Gerti's terrific tracking season and hunters' gratitude

This report came from Chris Barr from Indiana whose tracking partner is Gerti, (Gwen von Moosbach-Zuzelek), a 2009 daughter of Billy and Gilda.

Jolanta,

I have three stories to share. The first is below. I need to start carrying my own camera as I’m having trouble getting the hunters to send me pictures.

Gerti’s 11th track of the season was her 5th find, and largest deer to date. A lifelong friend called me about 3:00 yesterday and advised he’d shot a buck through the ribs at about 9:45 a.m. He thought it was most likely a liver shot. He had the wind in his face so he just got down and snuck out without attempting a track or even looking for his arrow. I arrived at his house at about 3:30 and he took me to the hit site. There was a small amount of dried blood but it was enough for Gerti to get a start. The track was less than dramatic. It was about 150 yards and took about 5-10 minutes to run. There was not much visible blood throughout the entire track. I thought Gerti did well considering how dry it is here.

This spectacular buck was Gerti's fifth recovery of the season.

The funniest part was about midway through the track we came to a large, gray rock in the creek about ½ the size of a Volkswagen. It must have looked like the biggest deer Gerti had ever seen because she literally did a low-crawl, cat-like creep up to it and wouldn’t get over it until she touched her nose to it and realized it was not, MO-BIGLEY. If I’d have goosed her she’d probably have come out of her skin, or taken my arm off, one or the other.

This was a nice track for us as the hunter, as I said, is a lifelong friend, but one I don’t get to spend much time with anymore as our children go to different schools and we’re both just very busy. This was only the second time he’d seen Gerti, and a first to watch her work. I’m glad we could help him out although I’m sure he and his hunting partner would have found the deer without our help.

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Last night I took another call, her 12th of the season, for doe shot through the guts. We tracked for 200 yards through a horse pasture when we jumped the doe. When she took off I could tell by the sound of her gait in the thicket that she was hurting pretty badly. We tracked several hundred yards through a cut bean field finding blood periodically. We hit a stopping point when we tracked to a county road. In front of us was a housing subdivision, to our left was property we could not enter, and to our right, wide open cut beans. I let her track through the corner of the thicket to the road. After some head scratching and debating, I finally walked to the edge of the road and shined my headlamp into a creek at the edge of the addition and there laid the doe. A really nice mature deer. When I called the hunter over, he said all in one breath, “Can I give her a kiss, will she bite me?” Gerti doesn’t get mean at the find so he was able to kiss her on the head and love on her without fear of her biting. Below is the e-mail I received from him today.

From: Hines, Kenneth L.
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2010 11:02 AM
To: Barr, Chris
Cc: Sorrells, Charles
Subject: Many Thanks!!!

Chris,
I wanted to take a moment and personally thank you guys again for coming out last night to help me find my deer. I would have never found that deer without Girdy’s help. I personally started to get sick to my stomach when I initially started tracking last night because I knew in my heart that deer was going to expire at some point and time, and I am very conscious about respecting game and making sure you make every effort as possible to recover the animal so there is no waste. Not only did I recover my the deer, but I also had the privilege of having an amazing experience with a trained K-9 that was incredible to witness.

I know you have not asked for this, but I would like to get something special for my new friend, Girdy. I would like to buy a bag of her favorite treats or even some type of rag doll/toy or something. With that much training invested, I understand your need to be particular about what she plays with or eats. If you can let me know, I really would like to do this. I wanted it to be a surprise, but I didn’t want to get something that would not be good for her.

BTW – I hope that she enjoyed her “treat” (liver) we set aside for her last night and she is more than welcome to tug on the hide of any deer that she helps me find. That didn’t bother me a bit and I actually thought it was the neatest thing to see. I got a huge kick out of that. The way I see it, if she finds the deer, and that is what she likes for a reward, let her have at it.

Thanks

Kenny
I am not sure if that is how you spell “Girdy”, I just guessed.

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The third call in two days came today. Unfortunately, I could not get out of work and could not go. My friend had shot a very nice 7 point, pictured below. Within five minutes of the shot two coyotes came through and jumped his bedded deer. He asked if he could get Gerti and track him since I could not be there. He has been with me on probably at least ½ of all the tracks Gerti has taken in her first two tracking seasons so I let him.

He and a neighbor got on the deer and went roughly 2 miles through every conceivable terrain. Gerti even swam a pretty good sized creek while air scenting the deer where he’d crossed. All in all, both hunters were ecstatic with her performance and believe that they’d have never found the deer without her. I showed up just in time to snap a picture below. This is the only picture I’ve gotten so far from the three tracks listed. If I get more pics, I’ll send them.

So far this season Gerti’s had 13 tracks, and I credit her with 7 finds.

This wonderful seven-pointer went 2 miles and would have never been found without Gerti's help.