Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: Wendego716 on October 24, 2025, 04:50:57 PM

Title: Blood trailing in the rain
Post by: Wendego716 on October 24, 2025, 04:50:57 PM: What's your approach to finding a deer after you've shot it in the rain (particularly heavy rain)? Do you try to get on the blood trail fast before it washes away and hope you don't bump it, or give it the normal amount of time and then just search for a dead deer nearby?

I shot a spike this morning and didn't really have anything to follow, so just started walking transects hoping it didn't go far. No luck, planning on searching more in the morning. I hate losing deer.
Title: Re: Blood trailing in the rain
Post by: JakeLand on October 24, 2025, 05:15:05 PM: In rain get on it quickly, if your shot was good he ain’t far
Title: Re: Blood trailing in the rain
Post by: lewy on October 24, 2025, 05:27:13 PM: What are the details of your shot and the deer's reaction? Like Jake said, a deer hit decent probably isn't far.
Title: Re: Blood trailing in the rain
Post by: Wendego716 on October 24, 2025, 08:25:16 PM: Shot felt good, was only 50 yards. A few clumps of white hair where he was standing, with some blood/muscle bits. The latter has me worried I pulled the shot and grazed him. Nothing I can do about it now except go back and look for a dead deer in the area.

My question was more for future reference, since after he took off I had trouble deciding between waiting or pushing it (kinda did both). Especially since rain and blacktails go hand in hand.
Title: Re: Blood trailing in the rain
Post by: brokentrail on October 24, 2025, 08:29:01 PM: In rain, I go and start tracking almost immediately.
Title: Re: Blood trailing in the rain
Post by: Goshawk on October 24, 2025, 08:48:17 PM: Rifle and Archery, if it's pouring down, I want to get on it asap. It also helps to read your hit. A kick and blindly running means it won't go far. A hunched up response often means liver and you need to get close to get another round in it.
Title: Re: Blood trailing in the rain
Post by: Goshawk on October 24, 2025, 08:52:21 PM: For both Rifle and Archery, in heavy rains, I get on it ASAP! Also read your hit. A jump and blind run often means a heart / double lunger so you can be pretty bold about making in. A hunched response with the deer sneaking away can mean too far back and a liver hit. Get on it too, but go in like you're sneaking up on a cat. Odds are you'll need another shot to finish it before it bolts, so do your best super sneaky approach. If your alone, take a picture from where you shot, to the place the deer was for referencing a solid starting point. With a second person, use hand signals to best direct your buddy to the place it was.
Title: Re: Blood trailing in the rain
Post by: Feathernfurr on October 24, 2025, 08:58:47 PM: I’m going to interject on that last one. If it’s archery and you hit back (liver/guts) you need to back out and come back 8-12 hours later. Regardless of blood he’s going to be dead somewhere within 200-300 yards. If you push him with a gun you might get that second shot, but you’re not going to get that follow up shot with archery, I don’t care how sneaky you think you are. A deer is going to bed facing its back track. If you bump him and don’t get that follow up shot you’re never going to find him. Hit liver, let em lie and come back in 8 to 12 hours and recover your deer. You may lose some meet to coyotes or bears, but that’s deer is going to die and you might as well give yourself the slightest chance of recovery.
Title: Re: Blood trailing in the rain
Post by: WSU on October 24, 2025, 09:14:52 PM: Quote from: Wendego716 on Yesterday at 08:25:16 PM
Shot felt good, was only 50 yards. A few clumps of white hair where he was standing, with some blood/muscle bits. The latter has me worried I pulled the shot and grazed him. Nothing I can do about it now except go back and look for a dead deer in the area.

My question was more for future reference, since after he took off I had trouble deciding between waiting or pushing it (kinda did both). Especially since rain and blacktails go hand in hand.

Doesn’t sound promising to me if there is white hair. In the rain I look asap
Title: Re: Blood trailing in the rain
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on October 24, 2025, 10:22:57 PM: I agree with FF on the arrow when liver or gut hit. I have had good success letting them die and going into find them. Takes work and some sleuthing, but has worked out far better than forcing the issue. I also avoid excessive vegetation in real heavy rain with archery.

Bullets I get on them right away. My buck today I hit back as he was turning to leave, bullet path of travel was quartered away through liver and lung found bullet in armpit of offside leg. Shot was close, but he wasn't waiting to smell the daisies, he hunched up but was clearly hurt. His dirt track into salal got me a direction of travel and did find blood shortly after. 20 yards later found him piled up. For reference the blood was gone 10 minutes later and tracks were washed out shortly after that.

I would definitely go grid!!! In a story for another time, the buck I killed last year had no bullet path thru anything "vital" yet the shock had disrupted his insides enough that his lungs were heavily bruised. Thankfully 1 year ago today was gorgeous and sunny and condition allowed me to unravel the trail and after a long grind find him to kegged up to move. Good luck in your search!
Title: Re: Blood trailing in the rain
Post by: dilleytech on October 25, 2025, 08:48:12 AM: Rotten meat is not meat I care to find.
Title: Re: Blood trailing in the rain
Post by: brokentrail on October 25, 2025, 09:59:28 AM: I'm not sure where the OP's deer was shot but you may want to look on unitedbloodtrackers.org and see if there is a tracking dog close to your hunt location, assuming you aren't on private property where dogs are banned.