Pacfic N.W. cat hunting

[happydog]

My question is more related to west coast cat hunting and how to go about it. When running bobcat or cougar what are the different styles of running dogs? I have had dogs for a while now but my learning curve is real slow. Last year I bought some good dogs (expensive at least) from a couple known poeple. I have been reading this site for awhile trying to learn what I can. Do poeple walk or drive, been stuck three times real bad in the snow! Start in morning or night ? Stay on the road or just cut trails? I started one bobcat track I found while driving in a little snow one dog did great Two others made a mess out of things. Do poepl walk behind there dogs (follow through woods) or drive roads to get close to them. How are poeple hunting with out snow? Any advise,books or vidoes would be helpful.

[redneckbearhunter]

well for hunting with no snow u need to have broke dogs for what u dont want to hunt. mine will run bear, bobcat and coons. so i dont now what i will have tree unless it runs along time it will normal be a bear. i will road my dogs or take a box them on the truck.

snow hunting u can do by truck or snow machain. u need a dogbox sled to pull with the snow machain. u can u a truck but i would hunt at night if u can because the snow will be frozen. it is harder to see trackes in the dark. i have hunted in truckes during the day.

[orbowhunter1971]

My question is more related to west coast cat hunting and how to go about it. When running bobcat or cougar what are the different styles of running dogs? I have had dogs for a while now but my learning curve is real slow. Last year I bought some good dogs (expensive at least) from a couple known poeple. I have been reading this site for awhile trying to learn what I can. Do poeple walk or drive, been stuck three times real bad in the snow! Start in morning or night ? Stay on the road or just cut trails? I started one bobcat track I found while driving in a little snow one dog did great Two others made a mess out of things. Do poepl walk behind there dogs (follow through woods) or drive roads to get close to them. How are poeple hunting with out snow? Any advise,books or vidoes would be helpful.

Most people in Western Oregon rig for cats because of the lack of snow. It all starts with a good broke strike dog. If I get a strike, I drop my best dog down and let him start working the track. If he starts moving it, I will put a couple down with him. Then, we do our best to keep them in earshot by driving the roads. Bobcat races can be long and very frustrating. I can't tell you how many miles I have driven to keep up with the dogs, only to find them treed a few hours later only a mile from the drop.

I like to start early in the morning and rig until I get a strike. The conditions play a huge role on how much time I will put into trying to rig and start a race. If we are lucky to have some snow, things are alot easier to start because you can see the track and judge by the conditions as well.

Hope that helps a little,

Marc

[wacker]

I live in wa and we have to get drawn for apermit to hunt but I know enough people I can hunt most years we run snow machines I have a rack built for it I can put three dogs on it and go were no one else does .we start early in the morning and run in the day time its safer and for some reason I seem to have better luck with it.this year has been tough because of weather . just wodering about western oregon is it as hard running there as it is here . if we accidenly get on a bob cat it is a friggen race with all the blow downs and stuff . the eastern cats are easy but the things over here seem to always have a bran new set of nike's on .

My question is more related to west coast cat hunting and how to go about it. When running bobcat or cougar what are the different styles of running dogs? I have had dogs for a while now but my learning curve is real slow. Last year I bought some good dogs (expensive at least) from a couple known poeple. I have been reading this site for awhile trying to learn what I can. Do poeple walk or drive, been stuck three times real bad in the snow! Start in morning or night ? Stay on the road or just cut trails? I started one bobcat track I found while driving in a little snow one dog did great Two others made a mess out of things. Do poepl walk behind there dogs (follow through woods) or drive roads to get close to them. How are poeple hunting with out snow? Any advise,books or vidoes would be helpful.

Most people in Western Oregon rig for cats because of the lack of snow. It all starts with a good broke strike dog. If I get a strike, I drop my best dog down and let him start working the track. If he starts moving it, I will put a couple down with him. Then, we do our best to keep them in earshot by driving the roads. Bobcat races can be long and very frustrating. I can't tell you how many miles I have driven to keep up with the dogs, only to find them treed a few hours later only a mile from the drop.

I like to start early in the morning and rig until I get a strike. The conditions play a huge role on how much time I will put into trying to rig and start a race. If we are lucky to have some snow, things are alot easier to start because you can see the track and judge by the conditions as well.

Hope that helps a little,

Marc

[happydog]

Thank you for all the replys. Will just have to keep trying.

[Cat track]

Happydog here we drive the roads early before light with truck or snowmobile. I got a light mounted on dog box that shines on driver side, It makes it easy to see a track coming to the road. and i like checking for tracks better in the dark. Tracks really stand out in the dark with light shinging on them.