Tie dogs before shooting

[Bluedog88]

Do you usually tie dogs before shooting a bobcat out? I know a lot of lion/bear hunters do.

[Lee Wolford]

I always tie mine up, no matter what. Especially young dogs, make sure they are tied up just far enough from the tree that whatever your shooting don't land on them. You can ruin a young pup quick if a bear, lion or even a bobcat lands on them.

[Beebout-it]

X2

[pegleg]

Depends on the dog. Most can be taught to back up and sit with no problem. I don't honestly worry about bobcats. Unless it is a young hound but training a hound is a little different then hunting finished hounds that just do things your way. I would be more concerned with hides then damage to hounds. I don't worry about cats hanging up in the trees here so 90%+ are stone dead before they ever start falling. But because I get a lot of bay ups with lion on the ground it is easier to teach them to get back. And it's just a extension of getting back to make them easier to catch and tie back if you want. The biggest risk is dogs getting shot. Next is getting crowded into reach and then looking over their back at you and getting hooked in.
All these things are lessened by them getting out of the way when asked. I'm not big on letting dogs wool game incessantly either. There's plenty of differing points of view or reasoning behind everyone's choices. But trying to drag anything with several hounds attached looses it's appeal quickly. And since I pack a lot of animals out on horse back it's another wreck avoided. If you choose to tie hounds back it does help avoid gun shyness from developing with high power rounds. Just remember to tie them seperately way back and uphill if needed. And try shooting from infront of the hounds.

[al baldwin]

The two mentors started hunting with never tied the dogs at the tree, even at a bear tree. I was taught to ease into a tree, wind to my face, making as little noise as possible, use young eyes, steady hand & place a 30-30 shot to the head, if possible right in the ear. Main reason being lots of the bear here would come down that tree, light a world class highclimber, competing at the Oregon State fair, the second they detected a human was involved in the hunt. To this day I still do not enjoy having to tie dogs at a tree. I believe those dogs have earned a little reward when a critter is harvested. Maybe, we were lucky, but, cannot recall ever having a dog hurt by a falling bear. As others have stated make sure young dogs are use to a loud gun & be careful not to shoot to close to the dogs. Everyone do as you like just the way I was taught. Al

[Bluedog88]

Thanks for the advice

[Bluedog88]

[stevemac]

when you have tied your hounds back while you shoot do you then let the hounds be rewarded after the game has fallen?

[Dan Edwards]

When I use to coon hunt we always tied are dogs back and we never let them chew on the coon. I don't think a tree dog needs a reward to tree. We always wanted our dogs to use their energy to tree coon not fight or chew on dead ones. No clue how Id do it today. I'm a lot more lax bout most everything.

[twist]

Its a no brainer if you respect your dog tie it up before shooting anything out! Andy

[merlo_105]

I tie mine up at 95 % of the trees when I'm not shooting something out.

[dwalton]

I almost always tie them up and don,t let then have at the game other than very young pups. I have seen a lot of dogs bit threw the front feet and legs laid up for several weeks from bobcat caught on the ground. Dewey