Registered: Sep 2010
Location:
Posts: 593

Running hounds on multiple game just kinda wonder how many people do it? Does this not cause problems ? I only run bear now but will occasionally have a young dog strike a hog or a coon but I try to correct that when it happens. I know allota guys around here start there hounds on coon then convert them to bear with decent success. But what happens when ur tryin to run say whatever an ur hound runs across a hotter track than what he's on An he's been allowed to run it or even been encouraged to run it? I know if I was to go out on a coon hunt cast my dogs an end up with a all nite bear race I wouldn't be real happy but how would u handle that?

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Registered: Jan 2009
Location: Beverly, WV
Posts: 104

You just have to take the good with the bad...I ran mine on coon and bear and one night I was in a night hunt with my Bonnet dog she was a Grand on the bench and a Nite Champion with 4 wins and needed one win to make Grand Nite Champion and she got a 1st strike and 1st tree and when we got to the tree there was 3 bears up it and I had to scratch her on paper but I still petted her up for doing what she was trained to do...lol... She finished to Dual Grand the next hunt she was in though.

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Registered: Dec 2010
Location: VT
Posts: 39

TO WALKER 9615,

YOU HAVE OUTLINED THE SITUATION TO A TEE. IF YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT WHAT YOU DO, YOU WANT TO BE DOING WHAT YOU SET OUT TO DO. IF YOU ARE GUIDING HUNTERS YOU ARE NOT GOING TO LOOK TOO SHARP TO THE MAN WHO PLUNKED DOWN A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A BEAR AND THEN YOU WIND UP TREEING COON. ANOTHER THING, DO YOU WANT TO WASTE TIME GOING TO A COON TREE, GETTING YOUR YOUR WHOLE PACK TREEING ON COON TO INCLUDE YOUR STRIKE DOG?

I USE TO START SOME OF MY DOGS ON COON BUT GOT AWAY FROM IT YEARS AGO. I DO THINK THERE ARE ALOT OF HUNTERS WHO DO NOT REALLY GET THERE DOGS ON ENOUGH BEAR TO MAKE DOGS OUT OF THEM SO THEY START THEM ON COON TRY TO SHIFT THEM OVER OR SIMPLY RUN THEM ON BOTH. ONE THING ABOUT IT IS YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO HAVE A STRAIGHT PACK OF BEAR DOGS IF USE THEM ON BOTH OR GET THEM STARTED ON COON. YOU CAN RETTY WELL ASSURE YOURSELF THAT ANY DOG STARTED ON COON YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO USE FOR YOUR STRIKE DOG FOR BEAR AND NOT TREE SOME COON., YOU MIGHT ANYWAY IF THE COONS ARE THICK.`

ALOT OF NORTHERN HUNTERS RUN THIER BEAR DOGS ON CATS. YEARS AGO THERE WHERE GUYS WHO RAN COON AND CATS AND I THINK IT HELPED MAKE A GOOD CAT DOG. TODAY CATS ARE MORE LIMITED AND THAT GROUP OF HUNTERS PRETTY MUCH DOES NOT EXIST IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY. ANOTHER THING, JUST BECAUSE A DOG IS A GOOD BEAR DOG IS NO SIGN THEY WILL MAKE A GOOD CAT DOG. THE TWO SPECIES RUN DIFFERENTLY AND BEAR DOGS DO NOT HANDLE THE CHECKS & JACK KNIFES LIKE YOU MIGHT LIKE.

AS FAR AS RUNNING YOUR BEAR DOGS ON COYOTES SOME DO IT AND HURAH FOR THEM. PERSONALLY I WANT TO BE RUNNING BEAR AND NOTHING ELSE. A DOG THAT RUNS COYOTES IS GOING TO GET BROKEN OR CULLED IN MY OPPERATION. EACH MAN TO HIS OWN.

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Registered: Oct 2004
Location: Roosevelt, Utah
Posts: 586

Walker 9615,,

I guess it depends on where you live, what kinda game you have to run and what you prefer to run. Most houndoggers out West switch over on lions and bear, and plenty others run bobcats as well. At different points in time I have ran down all three with the same dogs and not had much trouble, matter fact I have never had my hounds leave a lion for a bobcat that I can remember.

Years ago, lion season ran winter and spring and bear ran spring and fall so a guy was generally after one or the other. Where I live, seasons have changed and so a guy can run lions year round while bear is on. During those times I have had clients in after bear and don't want the lions, although if a hunter was smart he'd carry both tags........

First off I never seem to get a hunter booked that just wants a bear, and usually they want a nice boar. Therefore, running off the rig blind is seldom a good idea. My hounds will strike a lion track just as hard as a bear, and then the monkey is on my back to get out of the truck and find the track. I always carry a tape measure to determine whether the bear is worth catching or not--but if the hunter wants to see a bear we throw down.

I like to just run off the rig the first day and put something in the tree, a sow or boar doesn't matter. This give the hunter a chance to see that catching a bear isn't that hard and enables them to have faith that if a large track is found we're gonna catch it. It also gives me a chance to see if the hunter can walk..............

If I don't have a client on board then it doesn't matter whether that strike is a lion or bear, as I enjoy treeing both. But I've never had trouble with hounds switching tracks, as they generally stick with what they start. Personally I believe that a good old hound not only knows whether he'd running bear or lion, but which bear he is running and whether it is female or a boar, and I'll explain my thinking......

I use to hunt with a buddy that had a great strike and trail dog. She was a redtick colored hound and hard on the wood as well. However, if she got a rough boar on the ground she would soon quit the bear and bring his whole pack out with her. Well, as a guide I can't have that cause that's the one we are after. And by the way, I have never had my hounds do that.

This buddy and I were after a depredation bear and we started a sow and boar with five of his hounds (her included) and my Choco dog. Those dogs caught those two bears together and they finally split. His dogs took the sow and my single dog took the boar, and ran it across the river where I shot it. We then went to the tree where his hounds had the sow in the tree. I quit dropping with that dog quit using that guy to help me on clients..........

Another story: A friend and I went to BC to hunt him a nice boar. We were able to get a Canadian outfitter to host us and we took along about ten dogs. The first morning we rigged several tracks but passed and finally screamed a boar around 11:30 AM with nearly a six inch track, so we dumped the box.....

My hounds went out cold trailing and the outfitter told me those dogs would never stay put on that track because there were too many bears in the area. About four hours later my hounds came across a road still cold trailing and I told my outfitters (two) and my hunting buddy let's go see what they are running. After arriving at the bear track I pulled out my tape measure and the track was exactly the same size boar as we started..........

If you have multiple game don't be afraid to use those dogs............

Ike
http://www.ingramwildlife.com/picture.htm

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Last edited by RunninBear(Ike) on 02-01-2011 at 03:45 PM

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Registered: Oct 2003
Location: mid-michigan
Posts: 4437

There ain't no bear where I coon hunt , but there sure is coon where I bear hunt.
I've used my dogs on both for 35 years.
They've treed a few coon while bear hunting , but not enough for it to be a problem.
The ones who kept wanting to stop and tree coon didn't make it as bear dogs anyways.
BUT , I'm talking dogs that were better-than-average.

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BackWoods River Walkers/Beagles
Just all 'round , meat gettin' hounds.

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Registered: Apr 2009
Location:
Posts: 306

I run mine on lions, bobbers, bears, and coons. I could care less which they run. Ive been coon hunting and treed a bear, was a short pop up as I think they spooked it out of their den. Ive thought I struck a bear and turned out to be a lion, same with bobcats. Where Im from though I dont have seasons to worry about and can any of the above all year long. I could see where this would be a problem during certain times of the year for certain people obviously. If there werent so many coyotes Id probably run them on coyotes too, just for something to do but I dont want my dogs trashing on them when im trying to run a cat, cat is worth more then a coyote pelt. If my dogs cant run the above 4 then they will probably be going elsewhere. Thank god I havent had to get rid of any of them yet. Only one hasnt done real well on bobcats but is a **** good lion and bear dog.

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Registered: Dec 2010
Location: VT
Posts: 39

ALL POSTS ARE VERY INERTERESTING. I CAN SEE THE VALIDITY IN EACH SITUATION. SO MUCH DEPENDS ON A GIVEN AREA, WHAT IS THERE AT WHAT TIME OF YEAR AND WHAT YOUR GIVEN SITUATION IS.

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Registered: Feb 2010
Location: Perry, Fl.
Posts: 384

As a bear hunter I would never, ever, EVER start my dogs on or let them run coon. If you ever crawl on your hands and knees for forty five minutes to look up at a coon in a tree that was supposed to be a bear you would know what I mean. Just my personal preference. I have run them on both hog and bear and have seen that be a problem where hogs are thick. I like a dog that will come out on what I put it on. I have seen the time that we only had one track and if I had not had straight dogs we wouldnt have had a hunt. When you only have six days like it used to be in Ga. that was a big part of your season. But as some others have stated if you run dual game expect some dissappointments.

psiskjr

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Registered: Sep 2010
Location:
Posts: 593

Man I think everyones gotta different view on this one ,I use to start hounds on coon but I've stopped that completely Ive gotten serious about bear huntin an havin the best pack i can even though Im not a guide an don't make a dime off of it, an spends lots of money+ day an nights chasing these hounds, One if the main reasons I brung this subject up was due to our outta control hog population around where I hunt an live. Bear season in Sc with hounds is a 6 day season, an the guys that got me started in this sport have in the last yr have been runnin there hounds on both. But it really seems as if there success ( on bear ) has really went down, a buddy that still hunts with those guys says they have allotta races where dogs are splitting allot an not stayin on the track turned out on. But its more than just that around here a hog is 10x rougher than the meanest bear I been on. An I don't really like barrin dogs that I've put so much time an money in. I'm a firm believer that if u want to have a straight pack u must constantly put them on the game ur antin them to run. Where I hunt Im one of the few that free cast successfully on bear an even from the rig I don't check or even look for a track anymore. But this wouldn't be possible if I was just running my dogs on everything out there.

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Registered: Apr 2009
Location:
Posts: 306

Yeah I really have never looked for tracks, cant where I live because the ground is usually too hard or is just rocky and you cant tell what they were striking if ya wanted. Plus most of our bears are walking down the draws and arent crossing the roads. Everyone has different styles they like or certain game they like. Ive only had it happen once where my dogs were running a bear and switched off to a coon and vice versa coon hunting and they switched onto a bear, I wasnt upset either way as I have taught them to run both game, both were super hot and they pretty much ran into them, nothing ya can do there. Both treed pretty quick too. I wish we had hogs and fox I would run them too! Hogs I hear are pretty rough but pretty fun to hunt and I hear them fox can make fools out of some of the best cat dogs but thats just what Ive heard. I think it only makes the hunter and the dog that much better if they are able to run multiple species while still knowing what trash is....when I find the dog that can do that consistantly Ill let ya know! hahaha Mine like to run anything with 4 legs!

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Registered: Feb 2008
Location: Va.
Posts: 223

I agree with you Psiskjr. Hate going bear hunting and walking an hour to get to the tree and there sits a dam coon. I strive to have straight bear dogs and if they run coon, bobs, cats, or anything else they get the electricity. If they run something besides bear then they are trashy and I have a lot of trashy dogs that I'm still working on.

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Registered: Oct 2004
Location: Roosevelt, Utah
Posts: 586

If I rig an animal along a river I can put dogs down and usually tell if they are after coon, bobcat, or the big stuff like lion or bear. As soon as I start thinking they are after a coon I call them all in and they come. I don't hunt coon, and haven't in fourteen or fifteen years. Only one dog in pack has ever hunted coon and he is coming twelve years old and as straight a hound as I ever hunted behind. And he was only fired on coons and never really hunted them.........

With year round lion and spring, summer and fall bear there just isn't any need for me to hunt coons.........a dog knows what it has struck, and a good dog knows what you want.

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Last edited by RunninBear(Ike) on 02-02-2011 at 02:42 PM

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Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

had dogs I use for coon and bear. Yes it does suck a little to go way in to have a coon but it didnt get me mad. You wont have to keep so many dogs if you have one that runs both. We usually have one or 2 now that run both but start the bear with the bear only dogs and feed in the others.

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Registered: Jun 2008
Location: Elkins,WV
Posts: 3

USUALLY from what has happened with me and my cousins best bear dogs was started on coon as young dogs. but ince they started bear they never treed another coon.but i won't purposely have a dog run bear and coon. once they goto bear they must go straight bear not an option

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Registered: Feb 2011
Location: Pellston mi
Posts: 7

I run my hounds on bear and coyotes in the winter I have vary little trouble while bear hunting I will rig a coyote once in awhile but u can tell by the way the dogs strike ! I can get my young dogs some good trailing and thayget on lots of bay ups when the snow gets deep . I just can see leaveing the dogs tied up for 6 or 7 months seems to really help young dogs .

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Registered: May 2010
Location: WI
Posts: 2

Our dogs run at least two different species. we try to find what animal a young dog likes best and run it on that game along with something else. I just cant see letting a dog sit on a chain all year for a few weeks of bear season.

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Registered: Feb 2011
Location: Pellston mi
Posts: 7

Keep the dogs in the woods not on the chain !

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Registered: Oct 2006
Location: rochester,ny
Posts: 388

quote:

---

Originally posted by Swiss's cedar
I run my hounds on bear and coyotes in the winter I have vary little trouble while bear hunting I will rig a coyote once in awhile but u can tell by the way the dogs strike ! I can get my young dogs some good trailing and thayget on lots of bay ups when the snow gets deep . I just can see leaveing the dogs tied up for 6 or 7 months seems to really help young dogs .

---

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Registered: Feb 2011
Location: Pellston mi
Posts: 7

We have a coyot chace every once in awhile . It happens . Iv also seen "broke" dogs run a coyote ! If u have dogs that like bears theirs no problems

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Registered: Mar 2011
Location: michigan
Posts: 260

I hunt bear and coyotes . Different dogs 4 each . I don't want a coyote Chase n bear season so its a no brainer . Bears tree coyotes don't therefore try a good strain of running hound improve your success rate.

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Registered: Mar 2011
Location: newhampshire
Posts: 4

If they don't they'll be having a fry session!

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huntersfield

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Registered: Jan 2008
Location: Eastern Washington
Posts: 20

I run them on any game that will tree! I have a cur dog that has been on lions, bobcats, bears, coons, and is a great coyote decoy dog...I was thinking about getting her down south to chase hogs and fox and I would have the "redneck hound dog GRAND SLAM"!!!

Like most of the guys here, I think it depends how serious you are about a certain species. I don't mind my dogs running treeing game, whatever it might be...

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Registered: Aug 2009
Location: MIDDLE OF NO WHERE WV
Posts: 1732

i have over 30 hounds. i have hounds that i will only run coon with, anything else is TRASH if they cant be broke they get culled. when i go coonhunting i wanna see coons nothing else. i have fox hounds that i have trained to hunt fox and coyotes . then i have hounds that i hunt bobcats with. feed bill gets high but i know what each pack is running

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Registered: Jan 2008
Location: Eastern Washington
Posts: 20

holy smokes...with 30 hounds I imagine your feed bill is pretty high!

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Registered: Aug 2010
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 272

I was once told by a wise man that hounds are like athletes, most are good at one sport and few are good at multiple ones. They are definitely out there there though, i've seen them.

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