BigGameHoundsmen.com

It seems at times we only hear the negative on this bord, especialy when it comes to buying dogs or trading dogs or who has what and who doesn't. I thought for a change I would share the oposite. Living here in oregon I have had trouble making the transition from snow to dry ground. A couple weeks ago I reached out to one of the guys on the board here in a PM asking for some help and information. I fully expected to get the cold shoulder, but nothing ventured nothing gained. To my surprise I was responded to directly with a name and a number to what I was looking for. I milled around for a few days not exactly sure what to say when I got this man on the phone. Having chose my words carefuly i made the call. Instantly we fell into a great conversation about dogs and life. Heck, you would have thought I was an old friend the greating i got. Two phone calls later I have a pup coming in a week or two. I know I am not buying a gun or a car so to me it doesn't matter if the dog turns out or not, this will be a good exsperience regardless of the dogs hunting ability. Don't get me wrong I fully expect that pup to be a dirt eating machine. It's just been a real good dog deal. I only bring this up because how can this lifestyle last in our rapidly changing times without these types of good relationships. Sharing knowledge, blood lines, and hunting country is the only way. I don't have as much to offer as some of the greats but I hope I represent myself and my sport in the most positive way. THANKS MIKE AND JEFF.
And thanks to everyone who shares on here. Jamrs G. Moore

High Desert Hounds,

I've had lots of people give me a call that either post on these boards or that have read something I wrote for Full Cry. Those people have ranged from young hounddoggers to some of the old time greats of our sport. Last spring I was down in St Geroge visiting family and one of those older gentleman called me out of the blue around 8:00 PM one evening, and we talked hounds for hours until after bedtime. He was from the southern country and a dry ground hunter who had hunted all over Utah, New Mexico, Arizona and California in the early days before they closed the season back in 1971. I could have exchanged stories and listened to his all night long I think......

He was looking for a place to hunt last summer and I told him to call and we'd go find a lion together but it never happened. I realize what you are saying about the back and forth fighting over who has what and who can do what, but there are a lot of good people out there all over the country running hounds and loving it. And these boards do provide us a chance to met some of those people.........

Ike

Ike, thats exactly what i'm talking about. putting a hand out to others and building friendships. I hope I didn't soud all negative about this board. I have heard many guys yourself included invite others down to hunt with them. I have bobcats running out my ears over here and i always have an open seat in my truck. This is more than a hobie, more than a sport it is a lifestyle and an obsession. Thank for your comments

Thanks James and I think you will like that pup.

I had a littermate to the father out today with 6 other hounds and I was in some awesome country that I have never been on before it is all private one huge ranch. It was like another world and game was everywhere dozens of turkeys strutting, geese flying and deer grazing peacefully so close to town but for many years it was a refuge. I was invited by the forman to check on the lion situation. Well I am happy to report the lions are doing just fine in there and seem to be very well fed. Found several kills various ages all mule deer.
It was hot today over 74 degrees which is hot in hound dog terms when you have ridden a long ways and that female was still pounding the ground all day. I would like to say she hit a two day old lion track and trailed it but the truth is we hit a night old small female on pretty sandy soil and we didn't get on it till 10:30 in the morning and it was tuff. No we never caught it or even jumped it but it wasn't because the dogs were not trying and that female was right there working beside old Blue my most expereinced dog so she has the stuff.To me that is more fun than just jumping her off a kill and popping her up a tree. Maybe tomorrow will be different, maybe her big boy friend will show up and lay down some big stinky tracks. LOL! whatever it will be another day in the saddle watching the hounds.

Shorty I had one of them big Hagar pups along today. Didn't plan on taking Ben but he just busted thru the gate and loaded himself up in the horse trailer. Listen he doesn't know com here from sic um but he hunted his behind off, got on a coon track opened up swam a small branch creek and acted like a real hound. He got lost once and we could hear him coming trailing them horses up and it sounded like a prison break and the bloodhounds was on our trail. Just a little exposure and Big Ben is going to make a hound.

Doing it right, doing it wrong, it just don't matter as long as you're doing it. I have met assholes and advocates while learning to hunt. The advocates have outnumbered the assholes five to one. Share the knowledge or we'll lose it forever.

very very true. the person that got me into dog hunting was one of my best friends for a long time. well since 7th grade and i am 28. seems over the years he went the wrong way and since our friendship ended i have had so much more fun. i almost forgot why i started hunting them dogs because it got too seriouse and competetive. its more fun when everyone gets along. sure everyone wants to have the best dogs and be known for it, but thats not why we all do what we do. there are too many reasons to count or say about why we all go hound hunting. the two biggest reasons for me is the enjoyment of taking my kids to the trees and letting them youngsters be a part of something that has gone on for years. the other is watching a pup grow into a game catching fool, and all of the trials and tribulations along the way. shit i know i dont have the best dogs out there and dont claim to, i just do it to have fun. although my dogs better do their best to put something in the tree for me lol. actually overall i think that the dogs do it for us, so they can feel proud of what they do. like i said, its more fun to get out there when everyone gets along.

jimmy

Well said Jimmy..... You and the family are welcome in camp anytime.

Don

And we are havin FUN!