First Tag Guides

Finding your arrow after the shot is your first step in determining where the shot hit on the animal.

Blood from blade to nock = likely a clean pass through the animal.

Heart shot = dark red blood / they wwon’t be far away
Lung shot = good volume of blood, usually with small visible bubbles in it
Liver / GI area = not a lot of volume, blood appears “thin” streaky. If this is what you see, back out and give the animal time to lay down before starting on the track. It’s very common to wait between 6 and 12 hrs before attempting to recover the animal.

When getting on the blood trail, take your time, move slowly and methodically, and commit to recovering the animal. If the trail dries up, you should always consider working with a professional tracker and working dog to help out! Have fun and get after em!

This is what it’s all about. The hard work, early mornings, cold fingers and toes, finally pays off.

Backstory: Nearly 20 years of friendship, forged in the crucible of firefighting and military service. Every year, my best friend and me get together for our annual Veteran’s Hunt. In 2023, we had the opportunity to try our luck in Kentucky and it did not disappoint.

We both had the opportunity to connect on great deer, but being behind the camera for this moment is something I’ll never forget.

Lucky for us, we’re headed back to Kentucky next week to try and make it happen again, and I can’t wait to share updates on the trip, and some helpful pointers along the way.

One of the many reasons I love duck hunting is being able to cook up a hot meal in the blind!

A simple set up goes a long way on a cold morning. The ducks were flying and the was working, but a mid-morning lull in the action called for some breakfast!