Registered: Oct 2004
Location: Clarksville, AR
Posts: 1077

Between work, kid sports, snakes, tick diseases, and me getting older and let's say, fluffier, a summer off from coon hunting is beginning to sound like a good idea.
I had a squirrel dog bit INSIDE the mouth by a snake a few days ago and it's all I can do to keep him alive. That got me thinking, how much of a setback would my dogs have if I put them up for a few months?

The only reservation I have is that I'm hunting as good a 17 month old as I've owned, and I just don't know what the layoff will do to her.

I'd appreciate input from any other quitters on how their dogs responded when they pulled them back out in the fall.

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Registered: Jan 2011
Location: Rockmart, Ga.
Posts: 2652

In the summer I hunt about twice a month if that much. Come fall after some hunting the dogs are as good as they were last spring. It may take 5 or 6 nights of hunting though.

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Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1513

Cory I had this conversation with HOBO a while back and decided to let mine lay up a little.

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Registered: Jan 2015
Location:
Posts: 324

I've never summer hunted and my pups always pick right back up where they were. Outside of being out of shape I don't think it affects them at all. I'm sure others have different opinions.

Hang up your light and pick up a fly rod. Lol.

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Registered: Dec 2013
Location: PA.
Posts: 1738

Even through the hottest part of summer I generally get out atleast one night/week maybe more if it cools down for a couple days but I would have to say I'm doing it for myself about as much as I am for the dog. As far as needing to do it to keep your dogs sharp goes if your taking dogs to the woods when the dew point is in the 70s letting them fight thru jungle all night and getting overheated your probably doing more harm than good "to a young dog". IMO
Another thing a guy just made a comment to me about yesterday that is a factor to consider when hunting in the summer atleast with younger dogs is when the trees and the canopy under some of those big poplars and oaks gets so thick you can't shine the top of the tree, "how do you know your not praising a dog for a slick tree?" I have no doubt there will be a handful of guys when reading that will THINK they can find a coon in any tree if it's there but in the real world where most of us live that's not really the case when it gets so thick out there. So I'm just saying you want to consider that when your petting a dog up under a big poplar in July saying "I know it's has to be up there somewhere".

Last edited by RLenhart on 05-29-2015 at 01:48 PM

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Registered: Not Yet
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Well the past two weeks I wish I was letting mine stay in the pen. Then this week they seem to have responded to the heat and Tuesday night and last night treed some coon and did good.

Here is my opinion. It is better to lay one up than let weather conditions, hunting conditions, your buddies dog or anything negative work itself into your training if you have a young dog. Older dogs that know what they are doing just need to be conditioned and that can be done in an environment controlled building with the right equipment. You can be sitting there in the easy chair with a cold ice tea while the dog is exercising. Or rig up a safe way to exercise dog from golf cart, side by side or ATV.

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Registered: Sep 2010
Location: New Paris, Indiana
Posts: 7076

If I lived south of the Ohio River, I'm sure I wouldn't hunt in the summer. Since I live well north of there, I hunt harder in the summer than winter. As I've gotten older, I hunt more summer and less winter which is apparently the exact opposite of Mr Highfill.
As for a summer layoff, I don't believe it hurts them one bit. I doubt it helps either. So Id say the effect is probably neutral.

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Registered: Aug 2008
Location: SE Ohio, Glouster
Posts: 2244

Im of this opinion; Laying an 8-15 month old pup up for two or more months will have a more negative affect than it will on a pup 15 months old and older. After a dog turns two, I have seen very little difference in their desire to hunt strike and tree. Regular hunting will make them sharper at what they are doing.

But a pup 8-15 months old that gets laid up for 3-4 months will take a significant set back in their ability from what they were doing when you laid them up to what they do the first few nights when you bring them back out.

So I think the most dramatic affect will be on the younger dogs.

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Registered: Dec 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 2027

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rocketman55
Im of this opinion; Laying an 8-15 month old pup up for two or more months will have a more negative affect than it will on a pup 15 months old and older. After a dog turns two, I have seen very little difference in their desire to hunt strike and tree. Regular hunting will make them sharper at what they are doing.

But a pup 8-15 months old that gets laid up for 3-4 months will take a significant set back in their ability from what they were doing when you laid them up to what they do the first few nights when you bring them back out.

So I think the most dramatic affect will be on the younger dogs.

---

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Registered: Jun 2012
Location: Virginia
Posts: 231

I love this time of year....minus all the ticks! Seems almost every drop I am getting on track. I don't praise or pet any dog I have if I don't see the coon though, just say "dead" and get them off the tree. I am hunting a 4 year walker and a 2.5 year leopard. I am starting a 10 month walker here shortly, but will release a couple coon for her first. I won't pet her up unless I see the coon either....a buddy and I saw 3 coons out of 4 trees last week. Not too thick coon down in SE Va. Do what you enjoy, if it isn't fun...... why bother?

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Registered: Apr 2011
Location: central MO
Posts: 1120

Many years ago OL Beckham made the comment that the only months that were good for hunting were the months that have a R in them. At the time I didn't realize it but now I think he was exactly right and it doesn't hurt my dogs one bit to be laid off those other four months.

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Here is the bottom line with coon hunting squirrel hunting. It is there to do for your enjoyment. If it is too hot and uncomfortable and it is most days and nights during the summer, then don't go. If the summer time brings out snakes and creatures you would rather not meet in the woods then stay home because your not having fun looking for snakes and your dog is not having fun getting bit. The question Highfill asked is about his dog getting setback from not hunting this time of year. If it's a seasoned hound, there should be very little setback at all with the exception of physical conditioning. Actually most don't see a drop off in physical condition because it doesn't show in a short hunt but would in an all night or all day hunt.

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Registered: Jan 2013
Location: Marietta
Posts: 10790

Bruce we have the Everglades right here in Oklahoma right now when the water finally goes down the mosquitoes and the ticks are going to be awfull but there are a few hunters that I have known in my lifetime that hunted hard summer or winter they just loved it that much one was james(gimp) Lewis ( grntch blue river bill )he would tell you we will be back at daylight I you don't want to stay out late don't call that was in the days when if they ran somthing off you had to go run them down on foot he would say boy I will be back in a minute when that big Indian caught them you would for ever more here a dog woopin going on learned a lot from gimp sorry about rambling can't hunt but sure am ready 😉

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Weyers Cave Va
Posts: 13416

In my opinion it won't hurt a 17 month to be laid up don't r a couple of months. Most of my life we weren't allowed to hunt during June and July I never noticed it hurting my hounds at all. What I tend to do these days is lay off hunting most of June and July, but if we get a night of cool weather I'll load a hound and hit the woods or after a thunderstorm I'll hunt. Then come August I start hitting the woods three to four nights a week maybe more.

I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to your question.

Good luck with your young hound.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Oakdale, Pennsylvania
Posts: 3753

Older I get the worse it is if I get it.... and I get it easier now it seems.... I have to lay em up, not that I want to, just have to.

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Registered: Jul 2008
Location: spencerville ontario
Posts: 478

It wont hurt you or your dog, sometimes are laid up six months due
tp winter,granted they get out of shape but i cant say i have ever seen one ruined by the lay up.
Sometimes the quality is more important than quantity!!

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Registered: May 2009
Location:
Posts: 293

Many years ago OL Beckham made the comment that the only months that were good for hunting were the months that have a R in them. At the time I didn't realize it but now I think he was exactly right and it doesn't hurt my dogs one bit to be laid off those other four months.


X2 very good logic if you think about it

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Registered: May 2009
Location:
Posts: 293

Many years ago OL Beckham made the comment that the only months that were good for hunting were the months that have a R in them. At the time I didn't realize it but now I think he was exactly right and it doesn't hurt my dogs one bit to be laid off those other four months.


X2 very good logic if you think about it

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Registered: Jun 2007
Location: jacksonville, nc
Posts: 2856

i run my dogs year round. if it's hot i catch them up after the first encounter, if possible. i used to hunt fox with my grandfather. he hunter year round too. that was in alabama. none of us had A/C back then and most of the time not even a fan, so being in the woods was about the same as being in the bed.

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Registered: Jun 2012
Location: McRae Ar
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When it stops being fun stop doing it.

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Registered: Sep 2006
Location: Pike County,Ky
Posts: 1002

Around here a lot quit til the fall. I don't but have almost considered it after the last couple weeks. It's not the heat that holds a lot back its the snakes. Last couple weeks I have killed 1 baby copperhead on my carport and then 1 bigger copperhead on my driveway. Yesterday morning while doing some weedeating I killed 3 snakes 30 ft uphill from my house. 2 very mad acting black snakes and 1 female timber ratter with 8 rattles and a button. I still hunt and always will year round. I just slow it down this time of the year. 2 or 3 times a month is all will hunt til it starts cooling down and getting closer to kill season. And I usually get one hound snake bit every summer but, around here it happens a lot. I invested in a new pair of lacrosse alpha mudlite snake boots yesterday so gonna have at least some protection for myself now.

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Registered: Feb 2007
Location:
Posts: 614

I hunt more in the morning when it gets hot. Mostly up until about 8 oclock. I don't look for snakes, you find fewer that way.

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Registered: Feb 2007
Location:
Posts: 614

I hunt more in the morning when it gets hot. Mostly up until about 8 oclock. I don't look for snakes, you find fewer that way.

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