Unrecovered Tracks with Blood Trailers

[skooter]

How many of you blood trailing folks go on tracks with your dogs and the game is never recovered? When do you give up? I went on a track last night and we looked until 1am. Blood was found only for about 20 yards and then dried up. My pup kept working a particular trail, and eventually we found one more drop along it. The hunter went back today and got on the trail. He found where the deer jumped the fence - an no blood on either side. He also found some white hair with the blood.

This afternoon, I got a call from a friend of a friend. We got out there and on the trail about 4:30. We started at the shot and trailed along about 150 yards to where he had lost the trail last night. I trusted pups ability and about 50 yards along found a single drop of blood. About another 75 yards, we found the broadhead. There was no blood at this spot. Pup worked and worked, but it seemed that the trail just petered out.

This is two in a row that we didn't find, but I feel that neither of these were good shots. I'm pretty sure that the first one is alive and well. The second one, I'm not sure.

This is with a pup that trailed a deer over 500 yards two weeks ago after 16 hours.

Your thoughts?

tks,
skooter

[AntlerCollector]

I would try to get your dog on a good trail ASAP. A good dog wants to please you by finding a deer.

[mikeb1206]

My dog tells me when it is over. She will wear her self out looking but when she can't find anything she will either head to the truck or track a squirrel.

She will track the blood as well as the hoof until there is nothing.

Remember the reason they call a dog out is because it is not an easy find for them.

[mikeb1206]

Trust your dog is the best advice that was given to me.

[bboswell]

You will learn lots about interviewing the hunter and you will learn a lot about reading the early signs on the track.

In the beginning I took lots of bad calls, most of which the deer were later either killed or caught on camera.

AntlerCollector is dead on right, a young dog needs successful tracks, they need to expect to fnd a deer at the end and never give up until they do. Too many unsuccessful tracks and your pup can get used to not finding and start to give up too fast.

[Mr Sid]

My experience is that a tracking dog is only good on a dead or dying deer ( with some exceptions). A deer with a superficial wound can quickly become "just another deer" when the blood stops. I suspect that is what you faced. Like said earlier, reinforce your dog with an easy track.
Mr Sid

[Bloodtracker]

I would try to get your dog on a good trail ASAP. A good dog wants to please you by finding a deer.

I agree with this. Bow shots seem to be the hardest too. Just not as much scent as a gunshot. It's seems more common that a bowhumter thinks he/she made a good shot too and convince you it was solid. I don't even like to go on a bow call unless there was some really good blood at the site. It's tough because I love to go on all calls; bu I also like my dogs to have a fighting chance because they work extremely hard. They want a reward. Get em on a easy one if you can. It'll get that confidence back up. I was 3 for 4 in this situation last year. Deer were hit; but not hurt bad. 2 were harvested later ( 1 was next day at the same place and had a hole in his neck but was fine) 1 made it, sheds were recovered and he grew back a great rack this year, he was hit high. The 4th was never seen again. Your dog knows what's up! I can tell when we are going to be one. Sounds like your dogs did well and deer will be found alive later. Good luck!!love working and reading about the dogs!

[Drycreek3189]

My experience is that a tracking dog is only good on a dead or dying deer ( with some exceptions). A deer with a superficial wound can quickly become "just another deer" when the blood stops. I suspect that is what you faced. Like said earlier, reinforce your dog with an easy track.
Mr Sid

So true ! I let mine trail every deer, even if I see it fall.

[tex4k]

We ask many questions, many times before agreeing to take up a track, don't know how many perfectly shot deer we've tried to find that are still out there running around. But then sometimes it happens.

[Atfulldraw]

we pick and choose our calls -- that more than anything else contributes to our success rate. Last two seasons, our main dog, Rowdy, has gone 16 for 19 on tracks.

Courtney will probably come on and clarify what happened with the few unsuccessful ones that we have had - I either wasn't there or just don't remember.

We will generally restart the track at least once, comparing the dog's track on the GPS to a prior track. Both of us are also pretty good at reading the dog and can tell when she is on the track or is just out for a little fun in the woods.

[skooter]

Thanks for all the responses. That is pretty much what I figured. Pup is 4 years old, and she goes on every hunt with me, and every trail. She pretty much knows what is up. When she loses the trail, it is pretty much always the same - she comes back and wants to play. We re-started the track last night a couple of times, and she always took the same trail, but this 24 hours after the shot and there is a lot of deer traffic on that place. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't doing something wrong.

She has done stellar on animals this year that were actually down. She found a gut shot elk in Colorado after 4 hours and then my last buck the morning after on a really tough trail.

Tks,
skooter

[Kdog]

Thanks for all the responses. That is pretty much what I figured. Pup is 4 years old, and she goes on every hunt with me, and every trail. She pretty much knows what is up. When she loses the trail, it is pretty much always the same - she comes back and wants to play. We re-started the track last night a couple of times, and she always took the same trail, but this 24 hours after the shot and there is a lot of deer traffic on that place. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't doing something wrong.

She has done stellar on animals this year that were actually down. She found a gut shot elk in Colorado after 4 hours and then my last buck the morning after on a really tough trail.

Tks,
skooter

I would just keep doing what you are doing. I agree with a lot of what is stated above, that a lot of deer just are not dead. You won't find a deer with a superficial wound. And even if you do it is unlikely a dog will catch said deer.

So just keep up the good work.

[spliffnwesson]

we pick and choose our calls -- that more than anything else contributes to our success rate. Last two seasons, our main dog, Rowdy, has gone 16 for 19 on tracks.

Courtney will probably come on and clarify what happened with the few unsuccessful ones that we have had - I either wasn't there or just don't remember.

We will generally restart the track at least once, comparing the dog's track on the GPS to a prior track. Both of us are also pretty good at reading the dog and can tell when she is on the track or is just out for a little fun in the woods.

One of the three was my deer from last year. It happens. The pups were just as disappointed as I was. Restarted track at least three times from what I remembered. Dogs took same trail every time. Found back half of arrow covered in blood a good 300 yards away and found last blood close to 600 yards from shot. Last blood was at a steep creek crossing after going 600 yards in some thick and rough terain. I'm sure Courtney will respond as to what she thinks happened.

[Atfulldraw]

One of the three was my deer from last year. It happens. The pups were just as disappointed as I was. Restarted track at least three times from what I remembered. Dogs took same trail every time. Found back half of arrow covered in blood a good 300 yards away and found last blood close to 600 yards from shot. Last blood was at a steep creek crossing after going 600 yards in some thick and rough terain. I'm sure Courtney will respond as to what she thinks happened.

is your deer the one south of llano?

I think both dogs went on that one (luna and rowdy).....did you ever see the deer again?

I swear I hate losing one worse than the hunter does - if that's even possible.

[spliffnwesson]

is your deer the one south of llano?

I think both dogs went on that one (luna and rowdy).....did you ever see the deer again?

I swear I hate losing one worse than the hunter does - if that's even possible.

Just west of Johnson City. Both dogs were on the track. After running four cameras from the week after the shot till February never saw the deer.

I believe Courtny called her hunt in Mason early in order to come track. Tough track with the terain. All three were wore out after.