Blood tracking

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Bluesky2012
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Blood tracking

Post by Bluesky2012 » Fri Apr 04, 2014 8:45 pm

Ok guys, I currently have a 2 year old GSP who I quail and duck hunt with, and a new 4 month old lab (leaving for the pro in 2 months since I'm deploying and won't be around to do the initial training).

After poking a nice hole in a deer with my bow this past year but after 2 days of searching a swamp that looked like a murder scene from all the blood and still not recovering the deer, the question arises:

How do I train a dog to track a shot deer?

Also which breed (GSP or Lab) would be better suited for it?

I would prefer to use my lab since he is waterfowl only this eliminating any risk of him running off on a deer mid hunt unlike a pointer 300 yds ahead, but does the breed really matter? I don't want a professional quality tracker, I just want a better chance to find a dead deer, and not recovering one is a terrible thing.
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RichK
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Re: Blood tracking

Post by RichK » Fri Apr 04, 2014 9:09 pm

I have thought about training my GSP to do this, this summer. Work him on a check cord if you are afraid of him taking off after game or bumping it.

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Bluesky2012
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Blood tracking

Post by Bluesky2012 » Fri Apr 04, 2014 9:34 pm

Does a lab have an equal caliber nose and drive to track? If so, why use a GSP over a lab when I have both, but one prevents bumping game completely? I'm seriously asking that because I'm trying to decide which dog to train for it
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Re: Blood tracking

Post by ezzy333 » Fri Apr 04, 2014 10:12 pm

Bluesky2012 wrote:Does a lab have an equal caliber nose and drive to track? If so, why use a GSP over a lab when I have both, but one prevents bumping game completely? I'm seriously asking that because I'm trying to decide which dog to train for it
Many states require the dog to be on leash and some don't even allow that.
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Bluesky2012
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Blood tracking

Post by Bluesky2012 » Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:22 am

No what I mean is, if my GSP gets fired up over deer scent from blood tracking, then I wouldn't want that to be an issue when I'm quail hunting and he smells some deer or deer blood and runs off after that.
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Re: Blood tracking

Post by Trekmoor » Sat Apr 05, 2014 9:50 am

I am not a deer hunter but a lab can do the job just fine. I have had a couple of labs that tracked down wounded deer with no specialised training at all. Those deer were fresh shot ones however, I don't think those untrained labs would have done so well on an old scent.

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Re: Blood tracking

Post by polmaise » Sat Apr 05, 2014 1:58 pm

Bluesky2012 wrote: After poking a nice hole in a deer with my bow this past year but after 2 days of searching a swamp that looked like a murder scene from all the blood and still not recovering the deer, the question arises:

How do I train a dog to track a shot deer?

Also which breed (GSP or Lab) would be better suited for it?

I don't want a professional quality tracker, I just want a better chance to find a dead deer, and not recovering one is a terrible thing.
Improve your aim would help , or don't take the shot?
You may be at University level on Hunting Deer?, but asking a specific dog to be at that same level requires advanced schooling?
Your first question is ''shot deer'' ?..well that requires training on ''shot scent'' !..and blood. I don't agree with the ''Old scent'' argumentation as the shot scent and blood scent deteriorate at the same rate as the residual scent of game.It's the cocktail of these scents that are trained for.
Your ''Shot'' may well be a Bow!?..as I've said, that requires specialised training and the 'fear/concern ' that the dog May' or May Not' BE DISTRACTED on something when sent for something else is down to good ole' basic training of which I'm sure your 'Pro' that you have booked will install .
Which breed is better suited ?...Hah!... Depends on the suit they are wearing :wink:

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Bluesky2012
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Blood tracking

Post by Bluesky2012 » Sat Apr 05, 2014 4:30 pm

polmaise wrote: Improve your aim would help , or don't take the shot?
You may be at University level on Hunting Deer?, but asking a specific dog to be at that same level requires advanced schooling?
Your first question is ''shot deer'' ?..well that requires training on ''shot scent'' !..and blood. I don't agree with the ''Old scent'' argumentation as the shot scent and blood scent deteriorate at the same rate as the residual scent of game.It's the cocktail of these scents that are trained for.
Your ''Shot'' may well be a Bow!?..as I've said, that requires specialised training and the 'fear/concern ' that the dog May' or May Not' BE DISTRACTED on something when sent for something else is down to good ole' basic training of which I'm sure your 'Pro' that you have booked will install .
Which breed is better suited ?...Hah!... Depends on the suit they are wearing :wink:
What in the world are you even trying to say? That made no sense at all.

And I take it you obviously don't bow hunt if you've never had to track a deer. Anyone who says they haven't either doesn't bow hunt, or hasn't bow hunted long. Deer die from losing blood from a puncture, not the schlock wave of an arrow so everyone is going to run after a bow impact, even a heart or perfect double lung will still make it up to 100 yards, thus why a tracking dog is helpful, aside from the good conservation and sportsman aspect they provide.
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Donnytpburge
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Re: Blood tracking

Post by Donnytpburge » Sat Apr 05, 2014 4:36 pm

I have used my gsp to blood trail!

I have not had a problem; this dog was FINISHED
Before he trailed his first deer.

It's pretty cool because he locks up on a deer just
Like a bird.

Db

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Re: Blood tracking

Post by slistoe » Sat Apr 05, 2014 4:52 pm

My experience is that hunting dogs don't really need any special training to follow up on blood scent. If you had taken either one of your dogs with you when you went searching for that arrowed deer I suspect you would not be making this post. Work with whichever dog you feel like using.

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Bluesky2012
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Blood tracking

Post by Bluesky2012 » Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:15 pm

Yeah I haven't tried it yet. Didn't really think about it till after I spent hours on my hands and knees tracking for 300 yards through the toughest brush. Only then did I think of the utility of it.
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Re: Blood tracking

Post by polmaise » Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:28 pm

Looks like you know all the answers no-matter what the posts.

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Bluesky2012
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Blood tracking

Post by Bluesky2012 » Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:53 pm

If anyone would like to actually continue to answer the question, I would like to listen. To those that have already, thanks.
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Re: Blood tracking

Post by birddogger » Sat Apr 05, 2014 7:56 pm

Hey Bluesky, just realize that most of the members here try to be helpful, while a few just post sarcasm and insults without ever contributing anything regardless of what the thread is about. Even try to talk in riddles a lot of the time. :roll: That being said I agree with slistoe's take on it but also agree with Ezzy about checking the legal aspects of using dogs for tracking deer. In our state, it is illegal, as I am sure it is in many others.

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Re: Blood tracking

Post by Hattrick » Sat Apr 05, 2014 8:02 pm

I would do this I would put which ever dog you decide on as many easy trials as you can even if you see the deer go down. Training in the off season helps to I would seek a few Dk guys blood tracking is part of there game. Just year I double lung a small buck seen it go down so I went grabbed my gsp put her the arrow sticking the ground she took me right to it. She veer off little I stood were the track made a 90 she circled back it up finished the track. This was first blood track ever. 2 nights later my brother shoots a doe hit a bit too far back I walk in to search in the dark dark we can't find no blood I let luci go she goes over an stands looking back at us sure enough she is on blood I give a track it up she goes a head of us staying about out about 20' steady on blood the whole way took us 250yds right to the doe. Doe is still alive I whoa the dog doe bolts. I give the dog track it up she takes us right to the deer I whoa her my brother gets another shot done deal. I was truly amazed with this being only the 2 time on blood. It seemed that in the dark was easier because she had to rely on her nose only. I will be doing this on a regular basis it was one of the coolest things I've seen. Without a doubt once she understands fully this game she will be money on just about20'any track. As for your question I would try both and pick the best one. I feel in no way will blood tracking interfere with other work these dogs do they are smarter than that atleast a Gsp is. Good luck an share the stories

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Re: Blood tracking

Post by CDN_Cocker » Sat Apr 05, 2014 8:05 pm

The answer is either dog can be trained to do it
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Re: Blood tracking

Post by Hattrick » Sat Apr 05, 2014 8:14 pm

Sorry about the grammer I have a sorry word changing spell check. If I new more about computers I would install a better one. I feel its are duty to recover or attemp to recover all wounded game even if you have to walk a dog. I think its legal to walk a dog just about anywhere on aleash. just saying

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Re: Blood tracking

Post by Munster » Sat Apr 05, 2014 10:06 pm

Bluesky,

There is a really good book out there on the market by John Jeaneney called tracking wounded deer with dogs.
http://www.born-to-track.com/book/order-info.htm

besides being a good read for anyone wanting train a tracking dog, it is a good read for any hunter. This is because it tells oyu what different bloods mean, what patterns mean as far as the shot goes....etc.

I think you should work both dogs..........why not.

I would start out by getting some sort of a harness and a long line. We use about 50ft. These items only go on the dog when they go to work for this task. They will soon understand this.

Never track them off lead.

The legalities about it you need to find out. This has been a big debate on m any forums. It is our right and responsibility........not to mention the law to do everything in our power to locate these deer. So I will use whatever means I can to do it. Be mindful of Private property . Also I never take a weapon of any kind with me on a track..not even fingernail trimmers.

To start a dog off, I will bring him to a kill scene where I have watched the deer tip over( love those). I make sure the arrow is located and out of harms way. I leave everything as it is and go home and get the dog.
In th first video I will show you, I was pretty new to this too. I didnt take the time to help him start the track. There was to much messing around in the begining. But you can see, without a doubt, when it clicked in his brain.

Dogs seem to get it pretty quickly. Below is my SM at 6 months I think on his first track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wytqZDU1kcw
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Re: Blood tracking

Post by Munster » Sat Apr 05, 2014 10:06 pm

This video was a little better on my part, but I was letting him get to far ahead. We both have come a long way since then.BTW, no wise cracks on the size of the second deer. It was taken by a youth,he was very proud. First bow deer at 10 years old.

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Re: Blood tracking

Post by Munster » Sat Apr 05, 2014 10:11 pm

Just for interest. Below is a picture of a blood t rack we did. It was an artificial track. The blood track was layed and is in yellow. Max's track is in red. You can see where he got hung up, you just have to recognize it and let them work it out.
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Re: Blood tracking

Post by Hattrick » Sun Apr 06, 2014 5:41 am

Pretty cool!

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Blood tracking

Post by Bluesky2012 » Sun Apr 06, 2014 6:23 am

Thanks guys that's some solid info. I hunt mostly my own private land but last year I did some hunting on public land and on the first buck I shot on public land, it was a slow track because of the nasty terrain and because I was showing a friend how to track a deer. Took us about 2.5 hours after shooting the buck (including a while to let it leave the area and die quietly, then going to the truck to load up everything, then starting to track). By the time I got back, someone else had found my buck, cut the antlers off, and left the body. Made me mad. If a dog could help prevent that or prevent I recovered deer that's a good tool. Between that and the deer I had to track through thorn cutover land, a tracking dog has become a desirable thing.
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Re: Blood tracking

Post by kar6man » Sun Apr 06, 2014 4:05 pm

You've gotten good advise so far minus the smart as. Either dog can do it probably equally as well assuming they've got a good nose. I had a lab that would track blood or fresh scent with no training involved. Had her with me one time I wounded a buck and she took off after it from the truck on sight. Caught up to them about 150 yards later where she held it by the throat keeping it from getting up again. I'd take both dogs out and just see who has the better instinct for it and go from there.

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Blood tracking

Post by Bluesky2012 » Sun Apr 06, 2014 5:32 pm

Thanks guys. Should offer more than a good launching point for me.
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Re: Blood tracking

Post by GSP4ME » Tue Feb 03, 2015 12:51 pm

Were you able to do any tracking this past season? If so, which dog did you decide on.


Also fwiw, the first 2 dogs i trained to track wounded deer were boxers. After that, i tried our Basset hound with no training and he was perfect for the job. He was about 7 the first time i put him on a track and he found every deer i ever asked him to find for me and others over a 3 year period. But probably the most eager to track dog that i ever saw was a miniature dachshund an old huntin buddy used. This dog was a lot of fun to watch when she got put down on a trail. Were he not such an ethical outdoorsman, i would've sworn he was purposely trying to miss his deer a bit too far back or too high just so he could bring out that little dog and brag on her.

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