Bullet blood trails.
12-08-2010, 08:14 PM
#1
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
Bullet blood trails.
I don't see how anyone can guarantee that a bullet will plant an animal where they stand. There are just too many variables. Animal stance, position on grades, adrenalin, shot placement, etc. But I think some projectiles can claim if placed in the right place, will cause immediate internal damage and help to stop any flight of the animal ASAP.
Whether a projectile kills an animal I do not see as the major issue. All of you report it killed the animal for the most part. I really see the largest complaint when I read the hunting reports.. not so much not finding the deer or animal hunted, but lack of blood trails. I think that is the major concern of a lot of hunters. Especially those that do not hunt in snow. At least in snow you find hair and a speck of blood you have clear tracks to normally follow.
So let me ask this of the forum members. In your personal experience (not something you read or was told about) what bullet produced the best blood trail? Now an animal that drops in their tracks could fall in that category if there was pooling of blood at the site. But really I would like to know, what the bullet was, what the powder charge was, the distance to the kill, where you hit it, what was hit as far as organs, was it a high hit, low hit, etc.. and last how far did it run and bleed.
My best projectile was;
T/C Renegade .54 caliber
80 grains of Pyrodex RS and a 426 grain Buffalo Bullet Conical
Deer was under 40 yards when HIT
the hit was too far back, but the angle was right
organs hit were the lungs mostly. Some of the others showed signs of pressure shock.
The deer ran 30 yards tops.
Anyone with no tracking experience could have followed the deer. Blood trail could be described as a steady stream and spraying on the bushes. I really do not see how it ran as far as it did.
Whether a projectile kills an animal I do not see as the major issue. All of you report it killed the animal for the most part. I really see the largest complaint when I read the hunting reports.. not so much not finding the deer or animal hunted, but lack of blood trails. I think that is the major concern of a lot of hunters. Especially those that do not hunt in snow. At least in snow you find hair and a speck of blood you have clear tracks to normally follow.
So let me ask this of the forum members. In your personal experience (not something you read or was told about) what bullet produced the best blood trail? Now an animal that drops in their tracks could fall in that category if there was pooling of blood at the site. But really I would like to know, what the bullet was, what the powder charge was, the distance to the kill, where you hit it, what was hit as far as organs, was it a high hit, low hit, etc.. and last how far did it run and bleed.
My best projectile was;
T/C Renegade .54 caliber
80 grains of Pyrodex RS and a 426 grain Buffalo Bullet Conical
Deer was under 40 yards when HIT
the hit was too far back, but the angle was right
organs hit were the lungs mostly. Some of the others showed signs of pressure shock.
The deer ran 30 yards tops.
Anyone with no tracking experience could have followed the deer. Blood trail could be described as a steady stream and spraying on the bushes. I really do not see how it ran as far as it did.
12-08-2010, 08:31 PM
#2
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,703
cayugad
The best bullet for me and the most devasting even on some of the marginal shots I made was the .451/260 grain Nosler Partiton on deer and the .458/300 grain Nosler Partition on elk.
Both of these provided me a margin of error and excellent blood trails when need... can not rember to many that a blood trail was needed but it was there.
Today I am shooting Lehigh's and so far they have done what I would want and would expect. As well as provinding that margin of error, but at this point I have not needed the error margin.
The best bullet for me and the most devasting even on some of the marginal shots I made was the .451/260 grain Nosler Partiton on deer and the .458/300 grain Nosler Partition on elk.
Both of these provided me a margin of error and excellent blood trails when need... can not rember to many that a blood trail was needed but it was there.
Today I am shooting Lehigh's and so far they have done what I would want and would expect. As well as provinding that margin of error, but at this point I have not needed the error margin.
12-08-2010, 08:42 PM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 183
ok ill list things below.
.240 grain XTP Jacketed hollow point.
2 triple seven 50/50 pellet powder.
distance to the deer when shot was 70-75 yrds.
the hit was placed mid body right behind the right shoulder.
Bullet did not exit but did have a exit or pressure wound almost parallel to the entrance wound.
made a mush of the inerds more than likely the lung and heart.
the shot was mid body of the deer.
Well as some no that when you shoot a deer with a ML the smoke sometimes blocks your view and causing you not to see where the deer took off too, well this was one of those times. I walked down to where i shot the deer and looked for about 5 mins walking in a circle patern around where it was standing and moved out a little bit at a time, i never found a blood trail!! Now at this point i thought i completely missed this buck. Well i walked next to the woods and looked down the hill little bit and noticed that there was a trail where the deer was running and jumping and had messed the leaves up alot to where i new that was where he was going. So i started down the hill following the leaves that were moved alot and still found no blood on that trail, I walked down a little farther and i spotted something that kinda looked like blood, i picked up the leaf and it was blood (instant relief so i made the shot), i walked a little bit farther and found some more blood and the blood just kept getting heavier and heavier, then it came to a little branch where there was not alot of water in it and the blood was everywhere, i mean there was a huge spot where i guess he jumped the creek/branch and pushed a huge spurt of blood out, i looked up and on the other side of the creek he was lying in a hole on the other side of the creek. the run totaled about 50-60yrds (give or take a few) to where he was lying.
.240 grain XTP Jacketed hollow point.
2 triple seven 50/50 pellet powder.
distance to the deer when shot was 70-75 yrds.
the hit was placed mid body right behind the right shoulder.
Bullet did not exit but did have a exit or pressure wound almost parallel to the entrance wound.
made a mush of the inerds more than likely the lung and heart.
the shot was mid body of the deer.
Well as some no that when you shoot a deer with a ML the smoke sometimes blocks your view and causing you not to see where the deer took off too, well this was one of those times. I walked down to where i shot the deer and looked for about 5 mins walking in a circle patern around where it was standing and moved out a little bit at a time, i never found a blood trail!! Now at this point i thought i completely missed this buck. Well i walked next to the woods and looked down the hill little bit and noticed that there was a trail where the deer was running and jumping and had messed the leaves up alot to where i new that was where he was going. So i started down the hill following the leaves that were moved alot and still found no blood on that trail, I walked down a little farther and i spotted something that kinda looked like blood, i picked up the leaf and it was blood (instant relief so i made the shot), i walked a little bit farther and found some more blood and the blood just kept getting heavier and heavier, then it came to a little branch where there was not alot of water in it and the blood was everywhere, i mean there was a huge spot where i guess he jumped the creek/branch and pushed a huge spurt of blood out, i looked up and on the other side of the creek he was lying in a hole on the other side of the creek. the run totaled about 50-60yrds (give or take a few) to where he was lying.
12-08-2010, 08:47 PM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: River Ridge, LA (Suburb of New Orleans)
Posts: 10,918
Best blood trails I've ever had were with 410 grain Hornady Great Plains over 70 grains Pyrodex RS on several deer from 30 yards out to about 75 yards. Next best (and pretty close to the same) were 300 grain Gold Dots over 85 grains GOEX.
12-08-2010, 09:20 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: arkansas
Posts: 3,163
G-series whitetail with 460gr super slug with 100gr of pyrodex P. The buck was angling away from me at 132 steps, bullet entered at the last rib and exited just behind the far shoulder. The buck ran about 80 yards before expiring, but the blood trail was unbelievable. The buck couldnt had much blood left in him at all. I'm sure his adrenalin level was up, he was after a doe that came through there less than 30 min before. Its amazing how some deer will drop in their tracks and some will run aways after shooting them with the same shot placement and loads.
12-08-2010, 09:45 PM
#6
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Boncarbo,Colorado
Posts: 9,186
best blood trail ever was with a cva mountain rifle .45 80gr 3f T7 and a 225gr Powerbelt. Next up was CVA Mountain Rifle * this is where i get my handle* .54cal 80gr pyrodex RS .530 round ball on a cow elk.
12-09-2010, 03:19 AM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Northern Chautauqua Co. N.Y.
Posts: 2,976
This is a Tough one to answer as for nearly 20 years I have used the 240gr XTP with Powder grades from 150gr's to 100gr's with both Powder and Pellets and used only the XTP and a MLer for Hunting.
A Tough question, why? Because I have never seen a shot on a Deer duplicated by being shot in the exact same place, they have all been different, some close, but different.
I have had massive Blood Trail's that anyone could follow and then hardly any Blood down to specks and then some just did'nt bleed but did'nt go far either, but they Majority expired anywhere from 0-40yds, some further.
I have had Deer with there Heart Blown apart that ran 100yds and some went 15yds, Deer with Mushed Lungs do the same, some bled a-lot, some did'nt.
So Im confused more to the reason why a Deer that was hit in the exact same spot at the same distance, with the exact same Bullet and Powder Combo had a Massive Blood Trail and ran 15 yds, while another ran 100yds with no blood and another dropped on the spot, while another, another and another, ect, ect, ect, all did different things?
So would it be right for me to say the 240gr XTP that hit a few Deer and left a 2 foot wide Blood Trail and ran only 20yds was the Best Bullet for me, as one that had no blood and ran 100yds with the same bullet was still dead but had completely different results. I cant answer this, all I know is I found each and every one and they all expired after the shot.
If we had the exact same results on each and every Deer we shot with the exact same Bullet and Powder Combo, then we could answer this question. But for me no 2 shots have ever been exactly the same, some close, but all different.
I think no matter what Bullet Powder Combo you use you will always have different results.
We did a few Deer Drives the last few Day's as our Weather has been BAD, LOT's and LOT's of SNOW and WIND, so we figured with the Weather this way and our Gun Season ending this Sunday we better get the Deer up and moving and fill some Tag's.
My Buddy shot a Buck at 20yds with a (Foster Type) 1oz Winchester Slug. He hit the Buck Broadside just a tad far back, clipped a Lung and got the Liver. As we inspected the Hit Sight we only saw one Very Tiny Speck of Blood, we waited for a Hour befor we took up the Search as the Snow was comming down fast and hard.
125yds into the Tracking Job we found the Buck piled up. The extrance and exit holes were the size of Half Dollars, yet the Buck never blead untill it fell. With the size of the entrance and exit holes you'd think he would have left a blood trail anyone could follow, especially with Snow, but he did'nt, why? The same day another Buddy shot another Buck with a different Shotgun but the same Winchester 1oz Slug, the shot was almost the same distance and in the same location on the animal, this Buck Blead like Crazy and went only about 10-15yds, again why?
I dont think anyone can answer this or prove that there is the (Perfect Bullet) out there. Sometimes the bullet works Perfect and other times the same Bullet does something different.
In about an Hour Im heading out to do some more Deer Drives, and with any Luck we'll score on some Deer. I'll have My Camera with me and take some pics of what may happen. I'll have a MLer, so will another Friend and the rest will have Shotguns.
(BP)
A Tough question, why? Because I have never seen a shot on a Deer duplicated by being shot in the exact same place, they have all been different, some close, but different.
I have had massive Blood Trail's that anyone could follow and then hardly any Blood down to specks and then some just did'nt bleed but did'nt go far either, but they Majority expired anywhere from 0-40yds, some further.
I have had Deer with there Heart Blown apart that ran 100yds and some went 15yds, Deer with Mushed Lungs do the same, some bled a-lot, some did'nt.
So Im confused more to the reason why a Deer that was hit in the exact same spot at the same distance, with the exact same Bullet and Powder Combo had a Massive Blood Trail and ran 15 yds, while another ran 100yds with no blood and another dropped on the spot, while another, another and another, ect, ect, ect, all did different things?
So would it be right for me to say the 240gr XTP that hit a few Deer and left a 2 foot wide Blood Trail and ran only 20yds was the Best Bullet for me, as one that had no blood and ran 100yds with the same bullet was still dead but had completely different results. I cant answer this, all I know is I found each and every one and they all expired after the shot.
If we had the exact same results on each and every Deer we shot with the exact same Bullet and Powder Combo, then we could answer this question. But for me no 2 shots have ever been exactly the same, some close, but all different.
I think no matter what Bullet Powder Combo you use you will always have different results.
We did a few Deer Drives the last few Day's as our Weather has been BAD, LOT's and LOT's of SNOW and WIND, so we figured with the Weather this way and our Gun Season ending this Sunday we better get the Deer up and moving and fill some Tag's.
My Buddy shot a Buck at 20yds with a (Foster Type) 1oz Winchester Slug. He hit the Buck Broadside just a tad far back, clipped a Lung and got the Liver. As we inspected the Hit Sight we only saw one Very Tiny Speck of Blood, we waited for a Hour befor we took up the Search as the Snow was comming down fast and hard.
125yds into the Tracking Job we found the Buck piled up. The extrance and exit holes were the size of Half Dollars, yet the Buck never blead untill it fell. With the size of the entrance and exit holes you'd think he would have left a blood trail anyone could follow, especially with Snow, but he did'nt, why? The same day another Buddy shot another Buck with a different Shotgun but the same Winchester 1oz Slug, the shot was almost the same distance and in the same location on the animal, this Buck Blead like Crazy and went only about 10-15yds, again why?
I dont think anyone can answer this or prove that there is the (Perfect Bullet) out there. Sometimes the bullet works Perfect and other times the same Bullet does something different.
In about an Hour Im heading out to do some more Deer Drives, and with any Luck we'll score on some Deer. I'll have My Camera with me and take some pics of what may happen. I'll have a MLer, so will another Friend and the rest will have Shotguns.
(BP)
12-09-2010, 04:06 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rapid City, South Dakota
Posts: 3,732
Breechplug
Now, that was well written, by a man that loves to hunt, loves the spirit of the hunt, and the spirit of the critter.
Now, that was well written, by a man that loves to hunt, loves the spirit of the hunt, and the spirit of the critter.
12-09-2010, 04:19 AM
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Webster NY.
Posts: 189
I'm currently using a Barnes 250gr TEZ in the Accura I bought last year. My Savage does not shoot the all coppers well so I use a Barnes Original in it. I've only shot one Deer with the TEZ so far this year and it was a six pointer at 40yds and I planted it with a high shoulder shot. There are a few guys in camp that have been shooting the Barnes Coppers for years and get massive wound channels and blood trails with them. The one thing I would also say is that I have been on this forum and a few others for a couple of years now and I can never remember seeing a post of anyone complaining about terminal performance or lack of blood trail from a Barnes bullet. I think that is a pretty good testament for this brand.
12-09-2010, 04:43 AM
#10
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 414
Limited experience, but 2 deer taken this season with the Barnes 250gr TEZ, 100gr BH209.
1. From 30 yards, deer quartering to, hit front shoulder (mid height), took out lung, liver and exited last rib. Deer run 60-70 yards. Good blood trail.
2. From 60 yards, neck shot... no tracking.
Note: I've always used a premium bullet for hunting, even with a rifle. I have not had opportunity to try Nosler's, Gold Dots or Lehigh's. I think I would try the Lehigh's, if I can get them here, non-lead bullets appeal to me.
1. From 30 yards, deer quartering to, hit front shoulder (mid height), took out lung, liver and exited last rib. Deer run 60-70 yards. Good blood trail.
2. From 60 yards, neck shot... no tracking.
Note: I've always used a premium bullet for hunting, even with a rifle. I have not had opportunity to try Nosler's, Gold Dots or Lehigh's. I think I would try the Lehigh's, if I can get them here, non-lead bullets appeal to me.