What do you do with your deer dogs?

[Hawshill]

I have trained and worked many gundogs over the years for beating, picking up, walked up shooting and some trialling. Each of these could’ve been out in the field for anything from 10-50 days during the season, doing the job they were trained to do.
I also have trained a few teckels for deer work (tracking blood trails) but always describe it to people that it’s a job you train them for but don’t want to use them for. Of course, things do go wrong and they are deployed occasionally for a follow up but it’s probably counted in hours per season.
So just wondering what other owners of deer dogs do with their charges? Mind (3 of them) are companion animals, coming to work with me most days and enjoy a fairly active life. One of them comes stalking with me at heal and enjoys ‘finding’ the deer at the end of a successful stalk. What do you do with yours?

 

[aboynamedjim]

I've trained mine to find black truffles in winter and about to start on retrieving as want to get into pigeon shooting this summer. She is a Lagotto Romagnolo and very keen to use her nose!

 

[Tyla]

I like an all purpose dog. I don't bother with cold tracking any more particularly as my stalking buddy has a dog who loves it. My dog comes stalking with me, indicates deer, sits under a seat and finds dead deer in cover. She will also retrieve birds, go ratting with a rat pack and retrieve foxes. She's also my buddy and comes with me most places. I keep meaning to train her to track better but it's too easy to just call my buddy

 

[LarryLightFoot]

My boy is always by my side, dual purpose Deer dog, indicates, sits under a high seat, sits by the sticks when deployed for the shot and loves to track, we’ve been accepted onto the UKDTR mentoring scheme so have been working/training for the three hour cold trail test . More importantly he’s my wee man and very much loved and part of the family .
He’s not impressed that it’s Fallow off season with only the occasional Roe Buck at the moment, still not long now .

 

[Hawshill]

Good to hear that we all seem to enjoy having our deer dogs about the place rather than just having them for the (hopefully) rare blood track.
I’ve been out for an hour with Buster,,my 5 year old teckel dog. He doesn’t really have much of a purpose when stalking,,he will find the occasional deer that I’ve miss-marked the fall site of, but his presence does enhance my outings v

 

[wytonpjs]

Good to hear that we all seem to enjoy having our deer dogs about the place rather than just having them for the (hopefully) rare blood track.
I’ve been out for an hour with Buster,,my 5 year old teckel dog. He doesn’t really have much of a purpose when stalking,,he will find the occasional deer that I’ve miss-marked the fall site of, but his presence does enhance my outings v

Out with my Teckel and eldest Vizsla last night stalking, both similarly unimpressed that we are in the summer fallow interregnum. Indeed, at one stage, the Teckel was more interested in playing football with the land owner than stalking I always work them on to every deer shot, just in case the next one is a “lost” deer but that is so thankfully few and far between that frankly, they are there more for the companionship of the hunt. I love watching the differences between them with the Teckel invariably wanting to follow the deer ground trails and the Vizsla air scenting deer I’ve yet to spot. Adds a dynamic that I would miss now on my outings.

Got into 23m on this fallow last night - roll on August.

 

[LarryLightFoot]

My boy is always by my side, dual purpose Deer dog, indicates, sits under a high seat, sits by the sticks when deployed for the shot and loves to track, we’ve been accepted onto the UKDTR mentoring scheme so have been working/training for the three hour cold trail test . More importantly he’s my wee man and very much loved and part of the family .
He’s not impressed that it’s Fallow off season with only the occasional Roe Buck at the moment, still not long now .

My boy is always by my side, dual purpose Deer dog, indicates, sits under a high seat, sits by the sticks when deployed for the shot and loves to track, we’ve been accepted onto the UKDTR mentoring scheme so have been working/training for the three hour cold trail test . More importantly he’s my wee man and very much loved and part of the family .
He’s not impressed that it’s Fallow off season with only the occasional Roe Buck at the moment, still not long now .

 

[foxinmad]

My GWP is always with me when stalking, sits by my side and winds deer for me, finds them, works foxes also.
Lives in and out the kennels and she is a great companion, wouldn't want to be without her.

 

[Terrydeer]

Out with my Teckel and eldest Vizsla last night stalking, both similarly unimpressed that we are in the summer fallow interregnum. Indeed, at one stage, the Teckel was more interested in playing football with the land owner than stalking I always work them on to every deer shot, just in case the next one is a “lost” deer but that is so thankfully few and far between that frankly, they are there more for the companionship of the hunt. I love watching the differences between them with the Teckel invariably wanting to follow the deer ground trails and the Vizsla air scenting deer I’ve yet to spot. Adds a dynamic that I would miss now on my outings.

Got into 23m on this fallow last night - roll on August.

View attachment 423132

They know they are safe, built in calendar

 

[LarryLightFoot]

Out with my Teckel and eldest Vizsla last night stalking, both similarly unimpressed that we are in the summer fallow interregnum. Indeed, at one stage, the Teckel was more interested in playing football with the land owner than stalking I always work them on to every deer shot, just in case the next one is a “lost” deer but that is so thankfully few and far between that frankly, they are there more for the companionship of the hunt. I love watching the differences between them with the Teckel invariably wanting to follow the deer ground trails and the Vizsla air scenting deer I’ve yet to spot. Adds a dynamic that I would miss now on my outings.

Got into 23m on this fallow last night - roll on August.

View attachment 423132

The other Sunday evening was a blank on Roe Bucks but we stalked into a group of 14 Fallow Doe’s purely for the stalk and to watch his level of steadiness which was spot on, likewise roll on August

 

[Hawshill]

Buster ‘guarding’ a fallow doe (Nov ‘24) from some inquisitive Exmoor ponies.

 

[Hawshill]

Buster ‘guarding’ a fallow doe (Nov ‘24) from some inquisitive Exmoor ponies.

 

[th32]

For many years I have stalked with Lucky, a teckel/jadgterrier cross. She was my first dog and I put her to early to stalk with me. She would ocasionally run after deer so always on the lead. She was also trained for cold tracks but as already mentioned in this thread, not much of this kind of work in her life. She was a great rough shooting dog. Now, over 14y old and retired. We spent conuntless days with the rifle or shotgun togheter.

I´ve been given a 3y old epagneul breton, who was rarely used for rough shooting. So calm and obedient since the first day with me, March 21st, that I´m training him for indicating deer, basically obedience. First outing last week and we will carry on this evening. So far so good, trying not to go too fast this time.

 

[brian82]

I like an all purpose dog. I don't bother with cold tracking any more particularly as my stalking buddy has a dog who loves it. My dog comes stalking with me, indicates deer, sits under a seat and finds dead deer in cover. She will also retrieve birds, go ratting with a rat pack and retrieve foxes. She's also my buddy and comes with me most places. I keep meaning to train her to track better but it's too easy to just call my buddy

What type of dog do you have?

 

[Tyla]

What type of dog do you have?

 

[Tyla]

Bit of a mongrel

 

[slider]

Companion dog, black lab, loves stalking and walks quietly along side me. Loves to find shot deer but generally does this by running around like a loony until she trips over the carcass.......

 

[Rhodesianjess]

Bit of a mongrel

Handsome is as handsome does.
Mongrels sometimes the best, hybrid first vigour at work.

 

[hoodwink]

GWP, she would come out with me every time regardless of highseat or stalking, she would walk behind me, the indicating got a bit much earlier in her career, so i had her follow me, that worked for us.
She would sit under the highseat Deer would come and sniff her, hares would walk past she wouldn’t move at all, i would swear she didnt even blink, she would only go if i told her to.
I would also use her for beating i dont think she would leave a pheasant in cover, but pretty hopeless at retrieving pheasant.
She retired last year, she decided she didnt want to come out, now she cant see so well, and is a bit senile and incontinent, but she seems happy.
The dilemma what to do next, whatever it is it wont be for a while.

 

[Rum ol' thing]

Lab x JR, accidental cross but turned out a cracking dog. Nice to have a buddy when you're stalking and she's happy to sit under a high seat or walk to heel. Nice to know they are there if things go wrong and it would feel strange not taking her. If you love dogs why would you not have a stalking buddy?