Ramsey Sullivan
news@greenepublishing.com
It's every hunter's nightmare to watch a big buck run off after shooting at it, then be unable to locate it. Not only is it a nightmare for the hunter, but it can be even worse for the animal if it is wounded. This is why Brandon Granberg and his Blue Heeler mix, Toyo, have begun Toyos Deer Tracking Service: to help find deer who have been hit and wounded, but not located.
In November 2016, Granberg's wife, Jenna, was hunting when she shot a deer that ran off. When Granberg looked for the deer, all he found was a little blood. To help find it, he brought out their one-year-old pup, Toyo. Toyo had never tracked a deer and Granberg didn't consider himself a tracker either. However, when Toyo got to the spot where the deer was shot, he quickly started wagging his tail and Granberg knew that Toyo knew what to do. Toyo then tracked the deer, and led Granberg to it ... the rest is history.
"My dog and I just have a love for deer and I could tell Toyo had a knack for tracking them," said Granberg.
Toyo and Granberg have tracked 126 deer since they started tracking publicly. He began by tracking deer for himself, then evolved to tracking for his friends. He now has a private Facebook page dedicated to Toyo's Deer Tracking Service. In the last three years, the duo has tracked deer consistently in 17 counties, including eight counties in Florida and nine counties in Georgia. However, Granberg isn't afraid to travel to wherever is necessary to find a lost deer, only expecting gas money in return.
Toyo doesn't even need a drop of blood to find a wounded deer; he uses the hormones excreted from the interdigital gland. Interdigital glands are found between the "toes" of each hoof. Many hunters are aware of this gland because of the infamous "foot stomp," which alerts other deer that there might be danger in the area. When a deer is shot, it excretes more hormones from this gland, and that is how tracking dogs, like Toyo, follow the deer's trail.
Granberg didn't know about the specific ways of tracking deer when he first began, so he joined a private Facebook group called "Florida Blood Trail Network," and started learning tips and tricks to help track the deer and find as many as possible. Granberg just wants to help find wounded deer out of respect for the animal and help hunters find their kill.
If you are waiting for a catch with this business, you won't find one. In fact, Granberg refers to his business as a service, because it is free of charge. He does not accept pay and rarely accepts tips. For him, a handshake or a hug is enough of a "thank you."
"Everyone has a calling and I think this is mine," Granberg noted. " I think this is my knack, this is what I feel like I'm here for."
Although he does not accept payments or tips, he does make money through the selling of t-shirts with the "Toyo's Deer Tracking Service" logo on them. Each shirt is $20 and is the only money Granberg takes from this business.
Granberg plans to have a tracking dog for the rest of his life and is currently training another dog, Zuki, a two-year-old full-blooded blue heeler. He also wants to pass on his service to his son, Titan, or daughter, Daisy, in the future. He is thankful for the opportunity to provide this service to the people of his hometown, Madison, and the surrounding counties.
"I owe it all to God," said Granberg. "I couldn't do it without Toyo, but I really couldn't do it without God. Without Him, I wouldn't have a wife that supports me and I wouldn't be healthy enough to do it."