What we expect from our dogs?

[cobalt]

Dewey, starting a conversation by saying "the best thing to do with that pup is to make stew out of him", is not a conversation starter, it is a fight starter. Not only that, you said in with a mob of hound people listening. And as for "the hammering" I gave you, all I said was your style of dog has lots of faults I don't like. Apparently you can dish it out, but have trouble swallowing it. If you were interested in trying one of my dogs, maybe you could have said "hey, my name is Dewey and I might be interested in your dogs". Our conversation consisted of 99% you and your dogs and 1% mine. I don't think you were ever really interested in my dogs at all. It's comments like "a lot of blueticks cannot move fast enough" that show how narrow minded you are. My comment about dogs not being able to tree a cat walking right ahead of them was said because it pertained to the memory of a couple insidents with a pack of good cat dogs in S. Oregon. I had seen them catch lots of cat and they were not mine. They were a walker of unknown origin, a registered Finley River Walker out of Dan Deppens dogs, a walker out of Alvie Payton's Sounder, and a running dog cross out of California.This situation has also happened to my dogs. ALL DOGS ARE SUBJECT TO CLIMACTIC/METEOROLOGICAL ADVERSITY/DIVERSITY, even yours. Dogs working at 100% ability can catch easily some days and not so easily the next. How can your dogs start a track and then it fizzles out? I know why and you know why. Your dogs failed because they weren't good enough that day. You would not have put them on it if you didn't think they couldn't catch it (your own words). Maybe if you were to have one of my old, slow blueticks, you would have 7 more cats to pay for your lifestyle lol.
My post had nothing to do with your mishmash of assorted bloodlines vs blueticks, it is about a lack of constructiveness towards people who are trying to become cat hunters. You have all the information and experience to be a great guide, but none of the humility, even when I can see you're trying to be humble. I'm probably wrong, but that's the vibe I get.

I am truly impressed (and jealous) with your accomplishments with your dogs, this year and in previous years and I enjoyed your post about your last hunt in the California desert. Your posts are all very worth reading, although I personally take them with a grain of salt because I know some of what you say is purely wrong. One post you wrote last year that was so whacked out and someone questioned you on it and your reply was "I was just seeing if anyone was paying attention" (or something like that). How do you expect anyone to believe you or take you seriously when you are playing games?

And I have NEVER had a dog bark on a pee bush .... just occasionally off track .

Nothing like a couple Micro brews to help me rationalize my position. My village is missing me.

[slowandeasy]

I have also seen races over the years with outstanding cat dogs that were running a cat 100 yrds ahead of them, but the race never sounded jumped and sounded exactly like a cold track, yet I saw the cat right ahead of the dogs and they never caught it.

I know nothin bout cats but that is not that uncommon with coyotes. It is at times almost impossible for good hounds to run a walkin coyote so I cant see how it would be any different with a dog gone cat.

Some have to say very, very little, to show their experience. It would be good advice to read the above quotes and try and learn something from them. As it is very true that the dogs are usually going just as fast as what they are trailing. But then again what do I know.

Take care, Willie

[dwalton]

Cobalt: The commit was, that's a good looking pup to bad it is a bluetick. I have seen some very good blueticks and think you may have some. Yes I say a lot to get people to think outside of the box, we as hound and humans all think we know the way it is. What we know is based on our experiences and learning. There are all types of dogs for all types of hunting and hunters. I have said many times each to their own. As you know the condition determine how old of a track a dog can trial. Sometimes a track can be over 24 hours old and can be caught, at other times a track 20 minutes old a dog can not smell. Just as I think blueticks can't move fast enough and running dogs can't cold trail both statements are false. I have dogs that will out cold trail most dogs. The key as you said is style. I guess we will never know what style your or my dogs are because we have a preconceive notion as to what they will do. I do know that all of the people that catch a lot of bobcats have running dogs. Not to say that I have seen top bobcat dogs that were not running dogs. [ loner was one Al]. Think about this how many of the bobcat dogs that don't have running blood are producing top cat dog down the line for generations. I know that most people can train or get the most out of running type dogs. I feel they expect all of the wrong things from these dogs at the wrong time of there lives. As always this is just my opinion, if I step on toes good at least I got people thinking. Each to their own if it catches game and you like it hunt it. One day Cobalt if we could set down over a cup of coffee I am sure we both could learn something about dogs. Everyone knows that a bobcat trotting ahead of dogs is a hard cat to catch and dogs have to cold trail it. In poor scent conditions I will agree, in good scent conditions I disagree. I bought a 20 month old dog from Loner and a 7 m0nth old dog when I started back hunting cats. 5 cats the first winter, !2 the next winter with 25 jumps that I did not tree. I sold the Loner dog and bought a 8 month old 5/8 running dog I treed 45 cats that year and things went up hill from there. The point is you can have hard to catch smart cats that you catch a small percentage or you can have dogs that tree a lot of cats . I don't feel bobcats are hard to catch and one should tree or catch on the ground most cats in good or normal scent conditions. The jumps should not be over 20 minutes long anywhere and in most conditions. bobcats should not be able to trot ahead of your dogs all day. I have owned dogs that that was the norm , not anymore. Dewey

[cobalt]

As I said. NOT ABOUT DOGS.
I will tell you a true story if you want to go that direction. I've sent two, 2 year old dogs to central Or. to hunt with a kid I really trust. His Uncle hunts running dog crosses and has for over 20 years. The kid also owns a 3yo fm out of my dogs. After 2 weeks of solid hunting, the running dogs were not taken anymore because they were out of gas and weren't helping anyway and actually were causing some problems due to not being able to keep up and weren't able to even start a track. The dogs I sent are rookies with virually no experience and have been mostly bear hunted. They are not good cat dogs, for sure.
Go figure. You think it's my loss that you don't want one of my dogs because you are butt hurt about something I said. As prejudice as you are, why would I think you would give a dog of mine a fair shot? Not interested, Dewey, never was. The mystery will remain in your head, not mine. I already know that catching cats is more about training and less about dogs. I have seen as much talent in all the breeds to know that become too faithful to one or two types is not wise.

[dwalton]

Cobalt: I caught my first cat on my own 47 years ago. I have hunted all over the west with some of the best hunters there is and was. I have depended on my income from dogs a good part of my and have hunted more in one year than most people get to hunt in a life time. We all know that depending on conditions any dog can look good or bad. I have caught thousands of bobcats. I have tried dogs from many major breeds always looking for a better dog. I have hunted more years than you are old. I just wish that I knew as much as you do when I was your age. Dewey

[Dads dogboy]

Guys this has been a good thread! Let's keep it that way and leave the Personal Barbs for PMs or the Cage!

Every Hunter/Houndsman who has posted has contributed to the knowledge that a Newby can gain from.....it even brought Mr. Dan back to us...and that will help make it TRULY a good Year.

Every one enjoy your time in the Woods with your Hounds....no matter the color, breed, or purpose.....enjoy as you never know when it may be your last!

No one has ever enjoyed the Hunt more than My Dad and if his days are not over they are numbered.....therefor all the BS over Blue or Running, who may have a trap down or who has the best is all so much petty BS. If you like the ones you are feeding, that is all that matters!

Good Running to All & Happy New Year!

[twist]

Here is my thoughts on what i expect out of my hounds that everyone needs to take to heart. If the dog makes you smile more times than not you have the right dog. How it makes you smile is up to the owner. Andy

[KYLE REEVES 1]

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[cougar2]

Keep doing what your doing Andy.

[buzz]

Just over a year ago I decided that I was going to quit Bear hunting and go with straight cat dogs only. This was a huge decision for me as Bear hunting was a huge part of my life for nearly 20 years. The hounds that I had were good lion and bear dogs that would tree the easy bobcats. I would hunt all winter and be lucky to tree a dozen cats. Most being on snow.
The reason I wanted to go straight cat was that the timber company bear permits were getting to be a pain and with a young family it just seemed like the best thing to do.
I did not think that it would be fair to my bear dogs to let them sit around all summer until cat season started and then have to deal with them wanting to run the bears that were still out roaming so i decided to sell them to a very good friend of mine in Idaho.
I then took the money from the bear dogs and bought two cat dogs and a pup. I have never been one to have to buy dogs to catch game ,but I figured it would be easier to change over. The first dog I bought was from Al baldwin and another from Frank Grimmet. Both dogs were everything they said they were and then some.
THe first season (last winter) I set a goal of 15 cats and I made it to 18 treed and 3 in the rocks. I was tickled pink with those very small numbers. I thought I did pretty good for working full time and only being able to hunt weekends or when we were mudded out at work.
This winter I have set a goal for 30 cats. So far I am at 7 trees that I saw 4 that i could not see and 1 in the rocks. so far I am a little behind my goal but we will see. Either way I am very happy with how the dogs are performing and my 11 month old pup is making the races and treeing a bit.
I guess after all this rambling all I am trying to say is that one does not have to tree 100 cats a year to be a sucessful cat hunter. Some guys do and that is great, but If a guy like me can catch 20 - 30 cats while spending enough time with the family and working full time that is just great to me.
That is what I expect out of my dogs!












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[twist]

cougar2 thanks for the kind words, glad you like what the pup has turned into. Also buzz very well put. Andy

[YotaDawger]

Numbers don't mean crap.... Im an inexperienced hounds men ill be the first to say it. Treed my first bobcat with just my dogs a month ago, and one the other day. If I tree 3 this year ill be happy. But at least I know I did it with a dog or dogs a dog i trained . Anyone can go drop a few grand and get numbers. I just like to hunt I don't care with who or where just hunt and be out there with my dogs. I just expect to have fun and try and catch a cat . And the dogs I have are culls and trash to most because of what they are .... and I don't care

[Dan Edwards]

Numbers dont always mean much but in some cases they mean a whole lot. I know guys that will kill upwards of 100 coyotes a year plus. Now them guys are runnin round the country side with 5 or 6 trucks, radios and all kindsa shit like that. Them 100 plus coyotes dont mean much to me but when I see two real good hounds that are in there 5th or 6th season and really know the game cuz they were allowed to learn it the right way and they were born with the proper tools in the first place, catchin maybe 30 or 40 coyotes a year without the aid of a truck or spike dogs then I am extremely impressed.

[dwalton]

Dan: Numbers are just one measurement. The hours spent in the woods is another. I bred to a dog years ago that only caught 18 to 20 bobcats a year. Not many but when you put in the fact that the owner worked full time and hunted the Mojove Desert in Southeastern California it added a different meaning to me. Some of the best dogs are never hunted and few people get to hunt as much as they want to. The type of dog one hunts should be determined by by each person, what they hunt how often they hunt, where they hunt and what they like. No dog does it all. The dogs that I hunt won't work for most people. I could never get by just hunting them once a week. Some dogs you could. I have said over and over each to their own if you like it and it catches game hunt it. Each breed were bred for a reason. Every body has a opinion. Let me have mine and I will let you have yours. One is no better than the other just different. As you know you can tell a lot about someone by how they react to what is said. Dewey

[Todd Davis]

Dewey,

I was told you have or sold a dog to a bobcat hunter in eastern Montana. I was wondering how are they doing far as striking that day or day old bobcat tracks or giving tail while roading them ? Also how are they doing locating trees? What s the breeding on them if you dont mind .

Thanks Todd