Auburn University’s EcoDog Program is a new way to tackle old problems. People aren’t very efficient at finding small things in the woods, but when there is a characteristic scent associated with those items a dog can be a valuable asset. From finding skunk poo to tracking down Florida’s problem pythons to sniffing out pine tree diseases, these dogs have dealt with a wide gamut of natural resource issues.
Right now, a few of the dogs are being trained to find shed antlers to aid in Auburn University’s white-tailed deer research program. I went out with them on Wednesday and today to get them some practice and they are catching on pretty well. Deer antlers apparently have a small scent cone, but combining sight and scent I think the dogs have a good chance of being successful shed hunters.
I didn’t take any pictures of the antlers we picked up the last couple days, but once the spring concludes and full green-up puts the shed hunting out of business, I will pull out some notables and relate them back to some of the bucks I chased this fall.
