A bowhunting tracking-assist device on an arrow's shaft includes a tracer agent and an agent dispenser. The dispenser releases the agent when the arrow strikes a game animal, and the released agent identifies an enhanced-visibility trail of the fleeing animal. In an example embodiment, the dispenser has wells for holding the agent and a cover that displaces to release the agent when the arrow drives into the animal. The tracer agent preferably comprises one or more compounds that produce visible light to the naked eye and/or under a black light source. Example tracer agents include biological stains that produce visible light upon contact with blood, luminol or another chemiluminescent compound that releases light by a chemical reaction such as may occur when contacting blood, a basic salt such as sodium carbonate or another effervescence-inducing agent, a phosphorescent compound, or a fluorescent compound.