How many dogs

[lawdawgharris]

I'm always curious about different approaches by different hunters. No matter the game or the breed of dog being used, there are countless ways and techniques to hunt. One of those is the number of dogs you put on the ground. For myself, when I hog hunt, its different from hunt to hunt. If I have buddies with me we may as many as 6 dogs out. We cast them and sit and wait. EVERY dog better hustle and have finding hogs on their mind. Of course the younger dogs are still trying to figure things out and they aren't going to locate ahead of the experienced dogs on a regular basis, bit they better have that desire to be in the mix start to finish and wanting to learn how to be that lead dog. If I'm alone or have someone with me that doesn't have dogs I will usually only have 2 or 3 dogs on the ground. I will also just take one dog. I try to build confidence and as much independence as I can. I'm not interested in a dog that can't or isn't willing to do it solo. One of my most memorable hunts was with one bay dog and a green (second hunt) catch dog. My Yonder gyp bayed one of the biggest hogs I've caught. I sent the catch dog from about 15 or 20 yards and she was getting her butt whipped but she had no back up. The hog broke his focus on her to look at me for a split second and that was his slip. I tied him and called my dad and 2 nephews to come help load him. These are all BIG guys, my dad still bench pressed 400lbs at 60 years old. It was a chore for the 4 of us to load this hog. I expect my catch dog to be able to handle any job solo just like my bay dogs. Not that either have to all the time but if they have to I know they can. I want to know the plus and the minus of each dog. Solo hunts expose dogs for what they really are. So that's my spill and how I approach things. What and how do y'all do it? Again the game doesn't matter to me. I'm interested in hearing it all. I learn from all you guys and gals.

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[david]

There is a saying that came from the northeast snow bobcat hunters. “One dog is not enough; two is too many”. But if it’s me in snow and it’s the right two dogs; Two is amazing and all I would ever want or need. Except that dogs die. Then you only have one or none. And that is the tremendous problem for people who prefer one or two dogs. It is devastating to try and replace them. So you hunt with two good ones and a bunch of nuckel heads that are doing everything they can think of to try and mess those two up. And once in awhile those two can push through the mess and actually catch something. And hopefully the nuckel heads learn something by it.

I have done the same without snow. I have done it in southern mountains also.

There are places in the south and east where many people agree that you can not consistently catch a bobcat without a large pack of dogs. All my cats were caught with a small pack. And a few with one dog. So I guess my dogs would not have worked in those places. I never had them there to find out.

[david]

I agree with what you say about one dog must be able to do it all. Except that I have never had a single dog that gave me all I needed in every department. The only way I have ever had a top cold tracker and a top catch dog and top locator was to have two dogs. I know that one dog is out there somewhere, but I never owned him, and never saw him. And if I ever heard of him, I guess he morphed into something else on the hunt when I got to observe. Or I just couldn’t see enough of him to make a complete evaluation.

I have had single dogs catch their own bobcats, but it was situational. If I had a lot of that situation, I could have caught a lot of bobcats with that one dog. For example, a certain type and depth of snow. Or a certain age of track etc.

When I am trying to build a team, I try to start with the catch and work backwards from there. All the other skills don’t matter if you can’t stop or locate the animal after it stops.

[lawdawgharris]

I understand what you are saying David. When I'm solo with 3 dogs on the ground, they are usually an older or finished dog if you want to call it that, a young dog that might not be what you would consider finished but experienced none the less, and a puppy. All at different stages because of what you said about if you lose one of two you are back at one. Heck in hog hunting you could be out of business in one hunt so always have something coming on. Lucky for me, where I hunt and the game I hunt, one dog can have the tools to do it all. Hunting them solo will make them better but it allows me to see if they are missing a tool or weak in certain areas. It helps my breeding too because I learn what I have to try and improve on the next breeding or what cross was good or bad. I've seen a large number of people that always carried the same dogs every trip. The owners didn't know who was the back bone of the pack and carrying the load until all of a sudden they weren't there. Then it was like what happened to my pack. They had that follow the leader mentality but the leader was gone. I like watching dogs try to be the first to bay up.

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[macedonia mule man]

Law, I have a pack of 6 that I started together and if I go the same dogs go. I have hunted this way for the 3rd yr. now. Early on there were two dogs that would usually be the first to move out on a break down. I didn’t carry them on a couple of hunts and it was as if they had never been there. Pack ran just as good. Did this all the way through the pack with no effect on how they could jump or move game. When I put them all Bach together the same two dogs took back over. Look like they know who they like to follow but can do it alone if they have to. I’m ok if they are ok.

[lawdawgharris]

Sounds like you have selected well mule man. That's a sign of good dogs and good handling when you don't skip a beat in the absence of the leaders.

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[macedonia mule man]

This is just a pack of no- name breeding that were started trotting in front of the truck at 6 months old. You don’t have to have dogs with somebody’s name hung on them to have a good pack of dogs. The sire and dam are as unrelated as you can get. The sire and dam have the ability and desire to hunt, find a track trail jump and run alone or by themselves. I’ve seen both sire and dam run all day solo. Proven fact you can breed good to good and get good. You can definitely hunt back yard stuff into extremely good dogs. You are better off breeding your own stuff.

[perk]

Well I like to hunt to hear a race, and a roaring race at that, I can appreciate a dog running solo, or 2 or 3 doing good, but I'm gonna say I don't wanna hunt anything where less than 8-12 dogs are cast. I'm in it for the hair raising roar, couldnt care less to harvest anything with a gun anymore.
And want dogs that pack up good, honor each other, nothing better than 12-15 hounds crossing a road piled up, screaming, looking to catch something and they so tight you can put blanket over top them.

[macedonia mule man]

Perk, I usually like 10-12, but some of my collas are going out and I don’t want to buy anymore.

[lawdawgharris]

You can take all that money with you mule man.

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[lawdawgharris]

You CAN'T take it lol

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[macedonia mule man]

Perk, when a pack of over 5 dogs are running game, how many do you think are smelling game and how many are following and barking?

[lawdawgharris]

That is a really good question mule man. That is why I hunt man solo as well as in a set. I feel like I have to know these things in order to continue breeding effectively.

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[perk]

Muleman, I’d prob be willing to bet more are smelling it that you are believing. And depending the quality of dogs. You watch them run, and you will see who is a me too barker and who is smelling it. Ive always heard daylight and eyesight don’t lie, I don’t sit at the truck at night nd listen, 95% my running is daylight and I get right in amongst it to see what my dogs are doing, not looking at Garmin screen, I like to see it in real life not broadcast to a screen. Buy I also seen some packs where the front dog in a crossing ain’t smelling it neither

[lawdawgharris]

Daylight and eyesight don't lie! I like that. Perk, how do you think that is that the front dog was out front bit not smelling? Was he ahead just enough to say he was ahead? I'm honestly asking and not trying to be a smart butt. I do agree that when a person knows their dogs they can watch and see who's doing what. I personally don't get to see it a lot of times. Terrain and fences will slow you down. I can watch the garmin and see some things.

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