Dangerous game & tracking dogs

[mark-hunter]

Dear all,

After reading many of the accounts on dangerous game hunting in Africa, even when this included a wounded animal charging on the end, I never noticed that the dogs for tracking are used.

I could not find any reference on the forum for this particular point, so I opened the separate thread.

Why not?
Using dogs for tracking wounded buffalo, for example is illegal in some/all countries?

It could possibly save some lives, if dogs could find a wounded DG in the bush, and give advanced info on location?

 

[Proneshooter]

Mark,
I believe dogs are often used to help locate wounded animals in Africa.

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

hi there

my experience on this

a well trained tracking(blood) dog is invaluable
we have one at Tallyho (cross breed, weimeraner, blue tick, GSP) and he is an amazing tracking dog. he will bay any dangerous or plains game, we try use him when necessary and when possible for him to succeed. no use putting him on blood that is hours old on 30 deg c day. but fresh blood he is effective around 90% of the time, he find the animals quickly and bay them well
its then up to the PH and or client to get through the thick bush quickly and shoot the animal without shooting the dog

a dog thats not well trained and ineffective is a menace at best, keep him in camp as a campfire companion, out in the bush he is just in the way and a pain in the ass.

 

[Hunter4752001]

On my 2014 hunt, my PH used a tracking dog. It was specifically trained to only follow a blood trail and ignore all other scents. Different training emphasis to typical gun dogs/pointers.