After the Shot

What You Should Know | Tracking | Game Care | Field Dressing | Wingshooting | Final Quiz

Tracking Big Game

You have the responsibility to do your best to recover every animal you hit. If a vitally wounded animal does not drop:

list bullet Mentally mark the exact locations of where the animal was when you shot and where you last saw it.

list bullet Wait for 30 minutes before following it. For bowhunters, wait an hour if possible. Hits outside the heart/lung area require a longer wait of about four to six hours.

list bullet While waiting, go over the shot in your mind.

  • What was the animal doing before you shot?
  • What did the animal do when you shot it?
  • Did the position of its tail or body language change?

list bullet Even if you're sure you didn't hit an animal always check for

  • blood
  • hair
  • bone chips near the spot where it was standing.

list bullet Unusual running behavior after a shot may indicate that an animal has been hit.

list bullet Go SLOWLY and look carefully for signs of a hit. Always assume you made your shot until you recover the animal or are absolutely certain of a clean miss.

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