this might be a dumb question but i was just wondering...i was thinking about working my dog on blood trails to track wounded deer. Seeing as we're out of season now, i cant seem to find a lot of options for deer blood. i was wondering if it had to be deer blood or if any blood would do. i have easy access to cattle blood, but wasnt sure if that would work?? also, would i need to mix in an anti-coagulent?

****************************

WAR EAGLE!
GIG 'EM!
****************************

[This message has been edited by wareagle044 (edited 3/28/2009 8:37p).]

Just my opinion but you really want him to track the deer not just the blood(not all wounds will leave a good blood trail). I think there are tracking scents out there that you can get for training.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=dog+training+scents&aq=0s&oq=dog+tracking+scent

A good dig can track a really light blood track. I don't know about you but I wouldn't want my dog tracking deer scent. I want him tracking blood. How can the dog tell between a live unwiunded deer trail and a wounded deer. Teach the dog to track whatever you want him to trail. Heck some day you might want him to track a shot pig or axis. Who knows.

I don't want to start an argument but you train a tracking dog to stay on the track you start him on. There are minor scent differnces between animals of the same breed. Just like bloodhounds can track a human and pick him out of a crowd. I have a Rottie that I trained (and competed with) to track. She will track whatever I start her on (and I have used her to recover deer)

fwiw, i'm going to work with him on both scent and blood.

****************************

WAR EAGLE!
GIG 'EM!
****************************

what kind of dog is it?

lab

****************************

WAR EAGLE!
GIG 'EM!
****************************

i would train for blood. I don't know about you but the deer I shoot often have another deer close to them or have very recently walked down that path. How do you know your dog is on the right deer?

^^^ this is why i'm going to do both...i would like him to know scent so that i can run the deer w/ him and blood when a shot has been made.

****************************

WAR EAGLE!
GIG 'EM!
****************************

ummmm....running a live unwounded deer with a dog is illegal.

not in alabama, at least for now.

if done responsibly, it is quite fun...even if a deer doesnt cross your path. we've had 8 or so guys placed out in various portions of the woods and there's the legend of what we call the "Great White Buck" It had to of been a ghost because that sucker ran past every one of us. you hear a whole line of shotguns go off and not one person with a kill to claim.



****************************

WAR EAGLE!
GIG 'EM!
****************************



[This message has been edited by wareagle044 (edited 3/28/2009 9:50p).]

Best thing to use is tarsal glands. They don't even have to be that fresh...

blood is blood when it comes to a deer dog...hit up your local meat market and have a deer hide or tail at the end of the mock track for him.

War eagle, have you started general tracking training? You can do that with hot dogs.

I think I still have a copy of the blood tracking seminar I took, if you want me to find it and send you a copy.

We started with hot dogs, and gave the command track, and rewarded them with the hot dogs. You might want to use a tracking lead as well during training.

I've never used blood or scent for tracking training. But my dogs are versatile hunting dogs, and I've just put them on a fresh kill and let 'em go. I really haven't had to do much formal training.

Trained my catahoula with deer BLOOD - not tarsal glands.
You don't want him trailing unwounded deer.

quote:

---

War eagle, have you started general tracking training? You can do that with hot dogs

---

i havent done any general training with him other than bird retrieval. if you have a copy that would be great. dont break your back looking for it, but if it's on hand I wouldnt mind it.

****************************

WAR EAGLE!
GIG 'EM!
****************************

cut the hot dog in small pieces as you walk (lay track) place a small bit of the hot dog in the toe of your track. Lay a straight line track to begin at the end of the track have your dog's meal for the day. Make him track to get fed. Slowly make the tracks longer and add turns also use less rewards during the track always reward at the end. Be sure your can retrace your exact path so you can help your dog if he gets lost on the track. Use a command to begin tracking ie seek, hunt, whatever you want. Do it every day if possible. Later as your dog progresses have others cross your track to teach him to stay on the original track. Tracking is great fun and you will be amazed at what your dog can do.

edit: a tracking harness makes it a lot easier to train. A collar causes you to pull his head off the track not a good thing
2nd edit: if fire ants are a problem in your area use golf tees to put the bit of hot dog on just be sure you keep it in the toe of your track.
[This message has been edited by AggieCowboy (edited 3/29/2009 8:08p).]

[This message has been edited by AggieCowboy (edited 3/29/2009 8:52p).]

We train our tracking dogs with both hides and blood. We will take whatever kind of blood we can get and start laying down drops while dragging the hide over it as well. The reason we do this is because very seldom will there be a steady stream of blood for the dog to follow. The dog must be able to think for itself and piece the trail together. Like someone stated earlier, the dog should be able to identify which deer it is tracking and pick that specific deer's smell out of a group going down the same trail. Just make sure you start easy and work up from there. You want to the dog to be successful as often as possible otherwise they may lose interest.

Also it is a good idea to wear rubber boots of some sort or stay off the track when laying all of this out as you dont want the dog just following your path.

[This message has been edited by HCHunter (edited 3/30/2009 9:05a).]

I would say he is naturally gifted to do the tracking. Just take him out during the season on several hunts and actively lead him to the deer. Labs naturally want to please their owners. Him knowing that you want to kill deer and you want him to track the deer and in effect this tracking/finding the deer will please you, the dog will learn naturally. Just my .02

We hired a guy out of Laredo to track a buck for us a few years back. He mentioned that the marrow was really important for him.

The shot on the buck left some bone fragments on the ground and the tracker suddenly became more excited about finding the deer because of the marrow scent...at least that was what he was saying to us.

By the way, not sure what kind of dog it was but it was one of the ugliest dogs I have seen in a while.

The main thing that you don't want to do is run too many easy trails in the beginning. Run about 5-8 trails that are 24 hours old and that is it. Then move to trails that are no younger than 48 hours old. If you run too many fresh tracks the blood scent is so strong that they don't have to use the nose that much. If you run older tracks the dog has to really use their nose and will go slow and take their time. it will make them a better trackers.

The basics are simple.

Lay simple track. when the dog finds it go crazy over it.
Lay some harder tracks. go crazy when they find it.
Lay some old easy tracks.
Lay some old hard tracks.

Use a check cord and make them go slow in the beginning.

Lokk at this site .....some good info for you
http://www.thetroutbum.com/hundeside3spor.htm#training

heres another site
http://www.deersearch.org/dog%20training.htm

[This message has been edited by AggieCowboy (edited 3/30/2009 12:11p).]

[This message has been edited by AggieCowboy (edited 3/30/2009 5:10p).]

Cowboy that first link had a bunch of great info.