Know your tracking dog!

[Christian hughey]

Went out for my weekend bear hunt finally. It took me all day Friday and Saturday morning hunting as I go until I found "THE" spot. Up a steep ridge on a lead going out onto an oak flat. Area was real thick coming off the mountain above. Long story short. Found a great spot. Shot a big bear and found lots and lots of blood for about 250 to 300 yds. This bear took me for a ride. As dark set in I elected to not get lost out there by myself because I had no clue where I was. I called a local tracking dog from gon's forum for habersham co. I was in white co. but there was nobody listed. I assumed being in bear country the dog would be able to sniff him out. The handler was a good guy who I would use again for a deer if needed. But the dog did no good due to the fact he was a deer dog. It did great picking up blood but once the bear crossed a super steep ravine the dog lost him. Went back today and searched that ravine for 6hrs today and no bear. With all the trees down it's hard trackin out there. Almost had my first taste of bear and he was perfect mounting size. Put in some serious effort and i have a new respect for mountain hunters. If one of you fellas find one dead on the gun hunt next week let me know. I will be back in the area and know I put a lot of time, money, and effort in the pouring rain into recovering this bear I know it was a fatal shot 20 yds. Just behind the shoulder with dark red blood. Does anyone know a good bear dog in that area for future reference so I don't have to settle for a deer dog in a pinch?

 

[gobbleinwoods]

It is archery only until Oct 13

 

[Timberman]

Sorry you lost your bear.

That said I doubt anybody that’s advertising a tracking dog has bear in mind.

 

[tree cutter 08]

Hooch and chestatee are open for a week long rifle hunt. Hate you lost your bear, they can be tough to find sometimes. They can run a long ways with 1 lung or a liver shot. Maybe someone on here would be willing to help with a dog.

 

[Christian hughey]

It is archery only until Oct 13

Regulations state That there will be a bear firearms hunt on chattahoochee and chestatee wma September 22-30 blast away. fortunately I got to blast this one at 20 yds with stick and string and T3. Don't quite understand why he ran as far as he did. But pretty sure it was a very lethal shot. He was a nice size bear, not great at judging size but he had a fat head and was a trophy in my book. That deserves a dedicated dog, guess I need to get to training. If I would have had a dog trained to sniff out bear I have a good feeling we would have found him somewhere in all the fallen over trees in the bottom of the ravine he run down into. But then again 6 hrs of me looking through it today turned up nothing. Time to get another. Crock pots still waitin.

 

[hobbs27]

I haven't had the opportunity to use mine on a bear yet, but I'm sure she would do fine. She's trained to track wounded animals. Her first real track was a gut shot hog she trailed for a half mile and recovered. Shes since recovered many deer. I'll be hunting chestatee next week, maybe I'll get a chance to put her on someone's bear.

 

[twincedargap]

Sorry to hear you couldn’t recover it. Keep looking / smelling as is expect it’s not far. Good luck, plenty of season still left.

 

[gobbleinwoods]

Hooch and chestatee are open for a week long rifle hunt. Hate you lost your bear, they can be tough to find sometimes. They can run a long ways with 1 lung or a liver shot. Maybe someone on here would be willing to help with a dog.

I stand corrected. I hunt the NF so did not know about the rifle hunt on the WMA's.

 

[Christian hughey]

I stand corrected. I hunt the NF so did not know about the rifle hunt on the WMA's.

I guess you can come if you want to. Stay out my spot ! Lol

 

[gobbleinwoods]

I guess you can come if you want to. Stay out my spot ! Lol

Get there early so my gps tracker on your car let's me know where you are.

 

[Christian hughey]

You can come with me. if your hunting with me. Atleast know where you'll be. Lol my deer hunt'in buddies are to scared of the bears to go with a bow and I still can't talk anyone into it with a gun so guess I need some bear hunt'in bro's that aren't such girls. Gets lonely in them hills. Lol I think it's funny. I'll be there early, I sleep in the truck at the gate good luck beat'in me there.

 

[Tio Hey Seuss]

I've got an Australian shepherd that will track live ones so I assume she would track a dead one. I trained her after loosing the second one I shot and I'm still sick about it. It was the sweetest stalk I have ever put on a critter and I was at 10 yards when I pulled the trigger. Bears roll a LONG WAY when you're hunting country that steep. Lesson learned haha. Anyway, never have tested her on a wounded bear because the rest since then haven't gone far. I would caution anyone using a recovery dog on bear to get in touch with the LEO in the area first. The use of dogs to recover deer or bear is not legal in Georgia. It's not illegal either but nowhere is it explicitly allowed. Of course it's become standard practice for deer but you could be ticketed for hunting with a dog if you run into the wrong officer. Hopefully the state will clear this up in the regs soon.

 

[Joe Brandon]

Jerry Russel has a bear dog. He's on the contact list and Chattohoochie is in his zone.

 

[Christian hughey]

Wish I could of

Jerry Russel has a bear dog. He's on the contact list and Chattohoochie is in his zone.

Wish I would have known I looked up numbers on the forum and found no one specific on bear or in white co. Thanks for the info

 

[Joe Brandon]

Yeah he has a Bavarian Bear Dog. Good people too.

 

[Joe Brandon]

I think he's listed under Lumpkin but he will come up to White.

 

[Christian hughey]

I've got an Australian shepherd that will track live ones so I assume she would track a dead one. I trained her after loosing the second one I shot and I'm still sick about it. It was the sweetest stalk I have ever put on a critter and I was at 10 yards when I pulled the trigger. Bears roll a LONG WAY when you're hunting country that steep. Lesson learned haha. Anyway, never have tested her on a wounded bear because the rest since then haven't gone far. I would caution anyone using a recovery dog on bear to get in touch with the LEO in the area first. The use of dogs to recover deer or bear is not legal in Georgia. It's not illegal either but nowhere is it explicitly allowed. Of course it's become standard practice for deer but you could be ticketed for huntinrg with a dog if you run into the wrong officer. Hopefully the state will clear this up in the regs soon.

Thanks I had no idea it could be illegal to use a tracking dog to locate a dead bear. Figured DNR would applaud doing everything necessary to recover game after it is shot. I do not feel it is right to give up if you know a good enough shot was made and there's another option still on the table. Especially for someone late at night that does not know the hills and I have had issues with my GPS losing satellite reception and turning me around so I don't 100% trust them.