BLOOD-TRAILING AFTER DARK

Hunt long enough and you’ll find yourself in a situation where you have to try to follow a blood trail after dark. Doing so successfully is especially critical in hot weather, when leaving an animal overnight will result in meat spoilage. And while blood-trailing is as much of an art as it is a science, and each situation is unique, there are some rules of thumb that will dramatically increase your chances of successfully recovering game.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Daylight is running out fast. You’ve been hunting hard for hours. The deer or elk you have been waiting for appears and gives you