Forums46
Topics537,815
Posts9,729,459
Members87,042
|
Most Online25,604 Feb 12th, 2024
|
|
|
Night time tracking
#8671853
08/23/22 02:52 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 272
Nickbyrd
OP
Bird Dog
|
OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 272 |
Gearing up for the season and trying to play out all the scenarios in my head and yada yada . Ok it could be borderline fantasizing about it lol but anyways I’ve never tracked/ chased a blood trail at night time . And just thinking about it sounds like it would suck a lot . But maybe I’m overthinking it . It’s making me shy away from evening hunts . What are your thoughts ?
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671861
08/23/22 02:59 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 114
LanceH
Woodsman
|
Woodsman
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 114 |
All blood tracking is worse on me because I'm color blind. I can't even see blood on the ground in day time.
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: LanceH]
#8671871
08/23/22 03:18 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 272
Nickbyrd
OP
Bird Dog
|
OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 272 |
All blood tracking is worse on me because I'm color blind. I can't even see blood on the ground in day time. That sounds horrible
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671875
08/23/22 03:20 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,744
psycho0819
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,744 |
Tracking blood at night does suck. The best light I've found for doing it is the good old Coleman lantern. Cut a soda or beer can to cover half the globe so it's not blinding the user, and it will basically make a good size area look like daylight. That being said, I do heavily consider what shots I'm willing to take as dusk approaches. Bow hunting is obviously more of a concern than rifle hunting, one means you are most certainly going to be tracking, the other means you might be.
Tolerance is the virtue of a man without conviction.
The end of the world began the day it was created, and life is a sexually transmitted terminal disease.
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671877
08/23/22 03:22 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,057
ChrisB
Veteran Tracker
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,057 |
Learning how to follow blood trails is a very important part of hunting. Having been bow only for the last ten years I’ve gotten a lot of practice at it. A couple of good LED flashlights and some toilet paper to mark blood with are essential. Often you can get on their hoof print and follow those when the blood is lacking.
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671878
08/23/22 03:23 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,002
68A
Extreme Tracker
|
Extreme Tracker
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,002 |
Make a good shot and it wont be much of an issue. Shot many critters in the evening/night. Its the same as during the day, except its dark and you have a flashlight. Mark blood with tp or tape as you go. If you're talking bow hunting, give them ample time to bed down and expire, then get after it. Only problem would be if rain is in the forecast. Worse case scenario, call in for a dog. https://www.unitedbloodtrackers.org/
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671881
08/23/22 03:26 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 91
COFF (TFF)
Outdoorsman
|
Outdoorsman
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 91 |
One's ability to track blood at night is directly proportional to the quality of one's flashlight. Get a really good LED flashlight, and carry spare batteries.
The real trick is to get really good sight markers of where the deer was when you shot. You want to know the spot where it was standing, and the last point you could see him run. Then watch those two spots from your blind as the sun goes down because they will look different in the dark. Flagging tape is never a bad idea to mark the last point of the blood trail in case you have to back track. A spooked deer's first instinct is to get distance between himself and the danger; his second instinct is to find cover. Generally your blood trail will run in a straight line or it makes a single turn into heavy cover.
I've had a couple of the "blood tracker" lights with blue lights and have found them to be ineffective gimmicks. If someone has insight into something specific that actually works I'd be interested to hear about it.
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671885
08/23/22 03:33 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,057
ChrisB
Veteran Tracker
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,057 |
I’ve had a few LED flashlights that showed blood very good and others that were just ok. It depends on the temperature of the light. Unfortunately the very good ones I have the temperature wasn’t labeled on the light.
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671887
08/23/22 03:34 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,002
68A
Extreme Tracker
|
Extreme Tracker
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,002 |
There are chemicals out there for this purpose but they are relatively expensive. Luminol. Once applied to blood it will glow when hit with UV. Cheaper alternative is spray bottle of peroxide.
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671891
08/23/22 03:40 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,413
JimBridger
Veteran Tracker
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,413 |
As previously stated, a Coleman Lantern is still the best tool I’ve found for trailing a wounded animal in the dark. It just seems to have the best level and color of illumination to help see small drops of blood. I always bring toilet tissue and uses small pieces to mark the spots were blood was found. The paper trail provides an easy to see pattern of the likely direction the animal is headed.
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. Edmund Burke
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671893
08/23/22 03:43 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 4,693
krmitchell
Extreme Tracker
|
Extreme Tracker
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 4,693 |
Get a good flashlight. Go slow when looking for blood and don’t forget to stop every couple yards and look around. I’ve seen people walk right past a deer looking for blood because they didn’t have their eyes up. Flagging tape for night or rain is also really helpful.
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: psycho0819]
#8671894
08/23/22 03:43 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 9,969
Old Rabbit
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 9,969 |
Tracking blood at night does suck. The best light I've found for doing it is the good old Coleman lantern. Cut a soda or beer can to cover half the globe so it's not blinding the user, and it will basically make a good size area look like daylight. That being said, I do heavily consider what shots I'm willing to take as dusk approaches. Bow hunting is obviously more of a concern than rifle hunting, one means you are most certainly going to be tracking, the other means you might be. My dad's old Colman lantern had a shield on one side that had a handle built onto it. You could grip it by the handle and point it like a flashlight. Best tracking light I have ever used. And like others said, mark you blood spots with a piece of TP, preferably several feet off the ground if possible. It's really makes it easier to locate your last spot if you get off the trail. You can look back at the TP trail and get a sense of direction the animal was traveling.
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671898
08/23/22 03:46 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 14,154
Hudbone
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 14,154 |
in case I am with others, I keep some fluorescant orange tape in my Taco. Cut off a piece every time I get to the "last drop of blood". Just helps me to easily locate the last spot when going back to it and having to start up again.
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671914
08/23/22 04:03 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,289
BenBob
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,289 |
If you shy away from evening hunts, you have eliminated half of the season. Practice your shooting skills and have the number of a good tracking dog owner in your truck.
Last edited by BenBob; 08/23/22 04:05 PM.
Tired, Wired, and Uninspired
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671917
08/23/22 04:09 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,576
Gumbeaux
Extreme Tracker
|
Extreme Tracker
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,576 |
Most of mine I shoot in the morning are DRT but Murphy's Law says the one you shoot in the evening will run and you'll be tracking.
Like mentioned above, in the evenings I'm either big buck hunting or pig hunting. I'm not going to risk having to track a doe or a cull buck when I can easily get it the next morning, at least here in the Hill Country. Pig I'll track but no big deal if I don't find it, and a big buck is worth tracking all night if need be.
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671920
08/23/22 04:09 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 963
Lipan Creep
Tracker
|
Tracker
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 963 |
Knock on wood I've never had to track a deer. I'm sure that day is comming.
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671935
08/23/22 04:49 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,785
Mr. T.
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,785 |
A good shot makes tracking a lot easier.
Cabin rental in Pagosa Springs, Co. Sleeps 10, If interested please PM me.
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671949
08/23/22 05:10 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,695
603Country
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,695 |
These day I use an M12 LED light from Milwaukee. Get the big battery and it will stay bright for hours. It throws a wide evenly lit beam of light. I helped a neighbor track a wounded buck for hours, and the light never dimmed. Best tracking light I’ve ever used. It’s the 49-24-0146. The head swivels.
And, toilet paper is your best tracking friend after the light. After you’ve marked a few spots with the TP, you can look back with the light to see if you are still tracking in the right direction. Over the decades I’ve found that badly wounded deer move in a somewhat steady direction, whereas lightly wounded deer will wander more. That knowledge may not apply to heavy brush in south Texas.
Last edited by 603Country; 08/23/22 05:18 PM.
Not my monkeys, not my circus...
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671950
08/23/22 05:10 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,429
BOBO the Clown
kind of a big deal
|
kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,429 |
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671951
08/23/22 05:11 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 31,905
txtrophy85
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 31,905 |
If your shooting a rifle then you can prevent tracking by well placed shoulder shots.
That was always my method to prevent looking for deer in the dark.
Bow hunting, I use a big expandable broadhead to help mitigate the track job.
For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8671960
08/23/22 05:30 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 15,639
QuitShootinYoungBucks
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 15,639 |
Step one, immediately after the shot, LISTEN as you watch the animal run. I have found several deer, walked straight to them, by hearing them 'crash' when they go down. They might run into a fence or over a rocky spot or into the only brushy patch in that direction-those are all clues for you. You can also estimate distance by comparing how far they ran while you could see them, to how long it was before they crashed after getting out of your sight.
https://web.archive.org/web/20170223065011/http:/www.rrdvegas.com/silencer-cleaning.html
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8672003
08/23/22 06:28 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 9,908
unclebubba
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 9,908 |
Tracking blood in the dark is no harder that tracking during the day IMO....as long as you have the right flashlight. Too bright, and it will wash out the blood. Too dim, and you won't be able to see it. I like to carry a roll of orange flagging tape to mark blood spots. I hang them in a tree if I can so that they are above the ground. When you are tracking, you can periodically look back and see the trail easily.
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8672010
08/23/22 06:47 PM
|
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 12,134
ntxtrapper
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 12,134 |
Blood tracking can get complicated. I’ve been bow hunting for 42 years so I’ve seen just about every scenario you can think of. The best thing invented in my lifetime for finding a downed deer at night is a thermal spotter. I always have one with me.
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8672018
08/23/22 06:59 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,358
bronco71
Pro Tracker
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,358 |
Leupold LTO Tracker works great, I can spit on the ground and walk away for quite a while and come back and find it....
|
|
|
Re: Night time tracking
[Re: Nickbyrd]
#8672030
08/23/22 07:11 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 778
Double AC
Tracker
|
Tracker
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 778 |
Something not mentioned here yet - know the land and how the deer use it. Rarely have I ever shot a deer and had it run off and end up finding in a spot that doesn't make sense. They use the same trails they always have and want to head to where they feel safe. Paying attention to the trails and locations hit deer go can teach you a lot about your property.
Otherwise a good flashlight. a thermal spotter, and a dogs nose help too
|
|
|
Moderated by bigbob_ftw, CCBIRDDOGMAN, Chickenman, Derek, DeRico, Duck_Hunter, hetman, jeh7mmmag, JustWingem, kmon11, kry226, kwrhuntinglab, Payne, pertnear, rifleman, sig226fan (Rguns.com), Superduty, TreeBass, txcornhusker
|