Supaarcher, you ask about other breeds. If you will look on page 81 and 82 you will find information on the Bavarian Mountain Hound. My dad and myself have a total of 3 at this time. There are about a dozen in this country at this time. This is a breed for someone who plans on taking 15-20 or more calls a year. These dogs like to be worked in fact this is all the are breed to do. If you are just wanting to track a few deer a year then I would advise you to get some other type of dog. At this time there are no breeders in the U.S. with dogs of breeding age. The only way to get one is to import them and that will cost you between $1200 and $1500 depending on what counrty you are getting them from. We are about 10 months to a year from starting our breeding program. We do have contacts in a couple of counrties that can get a dog if some one is interested.
BobCo has been right on with his information. I am in the south and only train about once a month in the summer and at night due to the heat. As it get closer to hunting season I start laying out more blood trails and harder and longer lines. I track with a tracking collar and a 30' leed rope. I would never let my dog run free to track a deer, to many people in the woods and I would be afraid someone might just shot her. I either use a syringe to lay little drops of blood or us a spounge on the end of a stick to dab blood on the ground. I us 1 cup of blood over 1800 to 3000 feet long lines. I will age the line any were from 4-8hrs in the summer to 12-24hrs as the weather starts getting cooler, and I do this year round to keep her in great form. I leave a deer leg at the end of the line as a reward.
I read on here were someone said they could make some money not really. I charge $1 per mile one way and another $20 if the deer is found. We can do that here in the south. With the time that you have spent training , vet bills, food, and the time that you actually track, you are not making money just covering SOME of your cost.
Good luck on what ever breed of dog you end up with.