Newbie hunter's debate---how long to search?

[TAC]

Had a debate today with another newbie hunter regarding searching for an animal after it's been shot.

1) How long is acceptable before one gives up?

2) Does the meat go bad after a certain time period?

3) Should the MNR be notified?

4) Does that count as your deer?

I figure:

1 and 2 kind of go together if it's a search before dark. I'd think a few hours the next morning is required at minimum. A daytime search should continue at least until dusk. The meat must go bad after 12-16 hours even if it's getting below 40F.

3 and 4--I dunno

There _must_ have been occasions where someone hasn't found their deer after extensive searching.

[stump]

Good questions. I hate to abandon the search for a wounded animal and will continue to look for it as long as I can pick up any blood trail, or it's evident the deer (or moose or ??) isn't fatally wounded, ie it covers a lot of ground, doesn't bed down and bleed excessively, or cough up blood. The meat will go bad eventually. When depends on how long between death and recovery, how much it bled out, the weather, etc. No need to contact the MNR, or provincial authorities. They can't do anything about it and sure aren't going to help track it. No, it doesn't count as your deer because you didn't tag it.