Registered: Sep 2011
Location: ohio
Posts: 806

ive had coondogs for 15 years but i just bought my first mt. cur. hes a real nice combo dog but ive had a little trouble holding up my end of the bargain and knockin the squirrells out. i got fed up today. shot the first sq no problem. the second and third both got away. i use a 22 and hunt by myself mostly. i kept trying to get a shot on one and he circled the tree and finally disapeared. the third ran down a leaning tree to another leaning tree and up into a big leafy maple. no shot. dog did his job and timbered so i felt really bad. couple questions.


what is the best time to hunt sq with a dog? do i need to carry a shotgun? also at one point today the dog treed and when i got there a woodpecker flew out. dog took off and kept hunting. he rarely leaves the tree but he didnt think twice. will sq dogs sight tree on birds like that often? just trying to polish up my game guys.

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Registered: Aug 2010
Location: BEAVER DAM KY
Posts: 49

if huntin by yourself id use a shot gun. a little trick take a string with u tie it ob a bush then go to the other side of tree and pull the string to shake the bush on the other side then the squirrel wil come to your side of the tree

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Registered: May 2009
Location: Vidalia, La.
Posts: 278

How old is the dog? I hunt early mornings and late in the evenings. I always take a shotgun when i'm hunting by myself. If the dog was working a track, it might have been a squirrel there earlier or maybe timbered out. With the dog leaving the tree like that tells me he was not real sure himself anyway. I would not worry to much about unless it continues to happen.

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Registered: Sep 2011
Location: ohio
Posts: 806

just turned 3. ive been huntin him on coon pretty heavy though. normally a nice treedog. he acted like he saw the woodpecker and maybe treed on movement. he looks up in the trees quite a bit while hes huntin.

i had a guy tell me to hunt in the middle of the day with a dog. i didnt think that made sense really. the .22 is great when they hold still but lately they have been movin all over. next time ill have a 20ga and 30ft of string. i tried throwin my hat, leadchain and vest to the other side of the tree. string sounds easier. ill put some pics on here if i can figure out how. thanks a bunch fellows

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Registered: Sep 2011
Location: ohio
Posts: 806

like i said ive been puttin this dog on heavy coon. he is treeing squirrells but he is a much more effective coondog. everytime i take him sq hunting he is treeing coon. im thinkin i should just quit takin him out in the day.seems to me he has made a decision on what he wants to hunt. is this fairly common?

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

The BESt time to hunt a sq dog is WHEN there are NO leaves.. When I hunt alone most times I carry the 12 gauge if hunting with others I carry the .22.

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location:
Posts: 354

The best time to hunt a young dog is anytime you have time. Start picking times that are best and you will cut down your total hunting time.

We hunted last weekend in less than ideal condition and a 5-15 mph wind in tall trees with leaves for a 2 man limit. Best hunt I ever had was in blowing snow with fast dropping temps.

There is no pattern. Just hunt as much as you can. You and the dog will learn as you go.

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