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Coonhunting made better or ruined?

When you were young and going every night and having a blast and thought you were happy, then you went hunting with that outstanding hound that made it look so easy and he sounded so good you couldn't believe it was really happening , did it ruin the thrill to where you couldn't be satisfied with the average dog or can you still just enjoy the night out?

I just go when I want to now. The hunts are all but gone in my area and the distance along with cost is just not economicly worth it. But I enjoy it when I do go.


Tar

When you have witnessed better , average just won't do.
When one was young , one didn't know any better.
Now you know better so (hopefully ) u do better

Average doesn't cut it for me...no enjoyment there .

I agree when the bar is set high it does change things!

I like to see a coon when I walk to a tree. So , my standards are high. But we have to except that our hounds do not live forever. Enjoy them while they last. I do believe in a once an a lifetime dog. It’s hard to replace them.But , if you love coon hunting you will go no matter what’s on the end of your lead.

2ol2hunt

You nailed it, once you have hunted with an exceptional dog, you no longer are content with anything else! Saying that, there are few exceptional dogs and it's a privilige to ever own and hunt one. I have been extremely lucky to have owned 2 in over 50 years of hunting. Dave

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Dave Richards Treeing Walkers Reg American Saddlebred and Registered Rocky Mt. Show Horses

I agree the worst thing that happens to a guy is to own a good one. lol

I agree the worst thing that happens to a guy is to own a good one. lol

Dogs are like people........ no 2 are the same. If you could always have a special one then there wouldn't be anything special about them. Unless you have a pile of money to spend on buying someone else's top dog every time you get the itch you'll learn what you can and can't live with. I can enjoy a solid hound that consistently produces game, doesn't bother trash and handles well. The majority of the people I know have learned to enjoy a truly good hound but are always on the lookout for that special one that only comes along once in awhile. I've also learned that it's unfair to your hounds if you are constantly measuring them up to what you once had. Perhaps one day cloning of coon hounds and other hunting hounds will become feasible for the common man but I hope not. It will take away the excitement of starting that next pup with the hope that this one may be the best you've ever had.

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Dan

The internet isn't helping it.

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Member of the Keyboard Warrior Mafia

quote:

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Originally posted by yadkintar
..... the distance along with cost is just not economicly worth it. But I enjoy it when I do go.
Tar

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When I 1st started out I had a grade dog and sure didn't tree many or any from what I can remember. After awhile I got 1 that did tree coon. She was still a grade dog and old as could be. But I enjoyed finally treeing a couple coon. A couple years after that I was hunting ever night with the best dog I ever hunted with. He was really a top notch hound the kind of dog that ya will probably never see 1 close to that good again.
I never felt that dog ruined me or my hunting as a matter a fact just the opposite. I have seen how high the bar can be set.
Some people have know idea how great and consistent a dog can be. Let me tell ya they can be very consistent.
That was 30 years ago. I have not seen a dog that good again. Bits and pieces in different dogs but never the complete package. I have owned a couple nice coon hounds and hunted with some nice ones and enjoy them even though I know there is better. I start a couple pups every year still hoping for the next great 1 just like so many of us do. I think 1 of the reasons it never ruined me was I don't have a set pattern I like in a dog I enjoy seeing what each individual pup brings to the table.

Although over the years I have come to realize what I won't put up with in a pup. I can still enjoy my night of hunting but if I'm not happy with what I'm hunting tonight at this point in my life I won't keep hunting it I will replace it quick if i decide it's best to do so. There are plenty of pups out there. When I was a kid I didn't have the money and means to replace a pup so easy but today that is not a problem and my time is more important to me.

Absolute worst thing that ever happened to me. Only owned two in my life, and handled three others for other people that were in a class above the others. Plain got me where a pretty good dog just wasn't good enough any more.

quote:

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Originally posted by Richard Lambert
I guess that it is just a matter of priorities. How much is "enjoyment" worth. How long do you have left to "enjoy" yourself? And how far did you just drive to that stock show? How economical was that? Maybe if you had a dog that could win, it would be more economical.

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Jen I will answer that I just now seen it. Richard any ukc hunt worth going to is at least 13 hrs from here. Spend $300 for gas , $300 on a room plus entry’s and food and that’s being conservative. To win a trophy a dog box and a couple bags of dog food and a dog food bowl ( already got all that ) And the next week they will ask you on here what have you ever won because they forget that quick. But I can spend time with my kids and grandkids and the day I die there won’t be fake tears because they will know I really did love them no doubt about it ! Because I put them first.



Tar

I don't think that there is anything wrong with that nor did I mean to imply that. It is just a matter of priorities. You think that it is all right to spend money on and travel with grandkids but you think that it is wrong to spend money on coonhunting. That is great but don't at the same time complain about having to take time to drive or spend money to go coonhunting.

You want some economical reward for coonhunting. Some people are happy with the personal satisfaction and enjoyment that they get from coonhunting. There are other rewards other than money.

Also figure up how much money you spend catching those catfish, fileting them, packaging them and keeping them in your freezer. Now compare that to what you would spend just buying them at the store. How economical are they?

quote:

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Originally posted by yadkintar
.... Richard any ukc hunt worth going to is at least 13 hrs from here. Spend $300 for gas , $300 on a room plus entry’s and food and that’s being conservative. Tar

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$2.00 worth of boat gas $3.00 gas in the truck and I grow my worms in the garage lol.


Now far as going to hunts I enjoyed traveling when you got recognition for your wins. Now there is a major hunt or some kind of world hunt nearly every weekend. 6 or 7 world champs every year. Go to a local hunt and ask who won the ukc world hunt two years ago most can’t tell you. I want to spend a $1,000 for that not me man. But you go girlfriend with yah bad self lol.



Tar

Coonhunting made better or ruined

I have always owned a coonhound that could tree a coon. I have been able to hunt with better dogs than I have ever owned myself but that could be because I may have seen them on their better nights. I have really never owned an 80% accurate hound that suits me in other areas, so that's what keeps me going plus the friends I have acquired along the way. I am primarily a pleasure hunter so awards, titles, and recognition are not important. Starting that next pup and watching him progress to his potential and the friendships is what keeps me from packing it in due to the difficulties of hunting in today's world.

I have been able to hunt with better dogs than I have ever owned myself but that could be because I may have seen them on their better nights

Seems like I don't see the faults in dogs that someone else owns like I do in mine. Years ago a friend had some health problems and gave me a dog that he had turned down $11,000 for. I had hunted with her a lot and thought she was very good but while I had her she didn't impress me so much. Friend got better and I gave her back to him.

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Tom Wood

I often wonder what these dogs think about the quality and abilities of their owners , are they once in a lifetime owners or just run of the mill average to below average owners?

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The more laws a nation has the more corrupt the nation.

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Outstanding Dogs Performance

I don't believe you can realize the highest level of ability that is possible unless you've seen it and we all have a different description of what BEST is. I never appreciated what I've been blessed with until it was gone, but the challenge to achieve the "possible" is what drives me to hunt when it is not enjoyable or fun. I view things in general as those of highest level of quality have the least faults and not just one or two outstanding characteristics. Deal breakers to me are not to others.
The outdoors in Wisconsin in winter and summer is not always pleasant. It tests you physically and mentally, but the possibility of achieving greatness that I've previously experienced is what makes me leave the air conditioner, couch and family to endure heat, humidity, bugs, thorns and the pain of old age. When someone asks if I'm going hunting my reply is; if it gets dark!

.

I think the answer comes from where a person is in life. One full of energy with no aches or pains. They are going full blast to hunt hard and get the best dog they can. Then age, family or life issues creep in and we start to get excuses for why we don't hunt as much. Never can accept the facts of life or our age in life. Always has to be something negative that someone else did to slow us down. Reality is we slow down ourselves or get our plate to full. Just admit it and do the best our can or move along to another sport with out condemning this one.

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Bruce you are about like I am distance ways from major hunts. If you were not in the supply business would you still pay sombody to go to those major hunts ?



If I do the math the cost vs the chances of me beating 300 dogs in their own back yard the odds are not that good I tried it for years.



I only get paid once a month it don’t stretch that far no excuses just facts and you can’t drag those northern boys down here to a hunt it puts tears in their britches.


Tar