Wirehaired
Dachshund

Beagle

Bloodhound

The Deer Search project began with one German Wirehaired Dachshund descended from hunting stock used for tracking purposes in Germany. As the program expanded the Dachshund continued to predominate, but we have very effective Deutsch Drahthaars, Labrador and Golden Retrievers, a Southern Black Mouth Cur, a Beagle, a Basset Hound and several Bloodhounds. Whether you use a large  dog like a Lab or a small dog like a Dachshund is a matter of personal preference. What is essential is a dog with a good nose, intelligence and a desire to please the handler. The dogs must learn to track scent lines of wounded deer, which are a day or more old, and they must ignore the fresher scent of healthy deer which have recently passed.   

In Europe Dachshunds, Jagdtterriers and all of the continental pointing breeds are used for tracking wounded deer and wild boar. In addition the Germans  use two breeds, the Hanoverian Bloodhound and the Bavarian Mountain Bloodhound, which specialize in this type of tracking work.    

Deutsch
Drahthaar

Smooth
Dachshund

Labrador 
Retriever

Southern Black Mouth Cur

Basset Hound

Dachsbracke

German Jagdterrier