More Deer Recovery/ blood tracking

More notes from Diane, from a deer call 11/14/2008

We are now 0 for 2

I don't think this guy hit the deer where he says either. (the first track the hunter could not have been more wrong)

We only went (in the dark and light rain) because it sounded like a sure thing and was just 7 1/2 hours post shot, though it had been raining then steady and was said to be a monster deer.
Hunter said he shot the deer in the shoulder (missed the first shot hit it with the second)
However the deer went STRAIGHT up over some nasty rocks/boulders with no trouble and no blood sign.

The point of impact had some grey hair and ONE drop of blood. There was a small bone chip and light blood about 50 yards in (bone chips from shoulder exit wounds are typically at the shot site itself) for about 25 yards and then nothing until they did big circles and found a couple splotches and then a bloody bed 100 yards+/- from hit site along with what they claimed was a teeny hunk of lung (but based on the evidence we saw I'd bet it was fat and/or bone marrow) and no blood to speak of after the bed

Annie tracked fabulously from point of impact, up over the boulder etc straight up to where the 6 hunters had milled about at last blood. The area was so rucked up that instead of waiting for Annie to puzzle it out I had them take me to the bed.

She tracked off the bed great but this deer was NOT acting lung hit nor chest hit at all. NO blood on the bushes at all very very little on the ground and this deer went amazing places and up amazing inclines. He then waded/swam through a large pool and on the other side there was some blood on a hemlock but then no blood at all. The deer went in a large circle down hill then looped back uphill towards the bed area then another larger loop. He wanted to be on that high point of land. And he also kept going back to this pool. (Annie would have swum it if I'd let her- the guys did a light sweep of it and saw no floating deer. He did hesitate in one place that at first I thought he laid down but then decided he just stood still and Annie said there may have been some blood in the dirt there. probably the darn animal was watching the search!

After 2 1/2 hours of tracking, 2 falls by me resulting in a smashed knee and no sign of the deer, more blood nor that he ever bedded up again.

My husband and I think the deer acts like an elbow or leg hit MAYBE a brisket, the hunter thinks a square shoulder hit and we strongly doubt that

The hunters are going out again and I pray they find it but ya know what? I doubt it.

I KNOW we can do this. We have tested Annie with very very dilute and sparse blood and a crap for sign trail and she aced it each time. She is tracking the deer step for step according to the hunters (over trail they've already done) and working her heart out and does indeed find NEW undiscovered blood

I guess It's ME that's the discouraged one. Discouraged that we can't perform miracles

So I feel a bit better now.

In talking with two LONG time deer tracking people I have come to realize that what I have been seeing is typical. We are a last resort. Hunters always call us after mucking up the woods or making a crap shot that they thought at the time was perfect or something unexpected happens between shot and impact...

The average recovery ratio is 30% using a dog in these cases and far far lower when not using one (ie when the hunter looks with just human help)

So while I still want to be a miracle worker I guess I have to take what I get and KNOW my dog is still VERY good at her job (and it's a job she LOVES!)