From East Texas

[davidbutler20]

Just joined, but been reading posts for couple of years on here. From Nacogdoches, TX. Been chasing coon for few years with a pair of Walkers and also a pair of Blueticks. Also run squirrel dogs. Been lookin at running bobcats for couple of years. I know it aint an easy thing to jump into. Nobody i know of runs bobcats or has any cat hounds around my part of state. Looking for some pups or possibly started dog out of cat hounds. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[david]

Welcome.
I hope you have some big areas to run in. If you don’t, it will be tough for you to succeed at cat hunting. Several people from Texas have had success on bobcat using pure foxhounds (Walker, Trigg, July) that have been bred up for gray fox primarily. Perk on here is kind of an expert on that. I don’t know if he sells dogs or pups, but he uses his foxhounds on bobcat and gray fox. He hunts a lot and has good dogs. Irish Jack is an expert on foxhounds as well. I don’t think Jack is a grey fox man, but has a lot of knowledge of what is out there in the foxhound world. Perk or Jack may know of pups.

There are several other good foxhound men on here as well.

I don’t really know of anyone in Texas heavy brush country who consistently catches bobcats unless they have a lot of foxhound blood. The ones I know of have large packs of dogs also.

There may be people very close to you who know a lot about foxhounds and would know which ones were focused on grey fox. You might check the foxhound sites/magazines for that info. I bet there are some in your county.

There also are people watching who make a lot of money selling “cat dogs” to new starting cat hunters that are vulnerable. So be careful about who might contact you now that they know your desire.

Good luck. God bless and protect you.

What kind of dog do you squirrel hunt with?

[david]

https://youtu.be/FmQIxq2W9ZQ

Some south Texas dogs. Jr. Jarmillo

[david]

Perks Walker foxhounds:
https://vimeo.com/217686866

[davidbutler20]

Thanks Babble Mouth.
Yeh I know there are those who watch for people looking for cat dogs. I have found a couple of plott kennels in TX who have had pups go up north for bear and cat dogs, so I may talk to them. A buddy of mine has some of their pups and they have made jam up hog dogs at young ages.
I know it ain't gonna be easy starting from scratch, but still gotta try. Ever since I got into hunting with dogs, this has been on top of my list. And yeh...I have plenty of space to hunt.
And my squirrel dogs...Mountain Curs

[david]

[SASS]

[davidbutler20]

Thanks for the info guys. I did get in touch with a guy from TX on this forum and he said his buddy might be cutting down on some started dogs and said i could come run with him some to see how they do. These guys look like they are from out west or south TX (brush country), but does anyone know any body from the east TX area. Its alot of timber land here that i would have access to with the scattered clear cuts grown over and pine thickets.

And i just realized, i was looking at who the post is by wrong and i called "david" Babble Mouth...so i apologize for that. Didnt pay attention to the (i guess those are bullets) ratings.

[david]

That East Texas/Louisiana country is tough. It takes a special dog. I know a South Texas hunter who also hunts West Louisiana. Some real good South Texas dogs have struggled some in West Louisiana. Some of the south Texas dogs are mixed with a little tree blood. I think his pure bred Walker fox hounds are a little better for him in Louisiana. That thorny thick vine brush goes all the way to the ground in E Texas/W Louisiana. It’s real hard on dogs. Takes a special group of dogs to keep the pressure on in that stuff.

When you are in south Texas, get down to bobcat eye level and look through that brush. A lot of times it does not go all the way to he ground, and you can see through there. You can not do that where you live once those cutovers have about three to five years.

It is awesome that you will get to hunt with those guys. You will learn a ton. Just remember, it’s history that some real good South Texas Dogs have been embarrassed by bobcats from your region.

[Lionandboarhunter]

[david]

[davidbutler20]

Appreciate all the info fellas. And i understand the whole different terrain situation also. My buddy and i can tree several coons around home before and we usually quit by 10 or 11pm. Once our dogs run a couple of times and get the "stupid" out of them from laying up from late summer and deer season its no big thing to tree 4-6 coons and be back at kennels by 10 pm...but thats at home in sloughs, river bottoms and oak draws through pines. I am pretty sure it would be alot different up in some mountains and good hills. So i assume its same with any animal in different terrain. Thats why i am on here...to get the best info and start i can get hopefully...and maybe find a decent hound also and one day put one of the little fur ball out on a limb.
And yeh, its thick here in cut overs and pine thickets. But i have been out west (Junction, TX) and down south (Del Rio, TX) and its just as thick if not worse...just a different kind of thick. Probably a bit wetter where i am at though. Never fails...we normally have to wade water pretty often to get to some of the coons and hogs we catch. Had to swim some flodded timber and creek this last time home...and for a damn 20lb pig at that. It wasnt on the top of my list for things to do that day, seeing that it was pretty chilly and the water was even worse.

[davidbutler20]

Oh yeh. i know Junction might not be considered west for some, but from where i sit, its west. lol. Its just the farthest west i have been so far, along with Del Rio being the farthest south i've been. Did a kayaking trip on Devils River down there few years ago...now that is some terrain down there.

[david]

Kind of funny. Just the size of Texas

I had a good freind read this and text me that there are places in south Texas where my characterization of the type of brush would be correct.

Response:

I am an idiot for trying to talk about Texas.

If you divided Texas into east Texas/ south Texas/ and west Texas each one Has more square miles than Kansas or Idaho. I have only hunted in one place in south Texas. And have a freind in another place in south Texas, and Therefore I am an expert on South Texas. Lol. That is like saying I hunted one place in Oregon and therefore I understand the entire state...

[davidbutler20]

Yeh if start at the Tx & La state line near me on the Sabine river and start driving west, terrain starts changing about every 1.5 to 2 hours as you continue. Pine trees start to thin out then the oaks get smaller and start to thin out, and so forth and so on..... hill country/grass land, arid desert like, rocky.....