Registered: Jun 2008
Location: SC
Posts: 1012

I posed this question on the CoonDawgs.com message board, and I've had some great responses so far. Since I'll be starting out hunting UKC and AKC, I'd love to hear from some of y'all!

What qualities do you look for in a competition dog? I've got an older Walker that is true coon dog, and is easy for me to call. As far as I know his former owner never put him in hunts...not sure if he just wasn't into it, or if the dog just wasn't a competition type dog. I'd like to try some hunts just for practice and to learn more about how they work because I have a puppy that I hope will turn out to be a good competition dog for me. If I put some points on my old Walker or get him his night champion degree that would just be a bonus. I've heard a lot of hunters say that even the best pleasure dog might not be cut out for the competition hunts, so I'm just interested to hear what hunting style you guys look for. The only thing about Miller is that he'll hunt hard and far if he has to until he finds a trail, and I seriously doubt he's a "me too" dog. He likes to work independently as far as I can tell, and when he trees he'll be there until you get to him. I've seen him slick tree a couple times, but a few of those times it may have just been hard to see the coon. I'd love to hear yall's opinions!

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Registered: Jun 2006
Location: Platteville, Wi
Posts: 5676

they need to be quick to strike and quick to get treed with the coon..they also need to be deaf to the world once treed and beable to take alot of heat under the tree..if they get rattled by a growly dog under a tree, you will have problems with him leaving trees...if you have a dog willing to back off a little in ruff company its all the better...

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Dog House
Posts: 4112

Sounds like you have a great dog to start with.
After a few hunts you will know what type of dog it takes to win and if you have one or not.

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Registered: Sep 2008
Location: WV
Posts: 39

Well said elvis, and remember to be open minded, the worst thing you can do is assume your dog is the best and everyone else has junk, if you develop this kind of attitude, your competition careeer will be miserable. The most well known handlers are open minded and know when its time to find something better to compete with, and kno a coondog when they see one.

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Registered: Oct 2007
Location: Northeast Mississippi
Posts: 888

it takes both a decent dog and a decent handler. i am not a great handler, and have been beaten by dogs a lot worse than mine (the way they looked that night). i have also been outclassed in hunts where myself OR ole hanna didn't have a chance LOL. i'd say just go along with someone who comp hunts and spectate at a couple of events before jumping into it head over heals, and then you will know more about what you want to look for.

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Registered: Aug 2003
Location: Indiana
Posts: 6168

I don't know that there is a "competition" type dog.

You go to the hunts, and you draw out with three other dogs. You all go hunting, and whichever dog that ends the night with the highest score wins.

First off..it's a team effort. You said you could call you dog well...that's a start. Too many "handlers" out handle the dog...just call the dog for what it's doing...and you should be okay.

Secondly, the first thing to remember is that the "best" dog does not always win. I've seen some pretty sorry dogs come out on the winning end of a cast. It happens, the best thing to do is to accept it, and move on to the next night. I've seen guys hand a dog that was winning the cast hands down some undeserved minus points at the tail end of a cast, and get beat that way....it's not over till it's over.

Lastly, I have the luxury of choosing a dog for the type of night. Some nights, a high scoring dog will be one that puts the most action into the night. First and first.....get treed type of dog will do well if the coon are not moving well. On other nights, ole steady Freddy will do better treeing one coon.....

If you have a dog, and it trees coon....go to the hunts and have a good time. Don't expect to win, expect to enjoy yourself and you'll do fine

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Registered: Dec 2005
Location: Ohio
Posts: 3063

You've had some great replies so far. All I can say is that it sounds like you have a good dog to start with and go and call your dog for what he does and have fun. Don't worry about the people that you may draw out with (they can get kinda pushy sometimes lol) just call your dog and you'll be fine.

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Registered: Apr 2006
Location:
Posts: 6548

just remember he is old but steady and dead broke
hunting against 2 yr old pups or at least thats what
they hunt as in comp. 1 slick tree is hard to over come.

good luck

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Registered: Jul 2004
Location: Coatesville Indiana
Posts: 545

Joe Newlin, That was a very good respnse. Heck, Made me want to make a few more hunts. Thank you.Lowell

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Registered: Oct 2006
Location: Johnson City, TN
Posts: 372

I disagree with the post about going and spectating on a few hunts first. Spectators rarely really know whats going on and what the score is etc. In my opinion the best way to learn is to dive in and go for it. After the hunt ask all the questions you want and Im sure you will get plenty of advice. You learn something new at every hunt it seems. Just call what you think your dog is doing and when you call him tree make sure your pretty sure he is going to stay. Leavin trees is what gets you in trouble the quickest.

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Registered: Nov 2007
Location: new york
Posts: 111

This is what i have found,and still live by today the dog that trees coon win,last strick first tree 150+ first strick first tree 225+,what them score have in common is plus points,if you have a dog that trees coon and does it the same way every night you will win your share.
consistancey and haveing coon = wins

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Registered: Sep 2004
Location: Brookville, PA
Posts: 2461

I like a steady dog for the hunts. They don't have to be overly flashy.

When I started comp hunting, I had a 9 year old. But he didn't make mistakes. If I called him for what he was doing, I usually won my cast.

And I know of several dogs that are nothing flashy at all. They just don't make mistakes and won't eat any minus points.

Give it a shot. Just call the dog for what it does.

JB

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Registered: May 2008
Location: central Ia.
Posts: 661

Like some others have said,sounds like your dog could do ok. I think If a dog can track and tree, STAY treed, not get mean with other dogs youll do ok. If and when you get beat learn from it and go on! Dont get frustrated (try not to) Call your dog like you know him/her and try to have fun! Good luck! Its comp. hunting Its a game!

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Registered: Nov 2008
Location: Mo
Posts: 66

I understand some of you like to go and have fun but most of us go to win!!! jmo

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Registered: Apr 2005
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 277

If your dog will consistently get struck and treed with the meat and stay will win a whole lot of hunts!! The dog has got to have the coon!!! can't win otherwise, and wont win much at all in pkc unless u have the coon!

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Registered: May 2007
Location: NW Iowa
Posts: 311

Both Oak Ridge and Elvis made very good points. The only thing I would add to that....... is to study the rules. Get a hold of someone at a club near you and get a scorecard from them. Study that thing for about 15-20 minutes a night for a week or until you feel comfortable navigating where to look for things that might be minused, circled, deleted, plussed, and especially scratched. To many times new guys jump in with no knowledge of the rules and when they take minus or get scratched they feel sure they were cheated and get soured to the hunts. Most times they were probably legitimately minused or scratched but didn't know the rules.

The reason I say get a scorecard is so if you need to look something up rule wise in a hunt on the back of the card......... you should have a good idea where to look.

I think most everyone has had something happen in a bad way because they didn't know the rules well enough that triggered them to study the rules and make sure it didn't happen again.

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Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Whitmire,SC
Posts: 426

SC BLUETICKGAL,
If my memory serves me correctly you are in Laurens County. Whitmire CHA has "buddy hunts" for our younger members. We have one scheduled for Friday Dec. 5th or the12th.(Have to check w/ our hunt dir.)

If you are interested in participating you are welcome to attend.

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Registered: Jun 2008
Location: SC
Posts: 1012

Thanks so much for each of your responses! I really appreciate all the information you all gave me. It's extremely helpful, and I feel much more encouraged now!

David, I actually live in Anderson County. I do work in Columbia three days a week, so I stay at my parents' house in Chapin while I'm there. I do plan on coming out to one of Whitemire's events sometime in the future...I've just got to get my schedule cleared! I doubt I'll be able to make either of those December hunts-I've got a couple dogs I'm bench showing at a SBA sectional on the 6th, and just about every other weekend I'll be at our deer club with our deer dogs. After I get done with the Grand American and deer season I'll probably be hunting as much as I can. Plus that gives me some more time to get some practice in!

Thanks again guys. If anybody else has anything they'd like to add, I'd love to hear it!

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