Major Deer Tracking

06/04/2026

Raven Tracking Update – 06/03/26

White line: 3‑day‑old used line from another team
Green: Garmin laid track
Pink: Raven (TT25 collar)

Raven worked a 490-yard track aged out to 27 hours, all hoof. This one was a blast to watch.
Most of the track ran through 3-foot-tall grass that was well over her back. At times, I could barely see her, but watching her methodically sift through the grass and hunt for scent was impressive.
The track included two thermal bowls, a used line, and countless deer trails. Nothing overly extreme, but it provided a great learning opportunity for her as she continues to develop.
We’re focused on making every track better than the last—and this one was a solid step forward.

06/01/2026

This is what happens when you're walking three bloodhounds and someone yanks the dinner bell, sending them into total chaos with me spinning around trying to restore some semblance of order.

05/31/2026

We had the pleasure of attending the 3rd Annual Illinois Deer Trackers Haven event this weekend, and it did not disappoint. Organized by an incredible group of people, the event brought together a large crowd of dedicated trackers, supporters, and friends from across the region.

The weekend offered a perfect blend of entertainment, fellowship, and outstanding food, including the famous Amish Beachy home-cooked meals that everyone looks forward to. We truly enjoyed reconnecting with familiar tracking teams, meeting new friends, and sharing stories with fellow dog handlers and trackers.

One of the highlights was gathering for a group photo with all of the Doc/Jewel pups that were in attendance. Seeing these dogs and their handlers together was something special.

A huge thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make this event possible. This is truly a one-of-a-kind gathering, and the Illinois Deer Tracking Network should be incredibly proud of what they have built. The camaraderie within the IDTN is remarkable, and it’s clear that as a network they are more than just fellow trackers—they are family, always willing to help and support one another.

We are already looking forward to next year!
Illinois Deer Tracker’s Network

05/26/2026

Ravens line from today. What a great weekend out of her. Fortunately we still have a long time before season gets here to work on some things with this young girl. She did fantastic in the valley, working the line scent and ignoring the hide scent draw at the end. I could tell as soon as she hit the lower third that she could smell the hide. It was laid this way by design to force her through a massive scent pool and keep her on ground scent. She made quick work of this 890 yard track in just 36 minutes.

05/24/2026

With Ravens foot healing nicely, I was finally able to get her out on a track. She did very well even with her being super amped up after several weeks off due to injury. My focus for Raven currently is turns and this one presented a lot of thermal activity as well. Zirc got a line as well with a back track and four road crossings. Both dogs had fun and did well.

Raven, your tracking boot camp starts now. She will have another line laid tonight.

04/25/2026

Today we got together with some of our blood hound brothers for some tracking therapy. Had a blast today watching all the hounds work. Boone & Crockett Tracking Services John Stewart The NEXT STEP Deer Tracking & Recovery

04/17/2026

Today Raven turned 1! She is such a sweet loving girl. We can’t wait to see how many hunters she helps this up coming season. Happy birthday sweet girl.

04/12/2026

04/12/2026

Light blue-laid line
Dark Blue-Zircs line
We had the girls with us and he ran back to the parking lot to say hi. This is generally how zirc looks when scent is easy. 24+ hr lay time with good scenting conditions. He was head high most of it and just enjoying some running around while working at the same time. Certainly not a pretty line but the entire track was 7 minutes. He was moving and grooving with scent in the air. Always fun to see how they use the scent each day.

04/08/2026

Blue- laid line
Pink-Ravens line
Red-average wind direction

What can we learn from this. It looks like a hot mess because it kind of was. Raven definitely struggled to stay on the line today. What you may not see is the heavy dog/human traffic in the beginning, the heavy deer used trails where she checked herself automatically. The wind has blown this track for 27 hours, not a long lay time but at Ravens much more limited experience this caused her to have to search harder and smell deeper. The thermals pulling scent down towards the swamp caused her to have to pull up and back to the line several times and the open farm land caused some back and forth in order for her to line it out. All in all she did great. Training should never be perfect in my opinion. If it’s is, than I need to make it harder.

Both lines are pulled from my Garmin, making them accurate, consistent gps signals.