Alabama Blood Trailing Network

Season is almost here again. I have updated our tracking list to make it easier to find trackers in your county. We have trackers with dogs available in every county of the state. Join the group now before you need it and forget where to look. There is information on tracking, training, etc... It's a great place to be if you are wanting tips on training your own tracking dog.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/alabamabloodtrailingnetwork

If you guys haven’t joined this Facebook group yet, I would highly recommend you do so just so you’ll have it in your back pocket when you need it. Just about every tracker in the state is on there and it’ll come in really handy for you when you need one.

I would also add that there are a lot of new trackers out there now training young dogs. If you see someone listed for your county or maybe a neighboring county….call them up and start networking with them. Many of these guys will be needing practice tracks to put their young pups on this fall. Allowing your local tracker to bring his puppy out and get it on some tracks at your hunting club or land with benefit both parties in the long run. Good luck to everyone.

Can you post the updated list for those of us who dont have facebook.

it's easy to set up a Facebook account and join the group. If they get online they can easily get on there.

As many hours as I have tied up in making the list, rounding up names and numbers of every tracker I can find, compiling everything, etc.., signing up for a Facebook account is a pretty simple task.
And I'm in no way trying to be rude. I've just done a lot to get the group together and prefer people join it. There is more info there than just finding a tracker.

How much do people in Tuscaloosa County charge for tracking deer?

Everyone is different....just depends on the individual. There's anything from “free”….to “track for tips”…..to “a fee” usually in the $100 dollar range.

Join the group and call the trackers listed for the county you hunt in. Feel them out, ask a couple questions. That way you atleast know the first person to call if you have a need. Fees aren't discussed in the group. Everyone should, as a courtesy, atleast be reimbursed for their expenses but it does vary pending who you call. Most charge little to nothing. But what is it worth for a man to leave his family for the evening, load up his dog, all his gear, and drive to you to help you find a deer that you can't find on your own, and spend as much time as necessary to help you recover it? This is a hobby. Most do it because they love working their dogs. But no tracker can travel to every call he gets all year and eat all the expenses. I know that's not what you are implying but a lot of trackers I know now charge because of the lack of the hunter to even offer gas money after driving an hour to track and spending a couple hrs tracking a deer.

This is where I disagree Brandon. I think if someone expects money for tracking then they should be upfront about it and charge a reasonable fee. Everyone is trying to have their cake and eat it too by advertising that its free but then expecting the hunters to pay them just the same. I’m just not a fan of that for several reasons and this is one of them. I think if someone advertises that it’s free and they don’t get paid, then it’s their own fault …not the hunters.

To some degree that's right. However, just using my own common sense, even if somone tells me they do something for free, I know it cost them something to come out. And out of respect, appreciation, and courtesy, I'm giving them something. I've been on both ends of that. Some people just want to work their dogs and don't want to scare people off with fees BUT I would think anyone would offer them something for effort. That's how I was raised. Everyone is different. That's why as I mentioned earlier, some of those guys started charging. They worked for tips, but tips never came. It's not an arguing point. If you charge, that's fine. If it's close to home, I don't charge. If I drive a long ways, which I seldom have time for, I'll get more specific. Some things are worth more than money. Like sharing the experience of finding someone's first deer, or biggest deer, or... I would personally never set a flat fee for everyone. Most things are situational and I'm sure they are for u too. This post was up to invite members to join the group though, not really to discuss fees. We are 2 of 40+ trackers in the group and no one has the same opinions on everything. It is, as I have said before, the hunters job to call, and ask questions.

It’s all good man. I think we can have a conversation about it like grown folks. If nothing else, it’ll keep the thread bumped to the top for a little longer. This is just a subject that I take a little issue with since I’ve been flamed pretty hard for choosing to charge. You can shut down the conversation on the Facebook page but its still a very talked about conversation at tracking events and in personal conversations….and it’s something that should be discussed.

The part that rubs me a little is how the some folks try to shame someone who charges a fee as if they don’t love their dogs… or just love to track….or because “that’s not what it’s all about”….or “it’s just a hobby”……yada yada. At the end of the day, you can call it whatever you want to but we all load our dogs up and go do the same thing. What it boils down to is just what you said….everybody wants folks to give them money….but folks are scared to charge because they’re afraid that hunters won’t call if they do. Folks are relying on putting their names on a website attached to “free” as their means of getting calls but then want the perks of getting paid when it’s over and shaming the hunters for not paying the free guy. I don’t think that’s right. If you want paid for your gas, time, and other expenses then be upfront about it.

Look, I like finding a kid’s deer and watching my dogs work and just being out in nature, etc, etc.. as much as the next guy, but a lot of this talk is just about saying what sounds good for the ears of the masses in hopes that more folks will call. If folks want tracks then they need to beat the pavement to get their names out there like with any other service until word of mouth eventually takes over. Sure, it’s not a business for most folks but if you want calls and you want to be paid for them…you better approach some aspects of it just like it was one. It’s not doing the tracking community any favors for this notion to continue to be promoted that the guys who are out advertising and charging a fee are doing it for the wrong reasons and everyone else are just good hearted folks who want to do the right thing. That’s all horsechit when everyone stands there at the end with the same outstretched palms.

I actually do fully intend on eventually charging a flat fee and it may come before this season is over. If not this season, then likely for sure next. I’m moving toward that as Otis gets older and gets more experienced. It’ll completely depend on how he has progressed. I know exactly what I’ll get into if I don’t. One of the tracks I went on last year, the guy had likely back slapped the deer. I spent half my day tracking the deer down and then chasing it before calling it off as it crossed a paved road onto other property. We got back to the trucks and the guy jumped in with one of the other hunting club members and rode off without offering me a dime since we didn’t get his buck he cut a few hairs on.

I ramble on and say all of that because the whole Alabama tracking community is right under your fingertips. The tone that is set amongst those folks is the tone that will be set for how tracking is conducted in our state. Folks have strong armed this idea into our tracking community of it being shameful to charge and IMO that’s not how things should be. This shaming should be squashed. This whole illusion of its “free”… but I still want paid wink, wink amongst our community should be squashed. If you want to track for free, then by all means do it. But don’t advertise free and then try to shame the hunters afterwards for not paying you. Don’t put it off on them. That will give everyone a black eye. I’ve never seen another service operate the way trackers are trying to do. It baffles me.

I’m just sharing my opinion but I truly think we would all be better off if everyone would conform to the normal standard for offering any service rather than continuing to promote what is going on now. I’ve had a lot of new folks bring it up at tracking conventions and I tell them straight up not to be ashamed to charge. At the national tracking convention, there was a lady from Texas who over heard one of these conversations and started horse laughing when we said “free”. She said something to the effect of….“A great tracking dog is a valuable commodity fellas.......y’all are selling yourselves way short.”

I agree with her. If everyone keeps on trying to run their tracking gig through this odd “business plan” of free….then it hurts the whole group. I ain’t by any means talking about everyone colluding or anything like that but I am suggesting that the group should at least allow the normal laws of supply and demand dictate how things go..... rather than keeping on artificially fugging with the market through "free". People may say that I’m over thinking things la la la,,,,but this is the reality of how economics work. Listen to what I’m saying….If you make the value of a great tracking dog be a $20 bill…..then that is what the value will be and that is what you should expect.

Rant over…….Damn I feel better.

Lol. I feel U in all that. I have no problem charging. That's why I don't let those discussions happen in the group because I'll wind up booting somone for being overly committed to their opinion. Some of the other trailing networks don't allow any tracker that charges to even be listed as a tracker. But it does say that hunters should reimburse for expenses. I'm not going to take trackers off the list because they want to charge because that's robbing the hunter of the person that might find their deer when no one else can come. The hunter is usually an adult and can make their own choices on whether they want to pay somone or not. But I'm giving them the option to make that choice.
I imagine a lot of the "free" trackers will soon begin to charge. Most are waiting on experience to build. There are too many hunters that throw Hail Mary bullets at deer and then tell you what u want to hear until you make the drive and figure out the truth. I had a few trackers this year drop off the list because they are tired of driving to look for a deer that was grazed by a bullet. You have to love doing it like anything else because there isn't enough money in it to make a living. Not in this part of the country anyway.. I know very well about the expenses and time that tracking consumes. You'll never get compensated for that and I know you know that too.

You dang right. I’m spending more money to own tracking dogs and track than I did hunting. It kills me to hear guys carry on that some of us are trying to make a living doing it or something. Most folks are just trying to cover enough of the expense to keep from getting kicked out of the house.


Weeding out the bad calls is a great reason for charging a set fee. If you get your name out there enough, then “free” will get every Tom, Dick, and Harry calling you with every scenario under the sun. That puts you in the position then of almost having to interrogate the person to decide on whether or not you should take the track. It’s exactly like you said…..folks say all kinds of things on the phone to get you out there to look. Having a reasonable fee for coming out will in itself take care of much of that. It will be on the hunter then to decide if the track is worth them paying you to come out. The guy that cut two hairs and knows it won’t call you out on a goose chase that never had a chance from the git go……and even if he still does want you to come out knowing he only cut two hairs…then everyone is all good with it because he is compensating you for looking the same as if the deer were dead. The tracker shouldn’t have to goose chase for free and eat the cost of every Hailmary someone slings out there.

Anyways, I’ll stop before I write the War and Peace of tracking. I just think these things should be considered when folks start blasting that stuff out again from other states telling us how tracking is supposed to be and what bad people we are for charging them. The 40 folks in that group and the guys who attend these tracking events are the ones who decide how tracking will be in Alabama. I was caught off guard by those responses that day when I asked the forbidden question about "free". I had no idea that folks were about to come out of the shadows and start flaming my arse with a blowtorch.

I believe if you charge $40 or $50 just to show up and a recovery fee you would most likely get better results. I personally couldn't imagine having someone track for free! Let the ahole find his on deer if he doesn't want to pay.

For years I told hunters "just fuel and tips." Usually worked out fine but there were times when a hunter would really take advantage of that. My average tips grew from $60 to $105 over the last few seasons. I have found that a lot of hunters would rather just be told a set price. What works for me is "$50 minimum, $100 per hour one way travel time. Broken down into 15 minute intervals. Hunters will usually pay more than this. I don't charge a recovery fee because we work harder for the ones that we don't recover. Some folks charge more if they "find" the deer, but then they consider it a "find" if there dog runs out in the woods and jumps a deer. I always like J.J.'s saying "All a tracking team has is their reputation." I will negotiate because I love to work my dogs, the sport and I never want $$ to keep someone from recovering their deer. What's the secret to making a small fortune tracking? Start with a large one!

I agree with you on this. I tracked for more than one person last year that asked me about the payment plan of “free with tips” after having talked to other trackers. I got the same feeling that they would rather just be given a set price up front rather than putting them in limbo about it. I can understand where they’re coming from too. If you leave it open ended like that then it puts folks in a similar situation as if they were negotiating over the payment…… and many, many folks hate negotiating over money. Everyone is free to choose how they operate….but I think it should be just as acceptable, if not more the norm amongst our tracking community to charge a set fee rather than everyone continuing to push the “free but not free” approach. JMO

I lost a good buck a few years ago, waited an hour before I went in, found multiple puddles of blood where he'd lay down but like a genius I kept pushing him instead of backing out. Never found him. Still hurts. I would've happily paid to have someone help me find that deer and you can bet if it happens again I'll be calling a tracker!

Let's get back to the facebook thing. I (and a bunch of other good ole boys) will not be joining facebook for any reason. It's actually a pet peeve of mine when that place is seen as the end all, be all place to have public information.

Where can we see the information?

I will NOT sign up for a facebook.

If Brandon doesn’t want the info copy and pasted here, then I won’t step on his toes and do it. That’s his call on this one. If you guys need info for a certain county though, I’ll be glad to help get you in touch with a tracker.

trackncur……I could be wrong but I don’t recall anyone ever talking about “advertising” at any of the tracking events. I think it would make for a very good topic for someone to discuss at the upcoming event in the spring. Everyone approaches tracking as a hobby and that’s perfectly fine….no issue there….but the principles of getting your name out there for a beginner tracker is just the same as if you were running a business. It seems like most folks are just saying “Hey man I got a dog now.”…..and then expecting the calls to roll in….but that’s not going to happen. You have to put your name is 100 people’s hand to get 1 person to call. That may be a little exaggerated (probably not) but I’m just trying to make a point. I think anyone who has never run a small business would be served well to hear about “how to advertise”. Just a thought on a new topic for the spring event.

Ummm................ Facebook. Is this a trick question?

Face space is the devil!!! I'm just getting started with the whole tracking deal but I'm pumped about it this year. I have a lot of confidence in my dog and I'm chomping at the bit to get on a track. If anyone on here is in the Chelsea / harpersville area and needs a track pm me and I'll give you my phone number . I'll have a baby girl in November so I won't be traveling much.

For all of those not on facebook AON has a list of trackers as well.

H., the calls are gonna come from forums like this, word of mouth, flyers in places where hunters do business and business cards. I advertised in the local paper, hunting regulations book, Fla. Woods and Water and GON/AON apart from the dog list and hardly had a call from any of the paid advertisements. Being referred by others is great advertising.

Once someone gets off the ground after maybe 3-4 years…..word of mouth advertising I would think should take over for most folks enough to keep them busy. It’s those first few years that will require someone to really do some leg work. I tried to cast a very broad net out in the beginning to get Otis as much experience as I could in his first couple years. My focus now though is on saturating the area immediately around me. Long term I would ideally like to stay within just a few county area here close by..... with a core area of 25-30 miles.

I've got a guy up your way that I tracked for twice last year that I'm going to pass off to you this year when he calls back. The dude is great guy, it's just too far for me to travel. He owns a big cattle farm in Fayettville and will be a great person for you to track for. If you are in the area, go in that Chevron and ask for the lady that owns it....that's his sister. I can't remember his name for chit right now.

So you went through all that trouble to round up the list of trackers and come on a hunting website to advertise it, but you have to join a Facebook group, when a lot of us don't and won't have a Facebook profile. Seems kinda dumb not to put the list on here.

10 4 sounds good

Are you on the Facebook list?.....If not, if you'll PM me your info then I’ll give it to him when he calls. I would about bet the farm that he’ll call again this year cause they have a bunch of young kids hunting. Both tracks for him last year was for a kids first deer and we were able to recover both of them.

Pm sent

I think tips and gas.....is cause one thinks he is not gonna get calls and one worries about getting calls. Trackncur...you know over the years especially the last last five years I have a fee of $125.00 to show up within 50 miles. I have sent you on calls and told you what the fee would be and they paid if not more. I understand if one has a young dog (2 years old) not to charge. I have been tracking for a while, this season will be my eleventh year and I get more calls than I can do. I believe in networking and helping new trackers get on tracks....I don`t consider myself the best in the world, but I have good dogs. I`m always willing to help other trackers young and old...ask C N C.

Lets talk a little more bout the fee....last year I went on 140 calls. $125.00 within 50 miles to show up, its more if I have to drive father. I would say that 75% of the calls I went on the hunter gave me a lot more money than I charge. It cost a lot of money to maintain dogs year round, sure I love to watch my dogs work, but you have to take care of your dogs. I just dropped $2100.00 on redoing my dog pens by adding condo`s with air/heat. this is going to make it a lot easier to take care of my dogs.

If I can help any one in regards to tracking let me know I would be glad to help. I track in Georgia and Alabama, I live in Lee County Smiths Station Al. I have tracked all around but it is time to slow down and let some of the younger trackers pick up the load.

Yea, I went through all the trouble... A good bit actually... And yes I did it to help hunters, like myself... BUT--- Since you think it's so DUMB, a bit of info for u and all the people afraid of Facebook for whatever reason.. (Kinda like a liberals point of view since you can have your own reasons for something but mine is "dumb")
Our list is made up of people who track a lot, and people who track a little. Most of them work full time jobs. All of them I have talked to, and they agreed to be put on the list. (THE FACEBOOK LIST) They didn't tell me to put their names and phone numbers in every group, on every page and in all the local bathroom stalls. I call or message every tracker, every season, except for those that are very active in the group. I ask them if they want to continue to be on the list. Most say yes. Some say no. A lot of them make changes to areas they track, etc.... On the hated Facebook, I delete and edit that info, and it's deleted and edited. Here is a scenario for you... If I put it everywhere, their names stay out there with their numbers and 2 years from now when somone needs a tracking dog, good ole Google, (thanks to their numbers being plastered everywhere they didn't consent to), gives the hunter their number and one night at 10pm, they get calls to track a deer for someone. Well guess what, their dog died 2 years ago and now he's still getting calls 2 years later. I fixed it on Facebook, but because you don't want to sign up for it, the list had to be posted up everywhere else just for u... So the big loser is the guy that can't get his number off the Internet to make the calls stop. And you moght say, well why advertise on here....? Because I want to help hunters. You might ask well what about all the stuff you just wrote..? I can control it on Facebook. They agreed to be there. They didn't agree to be everywhere else.... Sorry it's so DUMB. But now you know why it is. Not that I owe you an explanation or anything.

Brandon....I like the Facebook on Alabama tracking. I`m not a Facebook guru but I like to read about what goes on out there. It can be fun and informative to read about whats going on around in Alabama. I like to look at the pictures and how things went down in a track. As I said I don`t consider myself a pro at tracking but I have learned a few things over the years and I would be happy to share to all what I have experienced. I don`t blow a lot of a lot smoke to make myself look good hoping one would want my john henry. What works for me may work good for you but getting ideas form a lot of trackers will help others.

I started out with one dog (puppy) trainded her and it got so I realized I needed another dog. If you have one dog and it gets hurt you can`t help hunters find their deer. I did get another dog trained him..Jake a kimmer curr but will never have a another curr dog...he is a good dog but currs don`t make for a friendly dog around other dogs. After Jake got on his way I got another dog Caroline (female) trained her and she is good as Jake. And a couple of years ago I got two Plott puppies...wrong thing to do and I knew it, its hard to train two puppies at a time (I`m sharing this with you). If you have a dog that is doing pretty good and is 3 years old it would be a good time to get a another puppy...you can train a puppy a lot faster running it with another trained dog. My two plott puppies are doing well now but it was a job rotating them out on every track we went on. I don`t buy a two year old dog that is started, I feel if you get a puppy at 7/8 weeks and bond with it take really good care of it and work with it, show it a lot of love in return...my dogs will hunt their hearts out.

What I just shared is what others need to hear (the facts not BS) and the Facebook page would be a great place for us to learn from. Looking forward to reading your experiences. on Facebook.

It is very easy to create a fake facebook profile and put ZERO information on it or make everything up.
Then use it strictly for hunting related things.

It's even easier to not have anything to do with facebook.

But, when someone tells you there is some information and it's on facebook, don't start whining about where ELSE to find the info. It's on facebook - get your kid or grandkid to look it up for you.

In the end, it’s not on Brandon to post up the info here no more than its his place to put them in AON magazine or in the chitter at your local gas station. I liked that one, that was pretty good…

But seriously, if trackers that are on that list want their names put out there in other media outlets, then it’s really on them to promote their own service. Like I said though, I’ll still help any aldeer member find a tracker when they need one and I’m sure AJ, trackncur, or any of the other guys will too.

Something else to add to the discussion……There are a lot of new people who are getting into tracking now. Be mindful of this when you start cold calling someone who you don’t know. This is by no means meant to put down new guys…heck, I’m still new myself. What I’m saying to everyone is…..instead of waiting until you gut shoot one and then need a tracker….do your homework now and get to know the guy listed for your county or area. If it’s a guy training a puppy and he seems really eager to want to get into tracking, go ahead and start forming a relationship with him now. He may just live 5-10 miles down the road from your hunting land. Let him bring his puppy out to your land when you shoot an easy find and let him work his dog. When the time comes that you do mess up and need someone, then both parties will be in a much better situation for it.

Also, you local guys getting to know the guy in your area will also help vet the folks on the list. There’s only so much that Brandon can do when someone calls him up and wants to be added to the list of trackers. It’s inevitable that there will be guys who decide one day to let ol’rover try to find the deer they just shot and then put their name out there on the tracking lists. That’s not good for the tracking community or the hunters cause your gonna be pissed when you call someone up to find your buck and he shows up with his yard dog……then you’ll start bad mouthing your experience with getting a tracker off the list. Having all of you guys give feedback on people who are just bullchitting will keep the quality better for everyone.

I say that because the GA tracking community is already way ahead of ours in popularity and I see it playing out with those guys. I’ve heard some of the more experienced trackers over there complaining about it on several occasions. Once tracking became more popular, then every Tom, Dick, and Harry with a dog added their name to the list and went out trying to track with dogs they had never really trained. It’s a good thing and a bad thing but it can be managed through testimonials from the public if you guys speak up. If you call a guy and he stands you up and never shows up….let it be known…..If he does a great job, also let it be known. Call these guys and get to know your local tracker now instead of waiting.

Yea i wish skinny would come up with some way to edit posts on here, dont know why he didnt think of that. so your argument dont hold water, that along with your liberal comment further proves my point about you being a dumbasz. I was trying to help you cause i dont need a tracker myself.

Yea. There are "helpful" guys like you in every group. I've made it this far without you. I believe we can carry on the same way... But thx for all the wonderful "help".

i aint the only one on this thread who brought up the FB thing, I'm sure there's quit a few others that feel the same as me who hasn't commented, I wish you good luck all the same, sounds like an interesting website.

Thx. There are several people in the group via their wife or kids accounts like the guy mentioned above. The other trackers in this post and myself will be glad to help, or find help for anyone needing a tracker. You can also go to Unitedbloodtrackers.org. There is a state by state list there as well. It's not as many listed but it would still benefit a lot of people, especially those that have no connection to Facebook.

Thumbs up to Brandon for great job compiling a comprehensive list and making it easily available. Next step is an "Uber" like cell phone app. See who is on duty and in the area, request specific breeds, automatically put fees on cell phone, sky is the limit.

I've always enjoyed learning every thing I can from a track, be it mine or someone else's. Any way that I can read about the tracking stories and every little detail is great. Be it forums,telephone,word of mouth,Facebook,magazine articles, books, TV or smoke signals. Thanx, Brandon.

Wow now that would be cool.

Thanks brandon

Are you referring to Mississippi? As far as the blood trailing networks go we are only second to Mississippi. I didn't know if you were referring to another group in Georgia that I wasn't aware of.

Oh, I wasn’t referring to the Facebook groups specifically….just tracking in general. Georgia has WAY more trackers over there than what we do. It’s growing in popularity here though.

Here you go....check out their forum list. They have around 65 just on this list. Until recently we had like 20-25 maybe.

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=643316

Ok. That's something different. I didn't know that forum existed. (And we actually had more listed last year than his year. I lost 6 this year and only gained about 3-4 new guys)

Mike and I have threads going on there that show some of last year's recoveries in GA. I'm rvick on GON's forum.

Mike and I have threads going on there that show some of last year's recoveries in GA. I'm rvick on GON's forum.

Did they delete your thread over there?

Should be under deer hunting. Tracking dog success on first page. Reba is batting 1000. She just recovered a 6 hr. old gut shot. Hunter said left, she went right, off lead and was laying with her head resting on the deer's neck when we got there. Meat still good. I asked $50 min., he gave me $100.

I'll look again but I think it disappeared.


That's awesome on the track It's dang sure hot out there to be tracking. Are you using your Garmin Alpha with her?

Wonder why they would have deleted it?

They’ve got all kinds of rules over there. It doesn’t seem like it’s nearly as laid back as this forum….don’t do this….don’t do that….you’re using too much bandwith….you’re posting videos wrong…yada, yada….They have a rule that even says you can’t post anything in another language and if you do it must be also be translated…What? Is this a big issue. No entiendo ese.

If I had to guess I bet they deleted because they considered it to be “picture storage”. If they were going to do that though, it looks like they would delete the other tracker’s threads too.

Hey trackncur......Have you started using your Garmin Alpha now to track off lead?

I'm just now starting to introduce Shelby to it. I've been letting her wear it as we go for walks and I'm about to start teaching her what the beep means. I'd like to let her follow me and Otis later in the season.

CNC
You got the birds eye view downloaded on yours, it makes a big difference

Yeah, I downloaded it but don’t use it. I don’t really like it that much. It makes the background so dark that I have a hard time seeing my dog icon and the trail behind it. The pictures are like 10-15 years old too. I just use the basic screen now. It shows the roads and creeks, etc and that’s the main things I need to see. Besides that I just need to be able to see Otis’s icon and trail so I can follow in behind him.

What I would like to have is a recent aerial picture of where I’m about to track. I’ve got a kindle and I’m gonna see if I can’t use it for that purpose. There were several tracks last year where I came back home and looked at Google Earth only to think….Man, I wish I would have known that’s how the land laid when I was there.

I'm using mine, H.,harder to see and operate than the old 220 but the tone/ shock is nice. Agravating to have to lock and unlock screen. I use the Google earth on my phone if needed. When I get home with my Lab she won't let me get her out of the box, snarls and snaps. Gonna have to put a leash on her when we head for home so I can pull her out. Last two trips have just had to leave the door open until she decides to come out. Never seen that before.

Make sure you have your backlight turned all the way up.....I can't see it well without it being on 80-100%. You're ruined now. That old rope will just be collecting dust.

20 year younger eyes would help. That old rope has saved our cases more than once.lol

H., it was deleted because it was considered advertising. All that hard work down the drain. They weren't even gonna tell me about it. I won't waste all that time doing that this year. Really might be nice not to have to drive 12 miles to town and get a librarian to post all those pictures for me. Spend my time tracking instead of bragging. Lol

Well that’s messed up. I can respect the idea of not letting trackers start threads or making them pay if that’s what they choose to do because it really is a form of advertising....but if they were gonna do that then it looks like they would tell everyone what was going on and delete them all. You must have pissed off somebody over there.

I wasn't candy coating anything anymore and..BAM..there went my thread.

What did you say to them RV? You didn't say something about the "free" tracking did you?

I ain't saying chit, H....I'm back on the air. Lol

GON forum put all the dog tracking posts in a sticky at the top of the deer hunting page.

That was a good idea.....

Hey trackncur.......What percentage of live deer would you say most folks recover?

Otis and I dealt with several live deer last year and the ones we successfully bayed and dispatched happened quick, there wasn't a long chase or anything. I don't know if you saw the picture of the foot shot I posted the other day but that deer had also been shot low and back in the guts and it was a back foot that was nearly shot off. When Otis jumped it, it didn't go 60 yards and he had it hemmed up.

I'm just nervous about running these deer. I'm really reluctant to even do it if Otis doesn't bay the deer on the jump like the back foot shot. That's when I feel like I have the highest probability for something to go wrong. I'm thinking that if he isn't hurt bad enough to bay on the jump then that will be where I call it....and either come back later to track it again or chalk it up to one that doesn't get recovered. I realize that this may leave some "on the table" that might could be recovered if you chased them for 1/2 mile or mile....but that's got to be a pretty low recovery rate on those chases, no? I wouldn't be so worried about it we were just talking about a few tracks for friends and family or something of that nature....but if I'm tracking deer after deer for the broader hunting community around me then it seems like a high probability for something to for sure eventually go wrong if I chase all those deer.

Just thinking out loud.

Lots of times we bay and recover right at one mile. Usually if the deer doesn't stop by then it's not going to. I get antsy when my dog is that far out. Been told that I turn into an axe hole. Last week, 90° plus weather, 14 hours old track, Reba grabbed/bayed at 200 yards, ran him several hundred yards, put her up, got Annie, Annie took him 2000 yards, we got a good look at him twice, not hurt, let him go.