Just a tip when your on a tough trail. If you know the area well go to the nearest water, especially ponds. Found two wounded deer that way. One was bedded in the cat-tails beside the water, the other was dead in the middle of the pond. Things happen, anybody who deer hunts very long will experience something like this.
Dogs are amazing. Thought I had lost a deer today, found a good blood trail for about 200 yards then i couldnt find anything else. Went and got the dogs, lab heeler mix females about a year and a half old. The dogs hadnt been trained for trailing, but after reading this thread i thought id try. Took the dogs to the last place i found blood and before i knew it they were on the trail. They lead me over two ridges following the trail the whole way. They would run a while and then stop to wait on me. Everytime they stopped they were standing near blood. I reached an electric 5 wire fence and they went under. I couldnt find a place to cross. Then the dogs came back under and i lead them back to the last blood and kept telling them "find the deer". Then they were on the trail again, the deer didnt cross the electric fence. The dogs ran right to the buck and sniffed it a little and waited until i got there. They stayed back while i gutted it, then stayed with me when i was dragging him to where i could
get the 4wheeler in.
Glad it ended well. How far did he go all together? Where was the hit? Only one lung?
I'd say about 3/8 of a mile up and down hills. The shot was pretty poor. He was quartering away and it hit i his hind leg and out his guts.
You must have got something good, maybe nicked that femoral artery or something.
Thats what i was thinking, femoral artery. There was a pretty good blood trail and the hole in the muscle on the hindquarter big enough to put a baseball in. Must have ripped it open more running.
I would be careful about using a dog for tracking deer. According to the OWD you can't use dogs for taking deer.
Dogs For Hunting
Dogs may not be used in taking bear, deer, elk, antelope and turkey.
Except as otherwise provided, nothing shall prohibit the year-round pursuit of game (species that can be lawfully hunted with dogs) for dog training or sport only. However, unless otherwise provided, no person in pursuit of game with hunting dogs outside the regular harvest season shall possess the means to harvest such game
Dogs For Hunting
Dogs may not be used in taking bear, deer, elk, antelope and turkey.
Except as otherwise provided, nothing shall prohibit the year-round pursuit of game (species that can be lawfully hunted with dogs) for dog training or sport only. However, unless otherwise provided, no person in pursuit of game with hunting dogs outside the regular harvest season shall possess the means to harvest such game
Its not legal to blood trail with a dog.
That being said, I wish the ODW would have a program where a dog handler could register with them for a fee, and provide his services to the community.
I know, I'd pay to have a tracker dog find a trophy deer.
