Registered: Jan 2012
Location: Goshen,Ohio
Posts: 2679

Like the title says If you could do over in Coonhunting.What would you do differantly?I know I've wasted a couple years I wish I could have back.Im sure I'm not the only one who has had this thought so let's hear it?

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Registered: Oct 2013
Location: Maryland
Posts: 2633

Back in 1994 I had three really nice Redbones. I got out of it and sold them. Looking back, I wish I had kept that line of dogs and stayed with what I had, but it just wasn't in the cards...at least not back then. I really love red dogs and about a year and a half ago I got back into it. I looked for a while and just couldn't find the Redbone puppies I was looking for. I have been out of it for so long, I just didn't know any of the dogs out there today. Maybe I should have waited, but I am real happy with what I have now. I will say this...there aint much I wouldn't give to have a red dog like the ones I used to have. Who knows???? They say there is a reason for everything, and maybe the I'll stumble on to the right pup or dog and not regret it so much. All I got left is the UKC papers and champion certificates, a few old pictures...I still hear their voice in my sleep.

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

Well first thing I would have done would have been to take all my dogs that I put a Nt. Ch. title on and taken them to Grand. The dogs I owned when I was young were just as good a coondogs as the ones I have today, (maybe better) in some areas. It would have made the pedigrees on the dogs I hunt today look a little stronger. Back when I was young, I thought a Nt.Ch. Title was enough for me to prove that my hounds were as good as the next guy's and maybe better than some. But with todays dogs, If your hound hasn't earned its Gr.Nt. degree, most folks within your breed won't give that dog a second look. But when I was young I didn't have the money to take them to the hunts while I was raising my children. Now that my kids are grown, the money to go is not near as big of an issue.

Secondly I wish I would have looked over hill and dale to find someone to partner with, that had the same ideas of what traits were needed to develop a truly exceptional coon hound, within my breed of choice. It is exceptionally hard to find someone that has the same vision as you on what traits are most important,and then have that same person willing to dedicate 20 to 40 years of their life to achieve the that vision.

Achieving great things usually requires a lot of team work and dedication. It is very difficult for ONE man to Breed, Raise, Train, and Campaign and Maintain a line of dogs and breed only the best to the best. Its much easier if you have a team of folks breeding, where you can hunt them all out, and pick the very best pups from each litter, and criss cross them back and forth to maintain and hopefully improve on what you started.

At any rate that is a couple of thing I would have done differently.

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Registered: Oct 2010
Location: Maryland
Posts: 1443

Pick a different sport.lol just kidding,something I did when I started that I wouldn't recommend any newby to do,is buy a pup for your first hound by a man I didn't no .first I would have just bought a nice pleasure hound from the start and progress like that.i ended up doing that just took a few yrs to learn that.if your new to the sport find a nice trained hound to start off because you can learn a lot about coonhunting from that hound and you don't want to ruin a pup because you thought you can train them without any knowledge of the sport.

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Registered: Aug 2012
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 1075

Never sold my tank dog - worst mistake I ever made !

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Registered: Sep 2004
Location: Moncks Corner, South Carolina
Posts: 1814

When I was 20 I had a really nice young dog that I had started as a pup, was treeing coons alone at 8 months old. I lost him while hunting 1 night and after several hours of looking I went home because I had to go to work the next morning. My Dad stayed out there looking for him, but we didn't find him until the next day, dead in the road about a 1/2 mile in the opposite direction of where we thought he went. My biggest regret is not buying a tracking system.

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Registered: Feb 2012
Location: airville,pa
Posts: 2078

i would have keep on moveing through more pups more often training more of them over the years. i just couldn't afford them years ago. i enjoy seeing how they turn out.

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Registered: Jan 2012
Location: Goshen,Ohio
Posts: 2679

Id be a lot more selective on pups I buy.In doing that I would not buy any pups from dogs I've never hunted with.Id also kill a lot less coons cause I've not seen it make a dog any better.It just makes me feel better....I've been doing a lot of meditating lately cause work is slow and coon season has came to a close.Im also not geting any younger

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Central Michigan
Posts: 6544

There are only two things I regret when it comes to the dogs I have owned. One I wish I would have gotten Tree Talking Crockett crossed on my line. The other was I had a female in heat at Walker Days in Ashland, Ohio. It was a few years ago. I saw a real sharp looking male in one of the barns tied in a stall with another male dog, but the sign said that it was a dog from a bloodline I never cared much for. I didn't inquire about the dog. It was Flat Rock Coma. It I had known it at the time I would have love making that cross. As it was I didn't end up breeding her that cycle at all.

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Registered: Sep 2014
Location: Moline Illinois
Posts: 407

I wish I gotten into coonhunting sooner- I wasted my teenage years deer hunting! Now deer hunting hardly appeals to me at all- I just gotta hear the hounds!!!!!!!

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Registered: Jul 2010
Location: IOWA
Posts: 510

I grew up in a family that has always had coon hounds and did the competition hunts and i went on my first hunt when i was around 4 or 5 ..i always did pleasure hunting but never entered a hunt tell i was about 19 and wish i would off started as soon as a youth is able too

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Registered: Nov 2010
Location: Magnolia Tx
Posts: 399

Going through an ALL GRAND phase, wasted gobs of money on the most worthless dogs I have ever owned. Many all grand from different and same lines, worst mistake of my coon hunting time. Will not fall prey to that one again.

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Registered: Mar 2004
Location: Nokomis,IL.
Posts: 12

A couple things new hunters and (some older hunters) should know. Cheaper to buy a finished dog,(then to train one) (trust me not even close)lol. And your first good dog will teach you more about coon hunting,then following 100 worthless ones. 2nd if your going to hunt young dogs hunt naturals,that tree the first track they run.(with the coon) yes they are out there and they will make u look like the best trainer in the world.( Coons are not that tricky,( guys with bad dogs run ghost coons about every other night)(guys with good dogs pleasure,and or competition hunters have more fun)

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Registered: Sep 2004
Location: ohio
Posts: 772

Not pushing my old Bo dog in the hunts and collecting him...... Pretty much ended my hunting when he died. I get fired up but don't take much to put the fire out...lol... Grandson wantin to hunt only reason I even fool with it.....He is killin me now he wants a blue dog, I told him english blue maybe...lol

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Registered: Jan 2010
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 10675

quote:

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Originally posted by ant12
Going through an ALL GRAND phase, wasted gobs of money on the most worthless dogs I have ever owned. Many all grand from different and same lines, worst mistake of my coon hunting time. Will not fall prey to that one again.

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Registered: Oct 2006
Location: MIFFLINTOWN,PA.
Posts: 564

If I could have back every penney I have spent on this sport. I could be live'in the dream right now.

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Registered: Mar 2008
Location: Western N.Y.
Posts: 3995

quote:

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Originally posted by Matt Stokes
A couple things new hunters and (some older hunters) should know. Cheaper to buy a finished dog,(then to train one) (trust me not even close)lol. And your first good dog will teach you more about coon hunting,then following 100 worthless ones. 2nd if your going to hunt young dogs hunt naturals,that tree the first track they run.(with the coon) yes they are out there and they will make u look like the best trainer in the world.( Coons are not that tricky,( guys with bad dogs run ghost coons about every other night)(guys with good dogs pleasure,and or competition hunters have more fun)

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: Lockridge Iowa
Posts: 2848

I wish I had invested and required the rights to collect Nelson's Northern Buck from Jeff Nelson and also Blackland Bear from Mark Reed.

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Registered: Mar 2010
Location: campbell ny
Posts: 195

was letting my old black an tan out of the dog box to piss one night while at work, went in for quick 20 minute break, came back out and his cable was stretched out, collar undone (still dont know how) and he was gone.

Found him about 10 -15 minutes later barely alive on the side of the road. hit by a truck

has pretty much taken the wind out of my sails for coonhuntin, have a hard time hittin the woods without him. still hear his voice when i go in the woods. just not the same though.

best dog i had the pleasure of owning. biggest faults were quill pigs and hed tree a grinner now and then if the coon werent moving, but id deal with that just to have him back.

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Registered: Sep 2013
Location: south carolina
Posts: 86

I would hunt every night that I could have with my dad. I spent alot of nights chasing the girls and bar rooms. When I should have been walking to trees with him. He's gonenow but we did enjoy alotof nights together.

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Registered: Jun 2012
Location: SE MN
Posts: 412

I wish I could have all the money I spent on the sport. A few dogs I wish I hadn't sold, but I don't really have many regrets because I made lots of friends & got to see some country I wouldn't have otherwise.
The only thing I wish I'd done different is kept things in perspective. Although I don't regret it, the time I spent being involved with coonhunting clubs & competition events was a serious waste of time that could have spent with family & friends or pursuing more worthwhile endeavors. Sometimes you really have to get away from something to put it in perspective. I made lots of great memories, met some great people but not without sacrificing a lot. No regrets.

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Registered: Feb 2009
Location: oklahoma
Posts: 194

Looking back, I wish I had taken more pictures. Not just of dogs, but the people I hunted, and spent time with. Now as I look back, I can't believe how many are gone.

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Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1513

I wish I had done more buddy hunting. Seems like I am always laying in the woods with the next up and coming young dog ALONE. When I get these 2 going I am going to see to it I do more hunting with friends! Someone hold me to that please!

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Registered: Dec 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 2027

quote:

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Originally posted by Brian Gray
If I could have back every penney I have spent on this sport. I could be live'in the dream right now.

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Registered: Oct 2006
Location: MIFFLINTOWN,PA.
Posts: 564

quote:

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Originally posted by Fisher13
Lol I thought coon hunting is the dream?

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Hummm I am missing something.

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