Originally Posted by johnv
My last three tracks have been on live deer that crossed multiple properties before we finally couldn't get permission anymore. Been a ruff year for us with only 8 recoveries so far. Tracked one in New Hope last week that the guys pushed hard before calling me. It had rained all night and we found one small chunk of meat with some blood on it about 1.7 miles from where he was shot. He finally went off into a swamp we couldn't get permission to go in and duck hunters were in it anyway. Tracked one for a 7 year old boy shot with a crossbow in Crossville Monday. Only white hair where he hit her then a few specks of blood about 150 yards away. 300 yards in I found a puddle where she stood for awhile. Followed her a across two growed up fields and into a creek bottom with no more sign. That little boy got upset and started crying when his dad told him she was alive and he shot her to low. First time that's happened to me and it sucked seeming him so upset



Like TDog93 said hang in there......Tracking makes me feel bi-polar.......I go from loving it to saying that I'm hanging it up about once a week.....It definitely has its highs and lows.....Dealing with dogs can make it frustrating or wonderful too.......Otis went from being a great tracking dog to nearly worthless over the last couple of years. It started when my lab Shelby started getting older. I dont know if he decided he was just gonna let her find the deer from then on and he was being lazy or if it was something to do with pride but he just started shutting down more and more until I was about ready to retire him. He perked back up some at the first of this season after Shelby got killed and a new puppy was behind him again. She has progressed quickly though and he's once again reverting to doing the same thing....He's gotten to where he just wants to come get behind me and stay with me and the hunters instead of searching......


The other day he started it and I had my fill of it......I had tried zapping him with the collar before to make him "go" (a command he knows).....but I got up to an 8 and he was just sitting there taking it like a stubborn mule.....I guess I felt sorry for him and didnt go any higher.....Well, this day was different......Something was gonna give this day or it was gonna be his last hunting trip.....I hit him with a 6......nothing......then an 8.....same thing just jittering and taking it........By God when I went to a 10 the whole world changed for Otis.......He shot out from under my feet like he had flames coming out of his arse.....He got out there at about 100-150 yards and went to hunting like hell. He's been a completely different dog every since. It's like it lit a fire in under him. He's even become dominant over Ruby at home where as he was already showing subordinate tendencies again like he did with Shelby. I saw him go snap at her and just take a bone from her the other day. He's amped up ready to go hunting too.....I had to go pry him out of a wood pile trying to dig for a chipmunk......I sure wish I could put these collars on my kids. grin

Last edited by CNC; 12/24/20 09:36 AM.