Registered: May 2016
Location: Palatka, FL
Posts: 5106
This is for the Young Dogmen.
Back many years ago before even the Beep Beep Systems came out. It was a goal of many to become good dog men. Now what does it mean to be a Dog Man. Probably like most things, it means a lot of different things to different people. For me and the guys I hunted with. It meant someone that had the ability to tell the difference in all the dogs barks. Even if he is hunting with a dog for the first time. Just a few barks and he knows what dog it is. But it goes further than that. The Dog Man has to ability to know when a dog is moving off a tree at some distance away. In a nutshell the Dog Man has the ability to understand the dog and all the other dogs they are hunting with by their voice in just a few barks.
Since I am in the older generation. Most of the guys I hunt with are younger. I don't think a lot of younger guys pay much attention to a dog working a cold track and how they work it up and get it treed. Or if they are bogging down on it and going the wrong way or just wasting time. Even taking a cold track and warming it up I hear things like that dog swapped tracks. In the OLD DAYS there were men that were pretty accurate at what they felt the hounds were doing and why. I am not sure about today. I won't even mention a dog getting on a rutting boar coon and trailing it for miles. Not sure what the young guys hunting today think they are doing on that track. How did the old guys learn. By following the dogs and checking the tracks of what they are running and educating themselves on how the dogs operate on certain tracks. Today if the Garmin doesn't show whats going on, I think most people don't know whats going on. But I know I have to be wrong again. So I would love to hear from some young guys that pay attention to the dogs and how they run these coon. Not just listen for a locate so they can have first tree.
The sad thing to me is. Even though I see a lot of younger men not paying attention to detail like the old guys did. They still have as good or better dogs and they tree a bunch of coon. So I guess detail doesn't mean much. Just like good ole home cooking as left the scene when the microwave came along.
Registered: Feb 2013
Location: Indiana
Posts: 4545
Agreed.....
I do agree with everything you have said Bruce.
I have Noticed alot of the Younger hunters glued to their Garmins. I only pull my Garmin or Pathfinder out if my Dog hasnt barked lately or once treed to see how far he is. Ohh...and to find my way back to the Truck when I get mixed up on where I am or the truck is...😁
I Love to listen to a Hound Work an old feed track or Trail a rutting boar thats running like a Fox or Deer.
As far as you saying these younger hunters treeing alot of coons etc......I think in General there are Better Bred Dogs out there compared to yesteryear.
Tim
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Registered: Mar 2016
Location: Central,illinois
Posts: 569
Bruce I couldn't agree with you more there attention is on the garmin not the dog ,it's like there i phone,and i pad some would rather look at there hand held device rather than listen and watch the dog, I saw a pair of dogs cold trail a coyote bout 3/4 of a mile and jump him about 100 yards from this fellas truck I said did you see them dogs and yote come by you? Naw he ansewer I was looking at my garmin! Lol
Don't agree, I think most people can look at a Garmin, hear the dog, put a chew in, take a leak and learn and understand what's going on without any trouble
I grew up coon hunting. Laying on a pond bank listening to a dog work a track is the reason I still do it. I had beagles for awhile. Pack of beagles will teach a person a lot when it comes to listening to their voice. Coonhounds are really know different. I know what my dog is doing just by listening to his voice. When he is fooling with trash , or when he is lying on the tree. Learning a dogs personality is the most rewarding thing in hunting dogs. Especially if the dog has any brains.
Registered: Mar 2016
Location: Central,illinois
Posts: 569
quote:Originally posted by sleepy head Don't agree, I think most people can look at a Garmin, hear the dog, put a chew in, take a leak and learn and understand what's going on without any trouble
Yes Sir they do it all the time,crash there car,cause accidents ,walk out in traffic,walk off train stations all while looking at there device no problem....
quote:Originally posted by Cotton 1927 Yes Sir they do it all the time,crash there car,cause accidents ,walk out in traffic,walk off train stations all while looking at there device no problem....
Didn't say they don't bump their heads on a tree on walk off a creek bank, I said they learn what dog is doing just a well as the old timers did
Registered: Jan 2016
Location: Lexington tn
Posts: 50
Go out on limb
Since I'm 22 I believe im considered the younger generation. Bruce you speaking of dog sense in men makes me think of coon sense in hounds, not everybody has it. Also some that do will need exposure to hone in that skill. Alot of younger people don't spend enough time with 1 hound to truly learn it or hunt enough it's a busy world and we all want the quick way out learning every bark to a dog sounds like work. And everybody knows millenials hate work
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Registered: Jan 2016
Location: Lexington tn
Posts: 50
Go out on limb
Since I'm 22 I believe im considered the younger generation. Bruce you speaking of dog sense in men makes me think of coon sense in hounds, not everybody has it. Also some that do will need exposure to hone in that skill. Alot of younger people don't spend enough time with 1 hound to truly learn it or hunt enough it's a busy world and we all want the quick way out learning every bark to a dog sounds like work. And everybody knows millenials hate work
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Nite champion Tough Blue Diesel. Sold
Registered: Feb 2015
Location: NW Arkansas
Posts: 1179
Bruce I think you make a good point but I will also say that the Garmin has taught me somethings about my dog that I had wrong by just listening. Like for instance I had no idea that some dogs would spend so much time in one little area before they barked. Without the Garmin I thought they were covering ground but it proved different. I have been at this over 60 years and I still learn each time I hunt. Biggest change I have seen is dogs getting treed too quick and too much. Still haven't figured out the best way to train that type of dog.
Registered: Feb 2012
Location: airville,pa
Posts: 2078
I am old enough to be pre Garmin
I'm glued to that garmin but I pay attention. I learn my dog.
I agree with what someone else said some people get it some are clueless.
Registered: Sep 2019
Location: North Texas
Posts: 28
Garmin Dependency
Mr. Conkey,
You make some good points and I appreciate your point of view. I have seen a couple “Garmin Dependent” hunters have panic attacks when their unit goes dead or a collar malfunctions. They have never had to hunt without it. They are surprised when you show them what they can accomplish with a good ear, Coon sense, and knowledge of your hunting area.
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The Garmin has been a game changer. It allows us to put a handle on a dog and know exactly where they are at all times. It can save the dogs life and hunters legs! It really helps you hunt new, unfamiliar territory. I always have mine with me but I holster it and use my ears most of the time.
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Without it, we are all speculating about what our dogs are doing. Experienced hunters are educated speculators BUT we are all wrong sometimes. A while back, I started having good finished hounds ( pressure tree dogs) leave trees. I was initially puzzled. I started hustling into trees and watched several Coons come down the opposite side of the tree and leave out. My eyes were the only tool that validated this. I also noticed that an older female would leave as soon as we got to the tree and go tree another Coon. She only done this when there were multiple Coons around. She stayed solid on singles.
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Sometimes lacing up your boots and gettin in the middle of it with your dogs will teach you a lot.
I haven’t read all the above post, just Mr. Conkey’s. I am a younger hunter. And I can put money on knowing if my dog is lying or not. Her locate isn’t as drawn out on the third bawl if she’s gambling. She opens on a high pitched sqwall she can’t figure out how to get down a creek bank. If she is booing around it’s cold but can hear the difference when she warms it up. Of course I am the kind of person if there are no roads around my alpha is in the truck and I’m propped up some where listening. I’ve spent many a night with just me and a hound. But then again I don’t consider myself a good dog man, the best I’ve ever had is mediocre. But I know that dog. I just recently gave her away. The wheels fell off. Probably thyroid related but I was just tired of hunting her.
And I have seen dogs change drastically from who was behind the leash, a buddy of mine with alright dogs when he is handling them turn into coon dogs when his dad is on the lead. But that’s another topic.
Puppies take too much time for me with my work schedule and good dogs cost to much. But after hunting the past 15 nights with a different dog every night. I’m ready to get back after it with something of my own.
I haven’t read all the above post, just Mr. Conkey’s. I am a younger hunter. And I can put money on knowing if my dog is lying or not. Her locate isn’t as drawn out on the third bawl if she’s gambling. She opens on a high pitched sqwall she can’t figure out how to get down a creek bank. If she is booing around it’s cold but can hear the difference when she warms it up. Of course I am the kind of person if there are no roads around my alpha is in the truck and I’m propped up some where listening. I’ve spent many a night with just me and a hound. But then again I don’t consider myself a good dog man, the best I’ve ever had is mediocre. But I know that dog. I just recently gave her away. The wheels fell off. Probably thyroid related but I was just tired of hunting her.
And I have seen dogs change drastically from who was behind the leash, a buddy of mine with alright dogs when he is handling them turn into coon dogs when his dad is on the lead. But that’s another topic.
Puppies take too much time for me with my work schedule and good dogs cost to much. But after hunting the past 15 nights with a different dog every night. I’m ready to get back after it with something of my own.
I also feel like to many people give a dog the benefit of the doubt. If I can’t find the coon I’m correcting, if I think it’s trash I’m correcting them. To me my time is valuable I don’t want to waste it.
Registered: May 2016
Location: Palatka, FL
Posts: 5106
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Don't get me wrong. The Garmin has taught me a lot of things by having distance and the dogs track to see just what the dog is doing. I think a lot of dogs that waller a track have been exposed. Thing is the Garmins also showed me a lot more do it in the bad swamps than I though they did. Garmin changed my perspective on a cold trail dog and one just wallowing around in a swamp. Some had me fooled but not anymore. LOL
Registered: Feb 2015
Location: NW Arkansas
Posts: 1179
quote:Originally posted by BIG-MAN071 if I have to have a garmin own my dog to hunt him I want keep that dog very long but that's just me I guess im ole school
I'm old school too but if I had to hunt without some sort of GPS I would probably quit. I spent too much time hunting dogs instead of coon and I have very little country to hunt that I don't need to be able to control my dogs. In the last five years I have gone home once without my dog and I knew where he was. He was in a cave. Garmin showed me that. Daylight the next morning I was standing at that cave when he came out. I love hunting with GPS equipment.
My dad would jump in the middle of me when I looked at my Garmin to much. You can’t learn what’s going on if you aren’t paying attention. For the most part though I think we pay attention more than what you older fellas give us credit for though. The young guys I hunt with can just about tell you when there dog has stopped to take a dump. They know every move they make. I’m not trying to brag to much on our little trio but one of us won the Autumn Oaks another Won the UKC world and that third one well he was along for Moral support lol. I guess he won a pile of Cast across the pond this year as well. I’m the oldest at 26 the other 2 are barely drinking cold beer 🤣
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Registered: Apr 2015
Location: church hill tn
Posts: 5738
Dalton Cummings
Loved your post, it's not bragging when it's stating facts and you stated facts. You young guys have accomplished more than most of us older guys and deserve all the recognition you have gotten. It's young men like you 3 that makes me very proud of being a part if this great sport of coon hunting. Best wishes to you guys in the coming year, I look forward to seeing you guys in the winners circle and yes, you WILL be there. Dave
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