this past Friday, Veteran's Day, my wife and I were hunting on our 50+ acres in Jackson County (SE Ohio). At 8:35am I received a text from my wife who shot a buck ( strongly believes it's a 10pt). I asked her where she hit it, if it kicked, and how it left the area. This is where I messed up. I said lets sit for about 30 mins then we'll track, so we did. Had a great blood trail for the first 1/2 - 3/4 of mile (big blotches on the leaves, briars and fallen trees). Then for the next 1/2 - 1 mile or so just timy drips of blood then it disappears. We walked the entire blood trail 3 times to make sure we stayed on path and we kept ending up at the same location. Sun went down, day over.
Next day (24 hrs after shot), went back out with my dog (3yr Weimaraner) who has not been trained to per-say hunt deer but he did recently drag a fawn back to my house about a month ago, so I thought I'd give him the opportunity. Still no luck. Yesterday, thinking that the buzzards would move in, still no luck. I'm going back out tonight for about an hour after work till dark, hoping I get a sign from the buzzards or the smell.
Does anyone have suggestions of what to do from here? I'm diappointed that the meat has spoiled, I'm at the last resort to find the deer for it's rack as well as close the chapter of this hunt.