Which of the following is a sign of an injured animal?

The presence of blood trails is a classic and significant indicator of an injured animal. When an animal sustains an injury, particularly one that impacts a major blood vessel or organ, it often leaves behind a trail of blood as it moves away from the site of the injury. This blood can provide valuable information about the severity of the wound and can help hunters track the animal for recovery.

Footprints, tracks in the snow, and scent trails can all provide clues about animal movements or presence, but they do not specifically indicate injury. While footprints and tracks can show where an animal has been, and scent trails can indicate its path, they do not convey information about the animal’s health or condition. Blood trails, on the other hand, directly indicate a physical injury and are crucial for understanding how to proceed when tracking an animal that may need to be found.