I have an english setter thats nearly 11 months old. She came from a pheasant/quail line of dogs. Since I don't pheasant hunt (bought her for a companion) I thought I'd take her out after a wounded deer when I shoot one. Well Tuesday night I shot a nice doe quartering away from a steep angle since I was at about fifteen feet and the doe was about 10 yards out. The arrow entered about the kidney area angling forward into the chest. The broadhead never punched an exit hole. The deer crashed off like a race horse and about 70 yards out it hit a standing cornfield and I heard the corn rattling as she ran. After if became quiet I climbed down.
I went home to get Sadie and see what she'd do with no training. Well I guess I need to do some training because she wasn't any help at all. There was no blood trail and we searched up and down the cornfield for blood or the deer. After more than an hour of searching and not wanting to leave her overnight because I knew the arrow had done the job, I expanded my search area. So I thought maybe I'd leave the corn to search the high grass from which she originally came and after about 50 yards I found her. Sadie sniffed her a bit and thats it.
I wanted to save some deer blood in whirlipak bags for training her next spring but I was worn out from all the searching and forgot.
But one plus to having Sadie along,She pulled hard on the way out which I appreciated since I fastened her leash to the deer cart.
Shes really good at being a companion!
Happy Hunting
Dan
