Elk Tracking Tips

[WapitiTalk1]

I'm sure many of us have had difficult tracking experiences; it goes with the game.  What are some of your tips for tracking elk once the arrow (or other projectile) has found its mark?  Let's skip past the standard ones that most big game hunters know (try to determine what type of hit it was, mark where you shot from, mark where the elk was standing and visual direction of travel, wait XX minutes before proceeding, mark every spot of blood).  I'll throw out a couple.

1.  Move slowly when tracking a hit elk.  Stop often and listen.   

2.  An elk, even when hit well, may not bleed significantly outside the body for some pretty long stretches (depends on the hit, the hit angle, going uphill, downhill, etc.).  Learn to tune in to the tracks of the target elk as much as the blood sign.  This is crucial. 

3.  Realize that bright red/frothy blood does not necessarily signify a lung shot. 

OK, these are just a very few.  Tracking an elk after the shot is kind of an art and something that is learned through many years of doing it.  Please throw out a few of your after the shot tracking tips that have worked for you.

[jason stevens]

First  I say give it time at least an hour or 3. Then go. Do what you can with blood. Then grid Then if all else fails. Put away your weapons an call in the digs if you have them.. most elk in my opinion from other hunts tend to go downhill. Just my experience in helping others. Mine have all dropped within 30 yards. But my buddies tend to need help tracking.

[jason stevens]

Dogs not digs

[brew]

Buddy arrowed a cow years ago in the Manastash.  Liver hit but no blood.  We grid searched for hours, no success.  I went to the last spot he saw it and just said to myself "where would I go ".  200 yards later a single drop of blood on a white blow down about the size of my wrist. Could smell elk.  Wife found her 50 yards later under a thick evergreen in a depression.  If you didn't walk on her we wouldn't have found her.

[3dvapor]

Give the appropruate time based on the shot.  Liver 6hours guts 8 to 13.  Start a trck on your onx with the blood trail.  You can use it later for general direction if you lose blood.  Dogs can smell blood even 24hrs after a good rain.  Ive had them pull me faster than i could walk on no visible sign.
 

[jason stevens]

Just remember if you use dogs. Do not have your weapon on you.

[MADMAX]

Modern firearm
Bring running shoes
It’s pretty cutthroat when it comes to elk
Makes people crazy

[HUNTIN4SIX]

I have always said "blood is just a bonus".  It keeps me focused on what the animal is doing, where its going and how it is behaving.  Other signs like how the animal is bleeding or walking have helped me.  I laughed at the elk pic because I've tracked bleeding elk through those ferns several times with no blood sign.  looked at my pants and realized the ferns turn over as the elk walks leaving the blood underneath them.  I also always go back after i find the animal and re-trace its steps like an investigator for future kills and situations, learned alot that way.

[hunter399]

I've definitely lost a few deer before.
Better find'em before someone else does these days.

[pianoman9701]

When tracking, keep looking up and ahead so you don't walk righ into it. This comes from experience. 

[throttlejocky20]

Look for the animal as much as blood bumping an animal out of its bed makes the job a lot harder. Stay with it Mark the spot you shot from as well as where the animal was standing mark your blood as well so if it dries up you can see the path the animal was traveling. Never walk in the same trail as the animal so you dont step blood into the ground or wipe it off leaves on your clothes. If you lose blood stay with it and do circles I have picked up drops far from the last when i thought it was over.

[WSU]

Buddy arrowed a cow years ago in the Manastash.  Liver hit but no blood.  We grid searched for hours, no success.  I went to the last spot he saw it and just said to myself "where would I go ".  200 yards later a single drop of blood on a white blow down about the size of my wrist. Could smell elk.  Wife found her 50 yards later under a thick evergreen in a depression.  If you didn't walk on her we wouldn't have found her.

I found a friend's elk once based only on smell.  Had a decent, consistent breeze and I followed the smell for probably 200 yards.

[tracksoup]

Buddy arrowed a cow years ago in the Manastash.  Liver hit but no blood.  We grid searched for hours, no success.  I went to the last spot he saw it and just said to myself "where would I go ".  200 yards later a single drop of blood on a white blow down about the size of my wrist. Could smell elk.  Wife found her 50 yards later under a thick evergreen in a depression.  If you didn't walk on her we wouldn't have found her.

I found a friend's elk once based only on smell.  Had a decent, consistent breeze and I followed the smell for probably 200 yards.

Those two are big, “smell”and check this depressions it’s amazing what they will crawl into.
I’ll add:
pay attention to any other wildlife in the area, birds in particular.

[Kingofthemountain83]

I've shot a lot of elk with a .50 muzzy and they left no blood trail at all... Hit in the heart and lungs... When they don't go down in sight it can get tough tracking... Specially when they're with a herd... No snow... Pay attention for tracks that pull away from the herd cause they can't keep up but still way faster than you... Could be really obvious or on a hidden and it cut through waist high brush where it went off trail... You just have to slow down and take your time... Look for every little clue possible... My least favorite part of the whole experience is tracking wounded, hopefully dead game... But probably one of the best skills sets to have is tracking game and reading sign... And I've seen big bull elk run up hill for over 300 yards like nothing happened after being shot by .50 muzzy and not have a heart left and one lung functioning... Had a cow run 170 yards uphill with a .50 muzzy through the lungs and heart... And watched my friend shoot a raghorn rosey with a 300 Win 3 times in the lungs and it continued on it's uphill path till it died a few hundred yards like nothing happened... So they can go uphill if they want to... Tough animals that have a will to live like nothing else on this planet...   

[WapitiTalk1]

LOTs of really great tips being offered!  I hope newer and less experienced elk hunters are taking notes. I’ll add another thing that has helped me in many tracking situations. Carry a small squirt bottle of peroxide in your tracking/kill kit. A small squirt of peroxide on a suspected blood spot will foam up if it is in fact blood.