The Laws of Tracking

[DropTyne]

I thought you were to track wounded game until there was no reasonable chance of finding the buck? I read Dan's brief post about the young MI hunter he guided once, and I just had a friends father lose a buck because a landowner would not grant him permission to track it. I always thought that if the landowner will not let you track on their land that you can call a warden to track it with you? Is that true? or an old wives tale? I can't imagine not letting someone track their deer until they found it, even if I was a property owner. Anyone else know about this?

[Dor]

This varies from state to state. Each state is different.

[adrenalin]

My respect for an animal I just shot overule any linefence. Never let an animal rot!

[huntinnurse]

Dor is right. Each state varies. Many, many years ago, you could track your deer or animal til you found it. But in todays world you have to know property lines and obey the no tresspass without permission rules/laws. The best thing you can do is know where you are going to be hunting in the fall and know the property lines as well as the owners and make prior arrangements/get permission to track, with that landowner about tracking on his/her land when you hunt that area. Then if you suspect/know that animal crossed the property line, call the landowner and let him/her know you are there and will be tracking. Remember, some areas, especially in WI, property does not have to be posted. It is the hunters responsibility to know the property lines, rules and regs. Not the landowners. It is similar in alot of states. Keep in mind too, that other areas where you can track (if any exist anymore) on anothers land without prior notice, there may be other hunters there. So, it would be in your best interest to have prior approval. You wouldn't want it the other way around would you? Someone tracking their animal thru your land while you are hunting, would you? The big business of hunting has changed alot of tradition. Sad, but true.
Oh and to answer your question, no a game warden can not go track with you if the landowner says no. He might be able to persuade a landowner to let you and then might go with you.

[dan]

In Wisconsin you can not track deer across land borders without permission, and a warden can not gain access to trespass to retrieve a deer for you without permission.
I once witnessed a car deer accident where the woman who hit a nice size buck had told to police officer she wanted the deer. She had totaled her car and her husband was coming with a truck for her and the deer.
While the cop was taking the report the land owner pulled up and asked for the deer when they said she was keeping it he said "my land, my deer... The cop said he was giving it to the person who hit it. The landowner said you ain't trespassing on my land to get it. The cop called the Warden who was there pretty quick. The Warden told the guy that he could deny her or him access to trespass but if he did so that he would allow no permit for the deer and he would have to leave it there to rot... At that point the guy gave up and gave it to the lady.
Iowa is different, there you can track a wounded deer legally where ever it goes and may trespass without permission while tracking wounded game.

[muddy]

In Iowa you can only track unarmed, gotta leave the weapon @ fence when u cross.