# What dog is best for tracking deer (blood)



## tiddybream

What type of dog is  best for tracking  wounded deer. Don't need it often but when you need it it's important to have it. I also want the dog to be a pet for my children. Is this possible? I know a man that uses a beagle and it seems to be OK. Just would like to hear some testimony or input.


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## dirtroad

Jack Russel,had one(r.c.) that would find the deer if it was dead.Many local people used him and were amazed how he would"mind",with that being said,we also put in ALOT of time training him.(to track deer,blood)
I just got my daughters another one,R.C. passed on,and hope to do the same with her.(Crystal a.k.a  "Chrissy")


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## Hoyt man

bloodhound, I got mine from hounddog. just watching his was enough for me to want one.


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## Rabbit Hunter 101

one of our members has a darn good jack russell


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## mossyback8874

I watched a show on tracking dogs (for deer) and in that show, the main guy was using a weiner dog (dachshund).  Don't know from experience, but he could have something.


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## Horns

Hank Johnson in week 14 of the truck buck has a weiner dog. As a matter of fact, he shot that buck on property that he found a buck for a club member, and they let him hunt for finding the deer. I saw his weiner dog in action, and the dog found the deer.


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## bevills1

A friend of mine had a Rottweiler that was very good tracking wounded deer, and I've read about people using German Short Haired Pointers and Labs.  I've also known men that used Dachsunds and Beagles.  I think many breeds may be used with good results, and the main factor is proper training IMO.  I'd recommend choosing a good breed as a pet for kids and do the proper training for tracking.


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## dawg2

If you have kids: Southern Blackmouth Cur.  Best all-around dog there is and it really does do everything you read about them.

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=143029&highlight=blackmouth+cur


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## Jeff Phillips

The low to the ground Dachshund is considered the best of the best!

http://www.deersearch.org/dogworld.htm

http://www.born-to-track.com/our-writing/preparing-your-dachshund.htm


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## woody10

we have a yellow lab that was never trained all you have to do is turn him loose and let him work if you hit the deer blood or no blood he'll bay it up .. never lost a deer with that dog either


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## Jeff Phillips

http://www.deersearch.org/dogs.htm

Here is one more that has a lot of info.


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## dawg2

Jeff Phillips said:


> http://www.deersearch.org/dogs.htm
> 
> Here is one more that has a lot of info.



Good site.  It has a Blackmouth Cur on it


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## Jeff Phillips

dawg2 said:


> Good site.  It has a Blackmouth Cur on it



No, it has a "Southern Blackmouth Cur"


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## dawg2

Jeff Phillips said:


> No, it has a "Southern Blackmouth Cur"



ooooppppsss!  I left that out.  Mine is a SBMC


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## alligood729

Horns said:


> Hank Johnson in week 14 of the truck buck has a weiner dog. As a matter of fact, he shot that buck on property that he found a buck for a club member, and they let him hunt for finding the deer. I saw his weiner dog in action, and the dog found the deer.



I've seen J.D. in action also, that is one bad wiener dog!! When he finds the deer, Hank, or his son Jason, are the only ones JD will let pull him off. He's worked hard for that deer, and it belongs to him!!!


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## tiddybream

ttt


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## wildlands

Find a breed of dog that you likeas most of the timeit is going to be a pet. As others have said many breeds of dogs can be trained to track wounded deer. All it takes is time and patience.  year round training is need to make a top notch tracker. Look at hunting stock and stay away from show blood lines as most of the time the hunt has been breed out of them.

I concur with others on the SBMC. This is the breed we first started out with many years ago. Very protective of their family and good on fresh tracks 4 hrs or less. Older track they tend to miss. They are an air scenter and will beat many other breeds hands down on a windy day.

If you are a duck or bird hunter also consider the versitle Deutsch Drahthaar. An excellent tracking dog, very protective of family and will work a VERY old blood trail. Not for the novice handler. Need someone familar for dog training. Two good web sites to find out more are
http://www.vommoorehaus.com/index2.htm
http://www.sehc.org/


As others have mentioned the wirehaired dachshund or WHD are know for their tracking abilities. The born to track web site that has been mentioned is a great resource. They do very old tracks but in the south have a potentialy serious problem with snakes striking their head. Also many are not good with small kids. Also need to look at the European blood lines as the AKC bloodlines usually have a lot more health issues and a lot of the hunt has been breed out of them for showing.

Many hunting preserves use Labs for tracking. Make sure it is out of good hunting stock with some type of health gurantee. Starting them early and keeping at the training is very important as with all of the breeds. Great with kids just big.

Then buck the system and get a sooner. Make sure it is mostly hunting breeds. Most make good family pets and you do not have to worry about cost compared to most pure breeds that are bred for tracking are not cheap.

One final resource to look at is www.unitedbloodtrackers.org

Good luck on what ever you end up with. 

Ken


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## Floptop slayer

red tic hound i got ten of em they are the best in my opinion.


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## cnowery13

I've got an English Bulldog that will find any down animal!  Usually takes him a couple days because he is a bit slow, but man can he track that blood!!


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## cutnloose

buddy amines got a bloodhound that had never tracked a deer before this season. turned her out on two this season and she went straight to them. never lost the trail and has never had a day of training. shes pretty impressive.


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## gregg

We grew up hunting rabbits with a Dachshund/weiner dog and we would put that dog on trails of wounded rabbits and he would always come back with a rabbit in his mouth, that dog never failed us.


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## Ace1313

I think any dog with the desire to hunt would be great. My rottie trailed his first deer after my buddies dragged off the morning kill. The next morning the same buddy shot one in the tall grass had a hard time finding blood we put the dog on it and he found the deer. We have used him several times since with mixed results he does ok on deer that are leaking fluid ok but not so well on others. I will say he gets really excited about trailing and hates not finding them.


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## irocz2u

i  use  my  blood hound  never  trand  but allways  finds  it  she  just  dont  bark


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## Dawgy_Daddy

Ive got a Rat Terrier and a German Shepherd that both do a fine job following  a blood trail.


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## tullisfireball

personality is more important than breed, I used one of my beagles, but any breed can be trained, as long as it wants to play the "game"


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## BuckBoy

The one that can find a deer. I think you can teach almost any dog if you start from a pup. All my bird dogs can do it. It is easy to train.


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## turbogt

Buddy of mine has a Bavarian Mountain Hound.  That dog is amazing to watch work.  I had never seen one before & he's a beautiful dog - I believe it's the same as in Wildlands' avatar.
He had a great disposition - kinda rambunctious but real friendly.


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## satman32935

get a SBMC or a catahoula cur, for the money ya cant beat em. and they are gr888 pets as well!


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## jamrens

I am going to try to train my 7 week old boxer puppy


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## 1md2b

This one right here.  But only if its a 100 yards or less, otherwise you'll find him piled up underneath a shade tree layin on his side completely exhausted.  He aint much on stamina, ha!


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## Washington95

Article from many years ago compared most breeds and found that wire haired Dachsund was best; fresh trails, old trails, and very old trails.  Sort of makes sense I guess, but bottom line is many dogs can be trained to blood trail.


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## chambers270

What do you all do to train them? I wanted to work with my dog but dont know where to start. Do I just take a piece of hide and drag it then turn the dog loose on the trai?


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## White Stag

tullisfireball said:


> personality is more important than breed, I used one of my beagles, but any breed can be trained, as long as it wants to play the "game"



I have two now, a mom and pup...The mom found both of the deer my wife shot last year. She is a good dog and pet; I am really looking forward to seeing what the pup does this year following momma on tracking jobs!


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## Doyle

I was in Gander Mountain and I saw a guy with a little Jack Russell terrier in his buggy.  I started talking to him and he told me that this little girl was the best deer tracking dog he had ever seen.  Since he started using her, he had never lost a deer.   Her only problem was that she wouldn't bark so he had a hard time finding her in the dark sometimes.   I bet she wouldn't weigh 10 lbs soaking wet.  You could almost keep her in your backpack and just take her out when you need to track.


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## tullisfireball

Doyle said:


> I was in Gander Mountain and I saw a guy with a little Jack Russell terrier in his buggy.  I started talking to him and he told me that this little girl was the best deer tracking dog he had ever seen.  Since he started using her, he had never lost a deer.   Her only problem was that she wouldn't bark so he had a hard time finding her in the dark sometimes.   I bet she wouldn't weigh 10 lbs soaking wet.  You could almost keep her in your backpack and just take her out when you need to track.



In Georgia you have to have a track dog on a leash, so if they won't bark it doesn't matter


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## will hunt 4 food

chambers270 said:


> What do you all do to train them? I wanted to work with my dog but dont know where to start. Do I just take a piece of hide and drag it then turn the dog loose on the trai?



Get the book "tracking dogs for finding wounded deer"by John Jeanneney from Born to Track.com.



tullisfireball said:


> In Georgia you have to have a track dog on a leash, so if they won't bark it doesn't matter



You might want to research this, because there is no such regulation. I would recomend it for the safety of the dog, but it is not required.


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## letsemwalk

one that don`t drag you through the woods and waits for you to get through the thick stuff.


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## brownhounds

Has anybody ever seen a GSP for tracking?


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## coltday

The best dog I have seen work was a bulldog and hound mix. Back home people offer money for his tracking abilities. A friend of mine shot a really large buck a couple of years ago and had a vague blood trail. They got the dog on it and when the dog ran up on the buck he was very much alive and ready to fight. This dog did not skip a beat and jumped right on the deer like a catch dog.


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## bublewis

A lot of dogs can trail up a deer if you put them on the trail; it had just better not be my coon hound.  I don't know that the breed is that important, unless it's a real cold track, but what is important is that the deer is dead; a lot of hunters think they have a deer down that is really in the next county by the time the dog arrives.  That being said, I prefer a small silent dog for the job when on the leash.


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## 20ReevesCC

we use a red bone for tracking just now gettin her trained this season. she has done very well so far. plus there is no finer pet than a coon dog IMO


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## CARMICHAEL

I've used bluetick hounds for the last couple of years and found that they are very good trackers.  I have only 2 concern with using a large dog. 1 is that a large breed (if on a lead) will drag you through some ruff stuff at times.  2 is that if you release them they can leave you in a heartbeat.  I have solved that one with GPS tracking collars. Don't get me wrong now I love working my dogs and will continue to use them. They are the best people dogs I have ever had. Every breed and size has their concerns.


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## UserJ3619

My BMC is a working breed and as such is used that way. He will track anything you put him on and protects the kids. Even seen him climb a tree.  GPS collar is a must have, he's silent on trail, and usually won't chop


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## UserJ3619

Howie


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## FishinMech

My black lab never trained her but she is the best once i found out she could track she was in the game. Never lost a deer had one 2yrs ago that went a mile and we lost blood at 1/4 in and she still found it. And she will go till she is almost dead. Wish i would of never got her fixed. I also like the youtch terrier they are awesome for tracking. And the meanest thing on the planet when they get in the game.


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## buckhunter2256

*tracking*

I have 2  miniature dachshund's 
www.youwhackemwetrackem.web.officelive.com


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## BowanaLee

BeagleTic    !!!!


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## Big7

dirtroad said:


> Jack Russel,had one(r.c.) that would find the deer if it was dead.Many local people used him and were amazed how he would"mind",with that being said,we also put in ALOT of time training him.(to track deer,blood)
> I just got my daughters another one,R.C. passed on,and
> hope to do the same with her.(Crystal a.k.a  "Chrissy")



Me too... On the Jack Russel.
My dog (Marley) has found several.
He has L-shaped ear canals and can't hear very well
so I have to keep him on a string. He don't weigh much

His nose is a killer. Say that about a bazillion times. and... he can feel a car coming down the road
a good ways away...
He is VERY good... I'll put him with the best during the day.
He is skeeererd of shadows at night so I will continue to work with him on that.

He is a good  "ain't nuthin' but a hound dog" for sure.
I don't have kids ... but I love him like one.

He can find ANY trail... Deer , Hog... Coon , etc...
Just can't turn him loose because if he gets outta' sight.. I can't call him back. 
Ain't willin' to take that that chance.

Sure he would "bay" if I could "turn him loose"

Trophy Hunters:
If you got the $$ he WILL find it (whatever it is)
Like G-Stan Wilson say... I garoontee...


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## doorknob

basset hound and bird dog cross excellent dog. not too big not too small and listens well. main thing is spend a lot of time with the dog no matter what the breed.


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## phnman

Best i have seen was my brothers min-pincher (sp?).  Just was natural at tracking.  She also thought the hard work reward was the deer she found and didn't want to give it up.  I really think you are better off with a dog that is smaller.  I have a bloodhound and she does fine but......  While tracking they do not care what is in YOUR way and won't stop to wait on YOU if on a leash.  You end up as bloody as the deer you are looking for.  She is a good dog though.


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## grouper throat

I've always kept a few that will bloodtrail, it's not hard to teach any decent deer dog this. The biggest difference I have seen is how cold the nose on the trailing dog is. I have 2 beagle/walker crosses now that will and my buddy's got 2 labs that both bloodtrail also. I've seen the whole spectrum of k9's that would- jack russell's, labs, hounds, curs, etc. 

Trailing 2 hr old blood trail is alot easier than trailing a 8hr deer track, so most any dog that wants to learn can figure it out. I want to know I can put a dog on the deer and if the deer is still alive that the dogs will run it down and bay/catch it. 

My buddy's labs will turn around and run from a live deer, my hounds will sink their teeth in it


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## Scoutman

I have a jagd terrier.This was his first year tracking, he found 8 this year. We trailed 4 others and concluded that they were flesh wounds. He is a pet also and lives inside the house. He is very gamey and has high prey drive. He hates raccoons and will bay a hog also.Been happy with him.


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## cmk07c

My GSP was amazing, I didn't train him or anything just did it. 

GSP and Weimerainer are some of the good unusual suspects. And good pets.


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## cnowery13

Here is the best tracking dog right here...  And he even writes his own birthday cards.  How many of dogs have you ever seen do that??


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## Lowjack

Poodles............................................They can find food anywhere,LOL


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## Son

Depends on the individual dog, no matter what the breed. Some are good, some are not. My old Uncle used to say. "A worthless dog eats just as much as a good one, so might as well be feeding good one".
Best dog I've ever owned was a cross, Redbone and Airedale. Catch, trail, find wounded game, and guard the yard. And I've owned a bunch of hunting dogs, all breeds.


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