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I have a couple young Walker hounds that we're training on bear this year. I've been thinking of trying a couple of my GSP's on the Bears too, Anyone else ever run or see a decent GSP go after biggame, bears, bobcats, lions ? I've got a couple year old males that I dont think I'm going to start on birds yet, but instead start give them a shot at running some bear and bobcats first. They love to chase. They want to get everything they see with fur. Cats, rats, squirrels, rabbits etc... These guys are quick, and tough both will actually barks and wont leave the tree or bush once they gets a cat, rat, or squirrel trapped or cornered or treed. My only question is will they follow my friends Rig dog and follow him. I guess I'll see.

Anyway if any of you have seen one go I would like to hear about it

Larry Lowell

Had a buddy years ago that had a female GSP that loved to go with the hounds. But she was silent on track and way too aggressive once the bear was caught. She would have ended up dead so he stopped taking her.

Raised shorthairs for years and remember an old complete german shorthair book that had some stories/pics of a guy in CO hunting lions/bears with a pack of shorthairs. I never had mine on anything but birds/small game....

Bruce

I have one dog that is English shorthaired pointer. He 15 years old now and only weighs 41lbs. Still chassing bear tho. He is sometimes too aggresive on bear but is fast and smart (he only goes in from behind) so has not gotten hurt much. Earlier this year we had a big bear 300+ lbs that we never did get treed. It did start up a tree once but old sam grabbed its back leg and it popped back out. I called the dogs off after a few more mins since we can't hunt bears with dogs here and it was July anyhow. I only use them to run the bears out of my orchard. Usualy after a few times up a tree they stay away.

I keep hoping they will open this unit to the general hunt.

I'm not a dog trainer but I've owned one GSP and with no training at all she would point and chase birds all day long. She had one hell of a nose on her. She would fallow me around the farm (I would ride a 4wheeler) and even on a dead run she would slam on the breaks go back and point a phesant in a ditch. She even did that one time on a porkupine! The only problem I can see is how would you get the dog to stop chasing and pointing birds? Bird chasing was a fulltime job for my dog and I don't think I could of stopped her even if I wanted to.

Just a thought, Tom

When I was in Germany, I saw guys using them for everything, them and the wirehairs.

the ozzies swear by them as bay dogs on hogs and have seen a couple used here for that (english pointers too) then they usually are crosed to a bulldog for a thicker hide & stronger bone.

I used to let my labrador run with the hounds. He would make it to all the trees, but one time he got hurt somewhere along the trail. He was down with a pulled muscle or sprain and could hardly move for days afterward. I thought that lab was tough until then.

I've got a couple GSP's I havent started on birds yet, thats why I think I could get them to go for bear without much problem. My thinking is that a GSP could be to aggressive, plus they are alot more independant, I dont know if they would run with a pack to help train them. Theres no doubt in my mind that my GSPs could and would out run the other dogs and after they learned the game get to the bear first.

I know they'll tree and stay at a tree, and bark. They have at night on big desert rats, and possum. I end up having to go put them up in the crates to shut them up. GSP's were bred to hunt fur as much as they were for birds.

Anyway IF I can get them to go I'll post up with some pictures. If anyone has personally has seen or ran a GSP on any type of fur, it would be great to hear your experiences.

Larry Lowell

I don't doubt that any of the versatile bred dogs could and would run bear. My question would be the same as with certain strains of hounds, Would the do it as a real bear dog should? Many dogs that will run and bark at a bear, never make bear dogs. With bird dogs, there are those that are BIRD DOGS. Then there are those that will run through the field and every once in a while stumble on a bird but are never bird dogs.
I owned the 1979 Nat'l WCA Derby Ch, and 2nd place field futurity winner "Haus". He never was a bird dog.

Cab

Know doubt your right. The GSP's I have ARE birddogs. That are athletes as well. My dogs are very versatile, and are high desire type dogs.

I'm of the opinion that after I give the dogs a purpose and work them on a certain game they will do it and do it will desire and everything they have. I'm new to running bears and cats with hounds, just bought 2 young year old Walker hounds and looking for a Rig/Trainer type dogs to help finish training them. BUT that said my GSPs have gone after bobcats, deer, rabbits etc... when bird hunting, and done it to catch them. IMO if a dog has that deep down desire to hunt, give them a purpose and see what happens. The two male GSP's I want to try on bear havent been started on birds but they have a high desire to hunt and catch everything.

My plan is to take them to a treed bear or two, or if we can get a bear fighting on the ground I'll let them go. If they have a nose, and drive build their desire on what you want to hunt and see what happens from there I guess I'll find out.

im with cab--its tough enough to get a bear dog--out of bear dogs- they strike me as a "rite now "type dog rather than hanging in there for the long haul --if that makes any sense

i wonder how long they would cold trail on a old track --how many hours they would stick on a walking type bear --

i bet they would smoke a hound on a short run -they are real athletes-

years ago-- went to look for a suposedly dead bear with a buddys GSP on a leash --

somehow--- dog got away - -short run and bayed bear - bear was only slightly wounded - he was a one dog bear pack that day- - far as i know only one he ever ran-

they are great dogs --i wish my hounds had 1/10 their brains---- wouldnt be my first choice of breed for a bear dog -- wouldnt hurt to try either

Do Gsp's have anywhere as good a nose as a hound?

Pete

I dont think they would cold trail that well, but I think they would work a hot track, and if they saw it or caught up to it, theres no doubt in my mind they would work the bear over on the ground. As far as staying at a tree on a bear or other game, well, I've had dogs in the yard tree rats, possum, snakes etc... in the past and they'll stay at the bush/tree all night barking and climbing trying to get to them. I end up having to go out side and crate them up to shut them up.

Alex

I would guess the answer would be "No" but I dont know, GSPs are used for blood trailing wounded game, in some of the German tests they are required to find a scent and follow a drag of a fox, so they are bred to hunt fur and trail it, but most bird hunters like myself trash break our dogs off anything but birds. How good is their nose ? will they follow a cold trail ? I dont have a clue, BUT on a Hot trail, or if they see it, I think they would go and go with heart and desire to catch. GSP's are pretty gritty. I think once they are turned on to the game they would do good. My guess is that it will be harder to get them to run with a pack following a cold nosed dog.

All these guys on the internet runnin' bears with bird dogs and all I have are these lowsey hounds How come I've never seen anyone with these bird dogs in their trucks? I guess its because I haven't been hunting long. I am sure through out history there has been a bird dog that made a decent bear dog. That being said if a guy wants to bear hunt he oughta get a bear dog. If he wants to bird hunt get a bird dog. No point in making your chances of getting a good dog harder.