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What age to take pups out at night

I remember when I was younger the older guys I hunted with always took pups out to woods at night around 4 or 5 month of age. They took them regardless if they went out or not. Older dogs treed tied the pup back shot the the coon out and went on. If pup showed interest with coon they would let them chew on it or just bark at it then move on. Most of the time they turned out. Seems like now a lot of people wait to take pups out. I am guilty of the same thing.

Pups

AKE IMO the most important indicator to me is the pup ready,not necessarily his or her age at 6 months some pups are ready to see the big woods other not so much I guess that's where knowing and watching your dog becomes important ,regardless not all mature at the same time,good luck!

Some are ready sooner than others. As Mr Cotton said, it all depends on the pup.

i would turn a coon or two loose in front of him and base my decision on how hard he tried to run and tree it

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Originally posted by amoskaspar
i would turn a coon or two loose in front of him and base my decision on how hard he tried to run and tree it

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__________________
Training dogs is not so much about quantity, it's more about timing, and the right situations...After that it's up to the dog....A hunting dog is born...

In my opinion a pup needs to spend time in the woods before they are ready to start. This may be done by letting them run loose if you can or if you can't, let them run loose with you while you are hunting the older dogs. I also think pups need to ride in a truck several times before they are ready to start so they are past the getting sick from the ride and puking in the box by the time they are starting. They can also get used to crossing creeks and fences and being around livestock while they follow you in to trees. I always take my pups hunting with me before they are ready to start. If they are big enough to keep up with you in the woods they are big enough to take hunting. But don't let them get ate up by a coon.

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Originally posted by Travis Brown
In my opinion a pup needs to spend time in the woods before they are ready to start. This may be done by letting them run loose if you can or if you can't, let them run loose with you while you are hunting the older dogs. I also think pups need to ride in a truck several times before they are ready to start so they are past the getting sick from the ride and puking in the box by the time they are starting. They can also get used to crossing creeks and fences and being around livestock while they follow you in to trees. I always take my pups hunting with me before they are ready to start. If they are big enough to keep up with you in the woods they are big enough to take hunting. But don't let them get ate up by a coon.

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Training dogs is not so much about quantity, it's more about timing, and the right situations...After that it's up to the dog....A hunting dog is born...

Do you guys think that taking a young pup (5-6 mos) out that just hangs out with you will have any effect when it is time to start actually hunting?Will that pup associate going to the woods as time to just hang out or once its ready to start will it generally take off with the old dogs?

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Originally posted by AAThoundhunter
Do you guys think that taking a young pup (5-6 mos) out that just hangs out with you will have any effect when it is time to start actually hunting?Will that pup associate going to the woods as time to just hang out or once its ready to start will it generally take off with the old dogs?

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__________________
Training dogs is not so much about quantity, it's more about timing, and the right situations...After that it's up to the dog....A hunting dog is born...

quote:

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Originally posted by Richard Lambert
Some are ready sooner than others. As Mr Cotton said, it all depends on the pup.

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__________________
Training dogs is not so much about quantity, it's more about timing, and the right situations...After that it's up to the dog....A hunting dog is born...

To me, taking a pup out during the kill season with other dogs is just too much. There just too much going on...other dogs sometimes strange dogs, gun fur, coon falling out of trees, long hunts ect, and imo that time of year is when the coon can become a little more challenging to tree.

I like to buy pups born in May June or July. They get to grow up and be fun when I am outside the most and spend the most time with them. I can mess a little with some turn outs or show them a coon later in the fall, and around here the snow comes and they are put up and getting used the kennel in the winter.

Around late march or early april, the pup is 8-10 months old. The woods are bare, its usually damp, and I am ready to be outside. I take the pup at night and start taking it for walks in easy to navigate terrain. I also start trapping coon and every chance I get, I will let one go before out walk. the pup get used to riding in the truck, wearing the collars ect.

If I do this all summer a couple days a week, by corn season Late Aug, or Sept, any pup worth its salt is pretty well on its way at 12-15 months and ready to be hunted that kill season alone. After that, its just how much it progresses and you can only get that with time.

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The fun is over once you pull the trigger

Ron Ashbaugh
CROOKED FOOT KENNELS

A lot of people have different opions on how and when to start take one out,my answer is when you think they act like there ready I have taken pups out at four months old and older all depends on the pups,Every dog I got I trained myself to get started and usually don't take much to get them going.

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Re: What age to take pups out at night

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Originally posted by AKE
I remember when I was younger the older guys I hunted with always took pups out to woods at night around 4 or 5 month of age. They took them regardless if they went out or not. Older dogs treed tied the pup back shot the the coon out and went on. If pup showed interest with coon they would let them chew on it or just bark at it then move on. Most of the time they turned out. Seems like now a lot of people wait to take pups out. I am guilty of the same thing.

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