Tracking

After waiting the appropriate amount of time, the first step is to go the place the animal was standing when you shot and attempt to locate the arrow.

If you find the arrow, look for blood on the arrow, and note the color. Bright red or frothy pink blood are indicators of a vital hit. Dark blood, bile, or other stomach contents may indicate a strike to the abdominal cavity. Minimal amounts of blood on the arrow—or none at all—may indicate a nick to the animal.

Then, look for other signs that the animal was hit, such as blood, hair, and disturbed ground and vegetation.

Next, look for signs of blood leading in the direction that the animal was last seen traveling. Note that, in the fall, as the leaves have changed colors, it may be necessary to rub what appears to be blood on a leaf to confirm that the red color on a leaf is actually blood.

If you are able to locate the blood trail, mark the location of blood as you find it. It is recommended that you use toilet paper or other biodegradable, high-visibility material. If using non-biodegradable material, be sure to remove the flagging tape or material after recovering the game.