Is there anyone who knows what is involved with this activity?  What is required from the dog during stalking through to tracking the wounded deer.  Any info would be a great help. 

Can't talk about the UK as I doubt dogs are used in the cull but in Norway where our dogs are worked their primary purpose is to find, track and hold at bay.

http://www.bds.org.uk

are the people to ask, one of their guys runs deer stalking courses in our village hall.
i have PM his email to you.
Chris

Thank you.

A number of our breed over the years have been used for Deer stalking in the UK, be interesting to know how it differs.

Brainless is this during culling or as a sport? If it is for the cull I am surprised it is not against the hunting law.

Pretty sure that the law precludes hunting with more than one dog where tracking with one is allowed for management purposes as long as the killing is done by the humans.

Most stalking dogs in uk are used to track a wounded animal after the shot. Some are trained to track on a line but most effective are this that free track and once locate the animal either stand and bay or return to handler and indicate the find in whatever manner they have been trained. Avariety of breeds are used  - labs, GSP, GWP, Bavarian mountain hounds. Chris at Trudvang kennels does plenty of stalking and would be a good contact I am sure http://www.kenneltrudvang.co.uk/

Also here http://www.kenneltrudvang.co.uk/dogsfordeer.pdf

> Some are trained to track on a line but most effective are this that free track and once locate the animal either stand and bay or return to handler and indicate the find in whatever manner they have been trained.

Well that is what my breed do, they indicate by barking, but track silently, depending on terrain either free or in harness (with wolf numbers up in Norway more are being used in harness at the moment, for the dogs safety).

It's strange that more people (who probably haven't heard of the breed) don't come for ours to do the job they have been bred for, and where the instincts for it are strong (we regularly import direct from stock that are kept principally for hunting with showing for most only a way to get the required grading for hunting titles).

I think you need to be specific on whether you are stalking deer or tracking a wounded deer.

The Bavarian Mountain Hound Society in the UK have spearheaded blood tracking training events in the UK.

http://www.bavarianmountainhoundsociety.org.uk/

There are several forums on this and/or sections on gundog forums on this activity.

Asked because I used to live in an area where deer culling took place but although they had dogs they were never used for the cull and I don't think there was ever an occasion where the deer being shot was not at the lease totally disabled although the aim is to kill outright or the quality of the meat suffers.