Anyone else notice lack of blood trail using subs?
Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2018 11:29 pm
I just took my 3rd deer using Maker 200 grain Rex bullets and have definitely seen a lack of any blood trail from any of them. Two different stand situations, three different shot placements and three lack of blood anywhere on the snow but inside the chest cavities. First deer was standing facing me about 30 yards out, bullet entered between the brisket and right shoulder, passed through the chest and lodged in the stomach(recovered and perfect expansion even at the angle of entry). I was sitting in a ground blind and pretty much level with the deer. It made it about 30 yards before piling up. No blood anywhere but I knew the direction it ran in and found her laying in a direct line from where she started.
Second deer was shot from a tree stand at a range of 40 yards. Full broadside shot and complete pass through. She bronco kicked at impact and ran about 30 yards and fell over within sight of where I was, about 30 yards out. No tracking but also no blood at all, even underneath her after laying in the snow for about an hour before I got down out of the tree.
Third deer was yesterday. Same ground blind situation but this time quartering away from me. The bullet entered the ribcage on the right side about 3" in front of the last rib, passed through the chest and exited just below the shoulder blade catching the back of the left front leg as it went. Perfect triangle shaped exit wound in the hide on the exit side so I assume perfect expansion. After hunching up upon impact she trotted off as if nothing unusual had happened other than being spooked and tail flagging. No blood in the snow anywhere. After about 20 minutes of searching with my flashlight I found her about 80-100 yards away.
I know that subsonic bullets do not produce the hydrostatic shock that supers do and therefore don't blow huge wound channels or exit wounds. But is this lack of blood trails also a result of the slower speed and different performance going through flesh? Is it typical? Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining about how the bullets performed. After all I have 3 deer the past two years thanks to them. But I wish I could say they are confidence building as far as tracking after the shot rather than just searching for a dead deer.
Second deer was shot from a tree stand at a range of 40 yards. Full broadside shot and complete pass through. She bronco kicked at impact and ran about 30 yards and fell over within sight of where I was, about 30 yards out. No tracking but also no blood at all, even underneath her after laying in the snow for about an hour before I got down out of the tree.
Third deer was yesterday. Same ground blind situation but this time quartering away from me. The bullet entered the ribcage on the right side about 3" in front of the last rib, passed through the chest and exited just below the shoulder blade catching the back of the left front leg as it went. Perfect triangle shaped exit wound in the hide on the exit side so I assume perfect expansion. After hunching up upon impact she trotted off as if nothing unusual had happened other than being spooked and tail flagging. No blood in the snow anywhere. After about 20 minutes of searching with my flashlight I found her about 80-100 yards away.
I know that subsonic bullets do not produce the hydrostatic shock that supers do and therefore don't blow huge wound channels or exit wounds. But is this lack of blood trails also a result of the slower speed and different performance going through flesh? Is it typical? Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining about how the bullets performed. After all I have 3 deer the past two years thanks to them. But I wish I could say they are confidence building as far as tracking after the shot rather than just searching for a dead deer.