ORIGINAL: Phil from Maine
You should check out Weimaraner's. tracking wounded/dead deer. They are supposed to be very good dogs for this and also very good bird dogs.
I think any dog with a good nose can find wounded deer if trained to. But, I would never be teaching my bird dog to do this. As, I wouldn't want my bird dog looking for deer instead of birds. That's my 2 cents worth.
The dogs are trained to follow a blood trail NOT to be searching for a hot deer track to chase. The Continental breeds have been doing bird work, fur work, and blood tracking for a couple of hundred years or more.
It can be done with the right trainer and the right dog.