Tracking Dog Owners

Wang Dang

Senior Member
I am curious to hear anyone's experience with tracking dog owners. If you have called them to track a deer, what did they charge and how did they handle the negotiations? A member of our club used one about four years ago. They did not find his deer. We asked the member about payment. He said the only thing the guy would talk about was that he wanted permission to hunt our land. He was not given that permission. I don't remember if any money was ever exchanged.
 

GTBHUNTIN

Senior Member
tracking dogs

I am very interested in the tracking dogs here, In vermont when a few of us got the law passed to do it, (dogs and deer hunting just dont mix in the north) it was very controversial. But we proved by any doubt that the program worked. I know back home we didnt charge, and if donations were given we wouldnt take more than 20 dollars and that was for gas and dog food. We did the tracking because we loved doing it, you learn so much from it. I am Working on getting a pup down here to train and start working. Our team was the most successful due to mostly the dog but also we had a lot of support and spent hours and hours training and taking tracks. Our best year ever was I believe 60 percent. And that was with non screening of deer shots, meaning we took calls that we knew we wouldnt find. Finding the deer depends on the dog and the handler it s a team effort and the better we got to know our dogs reactions we started coming up with many more finds, use trackers dont hesitate.
 

hound dog

Senior Member
I'm not sure about what to do about not finding the deer I think they should still get paid for coming out.It is not 100% that you will find the deer. They should have 2 fees 1 for coming out and 1 for finding the deer. Just rember it is there time and gas if they don't whant $ give them some for gas it is the right thing to do.I.m going to track for the public this year not sure what I will charge still working that out.If you got info let me know on my thred what you think I should do.

Thanks
Hound Dog

Got one down need a hound? Give me a call.

:cheers:
 

MULE

Senior Member
hound dog said:
I'm not sure about what to do about not finding the deer I think they should still get paid for coming out.It is not 100% that you will find the deer. They should have 2 fees 1 for coming out and 1 for finding the deer. Just rember it is there time and gas if they don't whant $ give them some for gas it is the right thing to do.I.m going to track for the public this year not sure what I will charge still working that out.If you got info let me know on my thred what you think I should do.
I agree with hound dog. The way most all the ones I know about charge for coming out and then finding the game. I do know a couple though that just charge for coming out regardless if they find it or not. There are several variables in blood trail tracking game with dogs. Did the hunter try to find it himself several times and mess the trail up? REALY how old is the trail? I could go on and on. I track for myself and friends, but not interested in doing it for the public.
 

hound dog

Senior Member
Tips to remember....

If some one thinks they may need a tracker some day just remember if it is a bad shot give game time to lay down, then try to recover it. If you run out of sign pull off do not run around in woods. You will mess up the track for the dog. Even if you think you made a good shot when you go to track the deer and run out of sign pull off I know it hard to do, but you have a better chance recover the deer with a dog if you have not been running around in the woods.
If all possible get the tracker to come after sunset. The scent will lay back down. It is easier on the dog and safer because their is no hunters after dark. If it's private property you may get the tracker to come very early in the morning before the track raises.

Thanks
Hound Dog
 

GTBHUNTIN

Senior Member
The most important thing in recovering a deer no matter what the shot is, is time. Giving the animal you shot time is the only thing besides shot placement that willl increase your recover rate. Also repeating what hound dog said, if you lose the blood and are worried about losing the deer, mark the last place you had sign of your kill and back out. The sooner you can get a dog on the trail the better off you will be.
 
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