The bloodhound is a dog trained to track wounded big game. It specializes in following the scent of a game wound, whether bloody or not, day or night.
In fact, it’s the adrenalin secreted by wounded game when it’s stressed and injured that the dog stalks. The bloodhound is used during the big game hunting season (moose, white-tailed deer and bear) to locate and/or retrieve game that has been hit by a projectile (bullet or arrow) and cannot be found by the hunter.
Bloodhounds form a team with their handlers, with whom they form a special bond. The handler must be able to “read” his dog; he must be able to see the clues (blood, hair, bones, etc.) that his dog will show him during the search.
The driver has the task of interpreting all these clues in order to diagnose the type of shot he is facing. It’s the driver’s job to analyze and determine where the hunter has hit the game (belly, lung, liver, etc.), and then decide whether to stop the search, give the wounded animal more time, or continue the search to allow the hunters to retrieve their game.
