BigGameHoundsmen.com

I notice that you said you have the time to hunt 2 packs...why not do it then? If you have a decent population of game animals and you don't harvest very many...you shouldn't run out of game ...a lot of things have never been done just because they have never been done! Dogs and men are all different. Sure to get bit when you apply sweeping generalities to either dogs or people. Have at it...wish I had that much time!

You Can't

Mike

Merlo,

I will add a few thoughts to you. I run two packs many times. Many reasons, I suppose, but mainly due to having to many dogs on hand and not liking having more then 8-10 hounds in a race.

Reason behind that is I like to be able to recognize what hound is doing what and with the Alpha 100 birdseye and their mouth sound can get that accomplished. Firmly believe that is why I can keep hounds straight on bobcats plus have amount of control I require on my hounds.

Now my pack of hounds are mixed up regarding breeds and they all seem to add something and I would like to think have taught some of their traits to those other hounds. Example: The hounds that have more Running Walker or are Straight Running Walker or Straight Trigg require the 1/2 blood Bluetick/Running Walker "get their heads up" and use their nose in running scent. Everyone once in a while I will have a full blood (Treeing Walker, Bluetick) want to bark to much (babble) on track already run when a loss has been made---but a little "toning" and usually just a couple of times--make that hound shut up and go find where that cat went!

I am not color visioned regarding my cat hounds---they must just be able to catch or tree a cat!

Two of my old dogs (6 years that I raised) are out of Johnny B. line of hounds that go back to his great Bluetick Little Bit. One looks Walker and the other looks like a Bluetick. They are litter mates to Bud S. male Freckles over in Cimmaron, NM that has made him a lion dog. Litter mate to Mike M. of BC Sue & Boone, plus Wesley B of South TX dogs Blueberry & Shy. All of these hounds are 3/8 Running Walker and 5/8 Bluetick, plus all made good cat hounds.

Depending what type of country your running will decide what hounds(type) that will do the best. And there are many functions of this--but example in SE Oklahoma with thick, thick briars & brush---the smaller Running Walker & Trigg, Trigg cross hounds do the best job over all. However I have a Treeing Walker male, a 1/2 blood Redtick/Bluetick/Running Walker, and two other older females that do not need any help.

What I have noticed that after 3-4, 2-3 hour races--only my hounds with mainly Running Breeds can stay hooked. The Crossbreds are to crippled to go! (Trying to breed those "cat feet" on replacements)

Without the Crossbreds in the race--and in tall timber--I have to rely on mainly the Trigg hounds to locate and tree. I have one Running Walker that is sure attempting to do the same out of four that I hunt. Now when in smaller timber, all will locate and tree.

TWO PACKS----why not? I just sometimes wish that I could take 20+ years off of my body!

Thanks & have fun with the hounds,

Clyde

You can run those blues with the running dogs but you better get some goggles for them to keep the dust out of there eyes from the running dogs. Tree hounds are nose on ground track runners. Running walker and July are heads up fast track driving dogs. Never seen a cross or a tree hound stay even close to the front of a fox ,cat , or a yote race with running dogs. Just what I've experienced in my part of the country.

I've bred my own dogs for the past twenty years, always trying to come up with the perfect dog for me and my hunting style . I want a dog that will run bear with his head up , drop down and work a bare ground lion , and still have the speed for bobcats when you need it . I've had about every breed of pure bred dog and most crosses .In that time I've had maybe a dozen dogs that were able to do all of it . My preferred cross that I've been hunting the last 10 or so years has mostly been a Walker / bluetick/English redtick cross .But I have seen some dogs in all crosses turn out great and littermates that were nothing alike .You probably get more consistency out of strain of dog than a breed. I think you can get consistency out of cross breeds as well , if they have been line bred and culled properly .Best three bear dogs I've ever hunted with were, Plott/Black an Tan cross , Straight Walker , and a straight Plott . Best three lion dogs were , Black and Tan / Walker cross ,Bluetick /Walker cross ,And a 3/4 Black &Tan 1/4 Plott .Best bobcat dogs were the same as my lion dog picks . I didn't own all these dogs and none are currently alive , but if I drop back to the top ten in the same catagories , the dogs I hunt right now would all make that list . Point is I can't two packs and do them justice .I gotta have a well rounded dog that can do it all. Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn't be cheaper to just go buy 3 or 4 guys lead dogs and have a finished pack that way but I like training young dogs to much . Hell ,I'd hunt a weenie dog if he can catch game .

Jkohnke, I have a tiny Bluetick who is faster on track then most the walkers I have hunted now she gets to run with the running dogs on a good track there is no difference on a jump track no difference. I also have a Walker/Bluetick tthat I have never seen come across second dog that dog is out front of the running dogs and everything else.

I can believe that. Where I hunt its not uncommon to have bobcat and coyote races that last for several hours. Tree hounds and crosses just can't stay in the race that long here. A couple hours of hard running and "most " tree dogs are done for here. We hunt deer with dogs here too. It's the same way with that. Running hounds and tree hounds just don't mix here. I wish I had some tree hounds with the speed and endurance the running dogs have. Tree dogs seem to be much easier to handle and are more personable dogs.

I have sixteen hounds and often run two or more packs. I do it when there are lots of tracks. I have even started multiple races at the same time. I usually have multiple rigs and hunters with tracking equipment involved in multiple days. I love those days when everything is moving. You can get real tired walking to trees in snow covered mountains, but it seems like a good problem to have compared to wishing for a track and tree. Most animals can be handled by a two pack of hounds anyway. However, can tell you this, there are more losses when you break up your pack and separate the best dogs to lead their own race. That's why they are called the A Team. Keepin it real.

Jkohnke, I do see the running dogs do better on the longer races and being ran on Multiple cats a day. But not being a hide hunter and just hunting When I can I dont have to worry to much about that. I hunt on average 4 days a week and 14 hours a day So I havent had a problem with dogs burning out or anything in between so for me hunting the tree bred dogs havent had any problems keeping up with the running bred dogs.