DACHSHUND AT WORK

A year earlier, when I was very happy, I saw her after 3 hours of den work. I will never forget that moment.

Himera showed her professional hunting abilities on this work, amazing dog! Short leash work with chase on fallow deer.

Bassotto di Corleone Himera

These are the stories from The International Working Teckel book, what I wrote about my dachshunds

By Gábor Asztalos, Hungary

The amazing power of the dog’s sense of smell is almost beyond belief - which is why I will probably never totally understand how canine scenting processes work. So, I am definitely not 'teaching' dogs how to track wounded game, just providing some direction and a framework in which they are able to learn what is expected from them. The rest is up to their incredible noses and their natural instincts. The following wounded, wild boar tracking stories show real examples of the abilities of our four-legged hunting partners:

One afternoon, I just arrived home and put down my hunting bag when my phone began to ring. One of my friends called to say that he wounded a wild boar and he needed my dog. I thought 'oh man, tomorrow I have to visit a relative, following an invitation to a fallow deer hunt in a special hunting area and I have to get up very early. But without any further hesitation, I said "OK, let’s try it".

I don’t like to track in the dark with my dogs, especially on wounded wild boar as it can get pretty dangerous, but this was an exceptional case and, moreover, the scent was already a few hours old; cold and ideal to work on. So, 20 minutes later my friend arrived and picked us up. We went to the hunting area of our hunting organization, to the high stand where my friend had wounded the boar and I had also shot and found quite a few wild boar in the past - so the areal was familiar to me. I knew that it would not be easy, because the terrain is covered in thick bramble bushes and fallen trees, mixed with standing acacia trees.

I asked him about the shot, the signs on the boar and in which directon it went. He told me that first the wild boar went down, but few minutes later stood up and ran into the acacia forest to the left side. He then took one more shot before the boar disappeared. He also said that the second shot was not precise at all, so it could hit the boar anywhere - or nowhere.

I examined the place where he had hit the boar and found only a few drops of blood, nothing more, so I decided to start the tracking with my most experienced tracking dog, 'Diana Kleopátra'. But after a few metres, there was still no blood or any signs and I had the feeling that something is not right and we’re on the wrong way. So, I decided to try once again from the very beginning. I put the dog right back on the straight point. After the fourth time re-starting the track we finally found the right way, but there was still no visible blood. Nevertheless, we continued the tracking and after over 200 metres she showed me the first drop of blood on the grass. I touched and praised her good work and we continued. The dog was working in unusually large curves, to the left and then to the right, but apart from that one single drop there was no blood to be seen anywhere. I realized that this was an exceptional track because the behaviour of the boar was different to how a wounded boar normally behaves when escaping through the woods. However, I also knew that my dog was on the correct line, because she had recovered many wounded animals before and we knew each other competely. So, I continued the tracking and trusted my dog and, after 2 kilometres tracking, she showed me a drop of blood in the bramble bushes, by this time, the bush got so thick, I was crawling on my hands and knees rather than walking upright. The terrain was extremely hard and dangerous, for both me and the dog, but after another 500-600 metres I heard the wounded boar, so I decided to release 'Diana' from the leash to start the chase. But the boar just laid down, with the dog barking at it. He was still alive and looked at me, but couldn’t manage to stand up again. I put the boar out of its misery with a single shot and checked on the other entry wound. The first shot was in his left ear and had not bled very much, and that was the reason that we found so few drops of blood on his trail. This lack of blood, together with the boars behaviour, led me to believe that he had suffered a massive concussion, which was he ran in so many curves. The leash work was 3 kilometres long without the chase, and the boar a 2-year-old, weighing around 60 kilos.

Recovered left ear-shot boar with Diana Kleopátra (the photo was not published in the book)

I worked a lot like this with 'Diana Kleopátra', with more than 25 game animals recovered. Her last work was on a red stag back in 2015 and she is now over 10 years old and retired, but I based my kennel on her good working genes.

Recovered red stag, 2015 (the photo was not published in the book)

The 2018/2019 hunting season was a very busy one, we worked from October until middle of January. This was the tenth driven hunting season for me and my dogs, we also took part in a two day driven event organized by our club at Karasica Völgye VT in Hungary. Such a event needs to be well organized from all sides if it is to be successful. Every hunter is given a map of the area, together with information about what kind of game is he allowed to shot, when the breaks will be, shooting stand positions and also safety rules. Foreign hunters are accompanied by club hunters in order to avoid accidents. They show them the forbidden shooting directions and safety zones.

Bassotto di Corleone Havana (Palinka z Dziada Pradziada x Középrigóci Apród) two hours tracked and after found the roe buck in Spain. Congrats to the owner!

We took part in two days driven hunt in our organization (HUN):

1st day sum up: 
Rudzik z Dziada Pradziada went 18km and chased well, pushed out the wild boars from the bushes nicely. 
Bassotto di Corleone Himera (1 year old) traveled 16km. This hunting was her first driven hunt, she worked amazingly, barked the boars, searched well, not lost, I am very satisfied with her working stlye!

Stomach shot wild boar, 2500-3000m tracked with Palinka z Dziada Pradziada & Bassotto di Corleone Himera

Wildboar hunting, shorter leash work (kidney shot) with Rudzik z Dziada Pradziada

Amazing morning view was when I tracked in big rain with Rudzik z Dziada Pradziada and the good red stag stood in front of us.
This was one of the hardest part of this track, but Rudzik stayed and kept the right path and not followed the live stag, fresh scents. This was not an average work, rather bavarian mountain hounds can do it, but Rudzik is not an average tracking dog, not did any faults or caught the fresh scents of deers. He worked extremely precisely.

Wild boar track was 17hrs old (From 14hrs started to rain, that's why I decided that I will start to work on the track not later.) Length: 1200m on hard terrain (in high grass, bushes, pinewood forest, fields etc.) About the video: this is just a very small part of the whole work from 18 minutes. 

02.10.2018

7hrs old deer track, used blood 2.5dl, track legth: 150-180 m

The track was difficult, cause the evening rain washed the blood. However, Rudzik z Dziada Pradziada amazingly worked on it.

Length: 800m with many turns

Used blood: 1dl

The track was full of fresh deer scents.

1100m 50hours old wild boar track on hard terrain in 30degrees (at 7PM) with lot of curves. At the last 250m Rudzik z Dziada Pradziada tracked alone without leash.

 Waidmannsheil - Bassotto di Corleone Iceberg (6 months old): around 300 m tracked on hard terrain with lot of fresh deer scents.

Wild boar hunting with Protsionus Ursambol, who tracked properly few hundred meters in the wheat and recovered the boar. After, a very big storm with big rain catched us.

At the morning, when I saw that 5-6cm snow felt down, I realized that this track will be the hardest what I've ever made to Rudzik z Dziada Pradziada. Yesterday, 24 hours before when I made the track I saw lot of fresh wild boar scents and also two roe deers. However, I decided that we will try it. At the morning was 24hours old the track, which I made with curves and back turns after snow. But Rudzik kept the right way without help! He showed very precise and amazing work on this hard terrain and 1300m long track! (On the video, it's visible the last 600m of the tracking.)

The amazing power of the dog’s sense of smell is almost beyond belief. Reason is we can never completely understand how canine scenting processes work, we don’t "teach" dogs how to track, just providing some direction and a framework in which they are able to learn what is expected, and they go on to show us how incredible their noses really are.

Wounded wild boar in driven hunt (03.01.2018), Hungary. Few hundred meters long work and recovered by Rudzik z Dziada Pradziada.

The amazing power of the dog’s sense of smell is almost beyond belief. Reason is we can never completely understand how canine scenting processes work, we don’t "teach" dogs how to track, just providing some direction and a framework in which they are able to learn what is expected, and they go on to show us how incredible their noses really are.

Rudzik z Dziada Pradziada tracked few hundred meters on hard terrain with lot of fresh scents in the high corn. The wild boar was wounded 12hours before, the hunter shot the boar after laid down and few minutes later stood up and went into the corn with hard shock, Rudzik found more signs and few drops of blood but not recovered it.

Bassotto di Corleone Echo

Early Morning blood tracking training with Rudzik z Dziada Pradziada (Negra z Dziada Pradziada x Treff de Lux): Before Rudzik started to work on the wild boar track, I saw two roe deers passed through on it, before the first turn. Of course, he caught the fresh scents, but he kept the right way. After, the second turn I saw one roe buck, but not disturbed us. At the third turn, two more roe deers laid in the high grass. After, they ran away in front us, around 6 m from track, Rudzik not saw but heard them. Where they went, it was the way to the 4th and back turn of the track too. Rudzik did two rounds, because of fresh scents, but not turned off the track. I was happy that he not did any faults. 
Length was around 850 m and 10 hours old with 4 turns. At the end, Rudzik found the wild boar skin.

Blood tracking training with Rudzik z Dziada Pradziada: 
At early morning, Rudzik started to work on a 550 m long and 10 hours old track with 4 turns. I saw two roe deers jumped infront of us at the first turn. He caught up the fresh scents but not turned off. He followed the right path. Before the second turn, I saw again one roe deer and two rabbits, but not disturbed us. All in all, it was not so easy work but he solved it without faults. At the end, he found the wild boar skin, which he catched hardly.

Blood tracking training with Pálinka z Dziada Pradziada. 750 m long with 4 turns. At the second turn, one roe deer jumped out from the bush.

Blood tracking training: Yesterday, when I did the blood track to my dogs, I met with two roe deers. After the last back turn I saw a fox, who tracked on my track what I did before with scent shoes. I never saw such a thing like this. Before we started to work on the 5 hours old track I did obedience with two shots with both dogs. Track length was 700 m with few turns and back turn. The interesting thing was that the snow melted after few hours, so it was harder for the dogs.

Roe deers on the tracking area.

Bassotto di Corleone Echo: obedience training with one shot. Keeping the wild boar leg.

Sunset - Obedience with two shots with Pálinka z Dziada Pradziada. After, she worked on a 7 hours old track.

Obedience with two shots

6 hours old track, 700 m long with few turns. Found the wild boar leg!

Diana Kleopátra: recovered red deer-stag. Sometimes hard to express what I exactly feel when we are working together. It is amazing what she is showing during of a work. Over 7,5 years old, but she is still in extra condition. Most grateful thing is that I have an young offspring from her - Bassotto di Corleone Echo. Respect for the wild!

Rudzik z Dziada Pradziada 

(Negra z Dziada Pradziada x Treff de Lux) 

Bassotto di Corleone Echo 

(Diana Kleopátra x Nugat z Dziada Pradziada)

Driven Hunt in Hungary, 2nd day: It was a very hard day because of the terrain, rose hips bushes:), snow etc. It was hard to move out the wild boars. But the good team did it. I have to mention that Pálinka z Dziada Pradziada tracked more than 1-2 km properly until the first bed of the wounded boar. In here, I heard the boar that moved and blew once, which meant wrong wind for us:( On this day, Pálinka chased and tracked more than 10km, so that's why I decided to bring Diana Kleopátra. (This decision was hard because Pálinka did good job, but the most important was to take care of my dog.) From the bed of the wounded boar she continued the work. After few hundred of meters she barked twice and asked for chase. She followed the boar until 450-550m I saw on the GPS. The boar pulled the front right leg, which was visible in the snow. After Diana turned and lost a bit, but we found her. I was happy because the darkness came! I signed this place. At the morning, a Bavarian Bloodhound continued the job and they went a lot too. But the boar not stopped. Altogether Pálinka and Diana did around 4km work. Respect for the dogs and the boar! Pálinka z Dziada Pradziada went 22km within two days and recovered a wild boar! 

First of all respect to the wild boars and the dogs! This was really hard hunting day - big snow (not ideal for Dachshunds) ice, rain, lot of broken trees. 12 boars shot by the hunters. Pálinka z Dziada Pradziada and Marosmenti-Rudifogó Mazsola recovered one wounded boar - 450-500 m long work. Pálinka is very talented dog. The biggest "surprise" was Diana Kleopátra who recovered a boar without blood. It was an amazing job, thanks Father:) Tomorrow we will continue. After 7 years of work with Mazsola I decided that it was the last driven hunt for him. He will just work on wounded wilds:), blood tracking, recovering.

Yesterday and today again I learnt a lot about wounded wild boar and blood tracking. I shot on a wild boar. I found only one drop of blood. Caliber: 9.3x62. Ammunition: Sako Powerhead Barnes. Diana Kleopátra started to work on the track, started twice and after found the right way. After 70 m found a flat of the hand blood and I heard that the wild boar walked away on the left side. After we decided that we will wait until the morning. At the morning, again started to work with Diana Kleopátra, she found more blood (not too much was on the track) just where the boar stopped a bit. I have to mention that the weather conditions were not so good, -10 degrees at the night and started to snow at the morning. Blood tracking was really hard (That time the track was around 14 hours old). That's why we decided to call a friend who can help bit more with Bavarian Bloodhound. Honestly, he went on the same and right track as Diana. Finally, Bavarian found 3 wounded bed and the dead wild boar. This work was really amazing. I have to mention Pálinka z Dziada Pradziada who worked well as a second dog after Diana. About the shot: on the left side shot the stomach-intestinals, at the right side where the bullet came outside, went through the rear right leg. It means dead shot. Extraordinary was the bright blood and just a few.

Protsionus Ursambol (Protsionus Carambol x Protsionus Opera): blood tracking training, length around 1.2 km with few back turns.

Bassotto di Corleone Carmina (Diana Kleopátra x Apache Hycon): recovered deer in Spain. 

Thanks for the owner: http://perrosdeaguasblanquillas.blogspot.com/p/bassotto-di-corleone-carmina.html  and congrats for the excellent work. Photos made by the owner. 

Blood tracking training with four 90 degree turns, length: 400 m, blood tracking time: 13 hours. Before the 3rd turning, 3 roe deers went through on the track. At the end, Pálinka found the deer skin.

After a short brake, because of "E" litter, again started to work on blood tracking, which I made by scent shoes. Length: 0.97 km, used wild boar blood: bit less than 1 dl, time around 5 hours old. The terrain was sandy. The trick was on the track that at the night wild boars came and digged where was a back turn (90 degree turn). It was not so easy for Diana Kleopátra, but she solved it. At the end, she worked alone - 150 m and found the boar leg. She showed me professional tracking. Before it we did obedience.
Soon, Diana Kleopátra will be 7 years old.

Rudzik z Dziada Pradziada (Negra z Dziada Pradziada x Treff de Lux): short blood tracking (3 hours old track, made by scent shoes) Found the wild boar leg.

Rudzik z Dziada Pradziada with the roe deer leg.
(Negra z Dziada Pradziada x Treff de Lux)

Protsionus Ursambol - chasing the wild boar.

Protsionus Ursambol - stopping, barking the wild boar.

with the Masters:) 

Panka

Bringing out the rabbit dummy from the water.

Protsionus Ursambol

Pálinka z Dziada Pradziada & Marosmenti-Rudifogó Juci: waiting for work.

At the evening, one of my friends wounded a wild boar, he shot from a high stand. The distance was around 150 m. After the shot, the wild boar slumped to the ground. Few seconds later stood up and went inside the sunflower field. In here, we started the work. It was very hard to catch the right way, but Ursambol caught the blood track after 4 attempts. On this good way, Urs found blood continuously. After 500 m tracking and one left turn, the boar went inside the corn field (which was few hectares and 2.5 m high). This corn field was full of fresh wild boar scents and digs. After 1200 m we found the first place where the boar laid down, after 300 m the second one. Around 2200 m leash work, Urs found blood and showed me on the corn stover. It was amazing to see this kind of working style, he showed me the blood on the corn leaves too. Two times we had to rest, because it was hot and I gave water to my dog. But early in the morning, we started the blood tracking. During the work, it was small rain. Both sides of the wild boar were bleeding, so it means went through the bullet. The tracking signs showed that we will find the wild boar, but unfortunately bleeding stopped, after 3200 m blood tracking we gave up. Hard to believe and accept this decision, but I again learnt a lot and thanks to my dog, Urs did extra-extra blood tracking. Respect for the wild boar, unbelievable this power what the wild boar has, wants to live. 
Blood tracking time: 10 hours old, length: 3200 m with lot of turns, back turns and 90 degree turns, caliber: 9.3x62, bullet was Geco. Thanks Ursambol.

Both sides of the wild boar were bleeding - look the corn stover.

Blood tracking time: 10 hours old, length: 3200 m with lot of turns, back turns and 90 degree turns, caliber: 9.3x62, bullet was Geco.

After 3200 m blood tracking, tired Ursambol.

Obedience without fixing with 3 shots.

Found the wild boar skin, happy URS:) Blood tracking length was around 600-700 m long, 4 hours old with four 90 degree turns. 

Blood tracking and obedience training with Marosmenti-Rudifogó Juci and Pálinka z Dziada Pradziada.

Scent shoes with fallow deer leg.

Bassotto di Corleone Dunka (Bassotto di Corleone Abbraccio x Midas z Dziada Pradziada) and her friend Baszka after blood tracking training with the owner.

Obedience and shooting training without fixing.

Marosmenti-Rudifogó Juci and Mazsola. Jucika did the blood tracking perfectly and confidently. At the end, Mazsola (6.5 years old) trained Jucika after she caught and barked much more intensively the wild boar skin. So, the more experienced blood tracking dog can help a lot. 

PROTSIONUS URSAMBOL: blood tracking time: 24 hours, length around 700-800 m with 4 curves, used blood: 200 ml on sandy ground. Honestly, after one day I not found blood. Before tracking we did obedience with 3 shots without fixing. At the end he tracked alone (40-50 m), wind not helped the work of URS! The work was interesting and perfect.

PROTSIONUS URSAMBOL: blood tracking with three 90 degree turns, length: 800 m, blood tracking time: 10 hours. Before we started the tracking, he did obedience (with 3 shooting) without fixing. At the end he worked alone without leash, Urs solved confidently, precisely the blood tracking/training.

Successfully recovered big game (low shot) by MAROSMENTI-RUDIFOGÓ MAZSOLA. Wild boar wanted to attack us, after 5 shots we stopped. Dog confidently barked the boar (around 20 min) until I arrived. It was a very hard job. Respect for the wild.

Two wounded big wild boars recovered by MAROSMENTI-RUDIFOGÓ MAZSOLA in chase huntings in Hungary. The place was totally the same in 2014 and 2015 too. The interesting thing was that the boars wounded by the same way. It looks like that the environment affects the hunters shooting style. Dog tracked around 40 big game. It is amazing to see this kind of working style more than 6 years.

Bassotto di Corleone Carmina recovered few Ibex in Spain with her owner. She is the daughter of Diana Kleopátra (Herman della Val Vezzeno * DIANA Fincsi), who recovered more than 19 big game.

Source: http://perrosdeaguasblanquillas.blogspot.com/p/bassotto-di-corleone-carmina.html

Carmina (Mina)

Source: http://perrosdeaguasblanquillas.blogspot.com/p/bassotto-di-corleone-carmina.html

I owe him everything. He is my Father, great man. Because of him I m a hunter, he taught me for this passion. Thanks for these greatful moments when we can hunt together, working with dogs, recovering a deer. These are the moments, which I close forever in my heart, no one can take it away. Thanks forever, respect for the deer, thanks for the dogs - Diana Kleopátra and Protsionus Ursambol for the professional work.

Bassotto di Corleone Almira: her life bit changed, because she can hunt every day, every week. Since September (2014) she found some deers, one was a stag and one big wild boar with good fangs. When she searched the boar there was no blood, nothing. First, she found the blood for the hunter and after the wild boar. She is a really good blood tracking dog with calm temper. She is keeping the right distance from the wilds, barking and tracking confidently. Finally, she is going on the right way.

Vércsapa hossza: 1,3 km, ideje: 24 óra, felhasznált vér mennyisége: 250 ml./Blood tracking length: 1.3 km, time: 24 hours, used blood: 250 ml.

Diana Kleopátra and my Father

Blood tracking length: 600 m, time: 8 hours, blood quantity: 1dl. Good leash work after bit rain.

 Blood tracking training

length: 410 m with 4 curves, used blood 1 dl, track time: 5 hours

At the evening, my friend called me that he wounded a wild boar. Next day my relative invited us for fallow deer hunting in a special place and I know that we have to get up early, but without hesitation I said to my friend ok, we will help of course. After 20 minutes he arrived and picked up us. We went to the area, which I know well because I shot and found few boars there. He told me that he shot the wild boar from the high stand and fallen down, but after few minutes stood up and went into the forest, left side, but he shot once. He said that second shot was not good and the boar ran away. After we checked the place of the shot and found we drops of blood. We started the blood tracking with Diana Kleopátra. After 1-2 m there was no blood, but my dachshund worked well, but I felt that something was wrong, we went on wrong way. So, we started once again the work and once…after the 4^th starting she found the right way. After 100-200 meters there was no blood. But we continued the tracking and after few meters she showed one drop of blood on the grass. I touched her, said thank you and went further on. After we wrote down few rounds at the left and right too, of course there was no blood nowhere. I felt that something was wrong, not a “normal” blood tracking where we were. I knew two things that we were on the right way and the wild boar wounded hardly and not every day wound the boar had. After 2 km tracking again Diana showed me a drop of blood. The terrain was hard, sometimes I could only move by crawling on my knees. After 500-600 m I heard that Diana barking the wild boar. The boar was still alive and lying inside his lair, arrived home, could not stand up, because of the wounded fewer. My friend gave the grace shot to the boar and waited a bit. I checked the shot of the boar: he shot the left ear of the boar, not blooded too much, so that was the reason that we could not find blood on the blood track. But the signs and the behavior of the boar showed that he got concussion of the brain. That was the other reason why the boar went around and around in the forest. The leash work was around 3 km long without chase. Caliber was: 30-06. Respect for the wild boar and the shooter too!

...and the next day, after the successful wild boar blood tracking...

The "Unicorn" roebuck recovered by DIANA KLEOPÁTRA. There was also chase, roebuck was alive - stomach-shot. Diana stopped two times and pulled down the buck until I arrived there. I gave the grace shot in the corn. We finished the hunting in darkness. It was an excellent job. Respect for the wild! 

DIANA KLEOPÁTRA

Blood tracking length: 850 m, blood quantity: 1 dl, track time: 25 hours

DIANA KLEOPÁTRA

Blood tracking length: 700-800 m, blood quantity: 1 dl, track time: 22 hours

DATE OF BIRTH: 09.02.2009

(GISMO VON SUNDERHAAR x MAROSMENTI-RUDIFOGÓ TIXI)

STANDARD WIRE-HAIRED DACHSHUND, MALE, COLOR - WILD BOAR

WEIGHT: 8 KG

HPJ, CAC, R.CAC-SRB, SFK, SCHWHK-H CACT 100p, 3XBHFK-H, Hunting Aptitude Exam on big game, Recovered - 40 wounded wilds

7 years worked in driven hunt in HUN and once in PL