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Which trail direction does IHEA say to look for when tracking wounded big game?

Downhill, especially toward water.

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  1. Uphill, toward the ridge top
  2. Downhill, especially toward water ✔
  3. Straight back to where it was shot

Why: Hunter education lists downhill trails toward water as a sign to watch for. This can help guide the search.

Huh, didn't know that: Carefully watching every move the animal makes after the shot also helps recovery.

The dad joke
Why did the deer head to the creek? It wanted to go with the flow.
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References

Answer: Downhill, especially toward water. Hunter education lists downhill trails toward water as a sign to watch for. This can help guide the search.

  1. IHEA-WORLD 2026 Education Standards: The Complete Guide, Hunter Education, p. 2.33 ihea-world.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/IHEA_Hunter_Edu_Std_Comp_Digital_053026-1-1.pdf
    Downhill trails, especially towards water
    Checked 2026-10-09.

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