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Dear
John,
We have a gun dealership in South
Africa and I received a copy of your first edition from a friend to train my
German Wirehair Pointer. Your advice and applications works wonders with the dogs. Can I
order 5 new editions from you and would you be so kind to sign one for
me?
Drikus
Viljoen, South Africa, January 2012
Seriously, John's "Tracking Dogs for Finding Wounded Deer" needs to receive an award recognizing its contribution to hunting/dogs books in America. The
content representing his experience with tracking dogs for thirty plus years
along with the thoroughness, readability and organization he has put into it is
an invaluable working book for the increasing number of hunters being attracted
to this area of the sport of deer hunting. The constant testimonials I keep
reading along with
my own success firmly shows what new hunters with proper chosen dogs and good
(excellent) guidance can accomplish. I have no idea how to go about getting
John's book up for award recognition but would hope that someone in this blog's
audience would. I will testify any time for the worth of doing it.
Pat Patterson, December 5, 2011
John, I wanted to leave you this message and thank you SO much for writing your blood tracking books (your dog book and Dead On). Both my pup and I have really enjoyed them.
Vince Crawford, Missouri, November 2011
A logical and scientific approach to the issues of both dog training and practical blood tracking is this very thorough and still easy to read book. After nearly 30 years of personal experience and investigating how others adapt tracking to their areas, John Jeanneney has written a book on the subject, Tracking Dogs for Finding Wounded Deer. This book goes in to detail on each dog breed and what to look for in finding the right breed for your area. Chapters 11 and 12 alone are worth the price, even for hunters with no interest in tracking dogs. They detail how not to be fooled about where the deer was hit.
Closing The Distance
The book talked about all aspects of blood trailing game with dogs. The author stated that the miniature dachshund had retained much of his hunting instincts, so I went out and bought one. At first it was just a tool, but now it has just become another very rewarding aspect of hunting for me.
Carney Easter, August 2010
The best—and possibly only—book on the subject is Tracking Dogs for Finding Wounded Deer by John Jeanneney.
David DiBenedetto, Field and Stream, August 2009
For hunters' opinions of the book click here.
John's book Tracking Dogs for Finding Wounded Deer is a must-read for deer hunters whether you train a tracking dog or not. It will, without a doubt, improve your understanding of wounded deer and how to recover them.
Les Davenport, Deer and Deer Hunting December 2008
John Jeanneney has done a truly admirable job of assembling the
facts so hunters can develop their own
informed opinions. (...) While the author's
passion for tracking dogs is obvious, he
still manages a nicely balanced overview of
the subject's controversial aspects. While
he may or may not change the minds of
diehard skeptics, anyone who reads this
authoritative book will come away better
informed. If only all bowhunters would take
the time to gather the facts before
expressing their opinions...
Don Thomas, Traditional Bowhunter
June/July 2008
John, I can't tell you how much I have
enjoyed your book. It is a classic. It
should be the bible for trackers of wounded
game.
Louis Taxiarchis, M.D., Maine, March 2008
John's logical and
scientific approach to the issues of both
dog training and practical blood tracking is
very thorough and still easy to understand
and to put into practice. Very, very
recommended reading, very entertaining. too.
Dirk Uwe
Kern, Stuttgart, Germany, February
2008
www.accuratereloading.com
I would like to say
thank you for the wonderful information you
have shared in your book. I have found it
very informative and I look forward to using
the knowledge to train my lab and other dogs
down the road in my hunting adventures
in Louisiana and Texas. Although I started
training my lab to trail blood before I knew
about your book, it certainly helps to learn
from someone with so much knowledge. I
have thoroughly enjoyed reading it so far
and will more than likely re-read it over
time to stay fresh.
Jared
Politz, LA, February 2008
John's book is
excellent! I don't know what more a person
could have hoped for. I have just started
reading it again, for the third time. I
want to absorb as much of the information
and experience as possible. I believe
reading this book has made my dog and myself
more efficient at tracking than would have
been possible after many years of learning
by trial and error.
Dave Mundy, February 2008
I am in my first year of
tracking, and am pretty severely hooked on it. I
bought your book almost a year ago, and I can't
count the number of ways it has helped me with my
dog and with tracking in general. I really don't
know how I would have even got my dog started
without it.
Lance Falzone, TX, January 2008
Dear John, Lately I
bought your book, fantastic, it has been very
useful for me and my young dachshund. Here in Quebec
city, we are few conductors of blood tracking dogs.
As I see that you signed my book in French, nice,
thanks.
Jacques Dion, September 2007
Thank you VERY much for writing
the book! I've only had a half-remembered article, and a
bit of hearsay to go on, but NOW I have a great source
of information at my finger-tips.
Dave Orchard, August 2007
I just wanted to drop you a note and tell you how
much I have enjoyed the book. I could just not put
it down and am very glad it was recommended to me. I
have already suggested it to a few friends on the
merit of its information on blood tracking,
even without a dog.
Carey Sutterfield, June 2007
John, Thank you so much for the information. I
appreciate it very much… I have been reading
you book nightly for the past week. I hope that
you never get tired of people telling you what a
great book you have written. It is truly
outstanding and thank you so much for your time
in effort in sharing your expertise with
others!!!
Tom McCormick, February 2007
Tracking Dogs for Finding
Wounded Deer deserves a place along side the very best
dog training books ever published. I had some small inkling
of its quality when I ordered it. Now that it has arrived,
I'm blown away by its comprehensiveness, clarity, and
practical orientation. My wife and I have dozens of dog
training books at home, and yours is easily among the top
three or four in quality.
You've done a tremendous service over the years. Publication
of this book ensures that the value of your work will
continue for a very long time. Thanks.
Charles Elk, Executive Director, Kittery Trading Post
Outdoor Academy, Kittery, ME; October 2006
Only days after
submitting an article about tracking wounded deer I received
a book from the US about the same topic. Its author is
John Jeanneney, who has according to the book some
800-recorded deer searches to his credit. If shear
numbers are a measure of a person’s experience than John is
the most accomplished tracking expert in the US and probably
in the world. This is despite the fact that a great deal
of John’s knowledge is based on European tradition and
teachings. The key to explaining this paradox can be
found in the two country’s different hunting cultures and in
particularly the huge numbers of deer and hunters in the
US. While hunting regulations differ from state to state,
most have a bow hunting season, a black powder season and an
open firearm season for the various deer species. With so
many hunters targeting deer it is inevitable that a
corresponding percentage of them is wounded.
It is at this point where John and his fellow members of “Deer
Search Inc.” and “United Blood Trackers” enter the scene.
Both organisations are made up of volunteers and their
trained tracking dogs that assist hunters to recover wounded
deer and bears that the hunters failed to locate with an
initial search.
As if the task of training a suitable dog and subsequent searches
were not difficult enough the book also eludes to a raft of
regulatory obstacles facing blood trackers in different
states of the US. For instance some states prohibit night
hunting with lights when some of the best tracking
conditions exist after dark. Other states have outlawed
the use of dogs for deer hunting without making provisions
for wounded game tracking dogs. There are also conflicts
over the permissible use of firearms to finish off wounded
deer during the different hunting seasons that add to the
list of bureaucratic inertia that these organisations had,
and in some cases still have, to overcome. To us in New
Zealand the above makes astonishing reading to learn how
inflexible hunting regulations can get in the way of
shortening the suffering of a wounded animal. It is to the
credit of this dedicated band of humanitarians that their
work is slowly becoming officially accepted and valued by
the authorities and hunters.
However, for US hunters and for us here in New Zealand the real
value of this book lies in the copious practical content and
in the fact that this is the first book on blood tracking in
the English language. It alleviates the need to decipher
European hunting literature, which contains traditional
hunting terms, he origin of which is often shrouded in
antiquity.
The book I received was the second and much revised edition of a previous
one whose 2000 copies sold out in two years. Even though
the book is authored by John Jeanneney it does not take long
before one realises that John’s wife, Jolanta contributed a
great deal of its contents. Jolanta not only breeds
tracking wirehaired dachshunds, she is also an accomplished
tracker in her own right.
Although the book largely deals with tracking wounded deer with
dogs, there is a lot of information and advice for hunters
without dogs, such as a detailed description of the effects
of shots to different parts of a deer’ body. The signs
left behind by such wounds and how to interpret these to
help with the often-difficult task of a recovery.
For those hunters who want to take this further and add a dog to
their accessory list John offers a thorough guide to
understanding of the intricacies of scent, what it is, where
it is deposited and how it is affected by atmospheric
conditions, terrain, time and the scent of other animals.
In another chapter he discusses the essential tracking
tools, general tracking techniques as well as tips for
tracking on difficult surfaces such as roads, swamps and
watercourses.
Chapter three deals with selecting a tracking dog. Here John
gives general guidelines for all breeds, advice on how to
pick the right breed for your local tracking/hunting
conditions and tips on selecting a puppy. He discusses
the role of genetics on scenting ability, courage,
intelligence and working style. In chapters four, five,
six and seven we get an overview of the suitability of dog
breeds for tracking work. From the various hounds to
retrievers and the European versatile breeds to such US dogs
as curdogs and cowdogs from the Deep South. He also
evaluates terriers, sheep dogs and Norwegian Elkhounds.
The author gets down to basic and advanced tracking training of
dogs and handlers in chapters eight and nine. For me this
is the highlight of this book and really shows the
experience he has amassed from years of tracking wounded
animals and breeding and training dogs for this work. It
only too true that not every dog is born to track and some
have to be motivated before they get the bug. John draws
on a raft to case studies from his own dogs and those of his
many contacts in the US and overseas, including Europe to
offer practical guidelines on many training problems.
These two chapters contain such a lot of practical advice
that one could train and run a good working dog with that
material alone.
No two hunting situations are alike and the same applies to wounded
animals. John goes to great detail to differentiate
wounds made by hunting arrows and firearms. I have no
experience with hunting archery but after reading chapter
ten and eleven I can appreciate the distinction between the
two “projectiles” as this applies to a tracking for a
successful recovery. This is the first time archery
wounds have been discussed in such detail because the sport
is largely outlawed in Europe. Chapter twelve deals with
wounded bears and although interesting it has little
relevance for us in New Zealand.
The same applies to the next chapter on politics and the
peculiarities of different administrations views on the use
of firearms out of season and other obstacles, which we have
been largely spared in this country.
While a dogs attributes are all nicely contained in one package it
was given at birth chapter fourteen makes it clear that this
is not so for the handler of a tracking dog. There is a
list of “essential” equipment that would not be out of place
in a Cabalas catalogue. Maybe I still retain a bit of the
deer culler’s obsession with hunting light and travelling
fast (when we cut the handle of our tooth brushes to save
weight) to be a good judge of the adequacy of this
chapter. Or maybe I conveniently overlooked that a lot of
the gear John recommends wasn’t even around in those days
and had it been we would have probably have used it too.
Just goes to show how nostalgia can creep up on you at the
slightest opportunity.
Chapter fifteen is interesting since it discusses the relationship
between the hunter who has wounded a deer and the volunteer
tracker who has been called in to assist with its
recovery. This situation is very common in the US but
probably rare in this country partly because we do not have
such tracking organisations to fall back on but more
particularly because in the vastness of our
often-impenetrable bush fighting ones way back with a
tracker to where it all happened is not really practical.
Most bush hunting is done singly and hunters learn very
quickly to be self-sufficient and self-reliant. If there
is a wounded deer to be tracked than the hunter must face
this ethical and physical calamity alone.
As with our hunting dogs it appears that most members of the US
tracking organisations accord their dogs a place within
their families. Chapter 16 gives much practical advice on
how to integrate a dog into a household and to socialise it
with other dogs, children and livestock. It is a chapter
worth reading for any dog owner regardless of the size,
breed or sex of such a new family addition.
Apart from dogs of individual enthusiasts it is my guess that in
New Zealand hunting guides and large “safari park”
outfitters will have the greatest financial incentive to
train and use “professional” tracking dogs. When
clients pay thousands of dollars for a trophy animal they do
not want it rotting in the scrub. They want the trophy
photo and the rack to take home. It is up to the guide to
see that this happens. In chapter seventeen John gives
examples of how at Tara Plantation, which is a large
commercial deer, hunting operation comprising 27000 acres of
Mississippi woodlands, tracking dogs are successfully used
to recover deer wounded by Tara clients. The Tara dogs
are all Labs that are owned by the professional guides and
live with them as part of their household. I can see a
similar situation developing here around the recreational
hunting industry.
Tracking tests give dog owners a certain measure of how good their
dog is and how successful their training programme has
been. Chapter eighteen covers that in great detail. Most
training is done with artificial aids to duplicate as far as
possible the real thing. Test are also largely conducted
using similar artificial means in order to ensure that dogs
are judged fairly against predetermined standards and
against each other. As long as tests are used to improve
the field tracking performance for the canine candidates
such tests are beneficial. Once tests become an end in
themselves and become a competitive game with big rewards
for dog owners then they lose much of their relevance for
wounded deer recovery.
Chapter nineteen offers answers to common tracking questions while
chapter twenty canvasses US regional tracking traditions,
which once again shows how different attitudes to blood
tracking are in that large country and how hard it has been
to overcome traditional mind-sets of hunting administrations
and hunters alike.
Even though I am quite familiar with European blood tracking
practices I found the book invaluable to bring the need for
the humane treatment of wounded game animals to the
attention of English speaking hunters. The hunting and
subsequent tracking situation in most of the US might differ
markedly from ours, yet John Jeanneney’s advice detailed
over 350 pages contains all the elements with which to train
good tracking dogs for our style of deer hunting. John and
his wife breeds and uses German Wirehaired Dachshunds from
original European hunting strains for all his tracking.
While the use of such dogs would inevitably raise eyebrows
in this country his choice of this breed must be seen in the
context of the US situation. However, from my knowledge
of this breed I can assure you that the only thing these
little dogs lack to make them superb hunting dogs for New
Zealand deer hunting are a few additional inches of leg
bone.
This short overview of “Tracking Dogs For Finding Wounded Deer” can
only sketch the contents based on a lifetime of field
experience by one of the founders of Deer Search. This is
a unique voluntary organisation dedicated to finding wounded
deer that cannot be recovered by any other means. The book
features a good number of case studies, photographs and
sketches, which support the comprehensive text.
The Jeanneneys have published the book themselves and are only
selling it privately. You can contact them via their
website:
www.born-to-track.com or via e-mail:
info@born-to-track.com . I highly recommend this book
to anyone supporting ethical hunting by furthering his/her
ability to recover wounded game.
Herb Spannagl, The Editor, New Zealand
Outdoors, March 2007
After nearly 30 years of personal
experience and investigating how others adapt tracking to their areas,
John Jeanneney has written a book on the subject, Tracking Dogs for
Finding Wounded Deer. Chapters 11 and 12 alone are worth the
price, even for hunters with no interest in tracking dogs. They detail
how not to be fooled about where the deer was hit.
Take a broken leg. The hunter may say he found “pieces
of rib” and lots of blood and conclude he made a chest shot. But
Jeanneney asks whether the deer tried to run, fell once or twice and
then took off on three legs. Is the blood bright, as with a flesh
wound? Is it distributed in many small droplets? Are there bloody drag
marks over branches or logs? With enough yes answers, Jeanneney knows
this deer should be tracked quickly to keep it moving and bleeding. If
the hunter waits to let it stiffen, the deer will stop. Blood will
clot in the bone marrow, where much of the bleeding is happening. If
the deer weakens no further, ending its suffering is unlikely.
Jeanneney’s training skills are equally keen. He may
start with liver drags, then drop occasional pieces beside the trail.
The pup learns there are treats if he hugs the line. Jeanneney knows
that later he’ll see more evidence and will understand more about the
wounded deer when his dog doesn’t drift off and on the track.
Larry Mueller, Outdoor Life, June 2005
The
abundant wealth of this book lies in what it can do for a hunter
before he goes out hunting and wounds a deer. Once a deer has been
wounded, Jeanneney’s suggestions become priceless for identifying
wound sites and tracking approaches before making that call to a Deer
Search volunteer handler. Chapters 12-14 alone would be worth the
$24.95 price of this book. His description of body cavity wounds help
to distinguish chest, leg, back, head, neck and muscle tissue hits. A
better understanding of blood and hair traces left behind can make
tracking – for the hunter and for the dog handler- easier, with better
chances for a successful find.
Will Elliott, New
York Outdoor News 2005
John
Jeanneney’s
new book, Tracking Dogs for Finding Wounded Deer, is truly a ground
breaking volume that is long overdue and the first of its kind. It provides all
the information hunters need to start using tracking dogs. It also includes
details about what breeds to consider, how to select a dog and how to train
hounds to locate dead deer. Even if you aren’t interested in getting a dog of
your own, you can glean valuable information about recovering deer by sight
tracking.
Interest in tracking dogs has increased during recent
years, and the practice is now legal in many states. This book should help fuel
the fire that's already burning., hopefully resulting in the rapid spread and acceptance
of using dogs to find wounded deer across North America. This book should be
required reading by all state and provincial commissions and administrators who
are responsible for setting regulations regarding the recovery of whitetails
with dogs.
Richard P. Smith, Deer and Deer Hunting, October 2004
Whether you would like to add a tracking dog to your list
of hunting equipment, or you would like to improve your own ability to choose
effective shots and read the signs left by wounded deer,
John
Jean
neney’s
book will be a valuable addition to your hunting library. Throughout the
chapters on wound types and their signs,
John
goes into
detail on the indicators of every type of wound imaginable. His aim is to help
prospective dog owners read these signs and determine the nature of the wound
they are dealing with, information that will help them better understand their
dog’s behavior and response. This information, however, is extremely useful to
hunters who are tracking wounded deer without the aid of a dog.
Lindsay Thomas Jr
.,
Quality Whitetails, vol. 11, issue 1, 2004
This
book speaks for itself in indicating that the author knows where he’s coming
from; has “been there, done that” when it comes to hunting, tracking, dog
training and breeding.
Jeanneney’s
favorite breed for blood tracking will surprise most sportsmen: the Dachshund,
specifically the wirehaired variety out of hunting stock, which he breeds and
trains himself. But what makes this book so valuable and interesting is his
inclusion and excellent evaluation of the potential use of virtually all the gun
dog breeds in recovering wounded and dead deer; from the well-known pointing,
flushing, retrieving, versatile and hound breeds to virtually unknown
Wachtelhunds, Jagdterriers and curs. Anyone who hunts deer with gun or bow, even
if not a dog owner, will find the book worthwhile as an aid in “sign
reading” so a hunter stands a better chance of finding what he’s hit, rather
then moan about “the one that got away”. The insight and reasoning ability
of the handler of a blood-tracking dog goes a long way in resulting in a
successful quest, the man’s mind and the dog’s nose filling in alternate
gaps each will encounter in following the line of a fleeing animal; a trained,
keen-nosed dog and a savvy woodsman making up a successful team.
Every hunter who has not been indoctrinated by an
insightful veteran of long experience in the woods can shortcut his own learning
time by absorbing the discussion in this book dealing with determining from
blood, hair and physical reaction where and how hard a deer is hit. Whether
undertaking the training of a blood-tracking game finder in order to make a
multipurpose gun dog even more versatile or for personal success in recovering
deer without the air of a dog, such woodscraft is an invaluable asset.
From the review by Dave Duffey, April/May 2004 issue of Gun Dog magazine
There
are some books which are a necessity for the bookshelf.
This is one of those books. As
someone who is in the process of training a dog for the following up of deer
this book has proved extremely useful. It
has an easy to read style about it and the useful summary at the end of each
chapter serves as a reinforcement of the items covered.
The book covers all aspects of using a dog; from breeds suitable for the
task to equipment, techniques and wound identification from ground sign.
There is even a chapter on following up wounded bear.
As bow hunting is still legal in the States aspects of tracking which are
peculiar to bow hunting are covered as well.
Whilst having a definite “American” flavour, this book contains much
that will be of benefit to the European stalker.
As someone who does not speak German, until now many of the books on
using a dog for finding wounded deer have been unavailable to me.
This book does much to redress the balance.
The author is someone who cares a great deal about the
subject matter and this comes over clearly in the way he has written the book.
It is a book written by someone who has learnt through experience and
written for those who are new to training dogs as well as for those who are more
experienced. The book contained
areas with which I was already familiar as well as introducing new concepts or
explaining areas in which I have had little or no experience eg. Following up
wounded animals in snow.
I would advise anyone involved in deer management
to obtain a copy of this book. The
chapters on wound identification are some of the best I have read.
The book covers shot reaction other than the classical “text book”
reactions and prompts the stalker/manager to investigate the ground closely to
confirm their original assumptions.
I hope that this book
encourages a few more deer managers/stalkers to have a trained dog upon which
they can call should the need arise. This
may not happen very often, but when it does a trained dog can save many hours
futile searching and will let you know whether you have a carcass to retrieve or
the animal is missed cleanly.
Guy Hagg, Deer-UK.com
Anyone
who hunts deer or bear ought to read this book as it has much information about
finding wounded game, as well as describing different breeds of dogs which are
used for blood tracking. This is the first book written in English about
bloodtracking wounded game. Most blood tracking books are written in
Europe
and
there are few or no translations available.
John
has
been tracking wounded deer with dachshunds for almost thirty years, plus he has
researched the topic in
America
thoroughly, and he has European tests over there. This is not just a book about
dachshunds, but about the need and usefulness of tracking wounded big game with
dogs.
From the review by Teddy Moritz, December 2003 issue of Full Cry
Just received your book.
About the best on the subject I have ever read in 40 years of shooting.
GCW Baron van Tuyll,
Vice-President of the Game Conservancy Trust,
UK
I
got the book this week. It is all I hoped for and more. My friend is quite
jealous and has now requested me to buy him a copy of your book too.
R.J. Coetzee,
South Africa
It
was very interesting for me to learn how blood-tracking of wounded game
is done in your country. I think the book should
be translated in German as it could be helpfully for all hunters who
work
with tracking dogs even those
who don’t hunt in foreign countries.
Dr. M.
Sallmann,
Germany
I
have today received your book “ Tracking Dogs”. It is
interesting and of highly professional standard.
Magne Klokset, chairman of the Norwegian Schweisshund Klubb
The book is spectacular. I have harvested over 50 Archery whitetails with a bow over the last 30 years and I can't begin to tell you how much I have learned from this book. I'm half way thru the book and I haven't found a single chapter that hasn't been a wealth of knowledge for me. This is a true primer for deer trackers.
J. Monarte, New York
I
have just finished
John
's book. Without
exaggeration, it is the only non-fiction book I recall reading that
I didn't want to hurry to finish. Please let him know how absolutely
excellent I think it is. I know you both put in an incredible amount
of work with it and it really shows in the detail and in the passion
found on every page. I am starting a lottery amongst my friends as
to who gets to borrow it first. I'll encourage those with paying jobs
to get their own.
Donel Buckmaster,
Wisconsin
It
is a must read for all trackers.
John
is not only one of the most
knowledgeable trackers in America but he gives complete details in this
wonderful book.
Ralph
Castaneda, New York
Thanks so much for the book. We have had hunters since I received it and last night I was finally able to start reading it. It is a fascinating, very informative and much needed book. Congratulations to you and Jolanta. You did a great job and thank you for letting me be included in it.
Roy Hindes III, Texas
Just a quick note to say thanks for writing the book and sharing your knowledge on blood tracking. It has some outstanding information. I have completed reading some of the chapters and find myself going back and rereading some sections to enhance the training of my half lab/half beagle. Have a Great Hunting and Tracking Season.
R. McCollum, Arkansas
I already have my copy of this book and am halfway through it. It is WONDERFUL!! It's a very flowing, conversational read that is chock full of information. Having done a small bit of bloodtracking with my Dachshunds, I had some ideas, but this book shows me that I was figuratively stumbling in the dark.
DR Mack, Colorado
John
's book is by far the most
comprehensive book on tracking and bloodtrailing I've been able to find. I
recommend this book highly to anybody who's looking for information on
training dogs, or who's ever owned a tracking dog. I can't possibly describe
here all the subjects he covers in this fine book.
Cheryl Napper, Oklahoma
I'm
almost through with your book
John. Great job. It's well
presented, informative & hard to put down. I don't feel insulted like some
writers make you feel.
Tim Dykes, Alabama
The book has been invaluable.
Bruce Majors, Tennessee
I just
got your book from my friend Dennis. I am very impressed. There is great
pleasure to visit your Web site, excellent. I am a hunter and tracker and
breeder of Bavarian Mountain Scenthound.
Wieslawa Jezewska, Poland
I
have just finished John Jeanneney's book on tracking dogs and I would just
like to say what a great read it was with lots of good information. It has
helped me on the way to becoming a better tracker.
Wales, UK
I have
been using some of the chapters on training from John's book in my puppy
contract as a requirement to follow in order to have a successful tracking
dachshund. I think it's a great book!
Sian Kwa, North Carolina
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