Incredible dog tracking of a downed deer

[FL Plotter]

I thought my season was over with my buck that I posted, but I got a call on the MLK holiday that a friend had a deer down and needed some help. By the time I made the one hour drive, he had called a dog team, so we waited.

Here is the story in video!:

 

[Deadeye]

Glad to see you found it.

Lindsey is a Partner/Owner with the Girl I call, Crystal. Together they own Head Hunters Working Dogs. Nationally Trained and Certified Tracking Dogs.

While it's called Blood Tracking, They have taught me that once a Deer has been Shot, their Feet through a Gland located between their Hooves, emits a "waxy substance" that is unique to That Deer. It is that Waxy Scent that the Dogs actually follow.
It is an awesome experience to watch them work their stuff.

 

[FL Plotter]

The crazy thing is that if you saw the entry and exit holes, you would say "great shot". The bullet hit that sweet spot just behind the heart and under the lungs....he's going back to the shoulder shot!

 

[Drycreek]

The crazy thing is that if you saw the entry and exit holes, you would say "great shot". The bullet hit that sweet spot just behind the heart and under the lungs....he's going back to the shoulder shot!

A friend lost a good axis buck with that same shot last weekend. It was fatal in about 200 yards but we couldn’t find him that night as the shot was right at dark. Found him the next morning but the coyotes found him before we did. He didn’t bleed very much at all and that was a great surprise to me as both entrance and exit were low.

 

[FL Plotter]

In the video, you will see the maps I made of the tracking. The deer was still alive 9 hours later....the dogs jumped it 600 yds from the shot and the handler wasn't sure they could catch it. They did and that's how we recovered her. Good blood at the site of the shot and for 100 yds but then the holes plugged up. 2 of my 3 deer this year were down quickly (20 yds and 80 yds) with basically the same shot and the same bullet (270 Core-lokt 130gr).....just one inch difference.

 

[Deadeye]

The crazy thing is that if you saw the entry and exit holes, you would say "great shot". The bullet hit that sweet spot just behind the heart and under the lungs....he's going back to the shoulder shot!

On my last Buck I posted here I had comments of Perfect Shot and I thought so as well. Bled great at times hardly any at others.

The Tracker after looking at the hit said "On a rifle hit you would probably have been OK, due to the shock damage. But these Florida Deer their Lungs are a bit higher than their Northern Cousins are. Next time hold above the elbow point and you should hit both lungs good.".

I hadn't really stopped to consider the differences in the Sub Species. And these Trackers see more Dead Deer in a month, for sure in a Season, than most of us will in a Lifetime.

While it was with my Crossbow I aimed just behind the Elbow Point, now I know to hold just a bit higher to pierce both lungs.

 

[Drycreek]

On my last Buck I posted here I had comments of Perfect Shot and I thought so as well. Bled great at times hardly any at others.

The Tracker after looking at the hit said "On a rifle hit you would probably have been OK, due to the shock damage. But these Florida Deer their Lungs are a bit higher than their Northern Cousins are. Next time hold above the elbow point and you should hit both lungs good.".

I hadn't really stopped to consider the differences in the Sub Species. And these Trackers see more Dead Deer in a month, for sure in a Season, than most of us will in a Lifetime.

While it was with my Crossbow I aimed just behind the Elbow Point, now I know to hold just a bit higher to pierce both lungs.

When I was bowhunting I normally hunted from a tripod or ladder stand. Due to the height I aimed in the center of the animal (actually aiming for the exit rather than the entrance), and this gave your exit hole a lower point than your entrance. That’s good for blood trails. When I hunted from a ground blind, as in pronghorn hunting, I aimed right above the elbow in the lower shoulder. That’s normally a heart shot if you hit your mark. If the animal were farther, I just went for the lungs, which was the same vertically but a couple inches farther back.

I couldn’t resist the shot of a younger me !