Just an update to the post earlier. We have had several tracking opportunities lately -- THANKS! Several went great, others were VERY DIFFICULT. The main difference is how much the scent trail gets scattered by your boots.
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THEREFORE, if you gut shot your deer, or hit it without a pass-thru- please call. If you cannot afford to cover my gas-- call anyway!!! I am doing this to repent for the deer that I have lost in the past (tongue in cheek here but a bit true).

All I ask is that you help out a bit for the mileage, and if we find it a donation is greatly appreciated but not expected.

I have been traveling to counties that I did not list prior just for the exercise and practice and let me tell you.. we have scaled cliffs, tracked for hundreds of yards, been cut up with briars- you name it! Therefore, please just text regardless of where you are...

I will be hunting down south near Madison tomorrow, and will likely bring her with me-- therefore, shoot a note just in case I am down the road!!

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Even though I have a dog for tracking, I appreciate what you are offering. Having a dog with you to track a wounded deer increases your chances ten fold, as long as you don't walk all over the trail of course. If you want to try and find your deer on your own, try and stay to the side of the trail as much as possible, and if the blood turns into a drop here and there, stop and call this guy. Thanks again for being so selfless and being willing to help out your fellow hunters. God bless.

what kind of dogs do you guys use for this and how do you go about training them. this is interesting me.

PSE- some of the best (not me) dog trainers in the world use breeds that you would never expect. I have friends who own dachshunds. Others say Drathaars, and then of course there are the bloodhounds and beagles.

The rule of thumb is that if you have a dog, he 'could' be a good blood tracker. I would guess that 80% or more is the handler/not the dog... but of course, some dogs just do not have a good nose or not as smart as others and cannot connect blood and deer scent together!

I am using an english pointer which is historically bred with bloodhound, greyhound, italian pointer, and bulldog- to form the breed we know today. The result is a very strong tracking nose with stamina!

I use her for upland hunts as well. She knows she is tracking deer when the harness is placed on her. While hunting birds, she is free and she seems to know the difference.

I have NOT had an issue while bird-hunting with her chasing deer. If she shows interest, or chases a deer while we are bird hunting, she gets reminded with her electric collar... and problem mostly fixed. We do not give dogs enough credit- and they likely know what their duty is when we take them afield.

Ideally, tracking dogs need to be taught to first have interest in blood, while they associate the smell of a specific deer. My pup is just shy of 2-years old, which means she is still young and learning this objective now.

I have had tracking jobs where she is SOLID on blood and takes you right to the animal, and others where the blood stops and she picks up on (a) deer and tracks that deer. It may/may not be the deer with the blood especially if there were several deer in the area when the target was shot... that becomes tricky and where I need to learn more!

The key is experience, and we are hoping for more!! I am sorry to those who have txt'd, emailed etc, and have been just too far for us, or we were 3-hours west hunting when you called.

WE NEED MORE TRACKERS out there-- period! and it starts today, with the dog you have on the coach. Get them out there!!! you will be surprised how well they respond.

Take them on EACH deer tracking experience you have, and they will train themselves over time. Gather blood from your next harvest, bottle/freeze it, and use it in your backyard to give your dog a mission-- ending with a pile of treats at the end. This is enough to get them started and there is PLENTY of tips/information on the web to get you going from there.