Tiny but Mighty Big Game Recovery

Tiny but Mighty Big Game Recovery Wound game tracking and recovery with dogs. Servicing the Eastern Upper Peninsula and Tip of the Mitt of Michigan.

Puppies are all doing well. 3 days old now and eating like champs. I decided on a couple winners as she surprised us wit...
01/29/2025

Puppies are all doing well. 3 days old now and eating like champs. I decided on a couple winners as she surprised us with a 6th puppy.

Maryann Rogers
Hannah LaPointe
Chad Cerrone

I'll be contacting you all for your sizes and addresses.

Rascal decided to start having pups today while I was out doing chores. Ryan came in to find Rascal had abandoned her wh...
01/27/2025

Rascal decided to start having pups today while I was out doing chores. Ryan came in to find Rascal had abandoned her whelping box and had her first pup under our bed. I got them both moved to the box and she birthed the other 5. She had 6 puppies total. 3 girls 3 boys. Both her and puppies are resting and doing very well. I'll announce the winner of the t-shirt tomorrow after I go through all the comments. There will be more puppy pictures to come.

Hello followers, things have been pretty crazy following rifle season this year and I forgot to do a year end post. We h...
01/19/2025

Hello followers, things have been pretty crazy following rifle season this year and I forgot to do a year end post.

We had a very tough season. We were able to go on 22 tracks (including 3 bear) but only 5 recoveries. There was 8 that I heard back were confirmed alive. 3 were harvested within a few days after the track. Seems like the deer are getting tougher each year and surviving shots that should have been fatal.

To bring in the new year, Rascal passed all her health checks and will be having puppies next weekend! She is bred to a very nice stud that will make for some very well balanced hard working little dogs. Rascal is going in on January 21st for an xray to count puppies.

Anyone have guesses? I'll give a t shirt out to the first person that can guess the number of puppies and number of each s*x. If not an exact guess then I'll go with the closest.

Another on the tailgate. Hunter called last night, thought he had a good shot, couldn't find any blood when looking. He ...
11/10/2024

Another on the tailgate.

Hunter called last night, thought he had a good shot, couldn't find any blood when looking. He backed out and called us. Got all the info, I had a good feeling from the info that his deer was dead.

We arrived at about the 16 hour mark after the shot. Hunter was worried about the rain but I assured him it won't effect Rascal's nose. We got geared up and headed into the shot site.

We heard some crows and then an eagle and Rascal had her nose in the air and took off. We hustled after her only to hear her barking and standing on a brush pile. She had scared the eagle off the the hunter's deer. Hunter was very happy to have recovered his deer. There was a good amount of predator damage, but there is still some salvageable meat. Track was a max of 200 yards and probably the fastest we have ever recovered a deer (2 or 3 minutes). Hunter had a perfect shot just no blood.

Congrats on your first archery 9 point public land buck.

This is what warms the heart. Got a call this morning from a dad needing a buck tracked for his daughter. She shot mid m...
11/09/2024

This is what warms the heart.

Got a call this morning from a dad needing a buck tracked for his daughter. She shot mid morning. There was white hair and very little blood. He tracked maybe 10 yards and decided it was best to back out and call in a dog.

We weren't able to got much info on the phone because of poor signal. The mom called me to arrange a time and place to meet but wasn't out in the woods so didn't have much info. I decided we would get more info when we got there. Harvey was excited that he got to finally tag along on a track.

The young hunter did a great job recounting her shot and the behavior after the shot. Dad concurred and off we went to the hit site. We found white hair and a tiny bit of blood. I was a little nervous at first but Rascal took the trail and off we went. We picked our way through thick grass into some tagalter slashings where blood was starting to show up more. We kept getting tangled in the brush so I took the lead off to simplify things. Rascal worked down the line as we followed, finding blood puddles at that point. My GPS dinged that Rascal was stopped and I looked she was only 75 yards away not moving. I told them she is on their deer. We made our way towards her. The dad and kids walked up ahead farther and myself and grandpa took a right turn following my GPS. I finally spot a white wagging tail under a log. I tell the grandpa to look to his right as he was just about to walk by. There was Rascal with the young lady's buck tucked up under a log.

I called to the young girl that she needed to come over and claim her deer. I don't think she touched the ground as her and her dad came running over. It was so special to be part of this young hunter's story on her very first deer. To make today even more special for this family, grandpa also tagged a nice buck. 3 generations in the woods making lasting memories.

Congratulations on your gorgeous 8 point UP public land buck young lady.

Proof of Life!We tracked this big boy about a week ago. Hunter knew his shot was off but wasn't sure if it was fatal and...
11/05/2024

Proof of Life!

We tracked this big boy about a week ago. Hunter knew his shot was off but wasn't sure if it was fatal and had no sign because of rain. We came in and Rascal nosed around for a bit, picked a trail. She was busy looking for the noisy squirrel. Brought her back and restarted, she took the line for about 100 yards and gave me the look that she didn't think it was dead.

Hunter sent me this last night. His buck is alive and well. He hopes to get another shot at him soon.

Edit: I apologize, I realize i posted the wrong picture from the wrong track.

Rascal decided she was going to put on a clinic this morning. Aiden got a hold of me this morning to see if I was availa...
11/04/2024

Rascal decided she was going to put on a clinic this morning.

Aiden got a hold of me this morning to see if I was available to track a buck he shot last night. The only hitch was he was trying to secure landowner permission to track on property he suspected the buck went to. I was able to point him to the right people to get contact info for landowners and he was able to get permission. Landowners lived downstate and were not up.

We head out to go help find this deer. It was a for sure gut shot. Aiden and his friends had tracked a little ways and found gut material so they backed out to call for Rascal.

We arrive at the 20 hour mark after the shot and the hunter was explaining what happened at the shot site. Well Rascal said let's go boys and took us along where the hunter said the deer went. There is no visible sign as it has been raining all night and morning so I was blindly trusting my dog. She was steady the whole way and after about 650 yards we got into some heavy brush. I knew we had to be getting close as she was getting more excited. So I cut her off lead to get myself untangled. Rascal beelined it out of the thick stuff and about 100 yards my GPS unit dinged that she was stopped. We get out of the thick brush onto a small 2 track and I looked at my unit and she hasn't moved. I knew she was on her deer and I could smell the gut smell. She was about 50 feet inside the treeline on this gorgeous 9 point UP buck. There was a little predator damage on the hind quarter, but still lots of salvageable meat.

750 yards of 20 hour old rained on track to find this beast. Congratulations Aiden and thank you for trusting the Tiny but Mighty crew to find your buck.

Rascal with the win yesterday morning. Dad and son were hunting the night before and the boy took a shot at this big boy...
10/18/2024

Rascal with the win yesterday morning.

Dad and son were hunting the night before and the boy took a shot at this big boy. Found very little blood and decided to back out and check again in the morning. The dad looked for over an hour and couldn't find anymore then the couple drops from the night before. Gives me a call for some help.

We arrived about 16 hours after the shot and from the way the dad described the deer's behavior after the shot, it sounded like it was a dead deer. Put Rascal on the ground and she took off on the line that the dad seen it go originally. After about 300 yards I could tell she was off on something that I didn't feel was the right deer. It was then the dad told me that when he was congratulating his son on his shot, he caught a deer heading the opposite direction but wasn't sure if it was their deer or another one. So I pull Rascal off and we go back to the hit site. I walk her along the other side of the trail just to see if my suspension was right. Sure enough, Rascal lines out and 75 yards later she was standing on this gorgeous 9 point.

Congrats to the young boy and his dad on this amazing UP buck. This was the boy's very first deer and what a whopper.

After a frustrating start to the season we finally got a recovery. We got a call yesterday morning for a deer shot not f...
10/13/2024

After a frustrating start to the season we finally got a recovery.

We got a call yesterday morning for a deer shot not far from my house. Very little to No blood and hunter saw the exit wound was farther back then ideal. I came in about 6 hours after the shot and started with Rascal. We talked it up the hillside and had some trouble after the deer crossed the road. We stayed with it and Rascal managed to sort it out and back on the deer. I was working my way through some raspberry bushes when Rascal started barking and whining. She is about 25 feet ahead of me on lead and suddenly there was the buck heading straight at me. I'm pretty sure Rascal bit him on the rump the way he boogied out of there, spraying blood as he ran hunched up. I yelled to the hunter and his friends that were helping track to get out of the way. Everyone was able to get out of the injured buck's way. We backed out to let him expire.

We left for another track that ended with a suspected live deer.

I brought Flynn out to finish what Rascal started and he marched us right back down the hill to the expired buck. Congrats to the hunter and his very first archery buck.

Michigan Deer Trackers list for 2024 hot off the press. We are 52 on the list.
09/04/2024

Michigan Deer Trackers list for 2024 hot off the press. We are 52 on the list.

Shirts and Hoodies are in. I have a limited about but go from small up to XXL. I only did orange for now. 25 dollars on ...
09/04/2024

Shirts and Hoodies are in. I have a limited about but go from small up to XXL. I only did orange for now. 25 dollars on the shirts and 40 for a hoodie.

Hello everyone, Tracking season is drawing near. I will be available during bear and whitetail. I won't be able to take ...
08/12/2024

Hello everyone,

Tracking season is drawing near. I will be available during bear and whitetail. I won't be able to take all the tracks but I'll do my best.

Couple of announcements: we are adding a rookie team this year. Josie and her handler will be tagging along in tracks to learn and gain experience.

We are able to help our Canadian neighbors this season! Yes we will be going officially international this season!

Picture of Rascal working her summer job as rodent pest control.

Super excited to have a logo. I'll be putting in an order for some shirts and hats. If any of my followers or previous c...
05/04/2024

Super excited to have a logo. I'll be putting in an order for some shirts and hats. If any of my followers or previous clients would like one please let me know. Thank you Ryann Bradley for the stellar logo.

Flynn got mail this past week! He will be heading to UKC Premier Nationals this summer to compete for Top Ten.
03/10/2024

Flynn got mail this past week! He will be heading to UKC Premier Nationals this summer to compete for Top Ten.

Proof of life! Got a text yesterday on the buck we tracked about week and a half ago for an old coworker that he showed ...
12/04/2023

Proof of life! Got a text yesterday on the buck we tracked about week and a half ago for an old coworker that he showed back up on camera yesterday morning. This is awesome to see that Rascal was right in knowing the deer was gonna be just fine.

Hello everyone we will be taking a little break here as we will be heading west to Wisconsin to visit with family. We wi...
11/24/2023

Hello everyone we will be taking a little break here as we will be heading west to Wisconsin to visit with family. We will be back Monday November 27th to help close out rifle season. I'll still be available to offer advice. Stay safe and good luck.

Yesterday we were 0-2 on tracks. Track #1 Hunter called said he shot at a deer and the bullet hit a sapling first before...
11/20/2023

Yesterday we were 0-2 on tracks.

Track #1
Hunter called said he shot at a deer and the bullet hit a sapling first before hitting the deer and he wasn't sure where the deer was hit and had limited blood.
Rascal and I had to take a boat ride to the track site. We inspected the area and seen the large sapling that was hit. We tracked the deer along the river then up into a big field. After about a mile I felt confident that the deer had a non lethal brisket wound.

Track #2
Flynn and I went on our first night track together. Hunter shot at his deer at 100 yards. He was uncertain where it was hit and had good blood for about 300 yards then it dried up. Flynn gets to work but I could tell he wasn't really interestedin the known blood line. We worked through the blood trail only to go in circles after last blood. He had zero interest in advancing the line, which told me the deer was not a lethal shot and would probably be just fine.

Today

Rascal and I get a call from a hunter that had just shot his deer, felt it was a good hit but had no blood at all. We gear up and head over about an hour after the shot. Hunter was explaining what happened and Rascal was already lined out and dragging me along. I told him, hey dog says this way. 250 yards later and only 1 little splash of blood, we are standing over his buck. He was super impressed with how fast Rascal worked the line and had his buck.

Congratulations to the hunter on this nice 7 point UP buck.

1 for 2 today. First track was for an old coworker that shot a buck last night and didn't have much blood. We get there ...
11/18/2023

1 for 2 today.

First track was for an old coworker that shot a buck last night and didn't have much blood. We get there and survey the scene. There was not much sign but the hunter told me the shot knocked the deer over. Rascal goes to work and we track for about 300 yards and I didn't like how she was tracking. I felt like she was back tracking the deer from where it came from before the shot. We go back to the hit sight and sure enough she heads in the opposite direction towards a creek. She loses interest after about 400 yards. We suspect that the deer is still alive and was only spinal shocked.

Track #2

I got a call from a friend of a previous client that he shot a buck and needed help. We were already pretty close so we head on over. The hunter said he found some bone and blood. With looking at the bone I'm already suspecting a leg shot. Rascal gets to work and down the short known blood trail. We work our way through the track and I'm seeing deep foot prints and drag marks in the dirt and leaves. I'm starting to get worried we weren't going to catch up but then Rascal picks up her head and starts hammering on her lead. We find fresh blood and more drag marks. I'm 100% certain that we are pushing a live leg shot deer. I knew we would never catch up on lead because I'm not fast enough to keep up with my little terror. I asked the hunter if he was ready to catch his deer. He looked puzzled and I explained what I was seeing and only turning the dog off lead to bay up the injured deer would be hope we would recover this deer. I also made it clear we would have to move very quickly once the deer is bayed up to get a kill shot. He agreed and said he was ready. I unclip the lead and she tears off down the track, yipping the entire time. I'm watching her on my garmin and she gets 150 yards and just raises a ruckus. I told the hunter to move, she has it stopped. We sprint towards where she is barking and sure enough there was his buck. The deer slips past the dog and off we go again. Another 80 yards and she has it stopped again. The hunter pulls the rifle up to get and shot and the deer moves again with Rascal hot on its heels. Third bay up was finally where the hunter got the kill shot and put it down very quickly. Total this track was .85 miles.

This buck would have never been recovered without a dog and without the new off lead tracking that Michigan allowed this year. I was scared s***less this whole time as I have never turned Rascal loose, nor have I wanted to due to her size. She did a fantastic job and got her deer. Definitely will not be making off lead a habit though.

Congratulations to this hunter and your very respectable 6 point UP buck. I'm a very tired handler and Rascal is a very tired pup, but it sure was worth it. This deer would have surely become wolf or coyote food if not recovered.

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Sault Ste. Marie, MI

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+17153510579

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Videos

Rascal ran the practice track today after 22 hours of lay time. Needed 2 restarts as she thinks fake tracks are boring. We did finally get it together and found the "deer".

Having Flynn work on finding the start and initial line of the track. This is something he struggled with last season.

Winter fun
Winter fun

Just out having some fun today. Staying in shape and soon to start training season for the next tracking season.

Train like a real world scenario.
Train like a real world scenario.

26 hour old training track after some rain and windy conditions, and Rascal nailed it.

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