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Go Luna go!

outdoorstom

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outdoorstom
outdoorstom

Luna and I went out on a call this morning only 12 miles from home. The hunter reported a quartering away pass through shot, with dark blood on the arrow. He searched last night, but actually got chas

outdoorstom
outdoorstom

This morning it was my turn????

outdoorstom
outdoorstom

I received a call from a hunter's wife this morning, telling me her husband had shot a big buck last night and couldn't find it. She said he and some friends were looking for it now. I told her to cal

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outdoorstom

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October 15, 2015

I went on a local call this morning for a doe that was shot yesterday afternoon. The hunter reported seeing the arrow sticking out of the does head as it ran off. His wife had shot it, but the husband did the tracking. They found a small amount of blood, then did a grid search when the blood ran out. He and his father went back in this morning and searched more. Luna followed the blood down the trail, when the blood ended she acted like she was still on it and we walked numerous trails. The trails wound through a marshy area, cedars and hardwoods. We never found any more blood or a bed. On two occasions we jumped lone deer, but could not get a good look at them in the thick brush. We never did find it. I've learned that the most frustrating part of tracking is not knowing if the deer survived or its dead and I didn't find it.

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outdoorstom Rising Star

outdoorstom

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October 15, 2015 (track #2)

When I got home from the track earlier today, my wife told me somebody had knocked on the door looking for Luna and I. He shot a doe last night on the public land across the road from our house. He said it looked like a high, one lung hit to him. He had to work last night so he climbed down and looked for the deer after only a few minutes. Inevitably, he jumped it and pushed it. He continued on the track for a short while, then backed out. He went in again about noon today with two more people to search some more. He was able to advance the track only a short distance, then they began a grid search.

I had him take us to the hit site, but he wasn't exactly sure where it was. There had been 3 other deer with the one he shot, and I believe Luna began tracking one of the others because she went in the opposite direction the shot doe had. The hunter had seen exactly where she exited the field, so we went there. Luna immediately got on the track, which had sparse bubbly blood. She went exactly the same way the hunter had tracked blood earlier, then went beyond where he had last seen blood. A couple hundred yards later we found a drop in a couple places. Luna continued on, pulling hard. We went through an open field and she appeared to lose the track several times, but worked and found it again. Right before entering a wood lot, we found another drop of blood. After about 400 yards in the woods, Luna appeared to lose the track so we went back to last blood and restarted. She took a different trail that time but again she seemed to lose the track. We had gone close to a mile, with no blood for a long distance. It appeared to me the hunter was probably right about a high one lung hit, and the deer very well may survive. I called off the search.

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outdoorstom Rising Star

outdoorstom

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It must be frustrating trying to fix other people's mistakes, from almost all your searches people have jumped the deer without giving them adequate time. That being said it sounds like you and Luna are doing a great job I wish you were closer to my area if I ever needed it.

b

Thanks, appreciate the kind words. Yes, it is frustrating, and not good for Luna's development as a tracker. I'm going to be more selective on what tracks we take.

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biggamefish Community Regular

biggamefish

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I used a tracker once and he was just starting a younger dog. He also said it was frustrating because some of the guys didn't tell you the whole story or really didn't hit it were they said. That is the tough part but don't let it stop you.

 

That guy had stories of chasing deer in circles at night for ever so it isn't just you

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jjb4900 Newbie

jjb4900

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I used a tracker once and he was just starting a younger dog. He also said it was frustrating because some of the guys didn't tell you the whole story or really didn't hit it were they said. That is the tough part but don't let it stop you.

 

That guy had stories of chasing deer in circles at night for ever so it isn't just you

yeah, I gave it up because of the hunter's half truth's and some of the attitudes I got when I couldn't or wouldn't go out......

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outdoorstom Rising Star

outdoorstom

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Had a call at 1:45 this afternoon from a hunter that had shot a bear at 11:00 this morning. Actually, he and his buddy both shot it with muzzleloaders as they walked out from morning watch. He said they both had good hits on it, and had good blood. He also said he had marked last blood and hadn't gone beyond that point. They lost the blood trail after a heavy shower moved through the area. I agreed to give it a try and got there at 3:00. Luna appeared to get on it, then lost the track in the area last blood was marked. I asked the hunter if he was sure he hadn't gone beyond that area, and he admitted doing a little looking past that spot. It took Luna about five minutes to sort it out, and she again appeared to be on the track. We went 400 yards before finding a little blood on a leaf.

If I had a nickel for every time the hunter asked me "is she on it", I'd be a rich man. At one point I told him if Luna could talk, I'd ask her so we'd both know for sure. He took the hint and quit asking me.

After 1/2 mile, fresh blood started appearing, so I got my .357 out and told the hunter to be ready with his muzzleloader. We were in very thick briar patches the majority of the track, the roughest one I've been on yet. The K was getting thicker and more frequent when we heard a shot. We had a pretty good idea someone else had just shot it. Sure enough, 2 minutes later we saw the hunter in a tree stand. He said the bear had come into the clearing and stood there for about 30 seconds. I wonder if it was listening to see if we were still coming? After his shot, the bear went out of sight. We walked over together and got Luna back on it, and found it dead less than 50 yards away. The hunters were discussing who would get it, and I told them legally it's whoever made the killing shot. The second hunter was amazingly gracious and told the first hunter he could have it. During this discussion, Luna was having a good old time sniffing, licking, and chewing on the bear.

I looked the bear over to see where it had been shot, and found that one of the first two shots had hit the front leg, and the second barely grazed the stomach.

Luna did amazingly well over this mile long track....I couldn't be prouder!

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Jaeger Newbie

Jaeger

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A hunter called at 10:00 this morning asking for help locating a mature buck he gutshot last night. He reported he and his buddies went to look for it an hour and a half after the shot, and they jumped it. I don't know why, but they didn't back out when that happened and continued looking for blood. At first light they commenced a grid search due to a steady rainfall and no chance of finding blood. Despite the 100 mile drive, I decided Luna and I would give it a shot.

We went to the hit site, but Luna didn't appear to pick up on anything. I asked the hunter to take us to the first blood found, and Luna got on the trail at that point. She stayed on it for about a 100 yards, then appeared to lose the track. As we've done before, we went back to last blood and restarted. She followed the same trail and again lost the track at the same spot. We were in a fairly open section of woods and searched the area thoroughly. At one point, Luna started tracking again but I had no idea if it was our deer or not. We went about 300 yards and came to a property line we didn't have, nor could obtain permission to enter. We had just turned around when we heard a flock of crows nearby. We located them and searched that area, with no luck. There is a creek running through the property, so I suggested we walk it. Again, nothing. It was at this point the hunter called it off, I think because we were soaked from the two torrential downpours that had happened as we searched.

Several times during this track Luna got sidetracked by chipmunks she saw. I'm taking the blame for that due to the fact I take her to our wood lot when I'm working on habitat projects, and she had been chasing them there. I hate to not take her with me, but I can't allow that to continue after seeing her distracted today.

outdoorstom,

 

I have the same problem with Schatzie, the chipmunks really distract her.  While we were grouse hunting I took one (they are "unprotected" and may be taken at any time) and sent her in to retrieve it.  Had to send her in several times before she would bring it back.  Once dead, she lost interest in it.  Hope to do several times until she lessen her enthusiasm for chipmunks.  But the breed does have some terrier in it so I don't think we can fully "train" chipmunk chasing out of them.

 

Conrats! by the way.  W\e haven't had any calls yet and she is very, very green.  Tried a blood trail with old, defrosted venison blood.  Doesn't work as well for her as fresh.

 

Keep on trackin' Luna!!!

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outdoorstom Rising Star

outdoorstom

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October 18, 2015

I had a call from a 17 year old hunter's Dad last night. His son shot a 6 pointer and hit it in the shoulder. He said they tracked real good blood, which they tracked until losing it in thick stuff. He marked the blood and backed out. He requested we come at 10:00 this morning, which I agreed to. Luna got on the track right and went past the marked blood, and continued on about another 100 yards during which time we were finding blood. I'm not sure why, but at one point she got off the track and went down a trail into a field. Not seeing any blood, I picked her up and took her back to last blood, this time she stayed on it. We went about another 50 yards and she found the 6 pointer under an apple tree. Unfortunately, the coyotes had found it before us.

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outdoorstom Rising Star

outdoorstom

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outdoorstom,

I have the same problem with Schatzie, the chipmunks really distract her. While we were grouse hunting I took one (they are "unprotected" and may be taken at any time) and sent her in to retrieve it. Had to send her in several times before she would bring it back. Once dead, she lost interest in it. Hope to do several times until she lessen her enthusiasm for chipmunks. But the breed does have some terrier in it so I don't think we can fully "train" chipmunk chasing out of them.

Conrats! by the way. W\e haven't had any calls yet and she is very, very green. Tried a blood trail with old, defrosted venison blood. Doesn't work as well for her as fresh.

Keep on trackin' Luna!!!

I'm not sure the chipmunk therapy would work with Luna. She has a fierce hatred of them!

I would recommend when you, family, or friends shoot a deer, put Schatzie on it and see how she does. Good luck!

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