whats to cold

[bluewalkers]

at what temperature and weather conditions do you not turn loose?

[Big Horn Posse]

I personally check the weather before I go out and if it is -10F or below I see if the day is supposed to warm up. If the temps are going to be below -0 all day I consider is too cold. It is not as much your dogs you need to worry about as it is yourself. Dogs are animals and they can survive much better in the colder temperatures than we can. If you were to get on a track in freezing weather and it takes you into some nasty country you may be there for awhile. Your drinking water can freeze leaving you risk for dehydration. I have broken through rivers trying to cross them and that can be very dangerous when you are out in the mountains alone and far away from your truck or home. I always carry basic survival needs with me in my pack, but if you fall and get hurt then you may not be able to access them. I have always carried a change of clothes in my truck as well as a blanket. Never know if it may get stuck bad (had a Ford once) Maybe I sound over prepared, but I have had hypothermia before and now I rather be safe than sorry. ESPECIALLY here in Wonderful Wyoming You don't hear about dogs getting hypotermia and freezing to death like you do people.

[double j]

if its not snowing real bad or -20 degrees and you got nothing to do turn them loose.where i'm at it stays 0 degrees or colder dec. and jan. but do like BHP says take extra clothes and boots and have them in your truck just in case.

[cat and bear]

I'm starting to feel like a sissy The lowest I will go out is 5 degrees. The old timers claim, anything below that, you will freeze the tits or nuts on a dog. Expecially when there is a foot of snow and it collects underneath the dog. With that being said, couple years ago on the last day of cat season it was -18 when i couldnt resist the trophy, bobcat track, for the neighbor, got the job done, but it was to cold for this fair weather hunter

[high desert hounds]

Its never to cold if you want to go. the dogs can handle a lot more than we can

[Benny G]

I would say that it's waaaaaayyyyyyy too cold below thirty degrees!!! Who cares what the dogs think, I need to enjoy it. If the temperature is going to warm up to anywhere between 50 and 70, I can stand a little cold to start the day. So I'll just go ahead and claim it --- I'M THE SISSY OUT HERE! I was born and raised on the desert, and I like my winters nice and warm.

[LCK]

Won't catch me out in anything under about 5 degree's if I can help it. I don't care what my dogs think or feel about it, I frickin hate it!

[Brady Davis]

I'm with you LCK. I always say, if I wake up to go hunting, spend 10 minutes in the house getting dressed and when I walk outside to catch my mule and I instantly have a headache cause my brain is freezing...I'm out. Last year I went on a few that as soon as my butt hit the saddle I wondered every step of the way why on earth I signed up...Seems 0 degrees is probably my line. Anything underthat and the Filson Wool clothes don't work anymore and it's miserable.

I also think when you drop below zero it makes for HARD AND DIFFICULT scenting conditions for dogs...at least every dog I've ever owned anyway.

[larry]

has to be above -10 for me to turn dogs out. if its -10 and gonna warm up with the sun thats fine, anything colder than that and my dogs are a little more important to me. I have seen dogs develop foot issues from being out to long in - temps and having their feet freeze. Some guys will run in the -20 range, not me. Any colder than that and your are an idiot IMO. As mentionmed above, better have a smokin hot track in neg temps.

[George Streepy]

Anything I can take, the dogs can too. The worse was a few years ago I turned out on a track at 7:30 in the morning. Treed a lion at 3:30 pm, got back to the truck at 7:30 pm. The high of the day was 5 below zero. I don't know how cold it was in the morning and at night but it was COLD!!! When I took the dogs out of the box they looked at me like I was nuts. The dogs feet and legs got flat out hammered. Their pads were frozen and they didn't even walk right for a week. They spent over 9 hours on crusted over nasty snow. It is one thing if your starting with a hot track but if they have to cold trail for 8 hours you run a high chance of doing some real damage. I haven't hit full wussy stage, but every time I think of how bad I hurt being in those conditions all day, I start thinking Benny G's thirty degree mark is about right.

[FullCryHounds]

Lowest temp the past few years was -26 and thank god we didnt' find a track. I kept roading the dogs just to keep them warm. I'd have to say -10 is as low as I'd like. It usually warms up quick around here and as long as the sun is out, 0 degrees isn't bad at all. Wind is probably the most important factor when it comes to getting cold. If it's windy, be careful.

[jason]

Zero is what I say my cut off temp is. But I've turned out in colder. All depends on how fresh I think the track is and How big the cat is.

[Todd Davis]

My wife ran the iditarod this last year 1100 miles in 13 days, -55 on the yukon not counting the wind chill . No frozen pads,little frost bite on a couple dogs not bad . So whats to cold ? What ever YOU cant handel is to cold .The dogs will do fine if in good shape and health .

[Kenneth]

Being too cold isn't much of an issue for me. We seldom see it below freezing for very long...

[Big Mike]

Im with Benny, the dogs handle it fine, its me that cant take it. Around 10-20 degrees, is my cut off. Dogs seem to like it when its that cold tho.

I dont know how you north guys do it, way tougher than me. At-5 all my dogs and me would be sitn by the fire drinkn bailey's and coffee lookn for a new hobby!