ThinkingAfield.org

Joe Reynolds’ fine muzzleloader buck with tracking dog, Reese

By Glen Wunderlich

No ethical sportsman wants to lose big game after the shot. In fact, it is the hunter’s responsibility and obligation to make every effort to recover game animals that have been shot, or to make every attempt to determine, if in fact, an animal has been shot at all. Yet, over a dozen states prohibit the use of the most refined search “tool” available to them: tracking dogs.

As contradictory as it may seem, a dozen or so states, do not allow any attempts to retrieve deer with dogs. Instead of writing laws to manage wildlife resources better, such states have all-encompassing laws under the guise of keeping unscrupulous persons from “running” deer or actually hunting them with dogs; however, this means that recoverable deer will go to waste in some instances. These states don’t have to reinvent the wheel to get on board with a more sensible approach to this dilemma.

Consider Michigan’s law: It is illegal to make use of a dog in hunting deer or elk except that a dog may be used to locate a down or mortally wounded deer or elk, if the dog is kept on a leash and those in attendance do not possess a firearm, crossbow, or bow. Exception: If accompanied by a licensed dog tracker, a hunter may possess a firearm, a cocked crossbow, or a bow with nocked arrow, only at the time and point of kill.

If the tracking is done at night, artificial lights ordinarily carried in the hand, or on the person, may be used. A dog that barks while tracking the deer shall not be used on public lands. A licensed deer, elk, or bear hunter, if accompanied by a certified dog tracker, shall not have a live round in the chamber, a cocked crossbow, or a bow with a nocked arrow, except at the time and point of kill of the wounded deer, elk, or bear.

If a hunter hires a certified dog tracker to recover game, other requirements relative to notifying the DNR must be met so that law enforcement knows the effort is taking place. That way, if someone contacts them about what they believe may be an illegal hunting operation after hours – dogs, lights, even gunshots – officials have the facts at hand and are able to calm potential conflicts.

On the other hand, if a hunter has an uncertified dog and wants to track a deer, he can do so, as long as he is not carrying a firearm or bow on the retrieving effort and keeps the dog on a leash. This provision eliminates nighttime shooting of any kind, which is illegal under the hunting regulations for deer – again, unless certified trackers are employed.

Personally, I have had the pleasure of recovering several deer with dogs over the years. The first episode was with an untested Labrador retriever, who found my fatally shot deer within minutes, after my hunting partner and I couldn’t do it in hours.

Since then, several other dogs have been used with success. This past season, Reese – a dachshund/beagle mix – located a whitetail deer in the dense cover of high grass along a creek, when we had found no clues prior to calling in the dog.

I’ve yet to hear of any complications with Michigan’s dog-tracking law. Those states with blanket prohibitions against the use of dogs for tracking game, can take a lesson from the forward-thinking majority of states like Michigan. There is a right way to do it opposed to the wrong way of not doing it at all.