Can we start a list of tips while trying to follow a blood trail from some of the veterans? I know the basics like when in doubt back out and go slow to not ruin the scene but what other tips can we share? Downhill and towards thick cover? Crows and coyotes? Just curious what some of you look towards when the blood is scarce?
If the shot was at a steep downward angle with no pass thru or exit in the bottom of the chest.
The blood will sometimes only be visible from a mist on the bottom sides of leaves and branches with none on the ground. Get lower than deer height and look up. 
First and foremost if it’s and after dark track job a good flashlight is a must. I use only lights with Xenon bulbs powered by CR123 batteries. These give a super bright and white light.
I grew up using gas lanterns to blood trail at night. In my opinion flashlights can really mess with color and contrast, especially some of the newer ones. One thing I was taught on a tough blood trail was to look for the shine of the blood on a dull leaves or grass etc. It seems like the light the old lanterns give off really help the contrast between the shiny blood and dull vegetation. It seemed like the flash light masked the contrast. I know some old times that still believe in breaking out the old gas lantern on a tough blood trail.
We usually use a gas lantern as well. The light seems to make the blood glow if it is still wet. I was talking to a guy at the gas station the other day in WI and he said he was training a dog for blood trailing. ( I know they use dogs quite a bit down south on ranches) I asked if it was legal and he said it was as long as you keep the dog on a 25′ or shorter leash. Anybody else heard this?
I’m no expert but I think the biggest mistake that shooters make is having too many people in the woods and on the trail and not keeping them in line. Nothing wrong with a few guys to help you out but when one or two of them start wondering off at first sign of lost blood it can really mess up things.
I always go by this. The shooter calls the shots, nobody moves unless he/she tells them to. The most hated words in the dark woods is “He had to go this way” followed by someone stomping in a guessed direction. AND ALWAYS keep someone or somethign at last blood!
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We usually use a gas lantern as well. The light seems to make the blood glow if it is still wet. I was talking to a guy at the gas station the other day in WI and he said he was training a dog for blood trailing. ( I know they use dogs quite a bit down south on ranches) I asked if it was legal and he said it was as long as you keep the dog on a 25′ or shorter leash. Anybody else heard this?
I agree about the lantern light making the blood glow.
I’ve heard of blood tracking. I’ve mostly heard of guys using Dachshund’s or small terrier. I’d love to do it and if I had the time I’d do it for sure. But I don’t have the time to keep my hounds and terriers working like they should. So I haven’t toyed with blood tracking.
Gas as in propane? Good tips so far 
I use little pices of T-P To mark the last blood that was found. If you look back you can see the genral direction it’s going
In my experience, deer usually run down hill after being hit. As far as timing to track: Unless I see the deer fall and die, I wait a minimum of 2 hours to start tracking. If I know it’s a marginal hit, I wait at least 6 hours. While we are tracking, If there is no deer after 150 yards, and I thought the shot was good, I would wait 2 more hours. Never take more than 3 people tracking as people get anxious and want to just start walking around and end up trampling on everything.
Hope that helps and hope that you don’t need tracking tips and watch all your deer drop!
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In my experience, deer usually run down hill after being hit. As far as timing to track: Unless I see the deer fall and die, I wait a minimum of 2 hours to start tracking. If I know it’s a marginal hit, I wait at least 6 hours. While we are tracking, If there is no deer after 150 yards, and I thought the shot was good, I would wait 2 more hours. Never take more than 3 people tracking as people get anxious and want to just start walking around and end up trampling on everything.
Hope that helps and hope that you don’t need tracking tips and watch all your deer drop!
X2 I also Highly reccomend “Blue Star” blood trailing agent.for night time trailing. This stuff is unreal! It is used by most all csi labs. You mix 2 tablets with water and spray a fine mist. You will see the blood illuminate like a light. I have tried this in places where you can’t see any blood in the daylight but when sprayed at night you could clearly see the fine mist of blood.
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Gas as in propane? Good tips so far
Or white gas. We usually used propane, but at times broke out the white gas lantern too.
One other thing to consider, especially when you have a small piece of property like I do… If we shoot a deer and it runs into our bedding area 
we will NEVER go after it during daylight hours.The chances of pushing a mature buck out of his bed and into range of another hunting party is just to risky! Once you pull the trigger the deer is either dead or alive. going in after dark is a much better option than pushing all the deer off of your property during shooting hours
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