Dogs for wounded deer

[buckhunter21]

What are your guys views on using dogs to track a wounded deer? I dont think it makes any sense why its not allowed in Minnesota. I really cant see anything bad coming coming from it and im just wondering if anyone knows the reason why its not legal here? Arent we always taught to do everything possible to try and find a wounded deer, this would add one more thing to help us do that. Maybe im the only one who would like to see this changed but i dont think it would hurt anything. What are your guys thoughts?

[Musky Buck]

I've wondered it, I know once in 1985 the DNR asked us if our dogs were the ones running through a woods, they weren't, I would think if you had the hound on a leash on private land you own or have permission on, without a gun in hand, but tracking a wounded goat you'd want a gun in hand. Unknown. If this dog wouldn't bother any other hunters and it is something I would hope isn't needed too often, I'd say go for it, you are trying to not wanton waste the deer and you'd prefer getting the one that is hit rather than hunt on and really take another. But, someone might have why this can't happen.

[Ice Chicken]

A couple of years ago a friend arrowed a nice buck and couldn't find it. The next day a guy grouse hunting with his dog found it curled up under a deadfall. Of course by then the meat was spoiled. I say yes to allow tracking with a dog.

[Musky Buck]

Hopefully the few times a season in MN where it might be needed wouldn't be a problem. I'd say if it's leashed up, I wouldn't have a problem with it, I'd rather see the deer recovered and tagged, I would say once found, the dog should immediately be returned to the house, then go clean the deer etc.

[BobT]

Hopefully the few times a season in MN where it might be needed wouldn't be a problem. I'd say if it's leashed up, I wouldn't have a problem with it, I'd rather see the deer recovered and tagged, I would say once found, the dog should immediately be returned to the house, then go clean the deer etc.

I wonder if you've just hinted on the answer to the question? I've been under the impression that if you allow a dog to get a taste for venison, you encourage the dog to chase deer. If this is true, then using dogs in this capacity would seem to promote this problem.

Secondly, how would it be regulated so that once the deer has been found, the dog will be returned to a kennel, vehicle, or home before the deer is field dressed? More unenforceable laws?

Bob

[Musky Buck]

It's common sense and rarely would this happen. If my dog would turn into a deer chaser I'd personally take care of that or my neighbors would. If I leash up my trained dog, take him out of the kennel to find a deer, return him, he'll start jumping out of the kennel to chase deer ? Most dogs I see running deer don't have an owner that cares or if he cares the dog is dispatched. Pheasant hunting with my dog near Morris he found a deer that had been gut shot by an arrow and was dead. We kept on pheasant hunting and he didn't start looking for deer or jumping them up, he was afraid of the thing. This would happen to such a small number of hunters yearly. How could we regulate it well we can't just like any regulation people wanting to get around it they can. I would bet a smelly gutpile and a not so closely monitored dog, we see them carrying deer parts and legs around after season, they'd be more apt to chase deer I would think. But, BobT you are right, forget the dog thing, unwantonly waste that deer and shoot another.

[buckhunter21]

One way to regulate it would be to call your local conservation officer and tell them you want to use a dog to track a wounded deer. The officer would then get your name and location and O.K. it and that way if they wanted to check up on you they could. If they catch you doing it without asking permission then they can nail you. I think that would be simple enough I dont think many people would use this option but it would be nice to if you had to once every couple of years. I would just like to see it because I lost the biggest buck i ever shot with the bow 2 years ago and after looking for 2 straight days theres really nothing else you can do but just feel bummed out for killing it and not finding it.

[onlydrakes4me]

in other states that allow the use of dogs to track deer, the dogs are almost alwaly small dogs that are good at tracking. these dogs are born and breed to track deer, from what i have read people usually use a breed of deutschound to track deer. I don't know about anyone else but i dont think a deutschound would run down a healthy deer.

[Musky Buck]

I think simple common sense is the right way to go, if you exhaust all ways possible in locating it, to hook a hound on a leash and you aren't infringing upon someone else's hunt or property go for it, beats unwantonly wasting the deer, I know the fish argument, lets say a non slot walleye croaks, but realize the sheer numbers of fish in our waters. Just apply common sense to it and you'll be fine.

[mnguy152]

I am all for it.Like some one said hear if the dog is on a leash how is he chasing the deer, and if you cared about your dog he won't be chasing deer any ways.

[Double D]

Actually I would probably use our Basset Hound. He has a great nose but he is our house dog. I would have a hard time believing he could chase down a deer as he hates to run more than 50 feet. But, if I had him on a leash, why not let him track down an otherwise wasted animal?

DD

[slopmaster]

I think it should be allowed and i really wish it was illegal. Finding a dead deer is better than letting it go to waste in my opinion. If you have a dog you should be able to train a dog and trust me you can train your dog NOT to chase deer. Whats the difference if your pheasant hunting and there is deer there they are going to smell them anyways and if the dog ever chases them then he/she will get taught that its not ok when the electric colar zaps them. My dog simple watches them as they run away so i dont see why i couldnt use her to find a dead deer if i was ever faced with this senerio.

[slopmaster]

wish it wasnt't illegal. sorry for the typo

[BobT]

It's common sense and rarely would this happen. If my dog would turn into a deer chaser I'd personally take care of that or my neighbors would. If I leash up my trained dog, take him out of the kennel to find a deer, return him, he'll start jumping out of the kennel to chase deer ? Most dogs I see running deer don't have an owner that cares or if he cares the dog is dispatched. Pheasant hunting with my dog near Morris he found a deer that had been gut shot by an arrow and was dead. We kept on pheasant hunting and he didn't start looking for deer or jumping them up, he was afraid of the thing. This would happen to such a small number of hunters yearly. How could we regulate it well we can't just like any regulation people wanting to get around it they can. I would bet a smelly gutpile and a not so closely monitored dog, we see them carrying deer parts and legs around after season, they'd be more apt to chase deer I would think. But, BobT you are right, forget the dog thing, unwantonly waste that deer and shoot another.

Okay, that was a pretty aggressive reply to what I intended to be a civil comment/question.

Perhaps I could suggest that a more aptly placed shot would prevent the problem in the first place? To dispel your next question, NO, I have never wounded a deer and had to track it. The farthest they've ever traveled for me was about 30 yards (twice in almost 40 years of hunting) but otherwise they've dropped dead in their tracks. Lucky? Perhaps. Taking proper care to make an accurately placed shot? Most definitely.

Bob

[Musky Buck]

Sorry Bob, of course shot placement is crucial and we can't legislate how anyone shoots. I don't know either what a wounded deer scenario is like, my 180 grain core lokt Rem. 30-06 does the job and shooting my rifle year round has made that not a problem. But, for someone wounding a deer I'd say do what your gut tells you to do, if you exhaust every effort before using a dog and if you truly feel a dog would be the ticket without bothering other land owners or hunters, I'd rather have you find it with the hound then shoot another. Personally, I wouldn't want a dog smelling up my hunting grounds and lifting his leg on every tree, so I'd use that option as an extreme last resort, but my heart tells me to find that deer, possibly put it out of it's misery, and put an end to wondering what happened to it, I'd sleep better.

[BobT]

I hope it was realized that I was not arguing against using dogs. I was just trying to bring up some questions about why we might want to consider some potential alternatives.

Bob

[Musky Buck]

I hear ya Bob, it is good to bring up things that any of us haven't carefully thought through. Things work in mysterious ways and last Sunday saw 2 deer come running out into the hayfield, knowing they were spooked,jumped,etc. Sure enough 2 dogs came running out, but gave up the chase, there tongues were about a foot long, couldn't get my rifle out of the cabinet in time to at least send 1 packing.

[jkcmj]

I have used dogs in tracking deer, and it is nice. My uncle shot a buck once and we found no blood, no trail. We walked around and around looking with no luck. We brought his german shepard out and he took off on a dead run and found the buck within a few seconds. I don't know how we missed it in the first place, but we had begun to think he had not really hit it. Just one example. We have always fed our dogs all the deer scraps and give them legs and heads to chew on, and have never had issues with chasing deer. The only time our dogs are locked up is during hunting season when we don't want them following us out to hunt. A good farm dog is hard to beat!

[harvey lee]

It would work for finding wounded deer but to many other ways some would use to cheat. Now we would have dogs chasing deer and if caught the hunters would claim they are tracking a wounded animal.

Better shot placement will help cure many poor hits. I could count on one hand how many deer I have lost over 40 years of deer hunting.

[Musky Buck]

I agree Harvey, but if leashed they can't chase deer. If I see a dog chasing, I'd have a better shot placement, right between his eyes. I could count on one hand without fingers and a thumb how many I've lost since 1983.