Advice on locating game after the kill

[hseII]

I don't think I was clear enough in my original post. The animals aren't running and I lose them, they are dropping where they stand and in a featureless geography and 4 foot high grass I'm having issues finding them after the kill.

Thank You for the Original Post That has generated a Great discussion.

We don't have featureless land here in Georgia for the most part, ( lots of trees), but this discussion will cause me to focus more on the surroundings of the target before taking the shot going forward.

 

[SavageHunter11]

That's why I live in the U.S.A.

South Dakota is just about as bad. I don't think they'd take my truck but they'd take everything else.

 

[SavageHunter11]

I live in south dakota, talked to game warden about it he seems to think thermal is ok as long as it has no reticle or sighting ability and is not mounted to rifle, but they are perfectly legal to hunt varmints at night 223 and under on private land with owners written permission, or in the company of land owner.

The hunting hand book does state all thermal devices but it probably varies county to county on how forgiving the wardens will be. In the county I hunt they are not very welcoming to out-of-county hunters and they especially have a sore spot for Sioux Falls residents which I am unfortunately a resident of. It's pretty common that I get stopped and checked every season. Last year the warden waited by my truck for almost two hours. I am very careful to follow every rule because there is no leniency where I hunt.

 

[Kellen]

There are some GPS solutions where you can measure out from your point and drop a pin. Compass and a rangefinder work well if you leave something/someone at the shooting position. This is one of the reasons I shoot a much lower power scope, field if view is very important to me so I can just watch everything before I come of the rifle.

We use OnX Maps. Mark the location from where you shot . . . draw a line to where the game was hit. Start opening up your tracking circle wider and wider until you get on a blood trail. There is also a 'tracker' feature that follows your path so you are constantly doubling back on your own trail.

Good luck this year.

 

[freddiej]

I will admit to thinking a completely different content when I saw the heading. now I have the right intention, I can not give any advice since I hunted the western states like western Montana, northeastern California, northern Idaho. I have yet to shoot anything.. okay I have, shot over rolling hills of Nevada east of Carson City. all I can say if you are using more magnification than needed your depth perception does get distorted. I normally use 8 power for approx. 400 yards, 10 for ranges around 600 yards. 6 for anything 200 to 350. I am shooting speed goats here in NV. I am a better shot than most of my friends and I am backing them up.

 

[Tony Landino]

Don't know how far away you were but try lowering the magnification

 

[whirlwindjml]

I will have to check and see if my Garmin Rino 530 has that feature. Would be real nice if it did

Garmin 530 rino has a sight and go feature. Does exactly what your after.

 

[D-mon]

Use a drone?

 

[BasilPascali]

Be certain your weapon is powerful enough for the bullet to enter and exit the animal. You need a blood trail to follow. Snow on the ground helps, but if you are in rain it washes away. I have never had an animal take more than 10 steps anyway. Make a clean heart/lung shot.

Stay away from guts for obvious reasons and the head or backbone because the chance for prions getting into you animal contacting you. Mad cow/chronic wasting disease is 100% fatal to humans with no medical relief. Check with your local fish and game people for any outbreaks of CWD. Its also in the deer or elk's urine. Wear gloves and dont cut yourself during the gutting. Good Hunting!

 

[Tony Landino]

Don't know how long the shot was but next time try lowering the magnification. That will increase your FOV

 

[tdot]

That's why I live in the U.S.A.

Funny, that's why I love Canada. If you need a drone to hunt... ;-)

 

[tdot]

was using a 6.5x55 Swede with 143gr ELD-X's, but this year I'm using a new 280 Ackley. I practice fairly often (couple times a month) never have problems making little holes in target...i think it's a combination of a bit of buck-fever and a featureless landscape. The compass method others have suggested is one I think will be helpful.

Well if they drop where you shoot them, then caliber/load isnt an issue.

Do you lose sight of them from the recoil?

Lots of great tips on this thread. I've learned a bunch.

The only thing I can suggest at this point is to keep practicing. Practice field positions, follow through and generally try to mimic realistic conditions. The more you can make stuff like that automatic the easier it is to keep an awareness of the surroundings.

I think one of the most satisfying parts of the hunt, for me, is watching the animal drop in the scope. Its confirmation that alot of hard work and practice didnt go to waste.

I'm keenly aware of this side of hunting right now, I've taken 3 season off with injuries, getting married and having a couple kids. I feel very rough and out of practice. I'm spending as much time as I can visualizing and practicing. It's been helping to build my confidence back up. Getting all my actions smooth and automatic, so I can focus on watching some animals drop.

 

[littlewhaler]

If not hunting alone, leave someone at the shooting spot who knows the range and direction and can guide you to the spot. Then mark the spot with flaging tape and start your search if necessary.

If hunting alone, the GPS solution mentioned above is a good one. I've also left my pack with orange flagging tape on it at the shooting site when I didn't have good landmarks.

In any case, it is important to be able to identify the shooting spot, direction and range of the shot in case you have to go back and start over.

How did we ever hunt with only a compass? We made sure we had the gun-bullet-skill to kill & find the animal. I've never loast an animal in 50 years of hunting but I didn't take 1000 yard shots at Elk with a 6.5 creedmoor, I learned to hunt & shoot, not spray & pray. IMHO taking a shot that causes a wounded or lost animal is a just plain wrong.

 

[flylo]

littlewlhaler, I see no reply? Trying to stir things up or just being a troll?