Anyone else notice lack of blood trail using subs?

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dpete
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Anyone else notice lack of blood trail using subs?

Post by dpete »

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.
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gds
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Re: Anyone else notice lack of blood trail using subs?

Post by gds »

I have only used the maker bullet once. No Blood trail did concern me a lot. She only made it 25-30 yds. but again no blood trail. Internal damage was severe.

My best result came from a 247gr NOE cast, powder coated, self hollow pointed bullet. It entered and best I can figure opened up and destabilized exiting sideways. Honestly was the easiest blood trail to follow. He maybe went 25yds.

I have used several custom and home made bullets. With varying results. If I did my part they all worked, Some just not as good as others. A few produced DRT, most involved some type of tracking.

In my opinion, the best subsonic hunting bullet opens up and destabilizes to cause a severe exit wound for blood to spurt or drip out of.
Yes, I am a Baptist, and yes I carry a gun. You might think I carry a gun because I don't trust God. Well you would be wrong. I have complete faith in my Lord. It is mankind I have no trust in
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SwampDog_13
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Re: Anyone else notice lack of blood trail using subs?

Post by SwampDog_13 »

My mileage has differed slightly.

First two deer taken with Makers were taken inside of 25yds with both leaving an easily track-able blood trail. The second deer looked like something out of a horror movie last season. Both were lower chest heart shots broadside.

The buck I took this year took a few yards to put down a trail but he also crossed a good bit of water in those first few yards. He was also hit higher than I would normally try to hit, slightly rushed the shot as there was very little time from him being faced dead at me to him turning broad side, his next step would have been out of sight. Once he filled up the blood was there, probably 15 or so yards as the crow flies but crooked as a deer trail.
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John A.
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Re: Anyone else notice lack of blood trail using subs?

Post by John A. »

Unfortunately, I didn't get to hunt this year.

But I was able to down an average size 4 point with a 120 gr SST 6.8spc a while back.

Tiny entrance hole, no exit. Found the fragments just under the hide on the far side near the shoulder.

In fairness, he dropped where he stood and when I field dressed him, his heart was basically slush puppy. But there was not a single drop of blood, not even at the entrance hole.

Had the deer not died immediately, I'm not entirely certain that I would've been able to track him if he had ran out of sight.

This too was unsettling to me, but from my humble opinion, if you place a good shot, they're not going to go too far before their time is up.
When those totally ignorant of firearms make laws, you end up with totally ignorant firearm laws.
tikkablk
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Re: Anyone else notice lack of blood trail using subs?

Post by tikkablk »

I’ve had best blood trails with Lehigh 194gr ME but it’s never gonna be a 100% guarantee. Want more blood do a double tap, two holes are better than one. The Lehigh 169gr CF work really well but blood trails are minimal. Have not used any other subsonic expanding projectiles.
Yellow_13
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Re: Anyone else notice lack of blood trail using subs?

Post by Yellow_13 »

So I'm not the only one to have noticed this! I don't know what the 300 subsonics are made of, but it looks like they seal the entry wound before detonating a nuke inside the target. That's why I've decided to use it for HD as well, this way I know I won't have to worry too much about incapacitating the potential attacker! However, I'm starting to think I'll go deer hunting with my good old Arisaka again, at least I can trail my prey if my first shot isn't perfect.
warthog97
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Re: Anyone else notice lack of blood trail using subs?

Post by warthog97 »

Yellow_13 wrote: Mon Jan 28, 2019 2:07 pm So I'm not the only one to have noticed this! I don't know what the 300 subsonics are made of, but it looks like they seal the entry wound before detonating a nuke inside the target. That's why I've decided to use it for HD as well, this way I know I won't have to worry too much about incapacitating the potential attacker! However, I'm starting to think I'll go deer hunting with my good old Arisaka again, at least I can trail my prey if my first shot isn't perfect.
Not to hijack a dead thread, but what caliber Arisaka? I have an late WWII ''ersatz" (last ditch) Arisaka in 6.5 Jap who's chamber was cut too long. I rechambered it to 6.5 Swede and have to say it's a MOA shooter with the right bullets. Shoots like garbage otherwise...

Out of curiosity, if you're not happy with 300 BO subs, why not go to supers? 1st World Problems are the worst!
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wildfowler
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Re: Anyone else notice lack of blood trail using subs?

Post by wildfowler »

I’m sorry the picture is no longer present in this topic from a long time ago.

viewtopic.php?t=84656

At the time I thought this discussion was interesting.
driven every kind of rig that's ever been made, driven the backroads so I wouldn't get weighed. - Lowell George
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