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How many of you guys help your dogs?Are you just an observer or part of your pack?I have hunted with both types.I hate to loose to a lion so I do everything that I can to help the dogs.If they make a loose or get hung up I do my best to think where did he go and get them in that spot.Now I have been at this for a while now and I never stop learning the ways of a lion.In 1982 we had a lion kill an elk and Randy and I cut tracks on every road we could find.We cut the best track we could and turned out the dogs.I went with the dogs and he drove around to where we thought he would cross again.The four dogs we had had caught many lions so I was just there to let Randy where we were treed.About four miles in the dogs hit a rim and a big loose.Right under the was a big scratch and Jake and Warrior would scream on it but could not go left or right on anything out of there.I stood back and gave a good look and thought to myself ,he had to straight up over the rim.I walked the dogs about 3/4 of a mils and got up on top.Then back to the spot above the scratch.When I got there the dogs left on a rocket and they had him caught in a mile.I have seen guys stand on a road and say they made a lose then just call them back and go looking for another track???I could not count how many times I have walked or rode out to help the dogs ,but many times it has the end results I am looking for.If you have done this for a good time you should be able to pick the spots that a lion will go???And that alone will help you help your dogs I think.

Take care, Willie

My mentor taught me that I was supposed to be the best dog in the pack!! Did not always turn out that way, but I tried.

The way I see it, YOU are the hunter, you have the license and tags. Dogs are a method utilized by you. You and your dogs are a team, with you being the leader. (or pack like mentioned above)

Too me we are trying to catch....so yeh I help if they can't sort after a good bit of time. I usually have a Cur type in the mix and it pays to watch them...sometimes they sort things but keep it under there hat.if you know the dog they are not so good at lying....

Anyone who hasn't had to help their dogs from time to time is full of you know what! Andy

i will always help the dogs whenever they need it. sometimes it works sometimes it dont but you have to if you want the best results IMO.

I to help my dogs at times .Sometimes,after they screw up I'll think i've got an idea as to what the cat did.There are times i'm actually right and we catch the cat.However,there are times i think to much and it costs me a cat.I like to think those times are rare.LOL.Case in point:Years ago my old english dog,Ranger struck a cat and started off into a canyon.I jumped out and found the track in the dirt but he was going backwards .I turned him around but he went a little ways and turned around and went the way be wanted to.We did this 3 times before i gave him a cussing and let him do what he wanted to.He went on to tree me a longtail.

(Quote: Elmer Blankenship)

Boys, if we give these dogs much more help we aint gunna ketch this cat!

I think it depends on what we are trying to accomplish that day. If we have a tag in our pocket trying to bag a nice Tom, then we help them every chance we get. But be careful to assist when the dogs seem convinced they have it right. Remember they've got the sniffer and you've only got the eyes.

Now if we are in just "train" mode and the catch of the cat isn't quite as important, then I will usually let the dogs try to figure it out. Then maybe the next time they won't need my help. In these cases I try to be more of an observer than a helper, until it's all boogered up and then I'll try to help out.

twist wrote:Anyone who hasn't had to help their dogs from time to time is full of you know what! Andy

+1 to that!

I think there are times to help and times to let the dogs sort it out.
They will learn the most if they sort it out on their own, but failing that they might learn enough from your help to sort it out on their own the next round.
The trick is not to get them dependent on your help every time.

R Severe wrote:I think there are times to help and times to let the dogs sort it out.
They will learn the most if they sort it out on their own, but failing that they might learn enough from your help to sort it out on their own the next round.
The trick is not to get them dependent on your help every time.

Good Posts by all!

It does not matter the Game being pursued, Mr. Severe says it Best!

I have found that the less I help my dogs the better they get for the most part. I occasionally help dogs when I feel it is needed but usually a little time and patience teaches the dog a whole lot more and you find that you need to help them less often.

I was fortunate enough to have had a couple dogs that after helping them a few times they learned what to do when they lost the track and that was to hunt up the track again. they made my job way easier, but I sold those dogs like an idiot but the money was hard to resist. I have some good dogs now but im not sure they are that smart so its back to helping again lol.