Training Not Translating to Field

[Walkerdirt]

Like I've said earlier both my young dogs trail really well during training. In an effort to avoid having to buy a finished dog and to make things easy on my pups to get on the freshest scent possible without risking them running trash (deer and coyotes) I'm thinking about taking my electric predator call out to bring cats and fox in close and then cutting dogs loose on the seconds old track. Obviously this wouldn't be how I want to hunt them in the future but I feel like it could be a good way to get them started. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

[JustinKeller]

If at all possible, get to a young dog when they catch the right game, short of killing yourself. An attaboy in a situation like that will do wonders. I made a commitment to my dogs, if they go I go. Its not always possible but the dogs will try harder for you if can get in there with them. Good luck

[david]

I'm thinking about taking my electric predator call out to bring cats and fox in close and then cutting dogs loose on the seconds old track. Obviously this wouldn't be how I want to hunt them in the future but I feel like it could be a good way to get them started. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Anything you can do to get them cat minded with actual wild animals is helpful. Your post is in the lion hunting section. A lot of lion hunters keep their dogs broke off fox, and even bobcat. This is especially true of professional hunters who are trying to please a rancher or a client.

But if you want to run fox and cat it could be a good idea. Calling is not a sure thing in the places I have tried it. I had a percentage figured out and it wasn’t a very good success rate. If you are the type where frustration just makes you try harder, calling is for you. If your visibility is excellent; open country, and if things go right, it could be an excellent opportunity for young dogs. The game is running its home territory, and don’t assume you are automatically going to catch it.

The other issue is the game that came in and you didn’t see, (coyote?) or the deer that left by the same game trail when you pulled up, and you did not see it. I have had deer come in to predator calls also when maternal but you probably will see them.

If you have snow, you can make a loop and check for anything that came in that you did not see. Cats are notorious for coming and leaving without being seen.

It is not necessarily a sure fire or easy method, but there is nothing wrong with you trying it.
If you have seen something you want your dogs to run and feel confident no off game is present, try to set up a natural hunting situation where you freecast the dogs and let them find it on their own. (The same as you might do for off-game breaking set ups if you see off-game. Now though, you might worry about the cat you did not see. Breaking mistakes happen sometimes. That is why I always call my dogs off first. If they don’t respond IMMEDIATELY to my call, they get electrical correction. Then, if I was wrong and it was not off game, they still get shocked for not responding to my call. They already know coming to my call is not optional even if they are running the biggest bobcat in the world.)

We hope for your success. Sounds like you have some good dog flesh to work with. That is a big thing.

[dirtdodge]

We've set up an electronic caller in an area along the river/creek. Gone on and checked for tracks, then if we aren't finding any tracks come check around the caller to see if anything walked by. Let the caller work, while your out working it from a different approach...

[Walkerdirt]

This site is great. I appreciate being able to bounce my ideas off you guys. I'll be sure to do an update once I get something in a tree.

[Walkerdirt]

I was out with my dogs last weekend casting them in an area I know lions frequent. My walker opened up and started trailing in a large wash. I could really tell he was freshening up the track and my pointerbull was on it too. Walker dog ended up about 300 yards in front of me and just went ape shit. Once they were out of site both dogs started racing up a steep heavily vegetated mountain that was topped with a bunch of large boulders. I beat feet to try to stay with them but it was slow going. I had a pack full of trail cameras and other useless items that I ended up dumping out of my pack and just kept my water. Dogs were reading treed on the back side of the boulders for almost 30 minutes. I was seeing lion tracks on my way up to them but right when I was about to crest the peak to be able to see them I looked at my GPS and they were headed back to me at 150 yards. I tried to get them going again but both dogs looked a little shook up. I'm think they might have caught I lion and the cat scared them off. Both dogs are really young and in experienced.

Thoughts?

[Rshcwisdom]

Did you walk on into where they were showing treed and see what was going on?

[Walkerdirt]

I did but I couldn’t pinpoint which rock they were on.