Rain during tracking. Tips?

[hunthard4]

Hit the buck I missed on opening day. Looked like a good hit. Found good blood then it started pouring rain. Any tips? How long will the scent last for a dog to track it? I won't give up till I have to. Any advise to appreciated. Thanks guys.

[bigsky]

How far have you tracked him so far Keep that line and get help if it is a good hit even without blood you may still find him I have had most keep to a general direction once hit and moving. How long did you wait after you hit him. If you push him he may stop bleeding and jump and run on you. Good luck

[sakorifle]

Greetings
How long will the scent last, well that is a hard one, more to the question , how good is the dog.
My dogs do not need blood to track, they use foot scent, if need be, then they go onto air scent.
Problem you have over there is in my opinion is silly laws.
If you go in the direction of the deer with your dog on a very long lead with the wind in dogs favour it should pick it up on air scent if it is there.

Remember just because you can not see blood, does not mean a good dog does not know blood is there.
Wish I was over there with Ellie, you would get your deer.
Good luck
Regards

Billy .

[ridgerunner]

Good Luck. You got your work cut out for you..hope you find the buck.

[dbd870]

I'd hire a dog and a good one can retrieve without rain.Good luck with him. I seriously thought about not going out last night just because of the situation you are in. Notice I did go; sometimes it's a borderline decision.

[oldhoyt]

If you made a good hit, and you didn't push the deer too soon, then he's dead within 200 yards or so. I'd be looking for him right now. Just because there's no blood to follow doesn't mean you can't find him. Good luck with it!

[hunthard4]

Thanks guys. I'm heading out now to grid search him. Thanks for tips. Dog may be coming around noon. Tried my dog last night. Not trained but has a good nose. Found some scent after last blood but just didn't seem interested in keeping going in the pouring down rain. I'm planning on searching all day.

[schall53]

Good luck

[Deleted]

Keep us posted.

[Woody Williams]

Oct 12, 2014 20:48:57 GMT -5 hunthard4 said:

Hit the buck I missed on opening day. Looked like a good hit. Found good blood then it started pouring rain. Any tips? How long will the scent last for a dog to track it? I won't give up till I have to. Any advise to appreciated. Thanks guys.

Get buddies out there and do a grid search. Back and forth at a set distance. No just wandering around..

Best of luck to you.. Keep us posted..

[drs]

Oct 12, 2014 20:48:57 GMT -5 hunthard4 said:

Hit the buck I missed on opening day. Looked like a good hit. Found good blood then it started pouring rain. Any tips? How long will the scent last for a dog to track it? I won't give up till I have to. Any advise to appreciated. Thanks guys.

I  shot a Buck back in 2010 (rifle Season), hitting him, he fell and got back up again and ran into a pine thicket.  I waited for 45 minutes and then walked over to where I shot him, seeing only one or two spots of blood.  Long story short; I walked way around & ahead 200 yards into my woods, backtracking to where he might be lying, and working my way back to where I found blood spots.  Well by doing this I walked right up  to him.  He traveled about 75 yards from where I shot him and he was folded-up under some thick growth.  My .308's bullet went right through and between two ribs & nicking the lungs.  The exit bullet hole was not much larger than the enter bullet hole.

You might try this if you haven't recovered him yet.

[salt]

Any idea where you hit him? Check any water sources close by.

[hunthard4]

Thanks guys. I called the nieghbor and he said it was fine to go on his property and look. Walked back to his lake and checked around. Dad and I then grid searched. No luck. Having no idea where he went from the last spot of blood has us confused. Going back out after we eat to search the neighbors property a little further in the flats. There is about an acre or two of standing corn. Could he have ran in there and bedded. The corn field is less than 150 yards from last blood.

[esshup]

Call a tracking dog before you mess up too much more of the scent. If that's not an option, like others have said, do a systematic grid search, no matter what the territory or cover.

[hunthard4]

Don't have access to a dog. Rain washed away everything overnight. Grid searching is what my dad brother and I are going to do again this afternoon.

[drs]

Oct 13, 2014 10:02:22 GMT -5 hunthard4 said:

Thanks guys. I called the nieghbor and he said it was fine to go on his property and look. Walked back to his lake and checked around. Dad and I then grid searched. No luck. Having no idea where he went from the last spot of blood has us confused. Going back out after we eat to search the neighbors property a little further in the flats. There is about an acre or two of standing corn. Could he have ran in there and bedded. The corn field is less than 150 yards from last blood.

Yes, check the corn field.  If you made a good hit he should be < 150 yards from where you shot him. <GOOD LUCK>

[Genesis 27:3]

Good luck! I had the same scenario two years ago. Spent one day tracking with a friend and dog in the rain. Next day was still raining and 5 buddies and I did a grid search, east and west then north and south. Hope your outcome is better than mine....We all feel your pain

[hunthard4]

That's where me and my brother are heading now. Dad is tired and gonna take a break. Thanks for the help everyone!

[hunthard4]

Took my dog out in decent weather and she tracked right to him! Big eight point. Pictures later!

[parrothead]

Now that is a tease.