Deer dogs

Hi every body,
does anyone else use this site for the deer dog side of it?
Any one with any advise on training deer dogs?
What breed of dogs do you use?
Is there any one out ther that just tracks and doesn't shoot?
 
Thanks John
I run a chocolate lab mainly but I have 6 training them all is hard work, but enjoyable, wish I could do it full time..
Thanks agian Sue
 
Try the Bavarian mountian hound society. I've got one and she's a natural relatively easy to train and love to work. Nice dog around the house to.
 
Sue
i do shoot but also like to track
i hav a black lab bitch
here are a couple of clips from when she was just getting into her own
first clip Sika is off a lead, tracking a warm scent with a swirling breaze

as we drew nearer to the dead deer , she got a bit excited , so on went the tracking lead for a little control
as for some reason she had one on her , but she is still a little young


Sika is regulary doing 24 hour old trails of 400+ yards
 
Hi
I uesd to use a cocker but if you did not keep an eye on him he used to chase live deer I now have a large black lab, on a blood trail he works like a bloodhound and if I'm shooting Roe he goes and retrieves them.
 
Hi Edgevale,

I have a 4-yr old lab bitch who has two full season's picking-up on local pheasant shoots under her belt and I am now just about ready to take her stalking, following the example of an old and wise friend who has trained several good stalking dogs. Story so far:

Lots of steadiness training while picking-up, so she sits or lies still when lots is going on around her.

Plenty of walks where there are deer. Never let her chase them but you will often see them when she doesn't (because you can see a lot further). When that happens, let the deer move away and then send the dog out downwind. When she crosses their scent line, stop her with the whistle and send her on up the scent line (usually with a hand signal). Watch her back end: when her tail starts going in a circle, rather than "wagging", she is on the scent line. Let her follow it up, then stop her, walk up to her and give her lots of praise.

Take her on the range (ie whatever bit of field you zero in). Sit her up about 30 yards behind (if this is her first exposure to HV ammo) and go and fiddle around with your rifle, changing positions etc but don't shoot. If you are firing anything with a real crack, use a Mod!

Go back a few times and reassure her, then return to your firing position and fire a shot. Immediately check that she is steady - if not, take her back, reassure her and settle her again. No shouting, bad temper etc!!!

Once she will sit there happily while you fire a group, bring her closer, a bit at a time, until she is lying just behind and off to one side.

Go out in the woods for lots of lovely walks. Keep her in to heel and stop every while for 10 minutes, keeping her lying just behind and off to the side. Carry your rifle and stick whenever you can. Let her get used to you stopping and glassing etc as you go. Don't forget that the last bit of crust off that pork pie is hers ...

Finally, go out with rifle and dog, find a good position and make her wait for a while before taking a couple of shots into a backstop. Then take her on with you and take a few shots off sticks into a safe backstop etc. Do this regularly.

That's where I have got to now - she was already very steady after her picking-up seasons and I have simply tried to build on that. She has responded very well and I am now pretty confident that she is ready to stalk with me. It's the steadiness that counts, as well as being able to send her out, stop her and then put her up the scent line - just basic field dog skills, really. Oh - and if your dog whines or barks, forget it!

I'll let you know (shortly!) how we get on!

Graeme
 
HI thanks every one, some interesting tips there, which I will have a crack at, I think I really must get on with the shooting side of things I guess... My dog is very good at trackingbut unforunatley he is very fast and exuberant, its more like paddock sking at the moment, but hey ho, well get there i'm sure and if we dont we'll have great fun trying,,, watch this space :p
Sue
 
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