[caresut]

Hello, I have started a webpage to promote the use of
Leashed tracking dogs for finding wounded deer in the state
of Oklahoma. It is currently Illegal.
The website is huntok.net and then click under Oklahoma Deer
recovery. I have also started a poll on the huntok.net message board to
get some feedback on what other Oklahomans think about this
method of finding wounded deer. I am very interested in the
laws of our state and how they apply to hunting and fishing.
Feedback is welcome and I hope to get more information
on the website about tracking dogs in the very near future.
Also, I am training a tracking dog. I live in the OKC area and would be
interested in getting together with other people with tracking dogs.
to work artificial lines and share information.
Thank you,

Carey Sutterfield

 

[caresut]

Thanks to everyone for the great input so far.
The big obstacles to changing this regulation have been
brought out in this post.
How do we keep people from using tracking dogs to
chase deer for hunting purposes? A tracking dog
is no good at all if it will track a healthy deer.
This makes some kind of licensing procedure or
game warden notification a good compromise.
Some states require a tracking dog handler test
to become licensed. This makes sense but would
be an added cost and would be hard to sell.
Game warden notification seems like the logical way to
go but not sure how all of the game wardens would feel about it?
I do not think many handlers of tracking dogs are out to make a profit.
Most of us just enjoy using our dog and would just appreciate
an offer to pay for the gas. Even using a dog, most experienced
handlers only have 30 to 40% success rate. This is due to being
called on marginal hits where the deer will survive and also to being
called after the trail has been trampled over by the hunter.
Again, thanks for the support and the input.

Carey