Skip to content From The Call To The Recovery
What To Expect
Knowing what happens next takes the guesswork out of a stressful moment. Here’s how a track with Cookie works, step by step.
Step 1
Initial Phone Interview
As soon as you call or text, we’ll ask a few quick questions to understand your situation:
Type Of Game
What you were hunting and roughly when the shot happened.
Property Type
Public or private land, and whether you have permission to be there.
Weapon & Shot Placement
What you were shooting and where you believe the deer was hit.
Signs At The Hit Site
Blood color and amount, hair, or bone — anything you noticed.
What You’ve Already Done
Whether you’ve pushed the deer, walked the trail, or waited in place.
This helps us give you an honest read on whether a track is likely to succeed, and how long to wait before we start. We’ll get to you as soon as we can — if our schedule’s full or another tracker is genuinely closer, we’ll say so and point you in the right direction.
Step 2
Site Assessment
Once we arrive, we take a careful look before Cookie ever starts working:
- We inspect the hit site and surrounding terrain for blood, hair, tracks, or bone — this confirms shot placement and shapes our recovery strategy.
- Sometimes the right call is to wait several more hours before starting, so the deer has time to expire rather than being pushed further.
- We confirm property boundaries so the track stays within limits, and that you have permission from the landowner where needed.
Step 3
The Track
Tracking is done on-lead. Once Cookie starts working:
- We send Cookie to work the scent from the hit site or other indicators — and if she indicates she’s on the track, we follow her, even when it differs from what the hunter expected.
- She stays on-lead the entire time; she isn’t allowed to bay or catch a wounded deer.
- If the deer is found alive, we’ll only act if it’s safe, humane, and legal to do so.
- Hunters and their party are welcome to come along, but must stay behind the dog and handler so we don’t interfere with the track.
- If the deer jumps and runs, we evaluate on the spot — sometimes that means continuing, sometimes it means backing out and giving it more time.
- If every sign points to a non-fatal hit, we’ll end the track rather than push a deer that’s likely to survive.
Safety & Conduct
A Few Ground Rules
We take everyone’s safety seriously — Cookie’s, ours, and yours:
No Alcohol Or Drugs
If we believe anyone on the track is impaired, we’ll end the track immediately.
These aren’t about mistrust — they’re what let us focus fully on the dog and the trail so we can do right by your deer.
Know The Signs
Shot Placement & How Long To Wait
Tap a marker on the deer to see the likely sign and a general waiting recommendation. Every hit is different, so call us before entering the trail if you’re unsure.
Know Before You Track
Tap the deerChoose the spot closest to where you believe the deer was hit. The matching details will appear here.
Heart
~30 min+Bright red blood, often heavy. Usually a short, fast track — deer rarely go far.
Lungs
30–60 min+Pink, frothy or bubbly blood. Usually a short track with a good blood trail.
Liver
4–6 hrs+Dark red blood, often lighter in volume. Pushing too soon can bump a deer that would otherwise be recoverable.
Gut / Paunch
8–12+ hrs+Greenish-brown material, thin blood, foul smell. Patience matters most here — call us and we’ll talk timing.
Neck
Call us+Blood, sometimes gut matter. Can still be fatal later from infection even without an immediate down deer.
High Shoulder / Spine
Call us+Often drops a deer on the spot but isn’t always fatal. Back out, give it time, and call — pushing can turn a marginal hit into a lost deer.
Leg / Front Shoulder
Track Now+Usually not immediately fatal. Unlike vital-organ hits, waiting doesn’t help here — a leg or front-shoulder hit deer will just keep moving and start healing. Take up the track right away, either to catch up for a follow-up shot or to confirm honestly whether it’s recoverable at all.
Not Sure
Call us+That’s completely normal in the moment. Describe what you saw and we’ll help you figure out timing over the phone.
Ready When You Need Us
This service is always free. Call or text with your shot details and we’ll walk you through it.
