You just shot a buck with your bow, and are unsure of the shot. A bit high, or a little back? There are coyotes in your area. Should you push it and track the deer immediately, or wait a few hours or maybe overnight?

A Dog Man’s Advice

John Jeanneney, a New York breeder of top blood-trailing dachshunds, tracks more bowshot whitetails in a season than most of us will in a lifetime. In his book, Dead On!, John says it’s time to re-think our tracking strategies. With most arrow hits, even marginal ones in and around a buck’s vitals, John says to get on the blood trail and go. No more waiting 30 minutes to several hours. And no leaving your buck until the next morning. John and his dog-tracking colleagues from across America have compared notes, and they report that 35 to more than 50 percent of deer left overnight may be lost to coyotes.

What a Biologist Says

Missouri biologist Dr. Grant Woods concurs. “Coyotes readily recognize a wounded deer as an opportunity to get a quick and easy meal,” he said. “It is often better to begin trailing soon after the shot, especially if coyotes have been seen or heard during a hunt.”

Key on that: If coyotes have been seen or heard… Say a yote runs under your stand one afternoon, or you hear critters howling and yipping nearby. Either is a fairly common occurrence in many areas these days. Later you shoot a buck and the hit was lungs, or near money. Get on that track as fast as you can. If it’s getting dark, get a buddy and lights and go.

There is one exception. Both Jeanneney and Woods say that on a gut shot deer you’re still better off waiting ten hours or so, or even overnight. “Even if coyotes are in the area, it’s best to let the deer expire and take your chances,” says Woods. “If you push it and the animal jumps from its bed once or twice, it is actually more likely to attract coyotes as it spreads more blood and scent over a larger area.”