Important to note that the 'Blueprint/Paumiko' program that
@srvet reccomended is from NZ, they use their dogs in a 'heading/indicating' style which involves the dog following ground and air scent to locate a live deer (larger species, Red/Sika/Fallow) so the hunter/stalker can be aware of the deer's presence in bush cover which is for the most part quite dissimilar to what you find when stalking in the UK. In this situation, the dog walks in front of the shooter/stalker.
Ironically, the deer related use and breeding of dogs in the UK/GB was originally that of flushing the deer from woodland cover and running them down, then holding them (either physically, or 'at bay') till the humans could catch up to dispatch them with a knife. Whilst this style of hunting is still going strong within certain communities, I believe it is illegal (shame, as it's truly 100% lead free!
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What I'd reccomend is training your dog towards tracking wounded/dead (hopefully!) deer, being able to follow the trail of the deer you have stalked and shot. It is most practical to have the dog following you before the shot is made, and tracking only after you give the command to do so.
The Scandinavian and Barvarian countries have a strong tradition of tracking dogs (hence the breeds!) and we are still a fair bit behind them. Most will reccomend the book 'Tracking Dogs for Finding Wounded Deer' by John Jeanneney, which makes it clear who to look towards when developing your dog.
Your dog will need to have these traits (not in order)
-Can walk to heel
-Sit and stay for a reasonable period at distance
-Has recall, something that is essential or else you could lose your dog!
-Not gun shy, does not start whining when the rifle comes up (my stupid lab never makes a sound, but wants to run forward immediately after the shot, yet he knows when I've shot a deer and does not fall for 'training'
, he has improved but often gets a stern reminder!
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-Has a 'switch', using a command like 'find the deer' is a good idea.
Sometimes it will not be practical to use a leash/lead when tracking through extermely thick cover and across obstacles like water, but it has been proven that using a lead where possible helps the dog and handler to stay on task and find the deer more easily.
Another important thing to add, is the owner needs just as much training as the dog. If the shot is a good one, it will often be a routine matter of your dog locating the fallen deer, which often don't make it more than a few meters if the shot is a good one.
However, you need to be able to assess the situation, and determine if your dog is on the trail of the deer you actually shot! This is often a problem when shooting near heavy or dense cover, where the deer can jump back into cover instantly. If there was more than one deer present, 'your' deer could be lying stone dead, unseen in a nearby ditch/culvert, whilst the dog has decided to chase the live ones (more exciting and fun!)
Personally reccomend locating the shot site first before 'releasing the hounds' as you increase the likelyhood of your dog being successful. It is, more often than not, best to reinforce good behaviour with a reward, so a successful find should be 'rewarded' with some offal (only a small amount!). Remember that you are rewarding behaviour and not the results. It's often not the dog's fault if the deer cannot be located, which is an undesirable but not uncommon situation.
Try and make sure that the first deer your dog finds is a dead one. Might be worth buying a carcass or asking for a condemned (gut shot) one off a local stalker for this exercise. Let the dog 'investigate' the deer and encourage interest with verbal and physical engagement.
Some breeds will be of a disposition to start eating the carcass, so this must be watched carefully. If you start your dog on smaller deer, don't be surprised if they are a bit intimidated by larger deer species. With encouragement they will eventually engage (helps if there is a reward!)
Good luck!
