Deer Tracking Dog Near Me: Essential Guide for Hunters

If you're a hunter looking to improve your chances of tracking down that elusive deer, a deer tracking dog can be a valuable asset. With their keen sense of smell and agility, these dogs can help you locate your quarry in no time.

Deer tracking dogs are trained to follow the scent of deer, and they can pick up on a wide range of scents, from a fresh trail to a faint scent left behind by a deer many hours ago. Their sense of smell is so strong that they can detect scents that are several hours old.

The key to using a deer tracking dog effectively is to find a dog that's specifically trained for deer tracking. These dogs have been bred and trained to excel at this task, and they're worth their weight in gold when it comes to finding deer.

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Before you head out for a hunt, it's a good idea to find a few trackers in your area that you can call on if needed. This will save you from scrambling to find someone in the evening or at night when the blood trail has gone cold.

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To locate trackers, check with national organizations like the United Blood Trackers, or ask around at local hunting supply stores or in Facebook hunting groups. You can also check with local organizations like the Georgia Blood Trailing Network.

It's also a good idea to know who owns the properties bordering the one you're hunting on, as some states require landowner permission to track a deer onto someone else's property. Find those landowners, get their contact information, and let them know you hunt on a neighboring property.

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A tracking dog can be a lifesaver for hunters, especially when you need to recover a deer that's been hit with a less-than-ideal shot.

You should consider getting a tracking dog if your shot looked like a double-lung hit but there's no good blood trail to follow.

If you know the shot was less-than-ideal, it's probably best to get a dog involved to help you recover the deer.

If you've been blood trailing a deer and you jump the deer from a bed, it's likely time to call in a tracking dog.

You can also get a tracking dog involved if you've taken up a blood trail and soon run out of any sign of blood.

To prepare for a tracking dog, it's essential to provide the necessary information to ensure a successful and efficient search.

Your location is crucial, so please drop a pin on a map and text it to the tracking dog handler. This will give them an exact location and help them estimate the time it'll take to arrive.

The type of firearm used to shoot the deer is also important. Was it a rifle or a bow? Knowing this will help the handler understand the situation and plan accordingly.

The time of the shot is also vital information. When was the deer shot? This will help the handler determine the best approach and strategy for the search.

If other dogs have been put on the trail, it's essential to let the handler know. Have you put any other dog(s) on the trail?

The size of the property where the deer was shot is also crucial. How large is the property? This will help the handler understand the scope of the search.

Additionally, the type of fencing on the property can impact the search. Is the property high fenced or low fenced? If it's low fenced, does the owner have permission to enter neighboring properties?

Finally, it's essential to know if the property has any potential hazards. Does the property have any snares, traps, or cyanide guns?

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As we prepare for a tracking dog, understanding deer movement is crucial. Hunters know that weather can impact deer movement, and we can use this to our advantage.

Deer tend to be more active during certain weather conditions, such as rain or overcast skies, which can make them more visible to our tracking dog.

In areas with high winds, deer are more likely to seek shelter and move to areas with more cover, making tracking more challenging.

Deer movement can also be influenced by temperature, with cooler temperatures often resulting in more active movement.

It's worth noting that deer tend to be more active during dawn and dusk when the temperature is changing.

You should call a tracking dog if the shot looked less-than-ideal. This is because a solid double-lung hit with good, bright red blood at the point of impact and a good blood-trail to follow is usually recoverable on your own.

If you take up a blood trail and soon run out of any sign of blood, it's probably best to get a dog involved. This is because a tracking dog can follow a faint scent or a small amount of blood that might be hard to follow on your own.

A deer tracking dog can be a lifesaver if you've jumped the deer from a bed while blood trailing. In this case, it's probably a good time to back out and call in a tracking dog.

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To get the best results from a tracking dog, it's essential to make a mental note of where the deer was standing at the point of impact, how it reacted to the shot, which way it headed, and where you last saw it. This information can quickly get lost in the excitement of shooting a deer.

Taking photos of those locations, either pointing to them in the photo or taking the photo and then drawing in arrows to the spots in your phone's photo editor, can really help you pinpoint those important locations. This can make a huge difference when trying to locate the deer.

Marking the initial point of impact is a crucial step in the blood trailing process. This is an important spot for the dog and handler to gather crucial information for the track ahead.

Here are some DOs and DON'Ts to keep in mind when searching for a deer with a tracking dog: