Tracking Deer with Dogs (PIC)

[B-man715]

The Friday before Halloween, I was home and I went out bowhunting. We've been out of town (Duluth) working, so hunting time has been limited.

I walked out under the stars to a spot I seldom hunt. It is a narrow hardwood peninsula, that protrudes about 300 yards into a black spruce swamp. I used my climber and perched over intersecting trails on the peninsula.

About 7:30 a basket eight point criss crossed the peninsula searching for a hot doe. He was grunting the whole time. He ended up directly under my tree and knew something wasn't quite right, but soon resumed his search and went off into the swamp.

About an hour and a half later I heard a buck grunting and water splashing in the swamp to the north. I stood and readied my bow, waiting for what seemed like forever! Thirty seconds passed, with the deer getting close. I finally saw a doe, followed by another doe trotting my way. I could hear the buck, but not see him.

The does passed by 20 yards away, and I caught a glimpse of the buck hot on their tail! The adrenaline started pumping as I drew my bow. I had about a 20 foot window to shoot, but with the deer moving quickly I wasn't sure if I could get him to stop in time.

As he exited the swamp and came onto high ground he finally stopped on the third loud "uurrrp!" He wasn't the biggest buck I'ver ever shot, but with work limiting hunting time he was good enough

Slightly quartering towards me, I put the pin on his shoulder and let it fly! The shot looked good, but his reaction wasn't. He bounded a few times into the swamp and just stood. He was within 30 yards, but the spruce trees wouldn't allow a second shot Five minutes passed before he slowly walked into the flooded swamp.

About twenty minutes passed and I again heard grunting coming from the north. I thought it might have been the same buck, but soon after a nice buck came by running the same trail the does had minutes earlier. He would have been a 120" eight, but his left side was just a curly fry main beam

Soon after I climbed down to look at my arrow. STOMACH! I walked into the swamp where he stood and found only a small area of blood. Five minutes of blood and I could have covered it with a pop can.

In my younger days I would have started tracking right away, jumped him once or twice and never see him again. Expericence and reading has taught me to give 6 hours minimum on a gut shot.

With my head low I left the woods. Waiting is the hardest part, but necessary if the deer is to be recovered. The forecast was to top out in the low 40's, so spoilage wasn't a concern. The swamp was also full of shade.

While at home I spent some time on the computer trying to kill time. I stumbled across an article about tracking wounded deer with dogs. It has always been a thought to me, but the article convinced me to give it a try.

While I have spent considerable time breaking and keeping my dogs off deer, I decided to try it. I took my oldest, slowest and methodical hound Gunner. He also handles extremely well and is what I consider broke.

I put on his tracking collar and e-collar and off to the woods we went. My plan was to hopefully follow a blood trail to a dead buck and only use Gunner as a last chance shot in the dark.

By the tone of my voice he knows when to stay close, or when he can hunt. He walked unleashed by my side the 1/2 mile into the woods to where I shot the deer. I tied him up and went searching first.

From the small pool of blood, I was able to track him a grand total of 20 feet in 20 minutes Not looking good. I soon lost blood, all of the deer trails were underwater; making for an almost impossible tracking job.

With dark aproaching I brought Gunner to where I shot the deer. In a relaxed voice I encouraged him to "get the deer." He seemed mildly interested in the track and followed it to the small pool of blood. Then continued on the track to where I had lost it.

He soon turned 90 degrees and nose to the ground worked his way northwest. I had thought the deer went east and shrugged it off as a loss.

Keeping distance from him I followed as he silently made his way northwest. He made it about a 100 yards from where i shot the the deer then stopped and looked up for me. I watched for a few seconds, he would put his head down, then back up looking at me??? I started his way and soon after saw antlers poking up through the moss!!!!!

He walked straight to it! I couldn't believe it. Who knows how many other deer came through that spot while I was waiting at home, but he managed to lock onto the deer I started him on.

Without Gunner, I would have said my chances of recovering the deer was 75%. He went in almost the opposite direction that I would have started a grid search. Though it died roughly 100 yards from the shot, that area would have been on the edge of my search.

As is turns out, the shot did catch a lung, went through the center of the liver, then exited through the stomach. He likely died within an hour, but you can't ever play it too safe when you are uncertain.

Here is a shot of me and Gunner with "his trophy!"

Now I hope he doesn't think he can start chasing live deer again!!!

[hockeybc69]

I now see you are from WI, so I have no idea on the rules from there regarding using dogs to track deer, so I am deleting my initial post.

[JJensen]

cool story.

[Gordie]

If I were you I would delete this as fast as I could....

You cant trail big game in MN with a dog.

As much as I think its a [PoorWordUsage] rule, edit it and clear your post....

yes but is it legal in Wisconsin thats where he's from

[shortfatguy]

Cool story. Congrats on finding the deer!

[psepuncher]

yes but is it legal in Wisconsin thats where he's from

{In Wi}

I'm not sure if you're allowed to carry and trail at the same time though.

[paceman]

Very cool story! and nice deer with the bow!

[96trigger]

One of the coolest stories I have read on here. I lost a real nice buck may years agao when I was just starting bow huntiing. It ran around a corner out of sight through an alfalfa field after I shot, I would have loved a dog just to be able to find where he went back in the woods so I could start tracking him. I had no idea where he went in or where he ended up, the aflalfa made it all but impossible to track him with very little blood. Later that spring, some turkey hunters found a 19 pointer 200 yards from where I shot him, down one bluff, and up the other, but nowhere near where I would have thought he would have run, or where I looked. Not sure if it was him, but I have my suspicions. I felt absolutely helpless when looking for that deer, even after doing a grid search. Thanks for sharing. I don't think that law will ever get repealed in MN without some pressure from a few of the groups. I can see the pros and cons of both sides.

[archerystud]

I agree with Trigger.

The problem is that some people would abuse the system and start using dogs to "drive" deer while saying they were "tracking" them.

I really have no problem in using a dog they way it was used here, great story. I don't think the DNR would either IF people would only use dogs in this way in regards to deer. It would just open up to many loop holes for people to abuse.

[sticknstring]

Great story and great job on the recovery. He's a fine buck - congratulations. Give Gunner an ear rub for me.

[DTro]

What a great story!

[Muskie456]

Dogs are great! A lot of the trackers in Africa have little dogs helping them.

[Gordie]

{In Wi}

I'm not sure if you're allowed to carry and trail at the same time though.

Yes congrats on the fine buck and specail ataboy to Gunner great story as well

Now if your not sure where the deer is from there are a few clues in his story first off and one big clue in the picture..

[Musky Buck]

Great story, deer doesn't go to waste, you did what you could before you fired up gunner for a deer mission, great ending, I can just picture gunner plodding along, slopping through some water at a beagle like pace lol.

[Bigtom]

Just 1 question B-Man, Where did you get your Beagle from? Because as I was reading this my beagle came to me and your dog looks just like mine. Identical colors and markings just like looking in a mirror. Just wondering if the same blood line from MN.