Blood tracking

[Mickey Finn 3,052]

I know this isn't what your used to reading on this forum. But He's a gun dog so here it is.

 

I went up north bear hunting this september. On the eighth day just at dark a larger sow that I had seen four times without any cubs. Got invited home for dinner.

 

My shot was less than perfect. She dropped right there. But then she jumped back up and tore around in circles growling. Then she turned and ran off into the cedar swamp. I was hunting alone and this was the last thing I wanted to happen. After waiting for a "death moan" that never came, I went to look for blood. Bears are really fat this time of year so they don't bleed so well when you hit them right. Poor shots make it harder.

 

I didn't find any blood where she fell or in the area nearby. So, I tried to retrace her steps and went into the swamp. I had my rifle and was using a small flashlight which works well for finding blood trails. About forty yards in I hear some branches break and some more growling and some jaw snapping.

 

So, the next morning I came back to look again. I looked for an hour and found nothing. My Drahthaar had some blood track training last year but I had not had any time to work on it this year. But I decided to give him a go.

 

 

Here he is getting ready. He searched around the area for a while like he remembered what to do. Then his nose dropped and his tail started going. He then lead me threw some thicker stuff and right up to a large blood spot. I think this is her wound bed that I bumped her out of last night. Then after smelling it for a while he starts of again and finds another wound bed. In between I could not see any blood or hair. When we get to this bed he sits down. The saying is, when the blood stops the dog stops. So, I start looking up in the cedar trees to see if she crawled up there and died. Then he starts to go off again. For some reason, I doubted him and took him around in a large circle looking for blood. Naturally we didn't find anything til we got back to where he wanted to start again. So, I wasted about 30 minutes. A short time later we were at the bear. I saw her before the dog did. So, I fished out my camera to get a pic of his impression of a bear.

 

Just after I clicked this one. I put the camera down and he looked back at me as if to say. "what the hell are you leading me into." That would have been a better pic. After he looked it over, he started his dead game baying.

 

This is how she ended up. You can see that she had bit into a cedar log as she died. So, I had to pry her loose and roll her over to field dress her. When I did, she let out alot of air that did sort-of sound like a growl. The dog was on her in a heart beat. He grabbed her by the throat and gave her a good shaking. I shooed him away but after that he didn't trust her and kept circling and grabbing her paws or ears.

I can't express how proud I am of his tracking and fearlessness. of course drive like that has it's pit falls as well.

These are porcupine quills. This is his third time this season.

 

Thanks for reading.

ATB

[Tallyho 181]

good pictures , how long for you or the vet to take the quills out ????

[Mickey Finn 3,052]

good pictures , how long for you or the vet to take the quills out ????

 

Oh, the quills. I usually take them out myself. They are just a fact of life here. I'd have to say about an hour and a half. It's a big fight and I have to basically pin him down and start pulling. I'm glad you liked the pics.

ATB

[skycat 6,174]

Good dog! Just as a matter of interest: why didn't you have the dog with you when you originally shot the bear? Maybe a stupid novice question as I've never done bears LOL, just interested. Would the dog upset the hunt?

[Mickey Finn 3,052]

Good dog! Just as a matter of interest: why didn't you have the dog with you when you originally shot the bear? Maybe a stupid novice question as I've never done bears LOL, just interested. Would the dog upset the hunt?

 

You can hunt bears with dogs here. Mostly hounds are used. As for upsetting the hunt. Thats a good question. I think he might have growled or barked. Or, the bear might have smelled him. But, I might try it next time.

 

ATB

[Dave C 63]

Excellent post Micky, on another day reactions like that could save your life and after a Track like that i bet you are real proud of him.

PS - he is a fine looking animal, keep the posts coming.

 

Dave.

[Dave C 63]

Excellent post Micky, on another day reactions like that could save your life and after a Track like that i bet you are real proud of him.

PS - he is a fine looking animal, keep the posts coming.

 

Dave.

[diggory 130]

thanks for sharing,keep the stories comming

[Dave C 63]

You see Micky i enjoyed the read that much i wrote it twice

 

Dave.

[Mickey Finn 3,052]

Excellent post Micky, on another day reactions like that could save your life and after a Track like that i bet you are real proud of him.

PS - he is a fine looking animal, keep the posts coming.

 

Dave.

 

Glad you liked it Dave. Proud is the word alright. By the way, this is my first bear and the meat is excellent.

 

ATB

[kiwi 4]

well done..... what are his bloodlines, he looks similar to the drahthaar i have here, kervinshoff,german bruinfield lines.

[Mickey Finn 3,052]

well done..... what are his bloodlines, he looks similar to the drahthaar i have here, kervinshoff,german bruinfield lines.

 

Fine looking dog! sent ya a p.m.

[waidmann 105]

a belter of a dog by the looks of him.will this count as a natural trail on his paperwork?( witnesses etc?) get him as much natural work as possible bud,if the talent and hardness is there he will make a good follow up dog.

even if the dog had been with you,you did the right thing waiting for her to get sick/adrenalin drop before starting the trail.a hot trail can ruin the dog( working with his nose "up") and the bear will move on further or fight.

great write up and brilliant pics

 

 

p.s. i hope that doesn't sound as though i have experiance of bear hunting as i don't.just pigs and they are exciting to follow up.

atb

[Mickey Finn 3,052]

a belter of a dog by the looks of him.will this count as a natural trail on his paperwork?( witnesses etc?) get him as much natural work as possible bud,if the talent and hardness is there he will make a good follow up dog.

even if the dog had been with you,you did the right thing waiting for her to get sick/adrenalin drop before starting the trail.a hot trail can ruin the dog( working with his nose "up") and the bear will move on further or fight.

great write up and brilliant pics

 

 

p.s. i hope that doesn't sound as though i have experiance of bear hunting as i don't.just pigs and they are exciting to follow up.

atb

 

Thanks for the insite waidmann. Follow up work between bears and pigs is equally tricky. I'm gald you liked the Pics.

 

As for the track counting. I'm not working towards anything more than a full freezer.

 

Pigs by the way are geting more common around here. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is saying pretty much shoot on sight. So, I will.

 

ATB

[waidmann 105]

good man,the dog will love them