Tracking in the rain?

[TRS_Montana]

So yesterday morning, I'm rounding the corner near on an old logging road near the peak of a mountain. Just about to climb over an old log when I see a cow elk poke her head around a small pine about 30 yards ahead. Next thing I know, there's about 6-7 cows/calves that file out and start milling around on the road. It's too foggy to get a clear range on the herd, but I figure it's about 30-35 yards. Then a small raghorn steps out, and I decide to shoot him. I get to full draw without being noticed, float my 30-yard pin just a touch high on his shoulder and pull the trigger before I'm ready. Almost completely broadside, maybe quartering away slightly. I hear the arrow hit the bull (sounded like muscle, not ribs) and the herd takes off down the mountain. I didn't see where he ran at all. After about 20 minutes it starts raining. I've not been in this situation (have only shot one elk with my bow), so I really didn't know what to do.
Afraid the rain would wash away any blood, I go up to the spot and start to look. No blood. I follow the herd's tracks for about 1/2 mile until they head down a very steep bowl. By this time, it's sleeting and I'm soaked to the bone. This has taken about 3 hours. I head back up to the site of the shot to look harder for the arrow and see if I missed anything. Can't find the arrow, still can't find any blood. The snow is starting to stick now and has accumulated to about 1/2 inch. Still not knowing what to do, I start sweeping the hill in about 50-75 yard increments in the direction I think the elk would have gone. I go all the way down to the valley and still nothing. It is pretty thick in this area. At about 2:00 it is snowing hard and there's about 2 inches of snow on the ground. I call my wife to touch base and notice my speech is starting to slur.
With the fresh snow, no chance of finding a trail, and my cold body temp, I decide I had better call it. Still not sure what I could have done differently. What's most discouraging is that a person couldn't write up a better bowhunting situation (other than the weather): broadside shot at 35 yards, had the yardage right, elk weren't nervous or suspecting.

My question, I guess, is this: Does anybody have any advice for tracking in the rain/snow? I really had no idea if I should have looked harder for blood right away, or should have waited longer and assumed the rain wouldn't wash the blood trail away. Obviously, it sucks on a number of levels to not have this work out. Just trying to learn from this, so if the situation arises again, I'll have a better idea of how to maximize the chance of finding the elk.

Thanks!

 

[Elkmagnet]

Don't bow hunt in the rain or when it's coming in.
We lost 3.5 days of our trip this year due to rain. Every camp around was going out and hunting. The hunting was probably really good but I truly believe you have a moral obligation to not bow hunt during bad tracking conditions.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Don't bow hunt in the rain or when it's coming in.
We lost 3.5 days of our trip this year due to rain. Every camp around was going out and hunting. The hunting was probably really good but I truly believe you have a moral obligation to not bow hunt during bad tracking conditions.

^This is what I was always taught. Unfortunately, your experience illustrates exactly why.

 

[Nameless Range]

That sucks TRS.

As you've said it wasn't raining when you shot, and on a cloudy day in the high country it can be very hard to discern whether or not a downpour is on its way or it is just going to be a cloudy day.

I think you did the right thing in pursuing once you realized the trail was in jeopardy. I've never shot an animal and then waited to see the effects of rain on a blood trail but my guess would be the trail disappears real quick. If you think your elk is still up there, with fresh snow on it it may be tough to locate birds on the carcass.

 

[TRS_Montana]

Yeah, I think that is probably the best solution to this. I really don't see how a person can find an animal in thick timber if it doesn't die within 100 yards and it's raining pretty steadily. I will definitely think twice about hunting in the rain in the future.

 

[TRS_Montana]

That sucks TRS.

As you've said it wasn't raining when you shot, and on a cloudy day in the high country it can be very hard to discern whether or not a downpour is on its way or it is just going to be a cloudy day.

I think you did the right thing in pursuing once you realized the trail was in jeopardy. I've never shot an animal and then waited to see the effects of rain on a blood trail but my guess would be the trail disappears real quick. If you think your elk is still up there, with fresh snow on it it may be tough to locate birds on the carcass.

Thanks, NR. Yeah, it was a tough situation to gage, for sure. Thursday is the soonest I can get back up there, but I'm going to go have a look and see if I can find the carcass. Hopefully the snow's melted a bit by then.

 

[Z Barebow]

Another thing you can do is grab your handheld GPS and start gridding your search.

I have done this and found animals without one drop of blood. (I am color blind so this doesn't help me). I look at the vegetation and judge how far I can spot a dead animal. I will then use that as my gauge on how far to separate my search paths.

 

[junior88]

wow, I never once thought about having to follow a bloodtrail while being color blind. your solution is pretty damn clever

 

[TRS_Montana]

Another thing you can do is grab your handheld GPS and start gridding your search.

I have done this and found animals without one drop of blood. (I am color blind so this doesn't help me). I look at the vegetation and judge how far I can spot a dead animal. I will then use that as my gauge on how far to separate my search paths.

Good advice. I did sweep back and forth at about 75-yard increments down the mountainside until I hit the valley floor, but didn't find anything.

Man, I've also never thought about being colorblind and trying to track an animal.

 

[Elkmagnet]

Maybe hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle will help. It might really help the color blind among us also. As hunter/gathers you would have thought evolution would have taken care of the color blind gene

 

[esracerx]

My dad's color blind. He's almost useless trying to track. Wet leaf or blood he may as well guess. We had a situation last year where were confident the animal expired. Had heavy blood and just dried up. 4 guys all day and nothing. One thing we were tempted to try.. they overlapped bear gun season with elk archery season. So they had dogs out. Blood dogs don't track blood. They track the scent of bleeding animals. So if you can get a hold of someone with a really good dog it might be your only chance.

As a rule I don't bow hunt in the rain. Besides being wet and miserable tracking is all but impossible. Not having access to weather reports in the mountains make that decision difficult.

I just built my new home by myself and just moved in. Debating whether or not to try my luck with the ladies or put the effort to train a German shorthaired...just for instances like yours and to find sheds. Good luck!

 

[beagle001]

I second the blood dog sentiment, if you have someone near you who has one, that is. They really work wonders.

Even here in the midwest, I will not go hunting if it sounds like heavy rain is coming. It sucks because animals generally move good before rain, but it's not worth the chance.
Light rain/drizzle can actually help because it spreads the blood out JUUUUST a little bit and can make it easier to find.

 

[ElkNut1]

Tracking a wounded elk after or during rains or snows is very doable! Blood stains things such as rocks, branches & logs an elk may leave blood on, it does not easily wash off. It does not stain leaves or dirt as rains can really dilute those two things. A well hit elk that is bleeding can be tracked during or after it stops raining if needed. We've gotten right back on good staining blood trails the next day no problem. Now if an elk is hit & is bleeding little to nothing then rain or no rain your chances of recovery are very tough. Tracking its tracks of direction would most likely be your next option. Poorly hit elk just don't bleed much or long enough regardless of weather. Well hit or mortally wounded elk bleed much more especially on pass throughs or large wound channels by ones broadheads.

I've been back days later in same area after taking elk & after rains & snows & have been amazed how long blood actually lasts as it stains branches & logs. Just because it's raining don't give up hope! A well hit animal won't generally go over 250 yards, most travel far less!

ElkNut1

 

[esracerx]

To add to Elknut...I have a guide friend that says he has yet to recover an animal that has been tracked farther than 400 yards. That doesnt mean he won't go farther. It's just interesting. Sometimes finding first blood is all you need. The problem isn't just necessarily rain. It's the not knowing exactly where it hit. Not knowing exactly where the animals went. You start second guessing what you think because you werent sure enough to start and you start looking for blood in the wrong place. Are you absolutely certain the bull went with the herd?