When you’re out hunting with your dog the last thing you want is for them to lose the trail of a wounded deer. Fortunately with a little bit of training you can teach your dog to track wounded deer so that you can both enjoy a successful hunt. Here’s how to do it:
1. Start by teaching your dog basic obedience commands such as sit stay come and down. This will help to establish a foundation of trust and respect between you and your dog.
2. Next introduce your dog to the scent of deer. You can do this by letting them sniff a deer hide or antlers or even taking them on a walk in an area where deer are known to frequent.
3. Once your dog is familiar with the scent of deer it’s time to start the tracking training. To do this you’ll need to create a scent trail for your dog to follow. You can do this by dragging a deer hide or antlers through the woods or by using a commercial scent attractant designed for dogs.
4. Once you’ve created a scent trail put your dog on a leash and have them follow the trail. As they follow the scent praise them and give them treats so that they associate tracking with positive reinforcement.
5. If your dog is having trouble following the scent try using a longer leash or walking ahead of them so that they can see you and the direction you’re going.
6. Once your dog is successfully following the scent trail you can start to introduce the concept of tracking wounded deer. To do this you’ll need to create a mock “wounded deer” by dragging a deer hide or antlers through the woods with some of your own blood on it.
7. As your dog tracks the mock wounded deer praise them and give them treats. This will help them to associate tracking wounded deer with positive reinforcement.
8. Finally put your dog’s tracking skills to the test by taking them out on a real hunt. If they successfully track and find a wounded deer be sure to praise them enthusiastically so that they know they’ve done a good job.
With a little bit of patience and training you can teach your dog to track wounded deer like a pro. By doing so you’ll be able to enjoy many successful hunts with your furry friend by your side.
How do you train a dog to track wounded deer?
You’ll need to start by teaching your dog the basics of tracking.
This includes teaching them to follow a scent trail an object and read a map.
Once your dog has mastered these skills you can begin teaching them to track wounded deer.
Start by teaching your dog to follow a deer’s blood trail.
You can do this by smearing a small amount of deer blood on a cotton ball and placing it on the ground.
Then have your dog follow the scent to the cotton ball.
As your dog masters this you can increase the amount of blood you use and eventually move on to using real deer blood.
