Duck Dogs Are Natural Blood Trackers

For years, I have been trying to convince people with 'duck' dogs that the retriever trained to retrieve ducks could also easily find deer because duck blood smells like deer blood. 

Come on, blood smells like blood, whether it comes from a duck or a deer. 

But here is proof from a young dog that was getting it done both ways! 


Below is a story from R N J Adams
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I know there are specific ways to train a blood trailing dog, but let me share what I did. It’s definitely a different approach that’s for sure. I trained my dog to force fetch for bird hunting first. If you don’t know what that is, look it up.

 I never had intentions of having him blood trail... until a friend shot a deer with a bow and couldn’t find it. I took my dog to the location the deer was shot let him smell and lick the arrow and told him to fetch it up. Well, they had enough scent on the ground and he had enough common sense to know that I wanted him to go find and get what he was smelling. 

He made a perfect 100 yd track straight to the deer on a 12-hour old trail. I skinned that deer and did several drags with the hide over the next week varying the distance from 50 to about 500yds. Each time just pinching off a little hair to hold by his noses for him to smell when I told him to fetch!

 I put a bell on his collar at the beginning of every track. He then associated the bell with tracking and would start searching when the bell was put on him. He never failed me once on a drag. I’d play tug a war with him with the hide when he found it and that was his reward.

 He found 3 deer for friends of mine last year and took us on one track for almost a mile that we found light blood every so often until the deer hit a creek that we couldn’t get across. So I’d say he did allright. 

So I guess what I’m saying here is don’t think your duck dog won’t trail a deer just because it’s never done it before! My dog was 9 months old and never seen a deer in its life when he found his first one. My method of training, in the beginning, was unconventional and accidental but it worked pretty well. 

                      Here is Reid, a Texas Blue Lacy pup the day he found his first deer!

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Editor's note: For all of you out there trying to train your dog and making it too complicated to be practical, I suggest you lighten up and let your pup be a puppy for the first two years and....                                  

 HAVE FAITH IN THE DOG!

Your mantra:

TRUST THE DOG!
TRUST THE DOG!
TRUST THE DOG!
TRUST THE DOG!
TRUST THE DOG!

                                 Now, you can love me or you can hate me because:

I am Marcus de la Houssaye
and the more I get to know people, the more I love my Catahoulas!

                                    Partnership for a liberal free America!
                                    Helping to control the moron population...

Mission Impossible in the Rain

It is not too late to get a puppy NOW for the upcoming 2019-2020 hunting season...

                                       A 4 month old Ladner BMC puppy on his first find


At only 4-6 months old, you may be amazed at what a foundation bred southern cur puppy can do for you.

When shopping for a tracking dog, more than the breed, you need to consider foundation-bred genetics.          
And what that means is generation after generation after generation, the dogs were bred to hunt!

If you are shopping for a breed to use as a blood tracking dog, a southern Cur dog like a Louisiana Catahoula, a Texas Blue Lacy,  or a  Mississippi Yellow Blackmouth Cur is hard to beat in tough conditions like rain and a wounded gut shot deer. 

Not only do they have a nose, grit and speed, but they will also have the drive to become a great running catch dog at 4-5 years old. 

And don't forget, that they are also the best pet for your little children back at home and I pity anybody that tries to get in between that dog and 'his' kids!


I love this Ladner Cur Dog bloodline.

Here below is the story of what is often thought to be a Mission Impossible.

With all of the rain we've had, I want to share this story so hunters won't give up on a track and a possible recovery due to rain.

A hunter in south GA called me to track 2 bucks for him.

 He said he debated calling because it had been 24 hours and non-stop rain the entire time. He said both deer ran downhill into a creek bottom from the top of the ridge. All signs of blood had been washed away in the short time that he waited to go look for them.

 I told him that I could be there in a couple of hours. We put Xena on the trail and had this buck 15 min later.

 It would not have been possible to find any other way. 

We jumped and bayed the second buck for another recovery as well. I wasn't able to get a picture of that one because the bottom fell out. With temps in the low 30's and pouring rain, I was in a rush to get in.

                                                         Curt Ladner with a Ladner YBMC


Editors note: Curt Ladner, in my opinion, has the best Yellow Blackmouth Curs in America and is in Poplarville, Mississippi.          He can be reached @ 228 868 5279.       Email:  Paklad1@aol.com

 curtladnerblackmouthcurs.com     

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I am Marcus de la Houssaye, the editor of this article and I approve of doing business with Curt Ladner.

And if I wasn't into spotted dogs, I would definitely have a Ladner Cur!

           de la Houssaye's Valyrie

Now, let's go get into the woods and get us some!

The Times They Are A Changing...

Green - tracking wounded big game with dogs is allowed
Red - states where tracking with dogs is still illegal







Ten years ago, it was the other way around! We are having a positive effect! 

Good show, blood trackers. Keep up the good work.

Hunting big game without a tracking dog is like hunting ducks without a retriever: Wasteful and STUPID !