BigGameHoundsmen.com

Louisiana has a few WMA's that are currently considering closing their hotdog season because of the risk of the dogs attacking bear cubs. Absurd as it sounds, sadly it's the truth, now according to their own state funded research, sow black bears cub in their dens from January through February, it also states that these sows don't leave their dens until March-April, the hog dog season is the month of February, there isn't one documented case of a cub being killed by a dog. Can someone who hunts an area inhabited by both chime in. We are going to fight this tooth and nail because once they get their way with a few it won't be long and they'll be after the others.

We bear hunt here in Georgia and my bear dogs don't mess with hogs.A lot of fellers here run hogswith their bear dogs in the off season..Hog dogs can be broke off bear just like bear dogs can be broke off hogs.

Glynn Holmes
478-662-4238
www.tellsblueticks.webs.com

Thanks Glynn, but what happens to the bear or Cubs when pursued by dogs is the states biggest question.

They tree most every time a sow will put her cubs up a tree quick

Goose,
If your hog dog season is just the month of February (which I get from your post) there shouldn't even be cubs out from their den. Am I right that your own records from the game Dept. confirm this? Your time line for cubs being born and coming out of the den match what happens in Virginia, but we don't have hog hunting. Like Peg says, most of the time a sow is quick to put the cubs up a tree and even if she doesn't go up the same tree she will come back after the cubs. You may want to keep in mind there is probably more danger from a boar bear killing the cubs than from a dog. If a boar kills the cubs the sow will breed the next year rather than having cubs to tend to. If that sow hears dog she will probably get those cubs up a tree before the dogs get to them or have them back in the den, but once again I don't see first year cubs being out in February.

All of the evidence and records we've been able to gather supports everything that has been mentioned in the replies, I can't see where the state has a rational leg to stand on.