Hunter-Ed Certification Practice Exam

What should you do if you are following a wounded animal and you lose the trail?

1. Stop and wait for help

2. Give up tracking the animal

3. Look for signs of blood or disturbance in the area

4. Call the authorities immediately

The correct answer is: Look for signs of blood or disturbance in the area

When tracking a wounded animal and you lose the trail, the best course of action is to look for signs of blood or disturbance in the area. This approach is crucial for continuing the search effectively. Blood trails can provide crucial information about the animal's direction, injury severity, and whether it has moved further away. Additionally, disturbances in vegetation or ground can indicate where the animal has gone or how long ago it passed through a specific area. Stopping and waiting for help may not be productive because the situation could change, and the animal might move further away, making it more difficult to find. Giving up on tracking would mean missing the opportunity to locate the animal, which could result in unnecessary suffering. While calling the authorities might be necessary in certain circumstances, it is not the immediate step to take in the tracking process if you're trying to locate the animal yourself. Therefore, looking for signs of blood or disturbance is the most proactive and beneficial action in this scenario.