What breed

[Tmgraham38]

Hey I am new to the sport and kinda just learning on my On my way! and was wondering what breed is the best to go with. I am from Oregon and can only hunt bobcats here but eventually wanna travel and hunt cougar and bear. Also would it be easier to get a pup and train it myself or should I buy a started dog? Thanks


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[pegleg]

i'm not familiar with cat hunting in your area in the least. i do kinda watch and see what seems to be working and it seems that area relies on fast running dogs with way more treeing ability then i'd ever need. as far as selecting a pup or started/finished dog. if you are going to do it by yourself. i recommend a finished hound bobcats have to be the hardest game for a human to teach a hound about. i realize you have some conditions like snow and moisture we don't but i don't believe there's many easy bobcats anywhere. i've started from scratch a couple times and while it was a great learning process i don't think its for everyone and really not for someone with limited time. if you can find a good cat dog for sale and verify it by hunting it. your way ahead in the whole game. most houndsmen run more then one dog. a good pup can be bought cheap but it cost more to raise and train it then a broke dog already going. then you can always add a pup later. plus to be honest not many of us really are able to do right by the first pup we try to teach ourselves. then you end up with a dog with one or two flaws. cats don't tree for dogs with many holes in their ability/training. you should hunt with at least three different houndsmen who hunt cats in your general area. look for guys who run different types of dogs and you'll be ahead of the game in just a few months.
remember everyone has a pet color/breed/mix but your the one hunting and living with the dog.

[mark]

pegleg,that is one of the best posts i have ever read on here on that subject! Anyone just starting out would be wise to pay close attention to it.

Graham 38 Where in Oregon are you from?

[Tmgraham38]

Thank you guys. Like I said I'm still very new to it and trying to figure everything out by reading books and magazines. I don't know anybody that does it so it's kinda hard for me.

Mark I live in sandy and bow hunt the woods around here but my grandparents have a house in prineville area that I spend a lot of time at


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[mike martell]

Thank you guys. Like I said I'm still very new to it and trying to figure everything out by reading books and magazines. I don't know anybody that does it so it's kinda hard for me.

Mark I live in sandy and bow hunt the woods around here but my grandparents have a house in prineville area that I spend a lot of time at


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Given you have an option to hunt out of Prineville....Take advantage of the Central Oregon snow conditions that make finding tracks easier than bare grounding like you would end up doing if you hunt close to home on the West side....Provisions are important like a good day pack with survival gear in case you spend the night on the mountain. Once you find a track you can leave out with a dog and walk the track out. You will learn a lot about the game you intend to catch. Even with an old dog it can be frustrating. Getting a Garmin gps will expedite your quest and mapping will enable you to go to areas you have never been in before and feel comfortable hunting.....Depending on weather and how cold for how long will determine a lot of your ability to travel as that country in many locations has no bottom to the road system until a heavy freeze not found during archery season so having come alongs and proper vehicle equipment like tire chains will also make your hunt more pleasurable. Sometimes getting to and from safely is the most important part of the hunt.

Good Luck!

[Tmgraham38]

Thank you mike Martell. That is a lot of help mad I still have a long ways to go. And so many more questions haha