Sometimes no matter how good a shot we are mistakes happen whilst stalking and something may cause our point of aim to be off by some degree. This can end up with a wounded animal that may just drop within a few yards or continue on for some considerable distance.
It is our responsibility as a stalker to ensure that the suffering of such an animal is kept to a bare minimum, and that the wounded animal be humanely dispatched as soon as possible.
Tracking and following a wounded deer even in daylight can be difficult especially in thick cover and more so at the end of the day when the light is rapidly fading.
This situation is where a trained dog comes in useful. You may have one yourself or have a friend who can help which is great, as often any dog is better than none at all. However it is worth remembering that if it is a gundog they generally work with 'hot' fresh air scent and deer trackers can work with 'hot' or 'cold' ground scent, sometimes up to 48 hours old or more! I mention this because as many experienced stalkers know, depending on the placement of the shot it can be best to leave the following up of a wounded or injured animal several hours, even overnight. During this time the animal will generally settle down into a wound bed making it easier for the tracking team to find. Failure to do this will often lead to the wounded animal being 'pushed' on, often creating other problems such as going over your boundary or onto roads etc.
So what do you do if you do not own such a dog or have access to one. The answer is simple. We offer a free deer tracking service using a trained and certified deer tracking dog covering most of East Anglia. All we ask in exchange is a contribution to our fuel costs. We offer 100% confidentiality and we are not there to judge or criticise you, but just to try and help you find the wounded animal as quickly as possible. Please remember that we will always try our best but cannot always guarantee a find.
What do you do next: Take a note of our number: 07775 694508 or scan the code and keep it in your mobile phone.