[Encouraging private land being opened to general hunting]

FWIW, if we are talking about public land that is otherwise inaccessible to people due to being surrounded by private land (which I believe Tom had referred to), then yes I agree there should be a solution for that.  Generally speaking, the state will negotiate conservation easements with private landowners in order to allow people to access closed-off public land.

These easements are actually seen a lot in the ADK's for this very purpose.  I'm not sure if they exist in the Catskills to the same degree, but if you are worried about land access, Tom, you should be arguing for conservation easements instead of arguing for a prohibition of private-land hunting and food plot management. 

[Encouraging private land being opened to general hunting]

12 minutes ago, tom343 said:

Keeping hunters off of private land? Owing to many practices, baiting being one, deer congregate on the private land and abandon the public woods. The difference between these growth food plots and baiting escapes me.

When we first started to hunt, 1958 in my case, we got all these maps of the Catskill Forest preserve, which has a lot of public land. The maps didn't show how access to this area was denied, cut off by New York City, Hunting Clubs, YMCA, and some farms, Posting state land so the outlander thinks the land may not be used is another common practice that for political reasons, the local law turns a blind eye to. We then went up to the Adirondacks, where I hunt to this day. As time has passed, the trip up there has become daunting in terms of length and cost. I live 90 minutes from the Catskills but selfish people have made them useless.

The maps I've seen of the Catskill area show pretty extensive access points and parking areas:

http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/catmapguide.pdf

 

There does seem to be large amounts of public land there, but it is also very close to some high population centers.  I'd imagine that hunter numbers and pressure, more than any sort of "baiting" technique is what makes hunting difficult there.  I deal with the same issue when I hunt on state land in the finger lakes region...I end up bumping into more hunters than I do deer.  So now I either hunt on leased land in the Finger Lakes or I go to the ADK's, where the hunter numbers are much less.  That's simply the nature of hunting in an agricultural state like NY.  If you want more extensive public land hunting opportunities, move out west where there is much more in the way of state and federal land to hunt on.

 

Prohibiting private land hunting or wildlife management techniques is not the answer.

[Question about hunting with licensed tracking dogs in the Northern zone]

54 minutes ago, NFA-ADK said:

Simply stated your question has been answered:  "Can I bring my dog with me while hiking to my hunting spot?  Or before I make a bad shot and need him to track because he is much quicker than I can track?   NO simply put you would be braking the law if you go afield with your dog and a firearm!  Now if you call the DEC and have to track for someone then you would be ok.   If you are really going into a remote location you would have to leave the woods just to make a call, did you think of that?   What is the point of leaving your dog in a car if you are hunting for hours back in remote woods?  Do you really plan on needing the dog?  As a hunter you should not need this to track a wounded animal.  This is not the dogs responsibility in remote woods it is all on you! 

Shame on you if you do leave the dog in the car while hunting, planning on using him to track.  How about you practice shooting more! 

I understand you want to bring your dog hunting, I think it would be awesome to do it in the ADK but what you are talking about is the need for a good tracker. 

Otherwise Yes you can hunt with your dog you just can't harass any animals or have any weapons. 

 

Sounds to me like you got a dog so you can use him to track for you instead of tracking for yourself.  Again hard to call the DEC when you are in real remote woods, cell service is nonexistent so you would have to get out of the woods just to call the DEC and let them know you need help tracking your own wounded deer. 

 

No gray area, hunting it is illegal to have a dog, tracking FOR SOMEONE ELSE is different that is why the course is set up, not so hunters can take the course and then have the impression that the dog should always come and stay in the truck in case I make a poor shot.  Poor excuse to take the course.  Are you actually planning on tracking for other hunters or did you take the course so you can bring your dog out to track your deer?

 

You're a little late to the party.  The clarification I was looking for has already been provided, so at this point you're reopening a conversation that has already been resolved.  

No, I was not asking if I could use my dog to track deer in order to shoot them (outside of legally tracking and dispatching a wounded animal).  The grey area was highlighted earlier in this thread if you want to see what I was referring to.  

I'm fairly accurate with my rifle. But let's face it, not every shot is perfect and sometimes the animals do run off for a little bit after being hit.  Considering how dense and difficult the terrain is in many parts of the ADK's, having a tracking dog available is not a bad idea.  I'd prefer not to leave my dog in the car, but given how remote some sections of the Park are, I'm not sure what the alternative is.

I plan on tracking wounded game for whoever needs the assistance, whether it be other hunters or myself, which as I understand the regs is legal.  Obviously, putting the animal down in one quick shot is preferred method, but I hope for the best and plan for the worst...I really could care less if that doesn't sit well with your self-righteous mentality.

[Encouraging private land being opened to general hunting]

1 minute ago, tom343 said:

Well how about the idea that game belongs to the citizens and any effort to put in plots, feed, bait, etc. anywhere should be a violation?. How about the idea that harassing or impeding hunters is already illegal and posting land is exactly that?

I'm not sure where you are going with this.

 

Wildlife does belong to the state and is managed by the state.  That is why all hunters, even those hunting on their own land, have to abide by state regulations and seasons.

 

Having food growths on private land is not illegal nor is it unethical.  It's a method for keeping a healthy deer population in certain regions.  Salt-licks and certain types of "bait" are illegal as per DEC rules.  If you think having food sources on your land constitutes a violation, then we would need to shut down all agricultural activity in this state; there is a reason why deer densities are much higher in western NY versus the Northern Zone.

 

So keeping hunters off of private land now counts has "hunter harassment?"  How so?

[Encouraging private land being opened to general hunting]

1 minute ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

I pay nearly just over 5k a year and they could make it so I wouldn't have to pay any land taxes and I still would not allow public to hunt it.


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I agree with that.  Opening up land to public hunting should be purely voluntary.  

There should be a voluntary system in place whereby if a landowner decides to open up his/her land to public access, he should receive tax credits; it sounds like such a system is already in place according to the DEC website.

[Encouraging private land being opened to general hunting]

16 minutes ago, Doc said:

Tax incentives are simply picking the pockets of all tax-payers to reward hunters. And from what I have read here, it would take some pretty healthy incentives to convince landowners to open up their properties. Probably a ridiculous percentage of tax revenues just to enhance hunting. I have to be realistic and say that it likely will never happen. It sounds like hunter subsidy even by those that don't hunt. At some point we have to stop thinking about raiding the public money for every little wish and want.

As far as liability protection, I believe they already have made significant changes along those lines that have pretty much made frivolous landowner liability suits a thing of the past.

Tax incentives are "picking the pockets" of all tax-payers?  I'm not following your logic there.  It is giving rural landowners, most of whom are by no means rich or a well-off, an incentive to give public access for hunting.  The public benefits in that they can now legally hunt on designated pieces of private land, so there is an universal benefit.

 

This method has been used for a variety of purposes, like motivating private ownership of solar panels in some states.  And in NY, this very method is used for landowners who open up their land to conservation easements (some of which allow hunting):

 

http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/26428.html

 

So, in a sense, tax incentives for opening up private land to hunting is already happening in NY state.

 

I can't speak too much on the issue of liability and private landownership.  I do know that hunting is allowed on private land in the ADK's where conservation easements have been placed and I haven't heard of any major civil law suits from accidents occurring there, so there might be some landowners protections already in place.  But I can't speak for how that works state-wide.

[Encouraging private land being opened to general hunting]

2 minutes ago, tom343 said:

It is the notion of not having to share the woods that makes hunters want to get on posted land, They want to get on this land by themselves. Just look at how much public and co-op land in NYS is available for hunting now. But you have to walk if you want to beat the crowd! There are fewer hunters every year to boot. If the state was serious about opening up private land, they'd forbid hunting on posted land even by the owner.

Yes, there is a reason why many prefer to hunt on private lands.  And IMHO, I think there always will be and should be private land access...if people want to pay a little extra to go hunt on exclusive land, what not?  That puts a bit more money into rural economies (which are very depressed in most of NYS) and keeps the deer on private land properly managed.

 

I think in an ideal world, there would be a mix of land options: fully public land where anyone could hunt; privately-owned land that is open to public hunting (via some sort of state tax incentive program); and private land where only the landowner and/or paying lease members hunt.  

 

That statement about forbidding hunting on private land would never happen and is a great way to let deer numbers get out of hand.

[Encouraging private land being opened to general hunting]

2 minutes ago, Doc said:

As far as I am concerned, a man's home is his castle, and that includes the land that he owns too. There is no way that I would ever come down on the side of trying to "force" open a landowner's land to hunting under any conditions. I don't even like zoning! But even incentives have to have some significant possibility of working or they are not worth the cost of the legislation. From what I have heard in this thread and even from my own personal feelings, it really sounds like there is little hope of opening up private land without significant financial reward for the landowner (leases and such). It appears that there really is nothing that the DEC can ever do that will open any significant amounts of land. So if we are expecting the DEC to do something, I think we can forget about that notion.

Like I said, tax incentives (which is a huge hindrance to many rural land owners) and some form of liability protection would go a long way in persuading some landowners to open up their lands.  This is something that would have to go well beyond the scope of the DEC and get bipartisan support in the state  legislature and judicial review to ensure that some landowner doesn't get screwed over when a hunter shoots himself in the foot and then tries to the sue.

 

I think such a program is totally feasible on small, regional scale and applicable to certain areas (the ADK landowners and hunters probably wouldn't be interested in this because of all the public land that is available there).  But hunters and landowners in the Finger Lakes region for example, might see some value in this.  Couple this with some sort of mobile app (which isn't hard to do nowadays) and it should be fairly easy to inform hunters on which landowners have opened their land to public hunting.

[Encouraging private land being opened to general hunting]

On 7/22/2016 at 4:30 AM, Doc said:

So, to the landowners who have posted their land, what would it take to convince you to open your land to general hunting? Is there anything that would convince you to take down those posted signs, or enter into a cooperative plan to allow general public hunting access.

 

We have repeatedly heard that the biggest danger to hunting and wildlife management is lack of land access. We all want the DEC and legislators to get landowners to open their land to the general public so that deer management can be achieved. What effective kinds of incentives or laws would you all support to make this happen?

Just to clarify, are we talking about legislation that will force landowners to open their land up to public hunting?  Or are we talking about legislation that will allow landowners to open their land up to public hunting?  Because one is an obvious violation of rights and the other one isn't.

 

If we are discussing the latter, then I agree with what others have already said.  Some form of protection for the landowners against being sued by hunters who get hurt and some form of tax incentives to motivate landowners to volunteer their land.

[May Be Getting Back Into Deer Tracking]

On 7/24/2016 at 0:17 PM, JFB said:

 

What area do you live in? DS is not all over so maybe they don't cover that area but in my experience they have been motivated to find new members. Send me a PM and I can put you in touch with the president of the Finger Lakes chapter. Good people who work mighty hard. 

I might consider that.  I'm really not too keen on the membership dues or the initiation process, but I'll see how things shake out this coming season.

[Question about hunting with licensed tracking dogs in the Northern zone]

On 7/21/2016 at 5:38 PM, thphtm said:

It might be different in the NZ but when I took my LTD test in the SZ you had to notify the NYS police also where and when you would be tracking ,if you had to dispach a deer , so that they could answer the many phone calls about gunfire near a person's house.

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Again going off the regs in the NYS leashed tracking guide, only DEC needs to be notified, but seeing as how DEC might not have a presence in all areas of the state, I can see how NY State Police might be the next best alternative.  

[Question about hunting with licensed tracking dogs in the Northern zone]

I believe this would be similar to having a nuisance permit to take ....say ... a beaver. All the regs read what you can and can't do while TRAPPING. With a special nuisance permit it supersedes the regs and allows what is not normal. You have a special permit to track and during that operation you are bound by those rules. To bring the dog afield during the HUNT and prior to the TRACKING, the permit is not valid and you are bound by the hunting regulations. 

 

Thanks!  This is the sort of feedback I was looking for.  This makes sense and hopefully the DEC will have a similarly clear cut answer when I call them up.

[Question about hunting with licensed tracking dogs in the Northern zone]

Because it's fun watching you try and justify how you intend to break the law.

 

 

  ...........        I tried..........

 

 

Well you two have been of tremendous help.  And by the way Doewhacker, I did state up front that I would contact the DEC beforehand to clarify this issue.  And given the way things have progressed, or devolved (depending on how you look at it), it seems the DEC is going to be the only credible place to get a direct answer on this.

 

Have fun at your keyboard doewhacker.  I'll be sure to send you a PM alerting you to any other "trolling" posts I might write.

[Question about hunting with licensed tracking dogs in the Northern zone]

"So my question is: am I allowed to bring my dog with me into the field when I deer hunt in the Northern Zone (specifically the Adirondacks)?"

if this is your main question, and it sounds like you're asking if you can have your dog by your side while hunting and not tracking, and not using him for hunting, but just having him hang out with you ...the answer is no.

Yes, and the issue that question was predicated upon was whether or not I could legally track a wounded deer with a dog in the Northern Zone while carrying a rifle larger than .22.  That's the main issue/question I am trying to get an answer to.

[Question about hunting with licensed tracking dogs in the Northern zone]

I mentioned it being illegal one time, the above is pasted from the DEC. clear as a bell to every one but you.

I think you need to take a chill pill.  You're getting too worked up over this.  And you obviously disagree with everything I am saying.  So why are you still even posting?

 

If I am such a stubborn idiot, why not spend your time elsewhere?

[Question about hunting with licensed tracking dogs in the Northern zone]

I think that refers to certain firearms and whether or not their allowed in the area...for instance, I tracked on Long Island.....had to carry a shotgun because rifles and handguns are forbidden on the Island, same as if you're tracking in a shotgun only zone, no rifle. The license allows you to carry a firearm that is allowed to be discharged in that area...much like it allows you to shoot after legal hours, which is forbidden everywhere......and it allows you to have the dog with you while doing so.

 

I get what you are saying here and appreciate the response.

 

I still think the language between the two regs are directly conflicting with one another.

 

The DEC says very specifically that it is illegal to carry a rifle larger than .22 rimfire or shotgun with ball, slug or shot, in the Northern Zone while hunting or accompanied by a dog except when hunting coyotes.

 

Technically, I read this to mean I can't have any rifle or shotgun (relevant to dispatching a deer) while tracking a wounded animal.

[Question about hunting with licensed tracking dogs in the Northern zone]

It's like you are trolling us. Unreal.

Tell you what smart guy, go for it and let the Dec know what your plans are and then argue your interpretation to a judge.

 

 

I give up!!!  After 15 years blood tracking with dogs I know nothing and you know it all! You win, I'm Out! Good luck out there, you're going to need it!

 

I just illustrated the grey area I am referring to and referenced the exact text that demonstrates why it in fact exists.

 

Doewhacker, you keep repeating that it is "illegal" without directly acknowledging the specific regulations and questions I am bringing up.  So I'm really not inclined to engage you further.

 

Grampy, you might have 15 years of experience with DS, but again you too refuse to give me a direct reply on the specific regulations and language that I am referring to.  You also questioned my understanding of Leashed tracking guide despite the fact that I am relying on the language of the guide to make my argument, as well as to clarify some statements made by you.  If you have feedback which might clear up this matter, please provide it.  But so far, I haven't seen anyone give a direct answer to the main question I am asking.

[Question about hunting with licensed tracking dogs in the Northern zone]

I'm really not trying to bust your stones but You should know the NYSLTD rules and regulations having just "passed" the test. There is no grey area! You either are hunting OR tracking. If you go to your car, camp or where ever to get your dog, when tracking, you can have a firearm. But my biggest question is why do you have a wounded deer before you even hunt? 

 

And I hate to be busting your stones, but I'm not sure why you're questioning my understanding of the Leashed Tracking Dog guidelines when I just pointed out several inaccuracies with your earlier post regarding its requirements.  

 

The grey area is this: The DEC states explicity that you cannot hunt or be afield with a dog in the Northern Zone while carrying certain rifles and shotguns, except during coyote hunting:

 

 

 

• In the Northern Zone, if you are hunting with a dog, or accompanied by a dog, you may not possess a rifle larger than .22 caliber rim-fire or possess a shotgun loaded with slug, ball or buckshot unless you are coyote hunting with a dog.

 

 

The way I read that, it means simply hiking or yes, even tracking, with your dog while carrying anything above a .22 rim-fire is expressly forbidden in the Northern Zone.  This contradicts the Leashed Tracking Dog Guidelines which state:

 

 

 

• The leashed tracking dog handler has the authority to dispatch a wounded or injured deer or bear at any time of day or night after it has been located.  The hunter, during legal hunting hours (sunrise to sunset) can dispatch the wounded animal after it has been sighted.  The hunter must use the weapon of the specific hunting season with which they initially wounded the animal.  However, a leashed tracking dog handler can dispatch the animal during legal hunting hours if they decide it is the safest procedure to follow at the time.  Safety must always be the number one consideration at all times.

 

 

and

 

 

 The handler can dispatch the wounded animal with a firearm that s/he is authorized to use and that complies with all federal, state or local laws or regulations concerning firearms.

 

both found in the section on "Dispatching an Animal."  This is the grey area I am referring to.

 

 

 

 

Yea that's it I don't know what I'm talking about. Don't listen to any one here. Don't bother asking if you don't like the answers you are given.

 

You don't know what you're talking about.  I am asking a very nuanced and specific question which seems to have gone right over your head.

 

you need to separate tracking and hunting totally......when you're tracking, you're tracking...when you're hunting, you're hunting.....can't take your dog for a "walk" while hunting deer.

 

I agree there is a difference between hunting and tracking, but again, please note the language I have captured in quotes.  Simply being accompanied by a dog in the Northern Zone is forbidden when carrying certain types of rifles and shotguns, according to the DEC.

[Question about hunting with licensed tracking dogs in the Northern zone]

One of us is missing a point but it sure ain't me.

 

You obviously have strong feelings on this issue, which is fine.  

 

But there is in fact a legal grey area, even if I were to legally bring my dog into the field to track after I had already taken a shot.  I have explained this grey area several times over now, showing the relevant references.  Your repeated posts about how it is "illegal" do not specifically address this grey area.

 

You don't sound like you've read through the leashed tracking dog guide book (which can be found here: http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/ltdguide.pdf).  Nor do you sound like you have experience conducting leashed tracking.  So it would probably be best if you let someone else, more familiar with this subject, add their feedback.

[Question about hunting with licensed tracking dogs in the Northern zone]

Nope there is no grey area, it's illegal. Tracking and hunting are two separate things that you can't mix together and do as you please.

 

You and others are missing part of my point here.  Even if I keep my dog at home or in my car and go back to retrieve him to track a wounded animal that I shot, I am still technically breaking the rule I had previously brought up (regarding the Northern Zone and being afield with dogs and rifles/shotguns).

 

This is the legal grey area I am referring to.

[Question about hunting with licensed tracking dogs in the Northern zone]

I've been a Deer Search tracker for a number of years. You can NOT bring your dog in the woods to hunt! Has your dog been certified? You MUST call DEC from the tracking area prior to tracking, and fill out a report. Calling local police is recommended as well. Your dog MUST be leashed at all times. Hence the term "leashed tracking dog". What you are trying to do is not legal and if you passed the leashed dog tracking test, you should know the rules and regulations! 

 

Okay, you might be  a DS member, but I think we need to clarify a few things here:

1) I'm not asking to bring my dog into the woods so that he can hunt deer.  I'm asking to bring him with me as I hunt deer, so that he can be readily available should i need his nose work.

2) Has my dog been certified?  What does that mean?  The only requirements for the tracking dog is that it be properly licensed as per Article 7 of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Law (basically a current rabies vaccination and any applicable municipal registration paperwork).

3) There is no report to fill out.  You have to call into the DEC with the following info: licensee name; name, address, phone #, big game license of the hunter using the tracking dog's services; general location; name of landowners (if applicable).

4) Calling the police might be recommended by DS, but the only authority that is required to be notified is the DEC, since they are the organization that handles environmental law.

5) You must have your dog leashed for the tracking of wounded animal.  If I am walking to/from a kill site to begin tracking, there is no requirement to have the dog leashed, just as if I were hiking in the woods with my dog.

 

I did pass the leashed tracking dog exam and am very familiar with its requirements.  That is why I am bringing up this issue.  If am legally tracking a wounded deer that I myself shot, technically-speaking, I shouldn't be carrying any sort of rifle or shotgun with me even though I'll need something should the deer still be alive.  There is a legal grey area that neither the DEC website nor the leashed tracking dog reg book provide a good answer to.

[Question about hunting with licensed tracking dogs in the Northern zone]

I would agree that you can't have it out hunting with you. You could leave him in the car and go get him if you need him. But hunting Deer with dogs is so frowned upon in NYS that even guys not hunting Deer with dogs during Deer season get harassed. 

 

I have considered that option of leaving the dog in the car.  My only concern with that is that I'll be parked in a remote spot, and should something happen to me, there likely won't be anyone to get my dog.  But still that is an option I am weighing.

 

I get that hunting deer with dogs is considered taboo in this state.  But in the Northern zone of all places, a tracking dog would be very useful to have ready, and moreover I seriously doubt I'll be running into any other hunters in the places I plan on going into.  I've noticed that in other states where hunting deer with dog is prohibited, Alaska for example, hunters still routinely bring their dogs into the field with them, they just don't let their dogs actually harass, chase or hunt the game.  There is obviously a lot of individual responsibility assumed with such practices, but the state wildlife officials there seem fine with it so long as the owners aren't explicitly breaking any hunting laws.  

 

There is an clause in NY's hunting regs which explicitly states you can't hunt or be afield in the Northern Zone with certain rifles or shotguns unless hunting coyotes (likely to prevent illegal deer hunting methods).  But there does seem to be a legal grey area simply by nature of tracking (w/ a valid license) a wounded deer in the Northern Zone while carrying a rifle or shotgun.

[Question about hunting with licensed tracking dogs in the Northern zone]

Your dog would be available to you back at your cabin, but you just don't want to be inconvenienced to go back and get it.

 

Not trying to sound like a jerk, but it seems to me that you might just not want to go into the remote and rugged ADK's by yourself.  

 

I think my point is being lost on some here.  I'm not going to be hunting a few miles away from my cabin.  I'm going to be hunting in Wilderness areas, where the access points just to get to the trailhead will be an hour or so away (in some cases more), in addition to however many more miles I'll have to hike by foot to actually get to the area where I intend to hunt.

 

This is not pull-up hunting, where I get out of my car and walk several hundred meters to my tree stand, nor is this backyard hunting, where I walk a short distance from my cabin to a stand or blind.  This is remote wilderness hunting, and having to get out of this wilderness, drive and retrieve my dog would be much more than an inconvenience.

 

All that aside, I'm not asking for people's opinions on whether or not they think I am justified in bringing my dog along.  I am simply looking for feedback on whether or not I have a legal argument to make with the DEC.

 

I've already demonstrated that there is in fact a conflict between what the leashed tracking license allows and what other DEC rules state.  So obviously there is some grey area regarding this issue.

[Question about hunting with licensed tracking dogs in the Northern zone]

As I am former NYSLTD lic. holder, You should know that you have to contact your local NYS Police before going to track any wounded game. I would think there would be more of them in the area you are going to hunt then DEC people. I would contact them and see what the have to say.

Question has your dog been trained in blood tracking or is it your common hunting dog that can pick up a sent pretty good.

 

You have to contact the DEC, not the State Police, prior tracking, at least according to the license requirements that I have read.  Like I said, I do plan on reaching out to the DEC to clarify this.

 

My dog has not been specifically trained for blood tracking, but he does have introductory training to scent detection and will be getting further training on tracking during the summer.

 

So, are you suggesting that anyone who plans on hunting in the remote and rough Adirondacks should go through the process of getting and training a tracking dog because it is impractical to hike out and get help with tracking a wounded animal?  

 

I say that this is not a good reason to justify bringing a dog with you on a hunt.  

So, are you suggesting that anyone who plans on hunting in the remote and rough Adirondacks should go through the process of getting and training a tracking dog because it is impractical to hike out and get help with tracking a wounded animal?  

 

I say that this is not a good reason to justify bringing a dog with you on a hunt.  

 

I'm not saying that anyone who plans on hunting remotely in the ADK's should have a tracking dog, I'm saying that I would like to have my tracking dog available should the need arise.  I by no means am trying to impose my ideas and views onto others, but personally I think I should be able to bring my dog along so long as I am not breaking any laws.

[May Be Getting Back Into Deer Tracking]

Well that's cool you found a good tracker, but she looks a little too small to be dragging them out,lol!

Gonna need a bigger side-kick for her to practice tugging on now!

 

One of the coolest things I've ever seen in the woods was a Deer Search dog on a blood trail. Same breed as yours, and although we didn't recover the deer, that little pooch put all its heart into that hunt! Ended up finding that deer myself MONTHS after the shot was taken and nearly a mile away, so there's no telling if my shot was even fatal or if someone else popped it. after the fact.

 

Last spring at the hunters safety course, I ran into her handler educating the class on what these little guys are capable of when it comes down to deer recovery. You just can't imagine it until you see it for yourself. Her dog is now handicapped and unable to track any longer, but it's desire is still there.

Apparently there is some bad blood between her and DS that she didn't want to go into detail about.

 

I couldn't help but ask if she was more of a deer lover, or more of a dog lover...... her reply..., "deer lover" believe it or not!

 

Good luck with "Fido", and hope to hear of some successful recoveries in the future from you!

 

It's great to hear that new hunters are getting educated on how dog/handler teams can assist in recovering wounded deer.

 

It's also interesting that you brought up that note on the supposed bad blood between this one woman and Deer Search.  I tried reaching out to them about learning about their group and potentially joining, but so far I haven't heard so much as a peep from them.  I'm not sure if they're closed to new members or what the issue is, but either way joining Deer Search is not required to legally track in NY, though I'm sure it makes networking and getting in touch with deer hunters looking for help a whole lot easier.