We put Lula down on the track and off she went, Doug behind holding the leash—a device never used with Lula up to that point—and me behind Doug giving both of them encouragement. I had tracked the deer previously and knew its route and present location. Doug would ask "Is this the way?" and I would assure him that Lula was right on track, doing fine and growing accustomed to the leash as she went. It was during this first trial that I heard Lula's deep strong steady voice for the first time, a melodious voice full of excitement and confidence. Lula did not falter but stayed on the track for the entire length, bringing us up to the deer in a matter of minutes.

Lula showed her stuff that first night and from then on finding or chasing deer became her passion. Later in that first hunting season Doug used Lula in the more conventional dog hunting manner, a manner I had yet to learn but one that did intrigue me. Doug would report how well Lula was doing and told how they had shot several deer in front of her and her pack mates.

This was also my first real experience with a deer hunting dog. I had met other hunting dogs Doug had, such as his old bitch, Gal; but I had really never seen them work. In my native New Hampshire dogs could not be used for deer hunting and many people would actually shoot a dog if they saw it chasing a deer. In New Hampshire, during the winter, a dog can catch a deer when there is snow on the ground as the deer breaks through the crust of the snow while the dog can run across the top. I had once shot a deer that had one of its hind quarters ripped open by dogs but that had escaped. The site of that wound was gruesome and the deer must have been in much pain. It made me understand why dogs should not be allowed to chase deer.

Dogs were used in New Hampshire to hunt rabbits. These were mostly beagles. I went out hunting with folks who had dogs and enjoyed it very much. One of the best rabbit dogs I saw in my limited experience was a male beagle. He was different from the others as he had also been a house pet.

After moving to Florida in 1990 and starting to hunt down here, I learned that they did use dogs to hunt deer in this part of the country. I also learned that the dogs actually never catch up with the deer unless the deer is injured or cannot run. I was curious about "dog hunting" as they call it and asked Doug if I could go along sometime to see what it was like and he said, "Sure!", but it wasn't until 1995 that I got the chance.

Lula (2nd from right) in the kennel.

I also learned how the hunting animals are kept. It is believed by most dog hunters that a good hunting dog should not be spoiled and cannot be a house pet because that ruins them as hunters. The dogs are kept in pens or kennels. The one Lula lived in for the first eight years or so of her life was made of chain link fencing at the sidewalls. It was about 3 feet wide and 8 feet long with a concrete floor for easy washing. In the back there was a small doghouse that was flat on top so that it could be used as a perch. The chain link sidewalls were about 6 feet high. The top was covered with a piece of plywood. There were three of these enclosures in a row and Lula was kept in the one at the right end. Most dog hunters have several dogs with one, two or three in each pen. The dogs usually stay in these pens for days, weeks and months at a time with little exercise other than when it is hunting season. They are fed a subsistence diet of dried dog food and water. The feed is placed in bowls. Some use bowls for their water too while others will use a "licker" that has water to it continually that is dispensed when the animal licks the device.

The dogs use the kennel as their bedding, feeding and toilet areas. The waste materials they deposit are washed out with a garden hose, sometimes daily but often only once or twice a week and usually while the dogs are still in the run. They do become used to this and accept wash day activities stoically, often perching atop the doghouse to stay out of the spray as much as possible. There is usually no provision to protect the animals from insects and the elements save the roof and doghouse. On cold nights some owners do put straw in the doghouses to help the dogs stay warm and they huddle for mutual benefit.

Many hunting dog owners have affection for their animals but it is similar to the feeling they have for a good hunting rifle or bow. The dogs are hunting tools or a means to an end. The end being the killing of a deer. If a dog cannot or will not hunt, they are often "put down". The lucky ones go quickly with a bullet in the brain. Others simply have their collars removed and are left in the woods to fend for themselves. The owners are not mean-spirited and do not treat their animals cruelly. It's just the way it is! Doug was your typical hunting dog owner and Lula lived the hunting dog lifestyle. It may have been this Spartan existence that made her crave and want to give affection.

One of our 'Wounded Deer' posters.

I did get to see Lula when Doug brought her to the woods and we tracked many wounded deer for hunters over the years. Most of the time the tracking occurred during archery season when the deer would run off into the woods after being hit. This is not unusual and in Florida it seems to be very hard to track a deer in the thick underbrush where a wounded animal usually heads. Also, it seems that a deer's blood clots more quickly in the warm weather. Archery season starts in Central Florida in September when it is very hot. The quicker clotting of deer blood in hot weather is not a scientific fact but an observation made by me over the years comparing the blood loss characteristics of deer wounded in New Hampshire with those similarly distressed here in Florida. Occasionally, we would track a deer wounded with a rifle or shotgun but this was usually for hunters that couldn't shoot straight or who didn't have the patience to wait for an opportunity to make a clean kill.

The folks wounding a deer would track or trail it for some time after shooting and eventually come to the conclusion that they could not find the animal. That's when they would look for help and find their way to our campsite. I truly enjoyed trailing and finding lost deer for these people. Evidently Lula sensed the excitement generated by the request for help and would in turn express lively and cheerful joy when a hunter came to camp for assistance. Somehow Lula seemed to know when a tracking adventure was about to begin. Her tail would wag as if she could shake it off and she would start barking with the exuberance you might expect from a slot player hitting a million-dollar jackpot. We would gather together the gear we needed including water, leashes and the like, load into the truck and head to the site where the deer had been shot. The whole way Lula would ride with her head stuck out the window, windblown ears whipping her face and barking.

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