Tracking Animals During the Hunt

By Bruce Woods
Published on January 1, 1988
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THE GRANGER COLLECTION/FREDRIC REMINGTON
The skill required, of course, is tracking, and it's an art that's unknown to all too many modern hunters.

Tracking is an important part of hunting when your first shot does not kill your prey, it takes skill to track down a wounded animal.

Tracking Animals During the Hunt

There are two great sins in hunting. The first is to attempt a shot beyond your abilities and by doing so allow the escape of a wounded animal. Of course, even the most conscientious outdoorsman can’t guarantee that he or she will always make a quick, clean kill. There are simply too many things that can go wrong in the fraction of a second between the final tightening of the trigger finger and the bullet’s impact. The second transgression, though, can be avoided and is thus unforgivable: It is the failure, through laziness or lack of preparation, to make a good effort to find, end the suffering of and recover wounded game. The skill required, of course, is tracking, and it’s an art that’s unknown to all too many modern hunters.

It Starts With the Shot

Many tracking problems can be avoided by simply using all of your powers of observation at the moment you pull the trigger. When shooting at long range, listen for the sound of the bullet striking. This distinctive “thunk” can be heard for a good distance on a quiet day. Even more important, don’t take your eyes off the animal until it’s either clearly dead or out of sight. Watch for indications of a hit: a stumble, a humping of the back, a quick kick of the front or rear legs (often indicating a heart shot) or a flicking of the tail or head.

If the animal is down, stay calm and keep your weapon ready for a few minutes before approaching. More than one hunter who has excitedly run up to even such a timid animal as a whitetail deer has received serious injuries when the stunned creature recovered. At the least, a careless approach could leave you unprepared to shoot at a suddenly up-and-running target.

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