Breed for wounded bear"s

[chris lavoie]

When bait hunting what's your choice for tracking a wounded bruin?? What keeps a hound from chasing a live bear that's in the area of the bait, when the wounded bear is laying outthere somewhere. Don't want a chase in the middle of a blood track job!! I have been tracking hit bear's myself usually on my hands and knee's. I had too many close calls.

[mefishme1234]

theres a site about tracking wounded game.. google "blood tracking dogs" I have a book somewhere about that too I have read. Check ur regulations on tracking dogs. here in maine I have to have them leashed..

[macedonia mule man]

I would use either a large rat terrier, maby a small Airedale. Airedale has more hair and might take cold weather better. Either one will do good and are easy to keep.

[Ridgebacks]

I use a German shepherd for blood-tracking deer. In NYS, b/t dogs also need to be leashed. You have to train the dog to hit on blood only. Otherwise you may just end up chasing live quarry. Not sure if you are wanting the dog to go in on the bear (I assume not), so a less gritty breed like a lab might work best. Right now wire-haired dachsunds seem to be the breed of choice for many blood trackers.

[chris lavoie]

Long time ago (1983) we tried tracking a wounded bear with a white hollow plott of Gene's, dogs name was Clyde. Would have used Springer but she was resting from a hunt the day before. Clyde was a big male, springer a small female.
Bait was hit since the hunter took the shot, so we had to keep Clyde on a leash. Gene had me hold the leash as Clyde followed the blood trail. Problem was where ever the bear went Clyde followed ( I know what I just said sounds dumb but I really wasn't expecting what was about to happen even though I should've known). Never tracked a wounded bear with a hound before. Clyde was crawling under dead falls and the like dragging me behind. At the crucial part of the tracking job, as clyde came up from under a dead fall, Clyde jumped the hit bear. I was just getting to my feet as I had to go under the log too. I made a mistake and wrapped the leather leash around my wrist before tracking. Clyde lurched at the bear, slamming me to the ground as I wasn't ready for the bear to jump up. Gene was right behind me yelling at me to get me to let Clyde off the leash. I did and the chase only lasted about a minute.
I was on the fight first, Gene right behind. Hunter with the gun was WAY behind us. Finally the hunter caught up to us with the rifle, out of breath. Gene took the rifle from him and dispatched the bear. It was an experience I will always remember!!

[Ridgebacks]

Chris, that's why dachsunds are popular! Blood trackers should be following the exact trail. If you have a long enough line, you can sometimes drop it and pick it up on the other side of the brush. Sometimes!

[chris lavoie]

In August 2006 me and the other guide (Brad) got a call to track a wounded bear. It was at the time of day where if you were out in the open you could see fine but in the bush it was darkish but still legal shooting. We had a lantern and the hunters bow as back up.
I was following the blood trail on my hands and knees, Brad was holding the lantern. The blood trail looked very promising. After about 8 minutes I saw the bear laying there alive. I got Brad to hold the lantern beside me ( Less than a metre from the bear). I had the hunter look for a good shot placement but a dead stump was in the way.
I got REAL close to the bear and kicked the stump to get it out of the way for a the shot. As I kicked it my foot went straight through the stump ( it was rotten) and landed mid section of the bear. I saw the bear lurch at me but some small saplings kept him from twisting and grabbing me. As I fell I yelled and the lights went out. Brad and the hunter took off leaving me crawling away on my hands and knees in the dark, yelling for some light. I covered ground pretty fast!! I did not know it but the bear couldn't move, thank god. The hunters called me out to the road and we waited for a few hours. Karma tried to get me!!

[Tbblue]

For blood tracking deer we use a jadgterrier . I have a buddy that uses 1 also n 1 that uses a dachshund . I have tracked wounded bait shot bear with my hounds a couple times but they're trackin sent not blood n won't do it again , will use a blood dog. We have 100% recovery with the jag. Even 1 in a pond over 2 mile track.

[chris lavoie]

Never would have thought of a Dachshunds. Thanks for the response.

[Jake Bell]

i have a jack russel cross, just a farm dog, but ive used him to track wounded critters a couple times. a freind of mine has a wired hair dachshund, paid big bucks for it (already trained to recover game) he just loves the miserable little shit. Wounded bears sure do get the heart pumping! killed a couple at my feet, definitely requires a cigarette afterwards. If i were to get a dog just to track wounded game i think i would go with a dachsund or jagdterrier, i had a jagd for a while, loved that dog to death but far to gritty for anyones bennifet, lost her to a porcupine easter monday 7 years ago. she had an amazing nose and was 25 pounds of hunting machine she'd kill a coon quicker than ANY dog ive seen tangle with one and surprisingly enough she was an awesome house dog?? you'd hardly know she was inside.