Packing in dogs

[brodieross]

Just out of curiousity, and to have something to talk about. How many of you guys prefer to keep dogs in the box to pack into a race later after the bear has been ran a while in hopes of it helping to tree the bear when he's a bit tired and you're putting in fresh dogs? And how many of you pretty much always run all your dogs from start to finish? I don't mean every single time, but most of the time what do you prefer to do?

[Bearhunter247]

Packing for us has worked great on runners in big country. Really ups the odds of treeing. That said most of the time I put the pack dogs on another person's truck because after I walk and jump one I don't go back to my truck just keep following the dogs. Most of the time I hunt all of mine all the time until a few dogs need rest then I start rotating dogs walk hunt half one day pack the other half for the rest of the season. But we do have a 6 week season so after about 2 weeks they need a day of rest every other day.

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[brodieross]

Right on. I guess if you rotate them like that it will keep them conditioned to starting tracks instead of just packing into a hot race. How many dogs are you hunting usually?

[Bearhunter247]

I'm at 8 dogs that I don't mind taking at any time ranging from 3-8 years old, a 11 take doesn't get out of ten because he's gotten very slow but I will take in the flatlands a few times, and 4 pups that I'm going to try to roll over on bear come chase season that will be 10 months old in April

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[walkerblacktan]

How are u able to not have to go back to your pickup after turning loose on a bear? You just stay on foot and follow? If a guy was to try that around here9 times out of 10 he would take 2 or 3 days just to get to the dogs

[walkerblacktan]

Just wondering if the bear over in your area dont really cover much ground?

[bearsnva]

First time after the track is hot and the trail dogs are really moving and not just cold trailing and I get the chance mine are gone. Too many dogs on a cold trail that isn't really straightened out is a recipe for disaster in my opinion.

[brodieross]

[Rshcwisdom]

Depends on the area I'm hunting. We have areas that are roaded up good and its easy to tailgate other dogs in. And some areas with no raods and if you dont dump the box at the strike you will never get anymore dogs into the race. I much prefer to just dump the box and let the dogs figure it out. I dont really care for "pack dogs", I want all my dogs to be able to do it start to finish or they dont stay here.

[Bearhunter247]

Because I'm fortunate enough to have a few family and friends that hunt with me, and after I get a track going I either fall off to a road or follow the dogs until they get close to the road and I'll drop over to it. Someone will pick me up and we'll get ahead of the race again. Bears in my area run average 7 miles probably before they tree with a few over 10 miles. But after one is jumped most likely I start hiking to the top of the mountain. Why run back to the truck to have to hike uphill to the dogs when I can stay above them and drop down to them?

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[Bearhunter247]

Also easier for me to keep up with a walking fighter on foot I can get in there with the dogs help keep pups motivated. Keep the young ones cranking. The closer you stay to a walking bear the more pressure they'll put on him. Especially if they know your bringing some relief. If you've ever paid attention to dogs when they know your closing in to a bay up or a tree you'll hear um catch that extra gear they didn't even know they had. Here we only get 1 bear tag so if you can keep you some shooters to let them know all there baying isn't wasted you start hearing that tone change. Another thing about not having to go back to the truck is you can hunt straight thru an area you don't have to loop back around allowing you to cover more ground a day

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[bearsnva]

bearhunter 247 gave an excellent answer. The terrain dictates a lot of what happens. If there are no roads in the direction the bear is headed you are wasting time coming out of the place you might be walking right back in to. Also if you stay where you are the bear just might end up circling and coming right back to you. One of the things you get used to is making a decision and then seeing if it was right, kind of like being married. LOL

[Bearhunter247]

Well I ain't married lol! But I have made the right decision a few times and a few times I've been so far behind I thought I was in first place lol. But walking is never crowded and sometimes it pays off

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[Phillipsj]

Bearhunter247 you just described my style, if you will, to a t. I'd rather drop down a mountain than make several trips. My start dog is hotter nosed and if he thinks it's a track he can put an end to I dump em all. Glad to hear I'm not the only guy walk hunting, you get some funny looks around here. Good read.

[Bearhunter247]

Yessir not many people around here that follow on foot anymore. I don't understand why many times while going to dogs already on one I've founds sign and went there the next day to jump another. I'm not against anyone's style of hounding but you don't get to see what's IN the woods when all your doing is walking to trees. I like my dogs to hunt with me not me hunt for them. If thier not doing anything they better be under 200 yards from me huntin.

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