Our DRY season!

[twist]

Pistol, thanks for the info that's some pretty country up there how are the wolves? Andy

[pistol]

Wolves are horrible and thick. Had a pack beat us to a tree earlier in the year and kill a dog and tore a couple others up. Another reason are season has been slow. Most guys are gun shy about were to road and hunt. I love dry ground running but it's hard to know were the wolves are and a guy hesitates to just road anymore and take the chance

[mike martell]

Mark, Western Oregon gets 10x the amount of precipitation then western Montana. 10x the amount of precipitation should equal to 10x the brush should equal to 10x the rabbits should equal to 10x the bobcats.

National weather service reports Kalispell Montana gets 15" of rainfall and 57" of snowfall per year and Sweet Home Oregon receives 54" of rain and 1" on Average per year snowfall.

I personally think this warming trend is here to stay for awhile and guys not willing to adapt will just end up quitting over time. This is not intended to be disrespectful in any way. Hounds are a constant work in progress and to perfect them is almost impossible, but what you can ask from a hound is limitless..... There are so many variables to this sport and what holds my attention is just that. How a guy adjusts will determine who continues to prosper in the game and who gets left in the dust.

JMHO

Mike

[funstuff]

I dont run straight cats. If I cross a fresh lion track I let the dogs run it. If we are on a creek or river and a coon is dumb enough to be out, they get to play. I am in it for the dogs, not just me.

My best year for cats was 34 here. This year have only treed 5 of 11. It has been dry where the pops. are up, and the trappers haven't been in there like they have in the past. Should have a few more, but it has been a dry trying year, and the dogs are doing better in the dirt with so much practice. The lion have also turned into runners it seems. More jump treed this year than I can ever remember, they are trying to get to the rocks. I am sure the wolves have plenty to do with this.

Have thought about moving south. AZ might get a closer look.

When the dogs cut a fresh feline track during the off season they get called off. I have a handle on my dogs.

[pistol]

Funstuff will your dogs rig cats? I also have only caught 5. Turned out on 7. We Havnt had snow since January so it's been hard up here too. What area do u hunt? If your dealing with the,wolves you must be close to region 1 or 2. Mike Martell is right about adapting to this drier climate. But you add the wolf factor in there and it makes it twice as hard to just go road down any road. We still keep doing are best and keep on keeping on but if I have to see one more ripped apart hound shits going to hit the fan. To see an amazing little super star dog in the making torn apart just isn't something I want to keep seeing. You guys that don't have wolves don't know how luck you have it. We still turn out no matter but it's, always in the back of your head if this will be your last hunt with this pack cause it could all be over in one encounter.

[mike martell]

Mike Martell is right about adapting to this drier climate. But you add the wolf factor in there and it makes it twice as hard to just go road down any road. We still keep doing are best and keep on keeping on but if I have to see one more ripped apart hound shits going to hit the fan. To see an amazing little super star dog in the making torn apart just isn't something I want to keep seeing. You guys that don't have wolves don't know how luck you have it. We still turn out no matter but it's, always in the back of your head if this will be your last hunt with this pack cause it could all be over in one encounter.

Pistol

I have hunted in extreme wolf country and know what you go through every time you drop a dog....B.C. is loaded with wolves....I followed in reading one of the all time great lion hunters in B.C., he claims if you hunt seven hounds minimum and they all run together and catch together, you drastically reduce your wolf encounters....Might be worth a try....Wolves are in Oregon and we are just around the corner for some serious encounters....Do you quit or adapt the best way you know how to this situation like the weather? Our State's politicians are bent on protecting all predators past the point of reason, for this reason? I refuse to quit!

Take Care

Mike

[pistol]

Mike I guess I quit and adapt. I quit going to wolf infested areas and just run places were I didn't see much sign when we had snow. Don't get me,wrong I still sometimes turn out in those trebled areas but if they don't move it quickly I'm off to the next spot. IM definitely not giving up so I have definitely adapted. Everything just happened so fast it took awhile to adapt and it's all trial and error. IM still catching a bunch of critters but feel I could catch more,without them around.

[dhostetler]

According to the attached link, kalispell gets an average precipitation of 17.21" a year that would be melted snow and rain combined. The last couple of winters a strong high pressure system has been anchored over the west causing all the cold to drive into the east. My guess is the eastern people are not thinking about a warming climate. Evidentially our weather pattern will change and we will again get good winters.

My theory is that wetter climates produce better bobcat prey habitat therefore allowing a higher population capacity on the landscape.

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mso/climate/norm_30y.html

[funstuff]

Pistol,

Sounds like you are having a descent season with conditions as well.

I walk hunt, park and walk. Not alot of roads here to drive all day, and when i get out to hunt I dont like sitting all day like when working.

We do have plenty of wolves here, bozeman area, region 3, they even cross through my backyard. It would really suck to lose a dog to wolves, Ive seen a few while hunting, but no "run-ins" with them and the dogs. If there are fresh tracks sittin in a cat or lion track, I go the other way.

With the drier conditions this year, no snow pack, migrations are all out of kilter. Was 7 miles up and back from the trailhead yesterday, and never even got up to the game. Deer and Elk have already pushed back and up the mountains. Might have to start staying overnight up high to get a descent chance if this keeps up.

Am also really seeing the difference between resident feline crossing and transient crossings. Have learned and expanded my knowledge alot this year. Finding and hunting territory marker overlaps, different outcroppings and shallow out of the way saddles are helping. But this is just BIG country. What takes me 2 hours can be done by wildlife in half the time.

So the dogs are getting a working education also. I wont stop hunting or working hounds. Just keep pluggin along and thinking outside the box.