Best Tips Sharing

[nuideas1]

I am sure many of us will have and use similar tactics and tips but these are a few of my favorites I thought I would share. I have found through the years hunting with others that many are unaware of some simple things that can make your hunt better and your harvest easier to recover.
* One of my favorites for after the shot is to employ the use of paper towels. Fold a few up from a new roll that hasn't soaked up kitchen odors and put them in your pack. When you reach first blood tear a small piece off and mark that spot by putting it directly on the blood. Continue to do this as you track your deer. As you look back you can easily see its path and if it begins to rain you have something to return to if you have to come back. I have NEVER seen this on any show but a hunting buddy showed me and I use it regularly.
* Pillow cases and/or mesh laundry bags make great meat bags. I hunt regularly in and around the city and areas where I have to pack my meat out rather than dragging an entire deer out. Many times I will quarter out my deer in the woods and use pillow cases or mesh laundry bags to hang and haul the meat out with. I recently discovered that our local "Dollar Store" carries mesh laundry bags for a buck. I have used them and they work great. I don't think they will hold up all season but so far I have used one on three separate deer and it's still holding up. I throw it in the washer between uses to avoid contamination. This is simple stuff that has helped me and I hope it does the same for you. Post a reply with your best tips.  
 
 

[retiredsailor]

Couple of good ideas. Thanks.
For those of us who must check deer in at a checking station, the suggestion for quartering in the woods isn't feasible, or legal, so I'll have to pass on that one.
I use toilet paper (since I always carry it for obvious reasons) for marking the blood trail......I generally hang pieces on bushes or limbs so I can look back and get an idea of where the deer may be heading.
One thing that I find over and over again, even with experienced hunters is, immediately after the shot, assuming the deer does not fall over within sight, they often have a hard time remembering exactly where they last saw the deer while it was running away. I guess it may have something to do with the adrenalin rush that comes with the shot, but that is one thing I constantly remind folks of..........watch that running deer (even if you might think you missed), and especially visually/mentally mark the spot where you last saw it. (A downfall, a certain rock or tree, whatever). Makes it a lot easier to find a mortally wounded, if it is found at all. It also beats walking in ever-expanding concentric circles searches trying to pick up some signs or trail.
Thanks. Good thread topic. Probable get some excellent inputs.

[nuideas1]

Good points retiredsailor. Yes TP works just as well in the short term. I have even used napkins from fast food places if I happen to run out of paper twls. I hadn't really thought about the whole check station issue. I have been hunting North and South Carolina for so long it really never crossed my mind. SC was total honor system last time I hunted there and NC issues tags that require a punch and call in for an ID # when you make a harvest. You then have to keep that to legally posess your game. No more actual tags for the animal or check in stations in either state that I know of.

[retiredsailor]

I know that a good many states do use an honor, call-in system; however, there are still a goodly number that require having the field-dressed carcass checked in. In the county I hunt, we are dealing with CWD, so many check-in stations are manned by DNR biologists during the first several days of the season and they take tissue samples of each deer checked-in during that period and then, about 10 days later, you can go on-line to their web site and check your number to find out if your deer had CWD. Of course, by that time, I've already butchered mine and perhaps even eaten some of it. As a caution, if I were to spot a scrawny-looking, sickly, but otherwise legal deer, I'd probably shoot it, but wait for the DNR results prior to doing anything with the meat. Haven't run into that yet, though. Thank the Lord.

[buckhunter21]

Lots of great info on here...I like the idea of the paper towels and never have actually done that.  Might have to add that to my bag!

[mnslayer]

looks like another season without snow for open rifle season, makes for harder time tracking.
if you don't have a good blood trail staying on wounded deer can be difficult, try this when looking for sign look 20 to 30 yards in front of you look for a trail of darker wet leaves. fall is usally a drier season and the leaves are dry on top but if you turn them over they are usally wet. when a deer walks through these leaves they flip over making a path that can be followed if you look for it. follow the path looking for the smallest blood and hair sign. has always worked for me hope you can use it.

[charlie 01]

Toilet paper was always the favorite with us. It will also disappear quicker than anything else. After a rain or two it's gone.
 
Watching the deer after the shot and marking the a spot is a good thing. Also listening to the sounds can be benificial. I once shot a buck that was not an arrow pass through, and could not watch the deer exit because of the tree and brush density. I heard the arrow hit a fence. There was no blood trail. Found an old fence line with strands of wire here and there. I knew about the direction from the sound of him running through the leaves. Went along the fence line and came accoss a deer trail that went under a high single strand of wire. Found him about 30yds from the fence. It pays to watch and listen as much as you can. It all could be helpful.