I'm busy compiling some lecture notes to teach some beginner hunters from Brazil about following a bloodspoor.

I wish to make two points, (i) it is sometimes very easy, but (ii) mostly it is very difficult if you do not have trained trackers or a trained dog.

I have this photo to demonstrate the first point, but search as I may through all my old photos, I simply do not have one that demonstrates how tiny a blood drop on a grass stem or on the ground can be.



Can anyone please post [or PM] a photo that shows how difficult it can be to see a bloodspoor?

Incidentally, what animal do you think made the bloodspoor in my photo?

In good hunting.

Looks about like the blood trail from the Bushbuck I shot in Zambia with Johnny du Plooy that tried to stick Joyce with his dying breath.

Something short and heavy - maybe a pig?

Hyaena?

Good hunting
CF

Bushpig or Warthog?

From the pictures, obviously taken from the top of the hunting car, it is not possible to tell the height of the grass. If it is five feet or higher I would say it is a heart/lung shot Cape buffalo!

.....................................................................

Zebra / Eland / Red hartebeest. If it is a springbok it should be 'biltong' by now with that much blood lost...

I'm going springbok as first guess.

Second guess is zebra. The zebra I shot last summer bled out like that.

Wildebeest

Pigslayer?

Black Wildebeest.......based on habitat.

Zebra wouldn't surprise me, where have I seen that before...

I have no idea as to the animal, but leaving that much blood, it should not be ready for a fight when found.

I go along with wart hog.

It would have to be quite a large animal to part the grass that wide and to flatten it.
The copious amount of blood and terrain, could identify the trail left by a lung shot Zebra.

It's those Free State PH's. Andrew stole a sheep

quote:

Originally posted by Pieter Kriel:
It's those Free State PH's. Andrew stole a sheep

You are quite correct! I cut it's throat and then it escaped!

But serious, how many time have you not seen a single small drop of blood on a grass stem or twig, or on the ground, and realized: Oh, SH*&! Here comes hard work, and the client will have to pay." Has anyone ever thought: "I'd better take a photograph of this to be able to show the client what he/she is paying for!" Have I taken such a photo? No! It seems others were, just like I under those circumstances, to worried about getting the next small drop. And the next.

Charl is quite correct: With that amount of blood loss the animal was found just where the track is almost not visible any more.







rigbymauser with his free range springbok.

Just a note: The photo setup was specifically to hide the rather copious amount of blood visible on the springbok. We don't want to give the anti's ammo to attack us!


Please, can anyone post a photo of a small drop of blood?

In good hunting.

quote:

Please, can anyone post a photo of a small drop of blood?

In good hunting.

Since you asked so nicely.

Had a situation like that yesterday with a wounded Impala. Two PH's and two trackers with their hands on their knees and eyeballs working overtime to find the drops in the grass, found him eventually.
Never thought about taking pics.