Author Topic: What makes a good blood trail? (Read 920 times)

.270 · « **on:** January 26, 2005, 12:12:43 AM »

what makes a good blood trail? Is it shoot placement, bullet selection or is it your choice in caliber?

The best blood trail i have ever seen was made by a 100gr corelock fired from a .243 win. The bullet took off 3 ribs going in and 5 ribs on the way out! What was left of the bullet was found in the hide none of it made a exit wound. This Whitetail ran over 1\2 a mile after the shot! :shock: the blood was not on the ground it was spraied on the sides of the trees as it ran. i have never seen so much blood in my life.

Thats is why i will never again use cheap remington ammo but thats another story.

VTDW · « **Reply #1 on:** January 26, 2005, 12:19:07 AM »

Big hole in - Big hole out!! :lol:

Dave

marv · « **Reply #2 on:** January 26, 2005, 01:32:44 AM »

I think it is more where the aminal is hit than with what
for a good blood trail! Just MHO Marv.

jh45gun · « **Reply #3 on:** January 26, 2005, 08:37:05 AM »

A bullet low in the lungs or where major arteries and heart are to bleed them and a hole in and out so it can bleed from both sides leaves a good trail Liver hit is good also. It all depends on what caliber, where hit, and bullet selection. A bullet that penetrates all the way through will give a better blood trail if it hits the vitals ect Yet you want it to do damage while going through and some figure it is better if it does not go all the way through but I want a hole both sides. I figure a good blood trail is a dead deer and I have shot deer this year with a cast bullet and got good results. Placement of course is important as if you do not put the bullet in the vitals you will not get that deer or you will be in for a long walk getting it. If you shoot cast bullets larger is better but I did kill two deer this year with a 30 cal cast in a 308 and it worked fine. Expecially after I switched to a flat tip. If you hit them good a lot of times you need no blood trail they either drop or you can see them drop a small way from where you shot them. I have had this happen a lot bow hunting and rifle hunting. Other times I had a good blood trail either method and never had to go over a 100 yards. 20 t0 30 was usually more like it. Fast high energy bullets kill with shock as well as bleeding but I have found even a cast bullet in the right place kills deer just as dead maybe not dropped on the spot but they do not go far. Jim

ironglow · « **Reply #4 on:** January 26, 2005, 10:40:40 AM »

A Taliban terrorist that was smoking "hash" when he got hit !"....LOL

big medicine · « **Reply #5 on:** January 26, 2005, 11:15:57 AM »

I dont really like blood trails. I like they shots with a dead animal laying where he was standing. No blood trail, no tracking :shock:

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #6 on:** January 26, 2005, 11:40:58 AM »

Blood trails are an iffie thing. I've seen them start off huge and cut off all together. Think maybe the hide slipped around enough to stop the bleeding.

I've also found several deer in cold water. There was one we never did find who lay in a creek long enough to staunch the bleeding. There was a fair blood trail going into the creek, but nothing but hoofprints to mark where he came out.

jh45gun · « **Reply #7 on:** January 26, 2005, 06:39:24 PM »

Yea that can happen with cold water, snow or just them laying down and letting the wound coagulate. I learned from Bow hunting I do not let them go and lie down like it used to be considered the way to do it. I start to track them so they do not lay down and this way they keep moving and bleed out. Sometimes blood is evident right away other times it may take a few yards to start but they always leave some blood for me to follow. This is mostly for Bow hunting. Of course as Big Medicine said no blood trail is nice if they drop on the spot but unless you hit a deer in the spine with a arrow you are going to have to track them. I also have lost very few deer this way and harvested over 95% of the deer I have shot with a bow since doing it this way. For Rifle most drop right there but the few that did not they did not go far less than a 100 yards and most of them half that distance. If you pass on Running shots and get walking or standing still shots it is pretty easy to sink one in the breadbasket every time. Gun or a Bow.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 26, 2005, 07:15:08 PM »

Quote

what makes a good blood trail?

Why...blood of course... :-D :-D :-D .....seriously though...it's what VTDW said...big hole in...big hole out...preferably through the heart-lung area...

Mac

.270 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 26, 2005, 09:29:35 PM »

That shot was alittle over ten years ago now. I have since changed guns and ammo. I now only use federal ammo in my .270 I have yet to have deer make it over 40 yards after the shot. The 150 gr work best for me golfball size wounds most of the the time but I have had a few i could put my fist in lol.

Can anybody tell me why a 130gr soft point would only give an exit wound I could not get my little finger in on a double shoulder hit? The deer hit the ground fast and hard but did not die right away. There seemed to be very little damage to the organs (no shock). :? If I didn't know better i would say it was a full metal jacket!

Thats why im gonna stick to my 150 gr. no blood trail needed :wink:

BamBams · « **Reply #10 on:** January 27, 2005, 04:50:36 AM »

A large broadhead right through the lungs or juglar vein. Lot's of blood - way more than any bullet - except .50 BMG. *smiles*

Leverdude · « **Reply #11 on:** January 27, 2005, 05:27:02 AM »

I'v found as well that a broad head tipped arrow leaves a better blood trail IMO than any gun I ever shot a deer with, be it a 30/30 or a 45/70.
That may well be because they usually die right there so theres no need to track. think the furthest I'v had one go after being gun shot is under 50 yards.
I let them bleed out f they dont drop in sight from a bow hit & never had trouble tracking one. I'm not saying JH45gun is wrong I think I'd say it depends where your hunting. I hunt alot of resdential areas with a bow & pushing them to wear them down can push them by houses & such where the owners might not be real happy.
I shot a doe yesterday & she ran & hopped the wall bedding just on the other side taking about an hour to die. I'v no doubt that if I jumped her out of that bed she woulda went thru a bunch of yards resulting in me knocking on doors all over the place to see where she went.
In my experience (which is very limited) if you let them alone after a bow shot they dont go far at all before bedding down to die & f you make a good shot with a gun on a relaxed deer they often die real quick.
Shot placement is the key.