises, such as antlers hitting and could lie down. Your voice shot deer are lost is they’re pushed brush, the twang of a deer jumping might push him deeper into the off their death beds. a barbed-wire fence or the splash- woods. If you believe a deer has a serious ing of water as a deer crosses a but potentially nonlethal wound, stream. Keep listening for at least Timing is Everything such as a broken leg or hit in the 20 minutes. A liver-shot deer might How quickly should you pick up ham, go after it as soon as possible, lie down immediately but get up the trail? An hour? Two hours? If and don’t stop until you catch and move 15 minutes later. You you head out too soon or wait too up to it. Run it down to keep the might hear it walking if the leaves long, you might end up empty- wound open. are dry. handed. Here are some general Don’t immediately accept misses, rules. On the Trail Study blood droplets carefully, even if auditory evidence — the Even if you’re sure the deer is Archery pro-shop staffers are as they can indicate the thud an arrow makes when it hits a dead, wait 20 to 30 minutes before asked to help blood-trail deer deer’s exit trail. Generally, tree or the clanking of a shaft as it trailing. That gives you time to every season, and Allen Miraglia of splatters of blood are like ricochets off rocks behind the deer calm down and better assess the Scrubby Buck Archery in New York fingers pointing the direction — suggests that. You must not be hit. More than one “dead” deer has is no exception. of travel. Splatters that duped. I once heard my broadhead run off when bow-hunters trailed “All too often, bow-hunters want circle a blood drop, however, bury into a gravel bar, so I thought it too soon. Besides, if your buck is to get a gang of friends and go indicate the deer was I’d missed a trophy animal. How- dead, he won’t be more dead when right after the deer,” he said. “My standing still and maybe ever, when I watched the deer drop you fi nd him an hour or so later. best advice is to track your buck checking its back trail. a few minutes later, I realized my If you believe an animal is mor- slowly and to track him alone. That arrow had passed through the rib tally wounded but still alive, wait will keep you in control of the situ- cage before striking the ground. eight to 10 hours before resuming ation, giving you a better feel for After you’ve watched and lis- trailing efforts. This is especially what’s really going on. tened, the next step is important. important if you jump the deer and “For example, if your last blood If you shot the buck from the it seems unscathed. splatter is on a faint deer run, ground, mark your precise location If you believe the deer is hit in chances are the next blood sign with a large strip of surveyor’s tape the paunch, wait at least 12 hours. is just ahead on that same deer before moving. If you were hunting It’s even better to wait 18 hours. run. Just take your time, and keep

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 23 SOLO BLOOD-TRAILING looking. Too many people tend to broken twigs, fl attened weeds and Second, use all your senses when race ahead of each other hoping to turned-over leaves on the ground. you’re on the trail — including fi nd the next bit of sign, which, of As you move, don’t disturb the your nose. I once located a dead course, can obliterate the trail or, blood trail, even if you’re tracking buck by following the smell of worse, push the deer into no-man’s on snow. You might have to re-ex- musk. I had walked past the buck land if it’s still alive.” amine the trail later. More than one several times before I Study blood droplets carefully, buck has turned 180 degrees and zeroed in on his urine- as they can indicate the deer’s exit back-tracked for several yards before stained hocks. He had If you believe a deer has trail. Generally, splatters of blood continuing in another direction. died in a thick stand of a serious but potentially are like fi ngers pointing the direc- If you must seek help, more than spruces and was almost tion of travel. Splatters that circle a three people is a crowd. Don’t talk, impossible to see under nonlethal wound, such as blood drop, however, indicate the but instead use fl ashlights and hand all the branches. deer was standing still and maybe signals to communicate. Don’t give Also, analyze the a broken leg or hit in the checking its back trail. Generally, up the trail unless you’re exhausted. behavior of other ani- ham, go after it as soon as bubbly blood indicates a lung hit, If needed, get back on your hands mals to help you fi nd bright-red blood is from a muscle and knees, and continue to look for your buck. Crows, jays possible, and don’t stop hit, and dark-red blood indicates important clues. and squirrels are often a hit to the liver, paunch or even attracted to deer car- until you catch up to it. heart. If You Lose the Trail casses and will pinpoint Run it down to keep the Don’t rely solely on blood color, Remember, even a lethally shot their whereabouts with however. If your arrow went low animal might leave a sparse blood raucous chatter. I once wound open. and hit the brisket, you will fi nd trail, and it can travel hundreds of found a dead buck by tallow on the shaft. If it pen- yards before dying. Here’s what to watching another buck as it stared etrated the body cavity, there will do when the going gets tough and into a brush pile. My buck had also be lots of bright-red blood. If you lose the blood trail. crawled inside the brush and died. your shot went wide and hit the First, glance back at your trail Finally, a pool of blood gener- paunch, the arrow will smell like markers to determine the line of ally indicates a resting area. If the feces. Although encouraging at travel, and then proceed on your blood trail stops there, the buck fi rst, red blood from a muscle hit hands and knees in that direction. might have turned at right angles will typically peter out within 200 Closely examine the opposite sides or even 180 degrees to the trail and yards if the deer isn’t pursued. A of logs and blow-downs for blood. continued on. Deer often change double-lung-hit buck should travel You will often fi nd blood there if directions to avoid crossing open less than 200 yards before dying. a wounded deer jumps such ob- fi elds and busy highways, or to If it goes farther, the deer probably stacles. Remember, wounded deer take better advantage of cover. wasn’t hit in both lungs. rarely travel in a straight line but He might also be dead nearby. Blood is not the only sign you often zigzag back and forth. If a consider. If you get on your hands wounded deer enters a stream, look — Bill Vazinis is a freelance writer and knees, you can often see the for water droplets on logs and rocks and longtime deer hunter from New hoof prints of an escaping deer. to indicate its direction of travel. York. That can be important if there’s no Wounded deer will also climb steep blood. Also look for scuff marks, creek banks to elude pursuers.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 24 THE ONE-LUNG SHOT How to make the best of a tricky situation. by John Trout Jr.

WHEN IT COMES TO HUNTING peared to be about 4 or 5 inches, and WHITETAILS, nothing beats the dou- I feared the worst — only one lung ble-lung shot. Death comes quickly to had been hit. the animal, and recovery often comes It was nearly an hour before I began effortlessly. But what happens if your tracking the buck. The arrow was broadhead or bullet passes through located a short distance ahead. It had only one lung? snapped off as the buck passed by a Several years ago, while I was tree, confi rming minimal penetra- perched in a portable stand along a tion. strip-mined area of southern Indi- I tracked the deer that evening and ana, a respectable buck approached. long after dark. After losing the trail, I nervously prepared for the close- I marked the last blood and returned range shot, then watched as the with assistance the following morn- arrow struck the rear portion of the ing. I slowly and patiently tracked the shoulder blade. I wouldn’t have been deer for another 10 hours, stopping concerned had the arrow penetrated only late in the evening after spotting completely. It would have been still a the buck moving ahead of me. I re- double-lung shot. But something had turned the following day and discov- gone terribly wrong. Penetration ap- ered a bloody bed where I jumped the

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 25 THE ONE-LUNG SHOT buck the previous day. A new blood tile enters too far forward or back. ing friends. We have recovered trail was never located beyond the Don’t get me wrong — I dearly love most gut-shot deer, but that isn’t bed. After several hours of search- a quartering-away shot. It is like the case for those hit in only one ing, I began looking for only a an open door to both lungs if, of lung. downed deer. I did fi nd another course, the deer isn’t too sharply I discussed the one-lung wound bed, but never found the buck. angled away. If a deer quarters with a Chicago physician and It’s always been diffi cult for me away, I select an aiming point surgeon. He told me a human can to give up tracking a wounded deer. nearly halfway from the front of survive nicely on only one lung. Like most ethical hunters, I believe the shoulder to the back of the hip. This included those who suffered a prevention is always better — do- If a deer is only slightly quartered traumatic injury in just one lung, ing my best to make a quick, kill- away, my aiming point is a little in provided other organs are spared, a ing shot. Nevertheless, we all know front of the halfway mark. major blood vessel isn’t severed, something can go wrong. And if it Bone is another reason for a and infection did not become does, we put every effort into a re- one-lung shot. Ribs break easily a factor. And of course, one covery. However, the one-lung shot and will not prevent an arrow from lung is removed in some can test your recovery efforts. reaching both lungs if your aim- cases to treat lung cancer. ing point is on target. The scapula, With that in mind, we How it Happens though, could spell trouble with a could assume any deer hit Quartering shots often lead to capital T. I have hit a few deer, in- in only one lung might hitting a deer in only one lung. cluding hefty bucks, directly in the not go down, or at least First, let’s look at the quartering- shoulder, yet have passed through not quickly, if other vitals into shot. After all, most veteran the bone and both lungs. The buck are missed. Infection is hunters consider this angle to be mentioned at the beginning of this certainly not a factor the most likely cause of a one-lung story was an exception. in the recovery effort, hit. The diameter of an adult deer’s because it could take a It is diffi cult for an arrow to lungs is about 9 inches when considerable amount pass through both lungs when a infl ated. That’s about the size of of time to cause death. deer quarters toward you. This is an oval dinner plate, with a small Although it might because perfect shot placement portion of the lungs located behind seem impossible that would require the arrow to pass the scapula. However, it’s still easy an arrow or projectile through heavy bone mass. Hitting to come up one lung short after the could pass through Quartering-away shots can just behind the shoulder, which is shot and put yourself in a diffi cult only one lung and miss lead to a one-lung shot, the ideal location if the animal is tracking situation. other organs or blood but only if the broadhead broadside, is not a viable choice on vessels, it can happen. or projectile enters too far forward or back. the quartering-to shot. An arrow or Mortally Wounded? I have often closely in- bullet that hits behind the shoulder Personally, I would much rather spected the diaphragm area while is heading in the wrong direction if track a gut-shot deer than one hit fi eld dressing deer that appeared the deer quarters into. in only one lung. I have tracked to be hit in only one lung but had Quartering-away shots can lead several of each. Some were be- fallen quickly. In some, I found to a one-lung shot as well, but cause of my endeavors, and I the liver or heart had also been only if the broadhead or projec- tracked many others while assist- damaged.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 26 THE ONE-LUNG SHOT

Wait or Track? Consider a small buck shot by a other wounded deer, a one-lung Is it best to track a suspected friend of mine. After suspecting the shot deer will often bed down or one-lung shot deer immediately, arrow had passed through only one stop and stand for a period, which or should you wait? This is a tough lung, we very quietly followed the could result in coagulation and a question to answer accurately, and blood trail only 30 minutes after more diffi cult trail to follow. there are many varied opinions the deer was shot. We eventually The color of blood is similar to among veteran hunters. When it heard him walking ahead of us, so that of a double-lung shot deer. The diameter of comes to a gut-shot deer, there’s we sat back and waited 20 minutes The one-lung hit usually results in no question. We know it’s best to before proceeding. This process bright red blood, but not as pink as an adult deer’s wait several hours before tracking. continued for the next hour until a deer hit in both lungs. The blood Most bed down quickly. Death is we found the buck bedded near trail of a double-lung shot deer will lungs is about imminent, but it could take hours. the edge of a thicket. The animal often be found a foot or more to 9 inches when It’s also true the blood trail of a succumbed after a second shot was the sides of the trail. I’ve found the gut-shot deer is often diffi cult to taken. blood of a deer shot through only infl ated. That’s follow. Therefore, we avoid push- The buck had gone down about one lung is barely off the deer’s ing the animal. We also know the 300 yards from where he had been trail. about the size of less distance we have to track a shot. We closely inspected the deer Determining a one-lung hit is dif- an oval dinner deer, the better the chance of a but found that only one lung had fi cult to say the least. What you see recovery and the better the chance been punctured. Fortunately, a when the shot is taken (angle and plate, with a something won’t go wrong. sparse but visible blood trail had penetration) is perhaps the best Perhaps the only similarity in a allowed us to push the buck. starting point. The rest of the deter- small portion of gut-shot and a one-lung shot deer is mining factors are in the blood the lungs located that both often bed down. None- Tracking Guidelines trail and what lies ahead. theless, I have found most gut-shot The blood trail of a one-lung shot Although a one-lung hit is about behind the deer bed down sooner than those deer is usually readily visible for as close to the preferred double- hit in only one lung. The buck men- about 150 to 200 yards. The trail lung shot as you can get, it is, scapula. tioned at the beginning of this story tapers off considerably after this perhaps, the most detrimental bedded down after traveling about distance, similarly to those with su- tracking endeavor you will ever 400 yards. I had not pushed the perfi cial muscle wounds. An arrow experience. After 45 years of deer deer right after the shot. After run- has not usually penetrated totally hunting, I’ve experienced it only a ning the fi rst 80 yards, he walked if a deer is shot through only one few times. These experiences have the remainder until I jumped him lung. Total penetration almost al- educated me, but I certainly hope I later. A blood trail beyond the bed ways leads to a better blood trail. never have to do it again. did not exist, probably because Most one-lung shot deer will blood had coagulated. run hard the fi rst 80 to 100 yards, — John Trout Jr. is a veteran white- For this reason, one could assume then begin walking. Fortunately, tail hunter from Illinois. He is also the slowly and quietly pushing a one- the blood trail of a walking deer is author of the book Finding Wounded lung shot deer could keep blood often easier to follow than a run- Deer. from clotting, because it would ning deer. Blood should still reach possibly cause more internal and the ground as long as the animal external bleeding. keeps moving. However, as with

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 27 DEAD SPACE DEBACLE It’s time to once and for all crush one of bowhunting’s biggest myths. by Dr. Tim L. Lewis

ALMOST ALL BOW-HUNTERS have north Florida for a special archery serted their knowledge of it, and no heard accounts of shots high in the hunt and camped with a large one voiced the least disbelief. chest and under the spine result- group of hunters of all ages — some With my understanding of anato- ing in unrecovered deer. The term with three decades worth of bow- my, such a spot was hard to fathom, “dead space” has been applied to hunting stories ... even back then. but when older hunters spoke, I lis- this zone, and many experienced One evening around the campfi re, tened carefully. Since then, it seems and knowledgeable hunters believe someone mentioned a void in a no season goes by without mention in its existence. deer’s chest below the backbone and of the mysterious “space,” either in About 30 years ago, I went to above the lungs. Several hunters as- conversation or in magazine articles.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 28 DEAD SPACE DEBACLE

Physiology Facts In life, except for the intervening slender valentine-style heart with a Breathing — the physical act of thin membranes and lubricant, the blunt point. sucking air through the mouth and lungs are against the chest’s inte- The chest walls and the lungs nostrils into the lungs and expel- rior. A noticeably spacious vacuum that conform to them rise above ling it from the lungs — is accom- could not exist, because it would the level of the bottom of the back- plished by changing the size of the collapse more readily than forcing bone. Therefore, an arrow cannot chest cavity between the throat air from the lungs during exhala- pass under the backbone in this re- and the diaphragm, a tion. gion of the chest and not penetrate There can be a space region known as the Likewise, the presence of an air lung tissue. mediastinum. This space between the lungs and chest These facts seem so cut and dry, between the lungs and the change in size is effec- walls can be ruled out by the ex- but why then is there such a per- tuated in three ways: periences of air travelers and scuba sistence of the belief in the “dead chest walls of a deer when 1. The diaphragm divers. Such an air space would space” and by knowledgeable and a hunter examines the itself — the thin layer change size with changes in pres- able hunters? of muscle that sepa- sure like air bladders in fi sh. The Before discussing the possible chest, but this is an artifact rates the heart and very fact that this does not occur explanations, it is worthwhile to lungs from the abdo- proves the nonexistence of such an consider the effects of an arrow resulting from the less- men — contracts and air space. wound to the chest of a deer. infl ated status of the lungs relaxes. Therefore, two of the common 2. Abdominal muscles descriptions of the “dead space” Disrupting the Chemistry and the introduction of air can augment this ac- — a vacuum or an air space — are The lungs are constituted pri- tion and, not present between the lungs and marily of blood and air. The air through the fatal wound 3. Muscles between the chest walls. is in little, thin-walled, balloon- or the incision through the the ribs (intercostal like sacs called alveoli. The blood muscles) contribute as Dissecting a Deer courses through tiny vessels that chest wall, or both. well. In the foremost (anterior) por- are also very thinly walled, and An old-fashion hand tion of a deer’s chest, a cross-sec- gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide bellows offers a pretty good anal- tion view (a view like a slice of and others) within the blood are ogy for this action. salami) would be somewhat oval exchanged for air gases in the The lungs and heart, and the air- or egg shaped, with the lowest alveoli. ways and blood vessels that supply portion of the backbone at the With blood being such a major them, fi ll the mediastinum com- top of the oval. However, only a component of the lungs (obvi- pletely. There can be a space be- small bit of the chest displays this ously a lung wound causes sub- tween the lungs and the chest walls confi guration, and immediately stantial hemorrhage), one of the of a deer when a hunter examines behind (posterior to) this area, the sequela of a broadhead piercing the chest, but this is an artifact re- bottom projection of the vertebras the lungs is a diminution in blood sulting from the less-infl ated status extend down lower than the high- volume. If enough blood is lost, of the lungs and the introduction est portions of the chest walls. A not enough blood reaches the of air through the fatal wound or cross-section anywhere through- deer’s brain and the animal dies. the incision through the chest wall, out this, the major, portion of the This can happen with extreme or both. chest would look more like a long, rapidity.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 29 DEAD SPACE DEBACLE

In addition to the lungs, the breath through various lengths of is amazing: Mack arrows a buck chest contains major blood ves- garden hose. The shorter the piece, perfectly, and the buck reacts so sels and the heart. Injuries to these the less effort required. The signifi - little that Mack’s mother says that cause dramatic bleeding as well. cance is that air might be pulled he must have missed it. However, Blood loss is a drastically impor- in through the chest wound more it’s soon apparent that blood is tant aspect of any arrow wound, readily than through the longer streaming to the ground as the but lung wounds affect the abil- trachea. buck looks around. The deer walks ity of an animal to oxygenate the This air is not channeled to the a few yards, his chest issues a pe- remaining blood in three other alveoli and thereby provides no culiar, loud, suction-like noise, he ways. respiration. The chest expands, but falls, thrashes and dies. Another action of the hemor- the amount of air sucked into the The buck was scant rhage is that blood leaks into air trachea is diminished by however yards away at the time Two of the common channels and thereby blocks the much air enters the chest perfora- of the shot and didn’t descriptions of the “dead intake of air into undamaged por- tion. This factor has the potential even make it 15 yards tions of the lungs. This renders for a great impact on a deer’s abil- before falling. space” — a vacuum or an some areas not struck by the broad- ity to oxygenate its blood. Exactly The episode illus- head unable to exchange gases. how much impact depends on the trates some of the air space — are not present Anyone who has blown up a wound size, number of wounds hallmarks of a lung between the lungs and the balloon by mouth realizes that it (entry only or entry and exit), and wound — copious requires a greater effort initially, degree of openness. hemorrhage, a less-ob- chest walls. but once the balloon has surpassed In short, a lung wound reduces vious reaction (this is a critical diameter, the infl ation the volume of blood to carry oxy- quite opposed to when the broad- proceeds much more easily. This gen to the brain and reduces the head hits the heart, liver, kidneys holds true with alveoli. Most of us deer’s capability to oxygenate the or guts), and tissue blocked the can think back to occasions when remaining blood. wound opening. we had the “wind” knocked out of Of interest, the list of the lungs’ Just recently, I arrowed a buck us. The diffi culty in getting our fi rst components do not include high in the chest and forward. full breath was the process of infl at- nerves. While the skin of the The arrow broke off, but when I ing the alveoli to a point beyond chest, the intercostal muscles, cleaned the buck, the remainder their critical diameter. When a pro- the ribs, and the chest and lung of the shaft was up as high in the jectile strikes a deer’s lungs, some linings have sensation, the lungs, chest cavity as possible, where the alveoli are collapsed and, therefore, unlike other internal organs, roof of the cavity is convex. Noth- cannot contribute to gas exchange. have none. This is why deer shot ing could be slipped between the The trachea is the tube that con- through the lungs sometimes act shaft and the backbone without nects the lungs with the mouth nonchalant. forcibly displacing the shaft down- and nose. When the deer’s chest A good example of that point ward. While this buck did fl ee, it is intact, expansion of the chest came one time when my friend did not make it far. Absolutely, cavity draws air in through the tra- Mack went bow-hunting when no arrow could pass under the chea. It is easier to pull air through his mother was visiting. She went, backbone any higher in the chest a short tube than a long one. This too, and sat in an adjacent stand cavity, yet this wound was quickly can be demonstrated by trying to to videotape his hunt. The footage lethal.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 30 DEAD SPACE DEBACLE

Explaining Perceptions easily defl ected up higher than back and was removed by a doctor So what can explain the stead- the entrance site would appear to without anesthesia. fastness of the “dead space” belief? indicate. The steel head was two inches Instead of one answer, there are long and rusted. The remarkable fi ve possibilities. 2. Wrong Chamber thing, of course, is that he sur- By the way, because of the lack of If the shot was slightly too vived the gut shot and, although sensation in the lungs, I far back and high, it could miss he had a great deal of pain, he have witnessed and heard the lungs and yet not strike the never developed any serious infec- of lung shot deer not paunch. tion. fl eeing and acting un- If the arrow passes high and far concerned many times. forward in the stomach cavity (be- 3. Optical Illusion However, never has a case hind the diaphram and the chest This can be in conjunction with come to my attention of cavity) it might not show signs of either of the fi rst two possibilities a hit in the “dead space” much blood nor have a “gutty” or completely independent: arrows not resulting in the sub- smell. In this case, the resulting don’t always strike where we think sequent immediate fl ight wound might not be mortal or, we see them. Videos have cap- of the deer. when mortal, might not supply tured deer ducking as arrows speed I mention this because much of a blood trail. toward them. Our eyes can record such behavior would be Mortality from this type of hit the image of the fl etchings and in harmony with a few of is not usually from hemorrhage, nock rocketing straight toward the the possibilities. but from peritonitis which might chest and might not be able to tell The chest walls and the persist for 12 to 36 hours before the deer moved before, rather than lungs that conform to them 1. Above the Spine causing death. after, the arrow struck. rise above the level of the The fi ns extending upward from Gut shots are often thought to My eyes have been fooled count- bottom of the backbone. the vertebrae are longer in the invariably bring about a deer’s less times over the years. This Therefore, an arrow cannot forward (anterior) portion of the death and, no doubt, they almost past winter, I was positive my pass under the backbone in chest, but the back appears fairly always do. But I can relate an inci- arrow drove through a running this region of the chest and straight to the eye. The spine, how- dent of an arrow infl icted wound hog’s chest. The easy trail with not penetrate lung tissue. ever, drops lower as the fi ns elon- in a person that demonstrates blood sprayed high and far did gate. In other words, the backbone some such wounds are survivable. nothing to dispel my confi dence is not level horizontally, but drops In April 1867, George Reynolds in the chest shot. Upon fi nding anteriorly. of Texas, in a confl ict with Ameri- the downed boar, I was totally Therefore, an arrow which can Indians (the tribe wasn’t speci- shocked to discover my arrow had would have tranfi xed a deer below fi ed in the accounts I read), was slipped through the hog below the the backbone a little further back, shot with an arrow that entered tail and yet somehow severed a would pass non-lethally above his body just above the navel. femoral artery. the backbone when it strikes He pulled the shaft out, but the Minutes earlier, I entertained forward. Also, the ribs angle from head was left in his body where absolutely no doubt of a double the backbone at nearly ninety it remained for 16 years, three lung shot and would have sworn degrees, basically horizontally. months, and sixteen days fi nally to it if I hadn’t found the boar and An arrow striking them could be working its way nearly through his saw the irrefutable evidence of the

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 31 DEAD SPACE DEBACLE wound. I even checked the wound 4. Dull Blades or Odd The buck had appeared to suc- to verify it matched by broadhead Placement cumb to the wound in a patch of shape. My arrow came within a The arrow might have penetrated myrtle not far from his tree. When couple of inches of a complete the lungs and produced either little he went to retrieve the buck, he miss. hemorrhage or an exiguous blood discovered no deer in the myrtle The explanation might be that trail. copse. He retrieved his beagle, and my eyes saw what they expected The aorta, the major artery of she worked the scent track. Then to see or it might be that my eyes the body, runs along the backbone. her manner perked up, caught the image of the fl ying ar- Yet, perhaps the broadhead pierced and it became obvious row lined up toward the chest and the lungs below the aorta but high the trail was much hot- Because a deer’s lungs fi ll failed to register the hog’s forward enough to provide the poor blood ter and fresher — indi- virtually all the space in progress after that moment. trail. Much of the bleeding could be cating they had pushed The bottom line is that if for retained in the chest cavity. The lack the deer and it was still the chest not occupied by some reason I hadn’t recovered of a blood trail could leave a hunter alive. the boar, I would have told people to conclude the lungs were not hit My friend pulled the the heart, blood vessels, of the big, tough boar I slammed despite seeing the good shot. beagle from the pur- or airways, it is nigh to through the lungs that ran off The following account, although suit and did not return despite my good shot. it involves a very low shot, gives an to try again until late impossible for a broadhead This episode does little credit example of a similar situation. afternoon, 10 hours to my powers of observation, I have a friend who has trailed after the shot. The to pass through the chest yet hundreds of my arrows have many wounded deer with his beagle resumed the trail without cutting lung tissue. struck game precisely where I beagle for hunters all around our without diffi culty and thought. A few others have devi- Florida hunting areas. With his led her owner through There is no void or ated phenomenally from what I exceptional amount of experi- pastures, waist-deep cy- was sure I witnessed, including ence, I called him to tell him about press heads and thickets “dead space.” two long, diffi cult trails on bucks this article as it was evolving and of briars, fennels and my eyes led me to believe were to get his opinion on the “dead myrtles. struck ideally. space.” He said he believes any deer Even though his attention is on I have helped friends fi nd deer pierced through the chest can be his dog during a trail, my friend and elk whose wounds contrasted found with a good enough dog. He typically notices blood along the drastically from the description of does admit some double-lunged way. In this case, very little was shot by the hunter. deer do live longer than might be evident. They jumped the buck I don’t mean this possible expla- expected, but when jumped they from close distances two or three nation as a criticism or attack on cannot respire well enough to run times. It did not go far. On the last the hunters who have reported the far. Therefore, each successive run occasion, the buck ran only a short “dead space” hits, but rather as an gets shorter. distance into a pasture and began acknowledgement from personal As an example, he related a trail- walking in the open apparently experience that no matter how ing adventure from just earlier that oblivious to its surroundings and certain a hunter is of a hit, there is week. He arrowed a buck and, satis- even to my friend running up to a chance the arrow struck else- fi ed that the hit was ideal, waited it with his chest waders fl apping. where. an hour and a half on the stand. Another shot dispatched it.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 32 DEAD SPACE DEBACLE

What happened? The initial ar- By the way, my friend described deer did survive is comforting even row had gone through the chest the arrow after the shot as be- though the arrow or the hunter’s cavity but very low and barely ing coated more with slime than vision offered proof of a hit. skimming over the sternum. Some- blood. Many of the so-called “dead I don’t believe anyone purposely how, the broadhead missed the space” hits I’ve heard about includ- tries to deceive himself, but the heart. The lungs were cut, but the ed a very similar description of the “dead space” offers an explanation hemorrhage was minimal because condition of the arrow. that doesn’t contradict the accu- the lobes of the lungs taper thinly Lung wounds, of course, are racy of the shot and yet offers hope and are only between ½ and ¾ of almost always rapidly fatal, but this the animal survived. an inch thick at this low region. occurrence exemplifi es that some However, the ability of the deer to lung shot deer can survive for ex- Conclusion bring air into the lungs was ham- tended periods and make tracking Because a deer’s lungs fi ll vir- pered enough that the brain was diffi cult. tually all the space in the chest not getting adequate oxygen and No case of a double-lung punc- not occupied by the heart, blood each burst of fl ight expended more tured deer surviving the wound has vessels, or airways, it is nigh to and more of the little oxygen the come to my attention, but Deer impossible for a broadhead to pass Myth Buster blood was carrying. & Deer Hunting many years ago through the chest without cutting A firm understanding of deer physiology By the end, the buck was in a related two separate incidents of lung tissue. There is no void or and biology has allowed Dr. Tim Lewis to daze with the brain barely func- hunters fi nding foreign objects in “dead space.” The reasons for the debunk several hunting tioning. Unfortunately, the the chest of harvested deer. One unrecovered deer that perpetuate myths over the years. second wound fl ooded the was a piece of arrow encapsulated the myth are several and probably Some of those are included chest with blood so there in scar tissue. Neither the orienta- vary with each case. in his excellent book Bows, was no way to ascertain tion of the arrow fragment to the Swamps, Whitetails. just how much hemor- lungs nor the point of entry were — Dr. Tim Lewis is an avid white- Although the book is rhage resulted from his described. My guess would be that tail bow-hunter from east-central mainly a reading compan- initial shot. the wound came from the front Florida. He holds a bachelor’s degree ion for bow-hunters who It should be noted the and only one lung or the lining of in zoology and a doctorate in dental appreciate the sport’s buck covered a great dis- one lung was in contact with the medicine. nuances, an entire chap- tance during the course of piece. ter is devoted to dispelling the day and left almost no The other case involved a stick commonly held hunting blood on the ground. It that defi nitely entered from the myths. Included is a fasci- waded through deep water front and broke off. It either nating discussion on shot and the trail would ap- entered or drove along one lung. angles and how a whitetail’s proach impossibility with- These incidents demonstrate the vital area actually shrinks when arrows come out a dog. A hunter who failed on incredible vitality and recuperative at it from increased heights. the trail or succeeded long enough powers of deer. Autographed copies of the 138-page book to jump the deer a couple hours can be obtained from the author. For more after seeing what he or she thought 5. Denial information, send an e-mail to timlewis@cfl. was a perfect chest shot, could eas- Nobody wants to believe he or rr.com, or write to: Dr. Tim Lewis, 205 West ily be confounded and assume that she killed a deer and was not able New Haven Ave., Melbourne, FL 32901. the shot was not mortal. to recover it. Believing that the

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 33 THE FEMORAL ARTERY Deadly shot choice ... or blatantly irresponsible? by Dr. Phillip Bishop

THERE’S AN OLD SAYING I have shot many deer in my among Southern gun-hunters that lifetime, and only two were hit in goes something like this: If you the hams. Neither of those came see a buck in the brush, and you out well. can only get a clear shot at his The fi rst deer was one of the rump, you can drop him in his nicer bucks I have ever shot. It tracks with a well-placed shot. happened years ago when I was Those old-timers are, of course, sitting on my stand around noon referring to a shot that severs the — when I expected most hunt- femoral artery. And they are cor- ers to be gone from the intensely rect. If you hit a deer in that thin hunted areas of Patuxent River artery, you will defi nitely put him Naval Air Station. The buck was down for the count. The key word walking slowly toward me, appar- in that sentence, however, is “if.” ently having decided to change

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 34 THE FEMORAL ARTERY his hideout. I was shooting a so, he had encountered another the last time I would ever think pump-action shotgun loaded with hunter. This guy had shot the deer about trying to hit the femoral three slugs (because rifl es weren’t a second time and put him down artery while bow- or gun-hunting, permitted). I had seen this buck instantly. When I got back to the and I would discourage anyone else several times during bow season, check station, the guy was com- from attempting it as well. Believe but he had never presented a shot. plaining that I had messed up the me, now that I am much older and The brush was especially thick buck’s hams. wiser, I wish I could have had the around my stand, and I could only The second time I shot a deer luxury of learning from someone see parts of the buck as he angled through the hams was in west else’s mistake, instead of having to right toward me. As soon as he Alabama, where I now call home. have learned it fi rsthand. stepped into a clearing, I aimed The buck snuck in behind me one and slapped the trigger — and Saturday afternoon during bow sea- Deer Anatomy The aorta is the deer’s largest artery. It carries blood away from There are several major arteries that are the heart and quickly branches good targets for harvesting deer, but the right after it leaves the heart. The smaller branch delivers oxygen-rich Femoral femoral artery is not one of them. blood to the front shoulders, neck Artery missed cleanly. I jacked in another son, and I couldn’t shell and was amazed the buck get a shot. The was still walking slowly toward deer eventually me. I fi red again — missing again worked around, — but nothing changed. He hit but I still couldn’t get a good an opening within 20 yards of my shot. My frustration was rising. stand, and my third and fi nal shot Frustration is never a good thing was aimed at his broadside chest. for bow-hunters. One of my best Unfortunately, because I underes- friends, and a very successful ar- timated his movement, I sent a 12- chery hunter, had been talking to gauge slug right through his hams. me about placing an arrow into the I waited patiently a few minutes femoral artery that runs through and went to search for my deer. the ham. The bloodtrail was the most im- One pastor friend used to say, pressive I have ever seen. A short “Confession is good for the soul, and easy trailing job led me to the but bad for the reputation.” I hate edge of the woodlot where I saw to admit it, but I purposefully put another hunter dragging my deer an arrow straight into the ham of toward the nearby road. My deer that deer. I searched and searched had walked out of my woodlot and for that deer, and never found him. into one to the northwest. In doing I still feel sick about that day. It was

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 35 THE FEMORAL ARTERY

and head. The larger branch carries leticism. Those big hams — which femoral artery, is cut, the high blood toward the hindquarters. allow the deer to clear high fences arterial pressure causes very rapid This big artery, under high pres- from a standstill — are the largest blood loss. With every contrac- sure, passes through the upper part muscle group on a whitetail. The tion of the heart, the pressure rises of the diaphragm, through the up- big muscles surrounding the hips and blood is pushed out. In the per abdominal cavity, and to the are the chief running and jumping case of a shotgun slug through the hindquarters. muscles, and when they are work- hams, the blood pressure causes If you take a look at one of the ing, they need a big blood supply. the bright red, oxygen-rich arterial good action photos in Deer & Deer The femoral artery provides that blood to spray out impressively, Hunting, you will notice how deer blood supply. The femoral arter- leaving the biggest blood trail we’re possess tremendous power and ath- ies form a right and left branch to likely ever to see from a whitetail. bring oxygen-rich blood to both When the deer runs or jumps, the sides of those key muscles. Because pressure rises and the spray is even The Mathematics of Deer Blood these arteries are very important, more widely dispersed. The average white-tailed deer of about 150 or other heavy bleeding caused by the arrow they are located at the front of The rapid loss of blood from the pounds in live weight carries at least eight passing completely through the deer: the hind leg hidden behind the femoral artery, or any other major pints of blood in its arterial system. For a bow- “This deer would have to lose 52 ounces, large group of bones that form the artery, causes a rapid and merciful hunter to easily recover a wounded deer, the or about 3¼ pints of blood before collapse,” skeleton of the back legs. This bone death. Plus, a deer with a major blood loss must be extensive. A deer will have they reported. “Internal blood loss would protects these vital blood vessels arterial wound that has an exit to lose at least 35 percent of its total blood have to extend to 41 ounces, or about 2½ from injury. outside the body will leave an easy volume for the hunter to recover it rapidly. That pints to stop the deer within the trail distance blood trail. I have read accounts of means a loss of at least 2¾ pints of blood in of 100 yards. In other words, the internal loss High Blood Pressure deer expiring very quickly when the case of a 150-pound buck. The quicker rate would have to be almost four times that Because high blood fl ow requires one or both femoral arteries are the blood loss, the sooner you will recover the of the external rate in order to down the deer. high blood pressure, the femoral severed. animal. According to Professor Aaron Moen, a Average internal blood loss needed would be arteries carry blood under very deer biologist at Cornell University, a running .41 ounces per yard; the external rate, .11 high pressure when the muscles A Very Bad Shot Choice white-tailed deer has three times the heart ounces per yard.” are working hard. Once the arter- There are several major arteries rate of a bedded deer. How far can a deer run before collapsing ies branch several times, they are that are good targets for harvesting Why would we want to wait and allow the after a major artery has been severed? How lined with smooth muscle that can deer, but the femoral artery is not deer to bed down after being wounded? Any many yards can it run before going down? In tighten and reduce the diameter of one of them. The femoral artery shock the bow-hunter hopes to inflict on a his book The Deer of North America, Leonard the blood vessels. Every time the is covered with a thick layer of whitetail will only result through great and Lee Rue III estimates that a deer with a major vessel diameter is reduced by half, muscle and bone. Even though the rapid loss of blood. Applying basic math- rupture of its arterial system can probably the blood fl ow is reduced by a fac- femoral artery is large, it isn’t large ematics to his findings on wounded deer run for approximately 85 to 120 seconds on tor of 16. Conversely, the muscles enough to make a good target. A behavior, blood loss and shock, University of the oxygen in its bloodstream and brain: lining the arteries can also expand, misplaced shot, slightly right or Pennsylvania researchers once presented us “Running at a speed of 35 mph, the and when the diameter doubles, left, will damage a lot of muscle with this interesting and speculative scenario deer could potentially run 3,850 feet in 85 blood fl ow increases by a factor of but will not result in a quick death. of a hard-hit 150-pound deer leaving a blood seconds, or 5,390 feet in 120 seconds. 16. The blood fl ow increase from The damage is to the key muscle trail of l00 yards. They cited an example of a Although it is not likely that a deer will run this smallest to largest is like comparing group for walking and running. If deer wounded to the extent of leaving a very far, the potential exists.” a garden hose to a fi reman’s hose. it is shot from a gun, it might break well-defined blood trail indicative of arterial — Deer & Deer Hunting When a large artery, like the major hip or upper hind leg bones.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 36 THE FEMORAL ARTERY

Deer with a front leg damaged can With an arrow, travel quite well, but major dam- age to the hind leg is much more the odds of problematic. If both rear legs are badly dam- incapacitating a aged, the deer will likely not be deer by a hit to the able to walk and should be rela- tively easy to recover. If the walk- femoral artery are ing/running ability is less hindered, the deer may escape and suffer. very low. With an arrow, the odds of incapacitating a deer by a hit to well-timed clean release with good the femoral artery are very low. follow-through. I strongly recom- Arrows kill by blood loss, which mend against ever trying this shot will happen if the femoral artery — even if you are desperate. Do is cut badly, but this is a small and your best to avoid being frustrated 12 Rules of Conduct well-shielded target. Our chances or desperate! If you have hunted deer more than once 2. Use care in selecting and maintain- of missing are pretty great. or twice, you know there is a lot that can ing your gear. For some perspective, consider Killing Deer go wrong. Deer hunters can be seen, 3. Use a proper caliber and bullet size. that a deer’s heart is about the size It is a major challenge to kill a smelled or heard by any alert whitetail. 4. Use sharp broadheads with a large of a grapefruit; that is a small target good deer using fair-chase meth- Turkeys, coyotes and other hunters can cutting surface. for a bow-hunter. While a direct ods. It is a doubly major challenge spook calmly feeding deer. And the small- 5. Constantly study the whitetail. heart shot is diffi cult, a miss to the to do so with a bow and arrow. est twig can easily deflect an arrow. 6. Know your equipment and its limita- nearby lung tissue offers equally le- We need all the help we can get I missed one of the largest deer I have tions. thal results. Not so with the femo- to shoot an arrow in the vitals of ever seen in the woods because my .270 7. Stay alert and aware at all times. ral artery. The artery is only about a healthy, alert whitetail. There’s bullet hit a branch about a foot in front 8. Minimize frustration, desperation and the width of your pinkie fi nger. A plenty that can go wrong. of the muzzle. Deer can take a step just negative emotions as much as possible. less-than-perfect shot means you Learn as much about deer anat- as we shoot. They can duck an arrow. 9. Take only clear shots with a high will hit a muscle and, most likely, omy and physiology as you can. We can pull our aim off target with poor probability of humanely harvesting an not recover your deer. Keep your broadheads scary sharp follow-through. Even the tree we are in animal. If your arrow doesn’t pass all the to maximize bleeding. Choose your can move. Some of you experienced hunt- 10. Choose when to shoot and when way through, and the broadhead shots. But, most of all, learn from ers can add more things to the list of what not to shoot. Only take shots with a high remains in the hams, additional my mistake and never attempt a can go wrong. probability of success. motion or brush striking the ar- shot at the femoral artery. Because killing a whitetail is anything 11. Choose a specific aiming point on row might cause the broadhead to but a sure thing, we owe it to the deer the deer that will allow for small errors and slice the artery. But we’re relying — Dr. Phillip Bishop is a physiology and to ourselves to be as careful as we still result in a quick and humane death. on a tremendous amount of luck professor at the University of Alabama. can be. This means: 12. Let deer walk whenever you doubt here. We might have used up all 1. Practice enough to be proficient with your ability to safely, competently and our luck being in position, get- your bow, rifle, pistol, crossbow, shotgun humanely make the shot. ting drawn, getting a good clear and/or muzzleloader. — Phillip Bishop arrow fl ight path, and getting a

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 37 BRISKET... WHY RISK IT? A closer look at the shot that leaves very little room for error. by Dr. Phillip Bishop

I RECALL CLEARLY THAT BIG deer hunting experience, it was not at a front-on whitetail. Let’s take BUCK. It was a long time ago, and I a shot I wanted to take. a look at the factors that go in to carried a recurve bow in those days. If you have ever shot a recurve, the decisions of whether to take I was hunting one of my all-time you know that accuracy in recurves the shot or wait for a better one. favorite patches of Maryland woods is a lot tougher than in modern that was surrounded by cultivated high-speed compounds. I wanted The Good of the Brisket Shot fi elds. I was easing along a small the deer either broadside or quar- When a hunter takes a shot trail through thick woods, loving tering-away, and no hunter dis- with deer facing him head-on, I every minute, not just hunting but agrees with that, even with a rifl e. call that a brisket shot. One argu- also scouting for the coming gun So I was on the antlers of a di- ment is that the brisket shot — for season. lemma, take a shot at the brisket of gun-hunters — offers some good And there he came… the best buck I had ever seen stand- anatomy for killing a deer. When He was a big buck with a heavy, ing at about 20 yards, or hope for we are looking at the front end of even rack. What made it better something better. an on-coming deer, there’s lots of was that he was slipping quietly, What would you do? vital area exposed. The neck has straight toward me. Big bucks don’t There are a lot of D&DH read- been a popular meat-preserving fa- get big by being stupid, but I had ers who have fi rm opinions about vorite shot for many deer hunters. this big boy just right ... except what to do. A recent forum post at The neck contains the spine and that he was headed straight at me, deerandeerhunting.com was chock the jugular veins and carotid arter- offering only a shot at his front full of strongly-expressed opinions ies. The carotid arteries carry oxy- neck and chest. At that point in my on the virtues and faults of a shot gen-rich blood to the brain. These

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 38 BRISKET... WHY RISK IT?

arteries are under less pressure deer’s body, has been my favorite might then penetrate the dia- than the arteries lower in the deer’s fi rearm target. A shot to the cervi- phragm and the liver. The liver has body, but severing the carotid with cal spine will anchor the deer in its a very good blood supply, so a hit a bullet, or arrow, will certainly kill tracks and deliver the most merci- here will cause the deer to lose a lot the deer. When deer are frightened, ful and quickest death. Any major of blood. The combination of lung both heart rate and blood pressure trauma to the deer’s spine will and liver damage will most likely increase, and these increases will produce neurogenic shock to the kill the deer. If the heart or major help pump out the blood needed central nervous system, and kill the blood vessels are damaged, then to track the deer and to mercifully deer much faster than a shot to the the shot is almost certainly fatal. take its life. heart. A bullet or an arrow under the When some hunters, and I am The spine offers the largest target right circumstances will continue happy it is a dwindling number, in the neck, but it’s still only 4 to traveling rearward. Behind the feel compelled to “bleed a deer 5 inches side-to-side. The cervi- liver lie the stomach (paunch) and out,” what they are trying to do is cal spine does not have the large intestines. Damage here might be not cut the throat, but rather cut side-to-side and vertical projec- fatal, but it might take hours to kill the carotid arteries. tions (called spinal processes) of the deer, depending on what else The problem in shooting a head- the rear parts of the spine. Like the was damaged. The abdominal aorta on deer is that these arteries are neck arteries and veins, the spine is runs through the stomach cavity a very small right-to-left target. narrow but runs all the way to the right beneath the spine. Substantial A head-on shot scenario The good news is that they run skull, so it offers a long, yet narrow, damage to this large vessel will also presents no ethical bow-shot the length of the neck and, hence, target. quickly cause the deer to bleed out, opportunity. Brush and grass produce a very long, albeit very The anatomy, right behind the although bleeding here will not reduces chance for a clean gun skinny, kill zone. spot where the neck joins the body leave a blood trail unless the wall shot. Wait for better angle. Also in the neck is the jugular also has some desirable targets. The of the abdomen is punctured in the vein. This vein drains oxygen poor- lungs lie directly behind the brisket bottom two thirds. blood from the brain. It is under and together with the heart fi ll the Behind the intestines, the only very low pressure (among the deer’s chest cavity. A shot to this vital structures remaining are the lowest pressure in the whitetail), spot will get one or both lungs. A femoral arteries. Like other large but will cause the deer to bleed out shot to this area might also hit the arteries, major damage to these fairly quickly if severed. Again, this heart or the largest diameter artery vessels results in a bleed out. The vein is not very wide, but it does in the body, the aorta. A shot to pressure and rate of blood fl ow in run the entire length of the neck. It the aorta or the major veins and these vessels will be very high in a is thinner-walled than the arteries arteries entering and leaving the running a deer. High blood pres- because the pressure is lower. So, if heart will most certainly prove sure and fl ow means fast blood loss a bullet or arrow misses the carotid fatal. and shorter blood trails. arteries, it might still clip one or Depending on penetration, an ar- more of the jugular veins. row that hits this sweet spot where The Bad News The cervical spine is the larg- the neck joins the chest, will not About fi ve years back, I was eas- est vital structure in the neck. only get the lung(s) and possibly ing through the woods in what has For many years now, the spine, heart, but the arrow can continue become one of my favorite spots in anywhere along the length of the rearward on the brisket shot and West Alabama. I heard deer com-

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 39 BRISKET... WHY RISK IT? ing and soon a doe appeared with a perienced deer hunting friends. “I lungs’ volume to lower the pressure buck hot in pursuit. It was a brisket do not really have a problem with inside the chest to inhale. shot, and I didn’t shoot. Here’s the head-on shot when I know I The more important reason the why: can absolutely smack that ‘magi- rib cage is funnel-shaped is to pro- I wouldn’t risk taking a brisket cal’ spot where the neck meets tect those vital organs. Look again shot because of what I know about the scapula (shoulder blades),” he at that deer carcass. The brisket is whitetail anatomy. This is, in part, said. “The deer actually has to be composed of a thick bone (ster- because one of my academic areas slightly quartering toward me for num). The sternum is where the of expertise is measurement and this spot to open up, but it does front of the ribs connect. It is thick evaluation. One of the fi rst things allow for a deadly lung shot. The to protect the heart and lungs. I teach my university students is entrance wound winds up being There is only a very small opening that every measurement has some what is normally the exit area for a in this end of the funnel where the degree of error. The error might be quartering-away shot.” esophagus (carries food) and the small, too small to be important, I agree that the anatomy for the trachea (carries air) and the jugular but it is always present. If you brisket shot is the same as for the veins, and the carotid arteries enter think that your measurement has quartering-away shot, but this and leave the chest. no error, you believe that simply would only hold true for shots because you aren’t measuring pre- at ground level (blinds, etc.). It Every shot, with bow or gun, cisely enough. defi nitely does not ring true when Every shot, with bow or gun, shooting from an elevated position. is a measurement by the shooter. is a measurement by the shooter. The next time you have a chance And, every shot has error. Very to study a deer carcass with the ribs And, every shot has error. good shooters have less error. The intact, look at the chest. It won’t smaller our error is, the longer our take you but a minute to realize A shotgun slug can break the effective range becomes. Even good that the shape of a deer’s chest is sternum and the ribs. With an ar- shots can miss, because there are somewhat like a funnel. The brisket row, it is possible to break the ster- many things that can go wrong. is the narrow end of the funnel, num and the ribs, but look again The wind, the angle, our measure- and the rear ribs are more like the at the carcass. The sternum slopes ment (whether from a guess or a large end of the funnel. downward. The shape could allow range-fi nder) of the distance to the Now, regarding a shot at a deer’s the sternum to change the direc- animal, our elevated pulse, or our chest, ask yourself, at which end tion of a fast, heavy arrow with a cold muscles, can all contribute of the funnel would you want to sharp broadhead, especially on a to the total error of every shot we shoot? downward angling arrow coming take. And that’s why I dislike the The rib cage of the whitetail is from a tree stand. brisket shot. There is such a tiny funnel-shaped for a reason. Deer Now look at the ribs. They form margin for error that it just isn’t can breathe two ways, by fl attening the conical shape of the chest and worth it. the diaphragm which usually hap- also could channel an arrow away pens when the deer is standing or from the vitals. So, God, did a great Physiology Explained walking, and when running by us- job in making the brisket and ribs I was recently discussing the bris- ing the respiratory muscles to pull shaped in a way to protect their ket shot with one of my most ex- the ribs forward and increasing the vital cargo from hazards when the

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 40 BRISKET... WHY RISK IT?

animal is moving forward or facing some other part, preventing an If I hit the bull’s-eye, there is skill forward. An arrow that defl ects off exit wound. The absence of an exit involved, but most likely two or the sternum or ribs might appear wound means a poor, or perhaps more small errors canceled each to be a “pass-through” when it no, blood trail. If the deer goes other. If that were not so, I would really did only minimum damage right down, then we don’t need a hit the target dead center with to the skin, or possibly the muscle blood trail, but if it doesn’t, then every shot and ruin a lot of nocks. between the shoulder blade and we now have a huge problem. Even if my errors were constant, I the ribs. The last deer I killed, in late Janu- might miss the target, but always Fortunately, this shape works to ary 2011, was in a cutover so thick hit the same spot, and I could ad- our advantage when shooting at with briars and brush that even just my sight for the error. a quartering-away deer. If we get the big buck had trouble running Because I know I have error, I an arrow inside the rib cage, the through it. If I had to trail a deer want the shot that is most toler- shape of the ribs will channel the through that, I would want a big, ant of error. Quartering away is the arrow into the heart and lungs. The wide, and very short blood trail. shot most tolerant because it offers sternum might stop our arrow, but A bullet or arrow that errs to the a big target that funnels my arrow. the lethal damage has already been right or left might severely damage Next in line is the broadside shot. done before the blade strikes the one of the front shoulders. A front Again, this aspect of the deer’s sternum. shoulder hit might not kill the deer anatomy allows for a pretty large for several days. Front-shoulder error and still results in a lethal When it Gets Ugly damage doesn’t seem to reduce a shot. Any other shot is much less This is not to say that some deer’s ability to travel a long way. tolerant of error. hunters can’t kill a deer with a This is the worst way to go wrong. With a fi rearm, and the right straight front, or front-quartering deer, I might change my mind and shot, because they can and do. Conclusion take the head-on shot, but I doubt If you read the D&DH forum on The story I related at the start of I’d ever take a brisket shot with my head-on shots, you can see that a this article had a happy ending. I bow. But I am a hypocrite, so we’ll lot of bow-hunters report success let that big deer walk, waiting con- see. with the shot. Of course, successful tentedly for a better encounter on In the end, some of our most hunters are more inclined to write another day. That day came a few important decisions are the shots about it than unsuccessful ones, so weeks later. we determine not to take. keep that in mind when making One of the great things about your own decision. hunting whitetails is that every — D&DH Contributing Editor Dr. There is another problem with hunter gets to make his or her own Phillip Bishop is a university profes- the brisket shot, especially when decisions. Hunters have different sor and former NASA scientist from bow-hunting. An arrow straight shooting skills, different motiva- Alabama. into the small spot at the top of tions and different expectations. the chest and base of the neck But, remember Murphy’s Law: will kill the deer, but it might not What can go wrong, will go wrong. produce an exit wound. Even a This brings us back to error. Every bullet, depending on the angle of arrow I loose, every time I pull the its path, might lodge in a ham, or trigger, I have error in the shot.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 41 THE SCIENCE OF SPOILAGE The key to obtaining top-quality venison starts the very moment you pull the trigger or release an arrow. by Dr. Phillip Bishop

THE FIRST DEER I EVER TOOK the edge of a cornfi eld. My hunt- with a bow and arrow was shot ing mentor, Bill, happened to just before dark. I was shooting a be our local professional wildlife fi berglass recurve in those days be- manager. When I told him I had cause compounds were an expen- shot a deer, he didn’t hesitate. sive new development and hadn’t “We will come back in the yet become widely popular. I was morning and fi nd her,” he said shooting without sights, because fi rmly. It really wasn’t open to I had enjoyed shooting instinc- discussion. I asked him whether tively as a kid, and I had never the meat would still be good. He considered any other option. assured me it would be, and we I made a good shot on a doe in left the woods quickly.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 42 THE SCIENCE OF SPOILAGE

Sure enough, the night was cold deer himself. He left it in his back perature would be a bit above 106 F. and the next day we found a good yard to soak in clean water, left it Whereas 4 or 5 degrees might blood trail. We then found my too long and lost the entire deer. seem like a very small increase, heavy fi berglass arrow still intact. What a tragedy! warm-blooded creatures (humans A short distance later, there she lay. Keeping Venison Safe included) live within a very tight And Bill was right; that meat was Spoilage is excessive deteriora- range of body temperatures with just fi ne. tion of meat as a result of bacteria, mechanisms (shivering, panting, molds and yeasts. When the popu- sweating) used to control tempera- The Antlers of a Dilemma lation of these ever-present micro- ture variations much like a ther- It seems quite often that the best organisms grows large enough, the mostat. bucks keep to heavy meat is spoiled. The ideal temperature for bacte- cover until right before In contrast, “aging” meat is rial growth is between 70 and 120 The four key factors in dark. We can’t pass up deliberate, controlled deterioration degrees. Under ideal conditions, spoilage of a deer are a chance to arrow a that is stopped before it reaches the bacteria can double about every nice deer, so we shoot spoilage state. Controlled deterio- 20 minutes. Therefore, the whole moisture, temperature, time at the last minutes of ration breaks down some of the time the dead deer’s meat is above legal light. And then connective tissue, and the meat is 70 degrees, microorganisms are and condition. Of these four we pray. more tender and, perhaps, more multiplying rapidly, a condition factors, temperature is the Did I hit him right? fl avorful. that only diminishes a bit from Was it too far back? The factors that cause meat spoil- 70 down to 40 degrees. After meat most important. Did I have a good age are pretty simple. The four key temperature falls to 40, bacteria re- angle? How far will he factors in spoilage of a deer are production drops drastically. Meat go? Where will he go? Do I risk moisture, temperature, time and (not air) temperatures between 30 trying to follow those dark red condition. Of these four factors, and 40 are the perfect temperature blotches with my weak fl ashlight? temperature is the most important. for fresh meat refrigeration. What if I jump him; then what? What are the odds he’ll run off Taking a Deer’s Temperature How’s the Weather? our property? Is there anything A deer’s living temperature at rest The environmental temperature in these dark woods that might is about 101 F. Deer, like hunters, is as important as the deer’s body like to take a chunk out of me? If I heat up if they use their muscles temperature. The environment in- wait until morning, will I lose the more, so a deer’s temperature at the cludes not just air temperature, but meat to spoilage? time of death depends on what it the temperature of the earth and, Some of those questions will be was doing just beforehand. occasionally, bodies of water. The answered later, but a couple of A deer that has been chased by secret to good venison is quickly them need answers right now, on dogs for the previous 20 minutes cooling the meat. Conversely, the the spot, before we climb down will have a higher temperature than greatest danger to meat is main- from our stand. We have all heard one that was calmly browsing when taining it at too high a tempera- tales of venison lost to spoilage. shot and dropped on the spot. A ture. Due to radiant heating, meat One of my friends, who was one hard-running deer’s temperature exposed to bright sunlight will of the most ardent hunters I have could rise about 5 degrees, so a spoil faster than meat kept in the ever known, once butchered a healthy deer’s maximal living tem- shade.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 43 THE SCIENCE OF SPOILAGE

Any time the environmental moisture. That’s why dried meat, cause this results in a shorter time temperature is 40 F or warmer, such as jerky, will last a long time the carcass will spend growing spoilage is a major concern. Keep without refrigeration. In fact dry- bacteria at a high rate. Although in mind that insulators will hold ing, of all sorts of foods, is one of ethically we ought to do every- the meat temperature higher, the oldest means of food preserva- thing in our power to achieve a longer. For example, most of the tion. quick and merciful kill, systemic time, a deer that is left on the When venison is exposed to air, spoilage only begins once the ground will spoil more rapidly the outer surface dries somewhat, animal dies. than a deer that is hung from reducing bacterial activity. When After the animal expires, the a meat pole and exposed to air. that meat is exposed to moisture, spoiling microorganisms begin The only exception would be in such as rain or even high humid- their unhindered multiplication. weather conditions wherein the ity, the spoilage rate is greatly ac- Because these spoiling organisms ground is very cold compared to celerated. That’s why some experts multiply most rapidly in warm, the air temperature. recommend against washing out wet environments, the longer Several years ago, I was help- deer carcasses unless they will be meat is held to these conditions, ing one of my wildlife manager refrigerated quickly. the more rapid the rate of decom- friends recover an early season If the deer cavity is exposed to position. whitetail that had been shot but intestinal contents, it is wise to Deer intestines are a reservoir of not found the previous evening. wash this area to remove as many bacteria. If the intestines are dam- It took us a while to fi nd the deer, of the associated bacteria as pos- aged by an arrow or bullet, the 5 Signs of and it was very instructive to see sible. However, don’t wash any bacteria will leave the enclosing the results. After we pulled off the of the clean areas, unless the deer barrier of the intestines and fi ll Spoiled Meat hide, it was striking to see how will be refrigerated. Likewise, if the gut, hastening spoilage. • Smells sour or like urine, ammonia, sulfur the “down” side of the deer car- deer have to hang for a few days, Freshly killed gut-shot meat or any unusual odor. cass had spoiled, while the “up” hang them in a dry location. provides an ideal environment side still looked and smelled fi ne. for rapid reproduction of micro- • An unusual, rancid or chalky taste. However, I would recommend Condition of the Deer organisms because it is high in • Formation of slime, or creamy, black, grey, against eating any meat coming The rapid multiplication of mi- bacteria, moist and provides the brown, or green color or dark spikes or from a carcass that gave any signs croorganisms, which we call decay microorganisms with good nitrog- “whiskers.” of spoilage (see sidebar). or spoilage, doesn’t commence enous “food.” This food is high in • A sticky surface. until after death. Healthy, living vitamins and minerals and is at a • Any other appearance that is not normal; Moisture Matters animals have intact immune sys- good temperature for microorgan- meat should appear clean and dark red. One of my friends was hunt- tems which keep harmful micro- ism reproduction. ing in Wisconsin about 15 years organisms in check. Sick or in- Keep in mind, too, that sim- ago, during a rainy gun season. fected animals are unable to keep ply recovering a deer doesn’t They had two deer on the meat these harmful bacteria, viruses, stop spoilage. The more rapidly pole and the temps were in the yeasts and molds at safe levels. the organs and the blood can be high 30s. Within two days, even Ironically, when we shoot a deer removed, the faster the hide is in these cool conditions, they lost and don’t recover it immediately, removed, and the faster the meat both deer to spoilage. it is better for the meat if the is cooled, the better the meat will Spoiling microorganisms need animal lives as long as possible be- be.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 44 THE SCIENCE OF SPOILAGE

A Question of Time However, if you don’t fi nd the The smaller the pieces of meat, So, the conditions of the envi- deer quickly, and you are sure you the faster it cools. Use whatever ronment and the deer both help got a good chest hit, then spoil- means available to cool the veni- determine the time between shot age commences as soon as the son. If ice or ice water is available, and recovery without spoiling deer dies. If the shot accidentally use these to cool the carcass. Ice venison. If the air temperature is 50 hits the deer in the gut, the deer is water cools more effectively than degrees, we have three to six hours likely to survive a while, delaying un-melted ice because the un-melt- to recover a deer after it dies. If the the onset of bacterial multiplica- ed ice has air pockets that insulate temperature is higher, or the ani- tion, but it is likely going to be the meat and slow down the cool- mal has elevated its temperature by hard to recover. In this case, unless ing process. running hard, then the safe time it is very warm, it seems waiting available for recovery is shorter. for light is the best option. If the Freezer Storage Keep in mind that it is not the temperature is 40 F or higher, we Meat not immediately eaten temperature at the time you shoot have little choice and need to make should be frozen quickly. Meat with For Venison Lovers the deer that matters; it’s the an effort to fi nd the deer as soon as a large surface area, such as ground Looking for new ways to prepare venison expected temperature experienced possible. meat or sausage, has a much greater and a good read? Venison Wisdom is a new by the carcass that matters. So if In that scenario, the wisest ap- exposure to bacteria and, hence, is release from F+W Outdoors that provides you shoot a deer at 50 degrees, but proach would be to give the deer more inclined to spoil. recipes to families looking to make flavorful, the skies are clear and you expect one to two hours and then begin Packing an entire deer into a feel-good dishes out of the world’s healthi- the temperature to fall into the the search. We need to use the small freezer will slow the rate of est red meat. Included are 200 recipes for high 20s that night, your deer is waiting time to get organized, get freezing of the interior meat. This down-to-earth dishes that can be prepared safer than if the temperature is 45, help and get the proper equipment, usually won’t matter, but for meat and served quickly and without a cupboard it’s cloudy with an approaching including several strong lights, that has had a long exposure to full of ingredients. warm front and the night something to mark the trail, and a warmth, even a little more time Also included are more than temperatures are going to coordinated search plan for us and increases bacterial action. 100 “Venison Wisdom” facts, stay above 40. our helpers. statistics and healthy-living tips, Remember, unless Great Eating including nutritional data that venison is frozen, it will Time is of the Essence Venison is one of the healthiest compares venison to domestic eventually spoil at any After we recover a deer, we need meats we can eat. It’s sometimes dif- meats like beef, pork, chicken temperature — even in to get it as cool as quickly as we fi cult to acquire, but it’s delicious. and lamb. These insights are the refrigerator. can. This means getting the organs One of the keys to quality venison great food for thought and topics out quickly, keeping the intestines is making good tracking decisions, for dinner conversations. Decision Time intact (don’t spill the bacteria), keeping the meat clean, and cooling Venison Wisdom also features So, do we go after our spreading the chest and abdomen it as quickly as possible. a sampling of recipes from deer in the dark, or wait open, and getting the carcass off famous hunting families like until morning? We need the ground. The hide and hair are — Dr. Phillip Bishop is a physiology Charles and Carla Asheimer, Ted and Shem- to ask ourselves a few key ques- good insulators, so get them off as professor at the University of Alabama. ane Nugent, Mark and Tracy Drury, Jim and tions. Where was the deer hit? A quickly as feasible. Keep the carcass Ann Casada and many more. double-lung shot means the deer as clean as possible so as not to To order your copy, call (800) 258-0929, dies quicker and might be easier to introduce more bacteria to those or visit www.shopdeerhunting.com. fi nd. already present.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 45 WHERE DOES THE BUCK STOP? A closer look at the legal rights involved when two hunters shoot the same deer. by John T. Trout, ESQ.

HOW IS OWNERSHIP OF GAME boxed in by a tactically located DETERMINED when two or more banquet table and chairs. I un- hunters have pursued and possibly derstood their reluctance to com- contributed to killing the same ment on the topic, as their job is animal? to enforce game regulations, not to I recently asked that of two play wilderness Judge Judy. How- veteran Minnesota conservation ever, I respected them and their offi cers while attending the Min- experience, so I knew they would nesota Outdoor Heritage Alliance have insight, practical wisdom and Legislative Banquet. I also asked if maybe even a good story about the they had encountered such situa- issue. tions. Initially, they looked strangely at Mild-Mannered Approach me and then subtly at their sur- The fi rst offi cer had previously roundings to see if there was some been approached by two hunters viable means of escape. But having who had shot the same whitetail, anticipated evasion, I had them which was dead. They asked him

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 46 WHERE DOES THE BUCK STOP?

to determine which of the hunters claims court or hiring lawyers. the deer and have the fi rm knowl- owned the deer. Realizing he had He said the mention of lawyers edge he had actually bagged it and no authority over the dispute, he getting involved in something the other guy must need it more. used the Falstaff maneuver — think as fun as hunting prompted the After that failed, the offi cer Shakespeare’s reluctant warrior, not disputants to immediately reach remained determined to be the the beer. This maneuver, also called an agreement. He also said that if peacemaker. Calling on his knowl- a reverse, involves avoiding direct the Falstaff maneuver fails to settle edge of the Bible and the wisdom involvement with the facts of the the dispute, it at least distracts the of an ancient king, he suggested dispute and directing the hunters disputants and provides the offi cer the hunters split the deer. One to resolve the issue through discus- with enough cover so he can return would keep the rack and the other sion, compromise and, if they be- to doing his job somewhere else. the carcass. Upon hearing the come deadlocked, civil law — small offi cer’s suggestion, one hunter Facing it Head-On said he had only wanted the meat The second offi cer, who was anyway, and the other one said he Calling on his knowledge of more senior and braver — or reck- only wanted the rack. A saw was the Bible and the wisdom of an less — had once encountered two produced, and the dispute was hunters on public land who were settled. ancient king, one offi cer suggested standing over a large buck with Those are amusing stories, but a good rack, arguing about who under the law, who really owns the hunters split the deer. should get to keep the deer. The game that has been pursued and One would keep the rack and fi rst hunter had shot and wounded shot by more than one hunter? the buck, but it had not gone down the other the carcass. immediately. He was tracking the Property of the State wounded animal to dispatch it Fish and game ownership is when the second hunter, who was ultimately determined by state law. not aware the fi rst was in pursuit And although each state has its or that the deer was wounded, own laws, regulations and court shot the deer and brought it down rulings in these areas, most states immediately. As you might infer, are consistent regarding laws ap- the size of the problem was directly plying to ownership of fi sh and proportional to the size of the ani- game. (Regardless of where you mal and its rack. fi nd yourself in a tug of war about Initially, the offi cer tried to break a Boone and Crockett record, you the deadlock by appealing to the will have to hire your own lawyer altruistic side of the hunters, asking and cannot rely on this article as each to give up his right to the ani- legal advice.) mal in the name of sportsmanship, In the beginning, the state owns camaraderie and unselfi shness. fi sh and game in trust for the When that didn’t work, he suggest- benefi t of all its citizens. As long ed the one who gives up the deer as game remains wild, unconfi ned could take a picture of himself with and undomesticated, it belongs to

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 47 WHERE DOES THE BUCK STOP? the state as a natural resource, and “The controlling principal of the “[It] was custom to allow the no person has ownership of it. common laws is that the huntsman person who puts the fi rst tag on a Because the state owns the acquires no title to a wild animal downed elk to possess it, but we resource, it has the right to regu- by pursuit alone, even though will not dignify this statement with late its use and determine how there is wounding, unless the further discussion,” State ex. rel. ownership of fi sh and game will be animal is followed up and reduced Visser v. State Fish and transferred to individuals, such as to occupation, that is, to actual Game Commission, 150 in sport, commercial fi shing and possession.” — Dapson v. Daly, 257 Mont. 525, 531 (1968). hunting. It regulates and transfers Mass. 195, 197 (1926). ownership by issuing licenses and Possession does not occur until Conclusion regulations for the taking of fi sh the hunter has taken control of The buck stops with and game. There is no private own- the game and deprived it of its the fi rst hunter to in- ership of fi sh and game except as wild state. That status holds even capacitate the quarry, the state has provided for it. if one hunter had clearly spotted which usually means State laws generally say that title the game fi rst, wounded it and was bringing it down. That to game transfers from the state in pursuit. As long as the animal rule makes sense from to a hunter only when the hunter was not substantially deprived of a reasoned analysis of takes possession of the game while its liberty or under the control of a property laws. It also following all of the state’s regula- hunter, it is wild game and avail- makes a lot of sense from tions. That is, the key to a hunter able for the taking. an ethical perspective, taking ownership of game is for the Ethically, of course, you should because it benefi ts those With the current big buck mania hunter to obtain possession while not knowingly take advantage of who quickly dispatch their quarry. that has enveloped modern following the game regulations. another hunter’s efforts or interfere There should be no reward to whitetail hunting, in most Regulations are usually pretty clear, with another hunter who is likely those who consider taking shots cases of disputed harvest, the but what does possession mean? to recover a wounded animal. that are unlikely to result in a quick size of the argument is directly What about various traditions kill to claim a right to game even- proportional to the size Last Shot and customs that exist in hunting tually brought down by another. of the deer’s antlers. In a case before the Massachu- camps and regions regarding who setts State Supreme Court regarding gets to keep an animal pursued or — John T. Trout is a partner with a disputed deer, the court ruled the shot by multiple hunters? These the Eden Prairie, Minn., law fi rm of hunter who fi red the last and inca- local customs might settle a dispute Hellmuth & Johnson, PLLC, where he pacitating shot was entitled to keep between two hunters in the fi eld, focuses on construction law and com- the deer, even though it had been but they do not apply to determin- mercial litigation. He enjoys handgun shot fi rst by another hunter. The ing legal ownership of the disputed and fl intlock hunting for whitetails. deer had fallen as a result of the game. In the this quote, the Mon- He is no relation to longtime D&DH fi rst hunter’s shot, but had recov- tana State Supreme Court showed contributor John Trout Jr. of Illinois. ered enough to get on its feet and its contempt for local customs that run — at which time the second might argue the ownership of game hunter dropped the animal with a by any way other than the licensed fatal shot. The court summarized hunter lawfully hunting and bring- the general rule on the issue: ing the animal under his control:

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 48 ESTIMATED TEMPERATURE TEMPERATURE RAIN or POINT OF IMPACT > 40º < 40º COYOTES?

VITAL LUNGS 30 minutes 1 hour 20 minutes

ANALYSIS 20 minutes 1 hour 20 minutes HEART Increase your blood-trailing recovery success rate by asking yourself several questions after the shot. Where was the deer standing? Where

was the location of the wound? How did the deer react? Next, make an HITGOOD educated guess: Was it a good hit or bad hit? Then, use this chart to decide when to take up the trail. LIVER 2 hours Overnight 20 minutes

Follow up Follow up Follow up SPINE immediately immediately immediately 4 5 4 1 3 5 7 Follow up 2 20 minutes 20 minutes 6 MUSCLE immediately

1 LUNGS 4 SPINE PAUNCH 4 hours Overnight 4 hours 2 HEART 5 MUSCLE 3 6 LIVER PAUNCH HITMARGINAL 7 INTESTINES

INTESTINES 8 hours 12 hours 8 hours

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 49 SHOT The Broadside Shot PLACEMENT Bow or Gun Making clean, certain kills should be the top priority once a hunter decides to shoot a deer. Consistent one-shot kills require marksmanship, knowledge of deer anatomy, and a true-shooting rifl e or bow. The best shot for archers and fi rearms hunters is one that angles forward through the deer’s chest cavity. These shots leave the most room for error. Broadside shots through the The chest are equally deadly, but the target area is smaller than Straight- quartering-away shots. On Shot Gun Only Whatever the weapon, deer shot through the heart or lung drop fairly quickly. This results in a well bled-carcass and a minimum of ruined meat. To kill a deer almost instantly, however, fi rearms hunters should aim for the shoulder blade unless they’re using light bullets and small-caliber rifl es. A bullet through the middle of the shoulder blade will almost certainly break the spine, Making clean, causing instant unconsciousness and paralysis. The deer certain kills drops in its tracks and expires quickly, unable to breath or move its legs. should be the The shoulder-blade shot results in a modest loss of meat, top priority but this must be weighed against the likelihood of losing the The entire animal because of poor tracking conditions, darkness Angling- once a hunter or other factors. Away Shot Bow or Gun decides to shoot a deer.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 50 Cervical Thoracic Lumbar Vertebrae Vertebrae Vertebrae

Pelvis

Carotid Artery Esophagus Scapula

Sternum DDH©

Aortic Arch

Humerus Rib Cage Lung Paunch Intestines COMPLETE Liver Kidney Femoral ANATOMY Artery

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 51 WHITETAIL ANATOMY

Cervical Thoracic Lumbar Vertebrae Vertebrae Vertebrae

Scapula

Sternum

Humerus Rib Cage Pelvis SKELETON

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 52 WHITETAIL ANATOMY

Aortic Arch Dorsal Aorta Posterior Vena Cava

Carotid Artery

Heart

Interior Pectoral Exterior Pectoral Femoral CIRCULATORY Artery SYSTEM

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 53 WHITETAIL ANATOMY

Small Lungs Kidneys Intestine

Esophagus

Trachea

Heart Liver Rumen Omasum ORGANS

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 54 The tracks left by wounded deer offer clues to the wound’s location. Deer with a broken leg (A) or a broken hind leg (B) will leave drag marks. The lower a leg is broken, the more pronounced the drag marks. ON THE TRAIL Deer shot through the intestines, liver (C) or lungs will often leave tracks that are bunched in twos. A cross-jump track (D) results from a bullet through OF WOUNDED DEER the intestines or liver with the animal standing broad- side to the shooter.

DDH©

DDH© ± Broken Foreleg Bullet through Lungs, Liver or ± Intestines A C

DDH© DDH© ± Broken Hind Leg Bullet through ± Intestines or Liver B D

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 55 DEER ARE BUILT TO SURVIVE THE AVERAGE WHITE-TAILED DEER weighing K2 in early fall. Vitamin K is an antihemorrhagic 150 pounds carries about eight pints of blood in its agent, which greatly assists blood-clotting. This circulatory system. Blood loss must be extensive if peak in Vitamin K is likely the result of extensive the hunter is to easily recover a wounded deer. feeding on green plants through the summer. This means a deer must lose at least 35 percent Another researcher discovered that white- of its total blood volume, or 2.75 pints of blood tails, when under stress, have high levels for a 150-pound deer. The quicker the blood loss, of ß-endorphin (especially in August, the sooner you’ll recover it. September and October), which A deer with severed aortic artery, the major sports rapid wound healing. blood vessel through which oxygenated blood Endorphins consist of mor- leaves the heart, will normally drop within 30 to phine-like chemicals from 40 yards. A deer with a severed carotid, or jugular, the pituitary glans, allowing artery seldom travels more than 100 yards. A shot the animal to control pain. to any of these arteries means that death results In addition, bucks experi- within minutes, if not seconds. ence rapid buildups of steroids Bow hunters must use razor-sharp broadheads and androgens in the bloodstream after they to kill deer quickly. Any broadhead that isn’t dan- shed their antler velvet. Researchers have found gerously sharp may only push aside a deer’s veins high levels of cortisol, a steroid hormone, during or arteries, which are elastic and fairly tough. September, October and November. This hormone Another factor is the deer’s heart rate. A run- promotes healing, helps manage stress, and sup- ning white-tailed deer has three times the heart presses an prevents infl ammation. rate per minute of a bedded deer. For this reason, With these buildups of cortisol, steroids, pro- some well-known hunters such as Dutch Wam- tein, ß-endorphin and Vitamin K, the white-tailed bold advocate trailing deer immediately after deer has more power and stamina during the they’re shot, no matter where the hit occurred. A hunting season. It also has and increased capacity Deer & Deer Hunting survey of its readers in the to heal itself. That’s why it’s crucial for hunters to mid-1980s reached the same conclusion. thoroughly study whit-tailed deer anatomy, and Here are some other points to keep in mind: Re- to put their bullet or arrow where it can quickly searchers recently concluded that deer blood likely destroy the deer’s circulatory and/or respiratory carries high levels high levels of Vitamin K1 and system.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 56 Lingual Crest Enamel (white) Dentine (brown) Infundibulum AGING DEER BY THEIR TEETH THESE ILLUSTRATIONS HELP DETERMINE the age of deer by the lower jaw 1 4 PremolarsFirst Molar Second Molar Third Molar teeth of deer taken in November. Wildlife biologists and deer researchers agree that analysis of tooth replacement and wear — though not perfect — is the most handy and reliable fi eld method for aging white-tailed deer. That’s because, regardless of where they live, whitetails lose their baby “milk” teeth and wear out their permanent teeth on a fairly predictable schedule. At birth, white-tailed fawns have four teeth. Adult deer have 32 teeth — 12 premolars, 12 molars, six incisors and two canines. 2 Three cusps on Molars 5 First Molar Second Molar Third Molar Aging analysis often is based on the wear of the molars, which lose third premolar about 1 millimeter of height per year. It takes a deer about 10½ years to wear its teeth down to the gum line. Therefore, it’s diffi cult to determine the age of a deer that’s older than 10½ years. Most importantly, the ability to estimate a deer’s age based on the wear of its teeth is something most hunters can learn with a little study and practice. 3 Two cusps on First Molar Second Molar Third Molar 6 First Molar Second Molar Third Molar third premolar 1. Fawn of the third molar is slight, and the gum line is often not retracted Infundibulum Few hunters have difficulty aging a white-tailed fawn, whose enough to expose the full height of this cusp. short snout and small body are usually obvious when viewed up close. If there is doubt, simply count the teeth in the deer’s lower 5. 3½ YEARS jaw. If the jaw has less than six teeth, the deer is a fawn. The lingual crests (inside, next to tongue) of the first molar are blunted, and the dentine of the crests on this tooth is as wide 2. Yearling (About 17-18 Months) or wider than the enamel. Compare it to the second molar. The dentine on the second molar is not wider than the enamel, which The giveaway in deer of this age is the third premolar, which has 7 Infundibulum First Molar Second Third three cusps. This is also the age where deer start to shed their means this deer is probably 3½ years old. Also, the posterior 7. 6½ to 8½ YEARS Molar Molar “milk teeth.” They’ll either be loose or gone. In this photo you cusp of the third molar is flattened by wear, forming a definite Segregating deer by a specific age becomes increasingly First Second Third can see the permanent premolars partially erupted as they push concavity on the biting surface of the teeth. difficult by this time. By age 6½, wear is moderate on the first Premolar Premolar Premolar up under the loosening milk teeth. premolar, and heavy on the second and third premolars. On the 6. 4½ to 5½ YEARS third premolar, infundibulum might appear as a small triangular 3. Yearling (At least 19 Months) At this point, it’s often hard to distinguish between the two age hole. On the first molar, the infundibulum appears as fine line At about 1 year, 7 months, most deer have all three permanent classes. The lingual crests of the first molar are almost worn or chevron, or it might be absent. Little or no enamel remains on premolars. The new teeth are white in contrast to pigmentation away. The posterior cusp of the third molar is worn at the cusp’s the first molar. In 7½- or 8½-year-old deer, the first molar might on older teeth. They have a smooth, chalk-white appearance and edge so the biting surface slopes downward. Wear has spread be worn within 2 mm or 3 mm of the gum line on the outside, 8 show no wear. The third molar is partially erupted. to the second molar, making the dentine wider than the enamel and 4 mm or 5 mm on lingual side. The second molar is almost on first and second molars. By age 5½, wear has usually spread smooth and the third molar is worn down until lingual crests 4. 2½ YEARS to all six teeth, making the dentine wider than the enamel on are gone. The lingual crests of the first molar are sharp, with the enamel all teeth. Because the first molar is the oldest, it wears out rising well above the narrow dentine (the dark layer below the first. Also, by 5½, there might be no lingual crests on the first 8. 9½ and OLDER enamel) of the crest. Crests on the first molar are as sharp as and second molars, although rounded edges might appear like Wear is more extreme than in previous photo. Pulp cavity might those on the second and third molar. Wear on the posterior cusp crests. be exposed in some teeth. Some teeth worn to the gum line.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 57 FIELD-DRESSING, CAPING & SKINNING

Field-Dressing 3. If you want to make a full shoulder mount, do not cut open the chest cavity. Reach into the forward chest, fi nd 1. With the deer on its back, carefully open the deer’s abdomen. the esophagus, cut it off as far up as possible, and pull it down through the chest. If the buck won’t be mounted, 2. Place a small log under the rump to get it off the ground. split the chest and sever the esophagus at its lower end. onto its other side and fi nish cutting away the diaphragm. Cut deeply around the rectum, being careful not to cut off Or, simply cut into the deer’s throat patch deeply enough or puncture the intestine. Pull to make sure the rectum is to sever the esophagus. After it’s cut, reach into the chest 5. Leaving the deer on its side, grab the esophagus with one separated from tissue connecting it to the pelvic canal. Do cavity, fi nd the esophagus’s lower end and pull it through. hand and the rectum/intestine with the other. Pull hard. not split the pelvic bone. Lift the animal’s back quarters The deer’s innards will come out in one big package with a a bit, reach into the front of the pelvic canal, and pull the 4. Roll the deer onto one side and cut the diaphragm away minimum of mess. intestine and connected rectum into the stomach area. from the ribs all the way to the backbone area. Roll the deer

Caping to cut through the neck. The easiest way Skinning 4. Pull the neck hide down until about one to separate the head from the neck is to foot of it is free. Take a golf-ball sized Caping — the process of skinning out a make an encircling cut through the neck Skinning deer does not have to be a long, rock and wrap it into the hide’s end. trophy deer’s shoulder and head — is best to the atlas joint, the fi rst vertebra under laborious chore. Take a hint from butch- Make a tight package and cinch it off left to the taxidermist. In a remote setting, the skull. This is the only joint on the ers who winch off the hide. A car, truck with high-quality nylon rope of about however, storage problems may require neck that has no interlocking bones. or come-along works just as well. With three-eighths inch thickness. A double you to cape a deer if you want to preserve practice, this technique requires about fi ve half-hitch works well. Pull hard on the it as a full shoulder mount. Follow the illus- 3. After making this cut, simply grasp the minutes of work. rope to make sure everything is secure. tration above when making your cuts. antler bases and twist the head off the neck. 1. With the deer hanging by its antlers or 5. Tie the rope’s other end to a car, truck 1. With a short, sharp knife, slit the skin neck, slice the hide around the neck as or come-along hook. (A rope 10 to 12 from the top of the withers, up the back 4. Remember, when fi eld-dressing a trophy close to the head as possible. (Don’t cut feet long is plenty.) Back up the vehicle of the neck to the midpoint between to be mounted, don’t cut into the chest into the meat. The neck muscles bear until the hide is pulled to the brisket and the ears. Now, going back to the with- or neck area. If blood gets onto the area much force later as the hide is pulled off.) shoulders. It will bind slightly here. If ers, circle the body with another cut. to be mounted, wash it off with snow or necessary, have someone work the hide This should leave plenty of hide for the water as soon as possible. Also, when 2. Cut down the front of the neck to the around the brisket. With tension on the taxidermist. taking the deer out of the woods, place opening made during fi eld-dressing. rope, the hide will slide over fairly easily. it on a sled or rickshaw. All it takes is 2. Peel the skin forward up to the ears and one sharply broken branch on a deadfall 3. Saw off the legs slightly above the knee 6. Continue backing until the hide is pulled jaws, exposing the point where you want to damage the hide. joints. free of the carcass.

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 58 WHITETAIL HAIR 3 IDENTIFICATION

Most color differences in a whitetail’s hair 4. Paunch: Hairs are 2.5 to 2.75 inches are found near the tips. Other noteworthy long. Most of the coloring is whitish-gray 4 differences are thickness, straightness and rather than gray. Hair will have black tips length. Remember that hair you examine with a band of brown below. may have been cut short by a bullet or a 5. Chest: Chest hairs are fi ne and about broadhead. 2.25 inches long with black and tan tips 1. Heart: The heart is covered by long, with the rest whitish gray. They’re similar to fi ne hairs 3.5 to 4 inches long with fi ne lower side hairs except they’re longer and

black tips leading to tan or brown for a half- not as fi ne. 5 inch or more, with the rest grey. 6. Brisket: Wavy hair 1.5 to 2 inches long 2. Front leg, outside: Hairs will be fi ne with black tips. The rest are whitish-gray. and 1.5 inches long, with black-brown 7. Hind leg, upper arm: Wavy, hollow color and black tips. Neck hairs are similar hairs 1.75 to 2 inches long, black and except base will be more gray with leg brown at the tip, changing to gray and whit- hairs slightly lighter. Neck hairs will be 1.75 ish-gray at the base. inches long. 6 8. Neck (side): Short fi ne hairs 1.75 3. Shoulder: Shoulder hairs are about inches long, similar to those on the outside 2.5 inches long with black tips and band of of the front legs. Black-brown with black brown below, followed by a band of black tips and gray base. Front leg hairs will have and continuing with gray the rest of the a lighter colored base. length.

1 7

2 8

Blood-Trailing Whitetails deeranddeerhunting.com 59