[...]OBVIOUSLY if anyone has input on this part of the OT thread...I'm ears. LOL.
Allow me to take you up on this one. I am handling hounds for the only purpose of what we call "Nachsuche", translating to "follow up" on dead to be found and wounded critters in hunting.
Have been doing this for 15 years now here in Germany. After this by means of a preface, I would suggest, you stick to the practice of the long leash.
It almost works like a seismograf. I can tell, what the dog is doing "by feel" of the leash sliding through my fingers.
The dog ahead is jerking his head and intensly sniffing a spot of dirt and then continues?
An ever so slight pressure on the leash tells him that I have seen this and am investigating.
Non verbal communication.
Also - when an animal breaks in the track, the leash afforts the handler custody on the decision making process, whether this is the wounded or an arbitrary critter in the way.
If the wounded, the dog gets unleashed and is on the chase to bay the animal for a finishing shot.
If any critter the dog gets layed down and calmed before resuming the search.
Just yesterday we followed a wild boar for a total track length of 6 km, that had been shot through the hind leg without breaking bone.
Animal was found after a lengthy search on the leash, jumped, chased and bayed, then dispatch just before dark.
A prime moment of dog work.
I wish you and Tiger many star moments on the trails. There is not much more out there to hunting - than with a dog.
