Bucks everywhere

[recurvericky]

Saturday morning started out the same as anyother morning hunt so far in Kansas. I had put out 3 Hunter Specialty doe in Estrus sent wafers and climb into my stand. Then things got interesting. A small 6 pointer came in and my heart was beating 10,000 miles per hour. I MISSED! The buck ran off, so I grunted, snort wheezed and started rattling. I saw another buck coming in from the same direction, but this was a monster. He was checking the air and seemed very interested. As he made his way to one of the scent wafers. I took my time and released, the buck ran off and I thought I had missed, but I could not see my arrow. I again, grunted, snort wheezed and started rattling. Another buck came in a small 8pt, but he did not come in closed enough for a shot. As I was climbing down, another buck, a small 8pt came in and walked by at 45 yds, then moved on. This all happened in about 15 minutes. I found the first arrow that I shot and it was in three pieces. I walked over to where I shot the monster, no arrow and no blood. I then walked over to where I saw him enter an overgrown pasture and picked up the blood trail. The blood trail looked really good and I trailed him for about 350 yds. The blood trail ended as the trail entered another overgrown pastue. After 3 hours of searching I was not able to pick up the trail.

After going home and not being able to get the buck off my mind, I returned to the end of the blood trail with my lab to see if she would pick up the trail. Did not happen. A friend of mine showed up and we search the entire 20 acre pasture and no sign. I have been sick everysince. I will wait a few days and go back to see what the buzzards have found.

Even though I was not able to find my buck, it was one of the most exciting days of hunting I have ever had. Man deer hunting is great and doing it traditional is just icing on the cake.

[DVSHUNTER]

That sucks man, We have all been there.

[KentuckyTJ]

Ouch! Stories like this and my own similar encounters as well and many annually from my fellow hunters have just made me purchase a Jack Russell Terrier puppy. I did some internet searching and found them to do a good job at blood trailing. I've trained many bird dogs in my day so this should be a snap.

Brought her home yesterday. Hopefully if all goes well next season a wounded deer will have little chance getting away from Miss Jenny.

   

[Gaff]

hey tom, i've been wanting to get my daughter a dog. i think you've peaked my curiosity about the jack russell.
im gonna have to do a little research myself.

i wouldnt mind knowing how your gonna train her.
my only experience is w/ coon hounds. and even that is very limited!

gaff

[mn_militia]

Jack Russell's were originally bred to trail Fox.

[ishiwannabe]

The DEC certifed dog trackers, atleast around here, use datschunds(sp?). I had the guy come once, with a wired haired little tyke. Found the deer in ten or fifteen minutes.

I shoot 4x4" parabolics, flourescent lime, with a chartruesse wrap. I always see my arrow now...

Sorry you lost him.

[KentuckyTJ]

Gaff, Articles said you can use any type blood. Start with lots of blood and have a chunk of hot dog at the end of a very short straight trail. Start by leading the dog on a leash to the hot dog. Once they progress you just keep making the trail with less blood and harder to follow.

Thats the short of it. Plenty of good articles on it but from what i've read it sounds like one of the easiest things to teach a dog.

[bretto]

Nice looking pup Tom. I bred My Jack Russel to My Beagle just for this reason. The puppies are 5 1/2 weeks old and just starting to get active in the pen.

I've been wanting a good blood dog and hopefully it will double for Squirrels.

Sorry You couldn't find Your buck Rickey. By this time next year I hope to have a sound blood trailing dog so I can help hunters find their deer.

[KentuckyTJ]

Brett have you trained a tracking dog before? P.M. me if so I think I'm hijacking Rickey's thread here.

T.J.

[Curtiss Cardinal]

I'm not trying to make you feel worse, just offering up some constructive criticism. I think you took up the trail too soon. With an unknown hit location you should have waited at least an hour before taking up the blood trail. Once you determined that you had in fact not missed afterall and found first blood you should have sat quietly and waited an hour and then taken up the trail as quietly as possible. You might possibly have saved yourself a long disappointing trailing job. Even a well placed shot should be given at least a half hour.
There are two obvious and probably a myriad of less obvious reasons you didn't recover the buck. One you pushed it and two it wasn't a fatal shot and only a minor wound like a brisket hit. I hope it was the latter.

[Gehrke145]

My little JR runs blood trails great!  I started her doing hotdog drags in the house.