On and Off the Right Track

or The Joy and Agony of Tracking a Wounded Deer

1.) A tracker must diligently look for tiny drops of blood on the ground

Note: The ground at this time of year is covered with: brown leaves with red spots, burgundy leaves with red spots, green leaves with red spots, yellow leaves with red spots, and red leaves with red spots. This may be caused by water, fungus, the changing color of leaves, or blood.

2.) A tracker must not feel discouraged or frustrated when the "blood trail" completely disappears.

Note: The "blood trail" constantly disappears even if right before the disappearance the trail was very easy to find. This is perfectly normal and should be expected to occur constantly.

3.) A tracker must slowly and carefully cover miles and miles of territory that the deer may have happened to cross.
Note: This will take hours of hiking in a semi-folded position.

4.) A tracker must scan the ground around him for a brown animal with a white belly. Because he has followed proper hunting protocol, the deer is now dead. [There will be no movement or noise from the deer.]
Note: The forest floor is made up of leaves, small plants to obscure the view, and brown logs. Large white mushrooms grow on the logs and white patches of sunshine rest on them.

5.) The tracker must not mind encountering multiple brier bushes and countless spider webs as he searches for the downed deer.
Note: The webs will eventually cloud his vision so he can not see the blood gushing from his wounds.

One last note:
Careful adherence to the tracking techniques listed above does not guarantee discovery of the deer.