BigGameHoundsmen.com

I'm just a rookie so don't know much but in my opinion the good ones are born with ability and exposure brings it out. On a side note I'm glad nobody told my coon bred dogs that they are no good for bobcat, they might just quit catching them if they knew that. I'm also glad that nobody told them that slick trees are acceptable because then they might start that and I'd have to cull them and if they knew that pressure track dogs can't locate they'd either slow down and not have to worry about treeing or keep putting the pressure on and start slick treeing and I'd have to cull them for that. I sure am glad my dogs can't read and that you guys are far enough away that they can't hear what you're saying. The definition of a good tree dog is a dog that is a good locater and stays until you get there with the game above them. Like others said once in a while the dogs might be a tree or two off treeing on the scent drifting but a dog that lacks tracking ability, locating ability, heart, or brains will just tree because they simply can't put and end to the track and those dogs should be culled but a lot of guys would rather make excuses for their dogs and keep watching them make the same mistakes all their life. As long as people are happy with what they hunt that's all that matters. I like my coon bred, titled coon dogs that catch cats all winter just fine. Some guys probably wouldn't even feed what I like. We don't catch them all but we catch a lot more than we don't. Good hunting to all of you.

Well I can only speak about what I've seen but like others have said, most big game dogs don't have to put their locating to the test. I'm mainly speaking of bear but from the couple lion trees I've been to, I can't see it being much different. A big animal in plain visual site. Sure you get a few tougher, high up ones that a trick to locate but most aren't. I'm sure this is all dependent on terrain.

From my experience, you can take big game bred dogs and go tree coon. Your success is going to be much worse if you take coon bred dogs and chase big game. Likewise a bang up cat dog will make short work coon hunting, it won't be the same the other way.

The coon hunting sports (especially the hunts) is won by dogs that can tree the most the quickest. Old Blue is going to get left in the dust if he's trying to work out a long old trail while Jet is jack-hammering out hot tracks and benching trees. If a guy can't recognize that he's either drinking the water or selling it.

Hi Kevin have enjoyed the pictures you posted past three years or so. You have some very good looking red dogs & they have proven them selfs. Nothing wrong with being a rookie infact I would love to be your age. In my first post I stated, have no axe to grind with anyone and plan to keep it that way. My statement that all the dogs I have owned have false treed once in a while on bobcat has just been my experience & as stated I cannot remember any cat hunters from this area telling me thier dogs never false treed. I have hunted since the mid sixties all on the south western oregon coast. So I enjoy hearing about those who hunt in other states. Keep hunting those registered red dogs and enjoy life. Wishing you the best Al Baldwin

Nicely put AL, you've got alot of class. Mike

Al, nothing personal here at all. You guys have some huge trees over there and I'm sure it takes a top hound to get it done just like it does here. As long as we enjoy what we feed all is good. The first 15 years of chasing hounds has been good to me, hopefully the next 15 are even better. Nolte, come on up and drink some of this good limestone filtered mountain water and bring a pot to cook some crow to eat after you watch my coon hounds tree bobcats. Feel free to bring your best to show mine how it's done. I always enjoy seeing good dog work. Just curious how long you have been participating in the competition coon hunts?

A hunter[and friend] of mine who I respect for his dedication and honesty,knowledge and going through the school of hard knocks,told me that NEVER AND ALWAYS should not be used when it comes to hunting,because either we are unaware/oblivious to our surroundings and circumstances or just plain lyeing.This is not pointed at anyone,it's just something I try to keep in mind to keep things in perspective.I've enjoyed all of your posts,and not here to try and set anything straight,but they are all just dogs and do make mistakes once in awhile and I try to do my best to figure it out and correct them.From my experience bobcats are harder to locate than any of the biggame,in our big timber conditions.Most dogs I've tried were not locate dogs for our terrain and conditions,have had the best success with localy bred dogs like Al has been a part of breeding for many years.

Tim, I agree. ALL dogs make mistakes no question about it. I never said mine don't but they better be few and far between if they are going to stay here. Bobcats are the toughest game to locate that we hunt here. I hear gray fox are tough too but we don't have them here. Truly gifted locaters are not real common and when a guy has one it changes the whole game. If he can keep that trait through careful breeding it changes the game for a little longer. Good hunting to you.

Kevin Jackson wrote: Nolte, come on up and drink some of this good limestone filtered mountain water and bring a pot to cook some crow to eat after you watch my coon hounds tree bobcats. Feel free to bring your best to show mine how it's done. I always enjoy seeing good dog work. Just curious how long you have been participating in the competition coon hunts?

Don't think I have to go all the way to MT to measure weiners. I'd love to do a cat hunt in MT, but don't think Non-Res can. Besides it won't tell me if a dog can consistently tree/catch cats here. That is what I care about. I'm sure it will be cat minded but that doesn't mean it can finish one here consistantly. The majority can't, no matter how they are bred. I'm just a novice at it, but I listen to guys who have been at the game for a long time hunting in our own little hell hole.

As for coon hunts, I've never entered one but have been to a few. I was at B&T days quite a few years ago where a buddy won the open competition. We got some pups out of that dog and none made above average big game dogs. Nice coon dogs, but not big gamers. His best big game dog at the time, wasn't a coon bred dog. Did have a Nt. CH coon dog one time that a guy traded us for a female of ours. He was a pretty good dog until he stretched a porky and died from infection. Seen better coon dogs though. Don't coon hunt but a handfull of times now, just isn't my deal.

Sourdough the females I called natural locators were both registered walkers. Bell I owned in the sixties. Her direct grandpernts were top side Hershbergers Okl. Spot & Wagoners Little Fanny. Bottom side Merchants Bawlie & Motleys Mo. Rose. Never a complete cat dog, ducking, dodging cat did not suit her track style. But could come thru behind the speedsters, locate the tree, pull some wild track dogs & hammer the tree. Made a very good bear dog, baying, running & treeing bear she excelled. Goverment hunter & life long friend hold me, you only realize how good Bell is on bear when she is gone. His name is TOM Barnett, sure Bell appericated him killing numerous baying bear for her. Queen was a direct daughter of Finley River Chief can/t recall her dams side. Had a ton of natural ability very balanced, catch her own bob at a young age. Could not trash break her. Everytime a hunter seen her go, they wanted her, sold her that owner told me she actually treed a coyote. She sold several times, no one broke her, lost while hunting. Owner was sure she was stolen by a hunter who tried to buy her.Al

Al, Thank you for your description of those hounds and their pedigree it’s funny how those named blood lines are still sought after names for lion and bobcat dogs still today. Are you still hunting those lines? Or have you gone a completely different direction? When you owned Queen did you have e-collars or were they in their infancy and would you love to have Queen back with today technology. My description of the hounds I stated as born locators are on the same lines as your observation of rose. I feel they would never have made solid bobcat hounds based only on their track style and their inability to keep the pressure on when the bobcat realized they were behind them. Oh they could catch bobcats, but nothing like true bobcat hounds. I know that’s hard for some to swallow on here and I will probably catch some grief over that statement. Reality is just that. If only one could have the complete packaged hound with their abilities being equal in cold trailing, track speed, and tree power there would be nothing safe.

sourdough

Sourdough, no I did not have any E- or tracking collars when I had Queen or Bell. I did have a good quater running & 3/4 tree hound to train queen with. He was a grandson of Bell that would check queen on deer but could not take the pressure most of the time if she switched from a cold cat to a hot coyote. This was the seventies and I was in good shape, able to catch her off some trash, but not consistent enough. Queen would pull & trash one time, next time she might split off and tree her own bobcat. Each time she was sold a good cat hunter had seen her work & had to have her. One of those called the previous, ask how do you get queen off a track. Fred Riley told Harold Middelton you don/t you must wait untill she catches or deceides to quit. Harold said Fred, I begged you to sell her but you can have her back at half price. Fred bought her back, short time later Oakley Fowler went hunting with Fred. Queen was on good behavior that day, made other dogs look bad and caught a cat. Oakley bought her, swore he would never part with her. Lost her in a later hunt. Never saw her again. My regert I never bred her. Al

Great story Al and the type I could read all day. Thanks for sharing with all us.

Sourdough

Sourdough forgot to answer all your questions, yes I would love to have Queen back today, confident I would break her. Do have a trace of Bell in my kennels, but watered so much cannot be counted. I don/t have anything to write home about today in dogs. Had a virus three years ago that forced me to sell my dogs. Didn/t think I would be able to hunt again. Did keep an 11 year old descend of Bell, that I consider the most balanced dog I/VE owned. Could have sold him at 11 but nevered considered. I bought couple 2 year old coon dogs, one a son of his. The old boy & I managed to catch enough cat to convert them working pretty much straight cat. Lucky to have a hunting partner that has much better dogs than I. Do very little hunting alone, but with his 6 dogs and my three we have a few very enjoyable cat races. The old dog passed this summer at over 14, he spent his last year & half sleeping in a heated box on the porch and roaming the property. Encourage all to enjoy thier hunting. Al

Glad I started this: some great stories!


How many of you have watched a hound driving a cat track and heard them switch over to tree bark several hundred yards from the tree?

Mike, I have had and have some fairly quick tree dogs but not that quick. So my answer would be no. Andy