Dobre.Butelka

New Member
Hello! Creating this thread to share Telka's adventures as we prepare for our first season of tracking wounded large game in NY state.

I'm Angie & Telka is a female standard smooth dachshund from European lines - shorter back and longer legs than the American bred variety which helps with her versatility in the field. She just turned 4 years old, yesterday, on August 25th. We like to keep busy so we also successfully compete in AKC field trials, earthdog, agility, lure coursing as well as Barn Hunt and Nose Work. She has been hunting rabbit since she was old enough to run with the pack; around 10 weeks was her first rabbit hunt. While we lived in the Portland, OR area (sadly wounded game tracking is not legal, yet) we trained for over a year towards becoming certified in Search & Rescue HRD. Before being able to test for our certification, we moved to Ft. Drum, NY where my husband is currently stationed in the Army. Looking for a new outlet, when not rabbit hunting, we came across wounded large game tracking. It has been a whirlwind of a year!

June 3rd, 2016 we (to my total surprise) passed the NATC's 20-hour blood tracking test. The test was a minimum of 1,000 meters long, with 3 wound beds, minimum of 20-hours aged and with 8oz of deer blood. No deer scenting shoes were used. There was steady wind gusts overnight, fair amount of rain and several game tracks noted while on the track. It was my first ever attempt at taking a test like this. This was a total boost in confidence, and pride, in all that Telka can accomplish if I believe in my dog.

Being a dachshund, our main focus is hunting and tracking and she sure does love a good adventure. Excited for this season to start up here in the North Country.
 

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How do Telka avoid getting side tracked on rabbits if she is trailing a deer? It just seems a natural complication.

Looking forward to Telka's success and stories.
 
Surprisingly enough, she's good about sticking with the task that I ask of her. Just like with other tracking dogs and dealing with the distraction of live deer scent or live deer within sight, the blood trail and scent of a dying deer means there is an excellent chance of instant gratification. Part is the dog's willingness to do as asked and part is knowing which track leads to the easiest reward, usually the one that's bleeding.
 
Do you have different commands depending on the task at hand?

Has she ever hit a blood trail when running rabbits and followed it?

You will have fun running hare in NY, it's a blast.
 
We still use the same command, "Hunt 'em up!" but her gear is totally different. When tracking large game she has the long lead and collar. Rabbit hunting varies if we're out for fun or competition. For fun, she's naked so she doesn't get hung up in brier patches and competition is a collar on a short release line of 550 chord. My energy is totally different as well.

Plus, if I ask her to search a specific scent, she knows that is the main objective. Like with all dogs, she can get side tracked but will go back to the original line. We train in areas that have active rabbit and other small vermin populations. There have been several times where she'll spot a rabbit or ground hog not too far from us, think about it, then go back to her original track. Maturity helps tremendously!

Honestly, haven't come across a blood trail while she was out hunting rabbit. I presume though she'd stick with rabbit if that's why we're out. When we lived on the west coast, our breeder was close by so several of us would get together and have a pack anywhere from 10-15 dachshunds covering several acres concurrently.
 
Glad to see you here, Angie! I have a feeling we'll both be busy this season. It's going to be nice having you over in that area. I gave your name out once already......a guy at the hunter safety course Luna and I made a presentation at is from your area.
 
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