opinion question

larry · Post by **larry** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 2:44 am

Everybody has thier own veiws on this, what is yours?

How cold is to cold to turn your dogs loose?

tntoutfitting · Post by **tntoutfitting** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 3:13 am

Have put my hounds on lion at -35, -39 and -41 celcius (that is damn cold -40 is the same farenheit/celcius). That said I knew exactly where the cat was(boxed in/on kill) and had excellent access to get the dogs in/out once they treed. When moving/ running/hunting/ treeing they can stand a lot, but if laid up or left out you can have a BIG problem. We are the ones responsible for our hounds welfare use common sense !

larry · Post by **larry** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 9:47 pm

Mike Leonard · Post by **Mike Leonard** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 10:18 pm

In the high, very dry desert you may turn your dogs in on a track when it is minus ten or more degrees as it was every morning this last week in the high country, but that track better be extreemly fresh or they can't trail it. We are talking very low humidity. Now later on when it warms up a bit the same track they can run it. It is like the fozen fish syndrome they don't smell much up in the refrigerator, but thaw them a bit and you can smell them. Now then as far as to cold for the dog/ I don't know but one old cat hunter in Montana told me if it was more then minus ten you were pissing in the wind as far as catching and any colder than that you would probably ruin a dog if he was out there long. I may be wrong on that and our Canandian friend has a lot more expereince with that than I. I would guess if a timber wolf could trail up a moose in that maybe a hound could too.

larry · Post by **larry** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:23 am

119 views and only 2 responses :roll:

Spanky · Post by **Spanky** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:31 am

Sorry Larry this is one of them opinion question that usually brings out the worst :roll:

I look at snow conditions along with temps. We have run in the negative before in areas that was not heavy with snow ( a few inches). I will not run in the negatives this winter with the snow as high as it currently is.

The hounds have to work twice as hard in the heavy snow and along with the thin air and extreme temps treeing a cougar for a bunch of pictures is just not worth killing my hound. Just my opinion :wink:

doug · Post by **doug** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:35 am

I don't like to put down if it is below 10 degrees or so.My dogs aren't used to it being that cold,and also the low humidity that Mike Leonard mentioned make it a pretty low chance unless it a real hot track.

Spanky · Post by **Spanky** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:55 am

we treed this one last year when it was -5. The run went for just a bit over 2 miles by the way the crow flies. You can notcie the frost on the cougars whiskers and the snow was a very dry powder about 6" deep on this day.
From what I remember of this chase the hounds had a mouth full of frost also.

catdogs · Post by **catdogs** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 11:22 am

We usually don't turn out if its less tha zero. Hounds aren't cold weather dogs.

Budd Denny · Post by **Budd Denny** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:01 pm

I try not to run below -5. Lots of times I have went out and found a track in the morning then went home and waited till 10:30 - 11:00 till temps get to a more desirable temperature. Then went back and run the critter. I have ran in the minus teens but don't like to, it's to damn cold on the dogs and myself, plus I live where I hunt so I have the option of waiting for a better day.

pete richardson · Post by **pete richardson** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:46 pm

was -10 here this morning - gonna go hunting ........

when the sun warms it up --

i always say that windchill is for pansies--until it get to zero-- then its true -lol

at 0 the slightest breeze make a difference --

was -2 yesterday , ran beagles on hare and they smoked em--it was better than good running--

have seen it a lot warmer and dogs run a lot worse in same snow conditions-

the more i hunt the less i know

i dont belive scent freezes or disapears but ive seen it look that way

ive seen good dogs that are used to it , push a track when its below zero if the snow is good.

sometimes - lol

and sometimes same dogs cant seem to smell anything--

i look at temp and snow conditions-
some will tell you its the barometer -dewpoint etc ---- i dont know ill tell you after i let the dog go -

ive hunted a few times when it was 30 below -and that is tooo cold for me ---that is normally the coldest i ever see and i can wait that out-- if i didnt hunt when it was below zero i could miss most of cat season some years - ive seen it below zero in bear season a few times -

have seen 40 below one time- 40 below , you touch steel barehanded , you dont stick to it--it feels like you got a shock - :shock:

-my dogs try to hold one foot up at 20 below --and all 4 at 40 below -

b] deep snow makes it worse- [/b] that is the truth -

i have seen dogs freeze testicles -when it was 20 below and deep powder snow----but thats twice in 30 years -- its a risk but nothing compared to all the other risks hounds face-
I would guess if a timber wolf could trail up a moose in that maybe a hound could too.
there ya go---wolf and the moose is adapted to the cold better than our hounds - you have to match the hounds you run to the weather thats noraml where u live-
i guarantee the heat that mike hunts in would kill my hounds quicker than ten below-- they are gasping if its much over 70 -

i like hounds with a little extra hair to hunt in the winter --they dont have to look like the shaggy dog - just a little more hair than average is a big plus in cold and helps in thickets and briars - it will hurt you if its 80 and they havent shed out too -

20 below and sunshine ,very little wind-- is ok with me-- just another day in paradise -

anything below that and im gonna hunt rite here on puter --lol

houndogr · Post by **houndogr** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:35 pm

i don't like to run if it is below 0. just to hard on the dogs. I did let go on a lion the other day, it was around -5 when we turned loose, warmed up to around 10 maybe 15 by the time we got to the tree. i guess it just depends on how fresh the track is for me. When it gets down around 0 i sure don't have much luck on the bobcats.

Emily · Post by **Emily** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:00 pm

I mostly hunt coon and my hounds are housedogs.
My hounds and I are OK in a deep hollow sheltered from wind well below zero, as long as we keep moving. However, the temps drop quickly after sunset here. I don't turn out below zero because if I do, its ten or 15 below by the time we get back. The hounds don't mind that, but I do and the Jeep won't start. Plus, we only have below zero temps for a week at a time here. Not much moves (except porcupines)for the first few days below zero. If it stays cold, the critters get hungry and come out. My hounds play in the yard when its 20 below and are perfectly happy, despite sleek housedog coats. But, they are let in whenever they want to warm up.
Another problem for me is that the country here is steep and there's a lot of running water that creates ice slicks. I mostly hunt alone and think its a little dangerous to be out alone at night in places where I'm apt to break a leg. If I'm in the mood and I'm dressed properly, I'll go, but I do think twice before going out below zero. A night with a broken leg below zero would not be fun.
On the other hand, below about ten degrees, the woods sound different, and it is really nice to experience that every year...The trees make brittle sounds in the breeze and the snow feels different under your feet. I'm not sure I'd stay out in that as long as you lion guys do, but for one or two drops on coon, its fine.

larry · Post by **larry** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:23 pm

I opted to stay home today, and low and behols the weather channel was wrong...-50 with windchill last night, glad I wasn't out...now I have to thaw out my pipes some how

MTblack&tan · Post by **MTblack&tan** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:12 pm

It was supposed to get down to -6 here last night, so I was going to go out and check for lion tracks. I was going to check tracks and leave the dog at home. Then if I cut one, I would do like Bud and wait til it warmed to above 0 and then take the dog back up to the track. I went to start the truck this morning and the thermometer said -18, call me a baby but my bed was way warmer than that. Never got warmer than -7 today. I just don't like to get the dogs in that kind of weather, too many things can happen that would be ok in normal temps. Bad things can happen fast in these temps, to dogs or humans.

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