Original scientific paper

THE IMPACT OF ECOLOGICAL FACTORS ON WORK OF BLOODHOUNDS

Ivica Bošković ; Poljoprivredni fakultet Sveučilišta u Osijeku, Osijek, Hrvatska
Tihomir Florijanić ; Poljoprivredni fakultet Sveučilišta u Osijeku, Osijek, Hrvatska
Anđelko Opačak ; Poljoprivredni fakultet Sveučilišta u Osijeku, Osijek, Hrvatska
Zvonimir Tucak ; Poljoprivredni fakultet Sveučilišta u Osijeku, Osijek, Hrvatska
Zlatko Puškadija ; Poljoprivredni fakultet Sveučilišta u Osijeku, Osijek, Hrvatska
Andrea Gross-Bošković ; Hrvatska agencija za hranu, Osijek, Hrvatska

Abstract

The value of a well trained hound dog for blood trail is measured through number of found wounded or shot game which couldn't be found without this kind of dog. The purpose of this research was to determine how certain ecological factors (temperatures, air pressure and wind speed) can influence work of blood hounds. Researches on the impact of ecological factors on blood trail work of hound dogs were conducted during one year period and throughout all seasons with two groups of male dogs (N=5) in ten separated treatments. One breed was the Deutsche bracke and the other the German hunt terrier. For research purposes undiluted deer blood was used from which fibrin filaments were removed and coagulation was prevented by adding kitchen salt (sodium chloride, NaCl). To one litre of blood 50 grams of NaCl was added. Blood trail was set up by dripping blood from a bottle, and for each 500 m of trail 3 dl of blood were used. Blood trails were used after 12 and 24 hours. It was determined that in total time of trail drafting and game tracking there was no significant difference between tested dogs breeds. Better search results and shorter time of trail drafting at low air and ground temperatures were achieved by Deutsche bracke. At higher air temperatures better results had German hunting terriers. When the air and ground temperatures were optimal and acceptable, there were no significant differences between search results, yet the hunting terriers were faster, but with more errors. During the trail drafting, air and ground temperature had more significant influence on search result than trail age. Air flow, with respect to different wind speed had the biggest impact on overall results of blood trail search. When the wind speed was higher, German hunting terriers made more mistakes (6) compared to Deutsche bracke (2). In blood trailing when the air pressure was high, all dogs had “low” noses. When the air pressure was normal they worked with the head medium high and when the air pressure was low the head was relatively high. With good team work of the handler and the dog, and by picking the right time for trailing, it is almost always possible to find wounded game following the blood trail, increasing the financial bonus of hunting managers.

Keywords

German hunting terrier; Deutsche bracke; ecological factors; blood hounds

Hrčak ID:

27242

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/27242

Publication date:

25.7.2008.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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