Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Chattanooga, Tn
Posts: 22461

With all of the talk about increasing hunt attandance, maybe we should find out just why hunters go to UKC hunts. Is it to put a title on your dog? Is it for the camraderie? Is it to get something to eat? Is it to have fun or a good time? Is it to "find" new places to hunt? Is it for the "prestige" of winning? Just what are the reasons y'all go?

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Registered: Jan 2013
Location: Marietta
Posts: 10790

Richard something they did last night they numbered all the bench and night hunt entry's before each draw they drawed numbers for the door prizes Sombody spent a long times going around town getting people to donate all that stuff Corey paid a $25 entry and I bet he got $60 worth of prizes so in reality if you get beat hey what the heck.




Everybody had a blast.


Tar

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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Chattanooga, Tn
Posts: 22461

But, why did y'all drive all of the way up there? Surely it wasn't for the door prizes. Did y'all know they would have them before you got there? And more importantly why does Corey go to a local hunt? Is it just to please/impress his dad?

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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Chattanooga, Tn
Posts: 22461

Wouldn't it be cool if everyone seriously sat down and asked themselves why they really went to a hunt nowadays and then posted their reasons. Maybe we could learn something.

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Registered: Nov 2015
Location: st. augustine Fl
Posts: 311

I enjoy the hunts most are helpful and not too political down here . Only a few places provide food 2 maybe 3 I think . I don't hunt them regularly because I just don't have the dog power right now . If I did have the dog power I'd hunt more often . Now I'm not talking about winning everywhere I go . I'm just talking about having a competitive dog to hunt . I like it cause it's inexpensive and win or lose it's not much invested . I would say though that I admire the trophys I see the old timers have and did see some trophys at the Florida State hunt . I liked that idea a lot . I'm sure winning money is nice but a trophy would carry a lot more value to me . Most times I draw out whether I know the guy's or not we usually always have a good hunt and rarely an argument ever . Did a few $kc hunts was quite the opposite but then again money is involved .

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Registered: Jan 2013
Location: Marietta
Posts: 10790

His dad is impressed with him if he never Coonhunted.




It's not what they gave its because they cared enough to put in the effort for us to have a good time didn't just say come in pay your entry a we will see you after while I been to some of them.



Tar

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Registered: Jun 2012
Location: McRae Ar
Posts: 3701

I go to meet new people and visit. Its the reason I prefer to go to a local UKC hunt. I went to a RQE last night, 21 dogs. Some I knew and some I didn't. I showed up an hour early to visit. I came back from the cast and about 10 of us hung out and talked. Had a great time, got qualified and that's what its all about for me.

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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Chattanooga, Tn
Posts: 22461

But Tarbaby, I hate to press you but you are still not answering the question. You would make a great politician. Why did y'all go up there to begin with?
George, I hate to put words in your mouth but it sounds to me like you are saying that you go for the prestige of winning and to have a good time. You say that you would go more if you thought that you could win more. But you still go since you have a good time and it is not very expensive.

That makes me wonder if more people would come if entry fees were only $10. It looks like Trump stimulated the economy by decreasing taxes. More entries at a decreased fee would actually increase revenue. And more entries would mean more camaraderie. Plus there would be less pressure to win if it costs less to enter and the hunts would be more fun. Maybe entries started decreasing when entry fees jumped up to $20-$25. Now see George's answer stimulated one possible solution.

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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Chattanooga, Tn
Posts: 22461

Mike, that is a great response. Where did y'all "visit". Does your club have a nice heated/air conditioned area that is conducive to "visiting"? Do the club members all get there early to "visit" with the guys that show up to hunt? Do all of the older hunters show up early even when they are not entering a dog? Maybe you don't have to actually enter a dog to "hunt". How many of the older hunters bring children or grandchildren along? I know the PKC hunters laugh about the number of trucks parked in the parking lot of a UKC hunt compared to the dogs entered. But just maybe that is the difference between the two kennel clubs and what we should capitalize on. Maybe instead of trying to be more like them we should promote the differences.

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Registered: Jan 2013
Location: Marietta
Posts: 10790

I went for the same reasons Joey did heck yeah I wanted to win but I got beat I have that happen so much it don't even sting no more lol.




Buuuuuuut I hate to be right all the time but they gave door prizes ( more opertunitys to win something ) more wins a little more paperwork won't cost nothing like the door prizes reeps big bennifits for the club the hunters and ukc.

Everybody was happy even the ones that got beat!!!



Congratulations Joey on your wins.

I love a good visit.

Tar

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Registered: Feb 2005
Location:
Posts: 1738

I'm a competitor by nature.....it's a competition hunt.
That's why I go......

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Registered: Nov 2015
Location: st. augustine Fl
Posts: 311

Richard

Winning isn't a deal breaker for me at the hunts I take my minus gracefully . I started like a lot of younger hunters do . I took a dog that could tree a hot coon and thought I was gonna win lol . After about 8 month's I come to realization and to terms that it didn't matter if I won cause I always had so much fun . Even without door prizes and raffles . Now I learned a lot in the last several year's and still hunt UKC regular but taking a beating at the hunts tires a man and makes it discouraging especially as hard as I started off hunting them . I had the wrong idea and have moved forward to the enjoyment of them . But yes at the same time if I had the dog power I would hunt them more not just for a enjoyment and winning aspect but because I'm not hunting the dog everyone wants to draw so they can win .

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Registered: Jun 2015
Location:
Posts: 163

Like others said I like competing, being able to coon hunt and compete is the best of both worlds.. here's where I'll prolly draw some negativity. I made my dog a nite ch last year when not many other hints from the other kc was going on, 3 months into the new year I still haven't got my performance check. But now I'm running a state race, breed race, and trying to qualify for the nationals, that's competing locally and at a higher level at the same time for benefits now and later. I'm going to hit a few rqe to try and get qualified and unfortunately prolly won't be at many more hunts and just preparing for big ones.

So I guess the reason I go to hunts is for the competition and the thrill that comes along with it but to be honest I don't get that same thrill from ukc I log onto prohound multiple times a day to check state and breed race how can i do that for ukc? I'm also bringing home money when I am fortunate enough to win not waiting in a check 3 months after the year ends. Just some insight from a 26 year old who gave an honest opinion.

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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Chattanooga, Tn
Posts: 22461

Mr dog, so you are a competitor. That's great. They are competition hunts. Do you go strictly to compete? How often do you win? How much does it matter if you win or lose? Does it matter what you win...trophy, money, win slip?
How many "competitors" go just for the spirit of competition?

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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Chattanooga, Tn
Posts: 22461

Mr Meyers, not being negative, just trying to learn. It sounds like you go partly for the prizes and partly for the "prestige" of seeing your name on the leader boards that are updated a couple of times a week. It is amazing how many people check them daily. Actually winning a PKC State or Breed race pays very little money compared to how much you spend and the odds of winning are astrnomical.
I wonder what would happen if UKC posted a list of the Performance Point winners on the message board and updated it every Fri?

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Registered: Oct 2004
Location: Clarksville, AR
Posts: 1074

I hunt locally when I have time mostly because I hate to see the small clubs dying off. Wins and titles don't mean alot anymore so it's sure not prestige, and most of the people you draw wouldn't know a good dog if it showed up so it itsnt necessarily showing off or bragging rights.

I used to love going to hunts around this part of the state just to listen to some of the old guys talk dogs and tell stories. They were a different kind of hunter packing a different caliber dog. You did something if you slipped around and beat them every once in awhile. Nowadays if you can't consistently win local UKC hunts it's time to cull hard. If I've got a decent young dog I hate putting them around what alot of people are willing to feed and haul.

And I guess I'm getting cranky in my old age, but anymore I can't stand to sit and listen to people brag on no-accounts. Drives me insane.

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Registered: Jun 2015
Location:
Posts: 163

Richard you are correct, the money just helps pay for the habit a little better then a yellow piece of paper. The prestige of knowing I raised trained and can keep a dog in the top of a state or breed race on my own funding it was drives me to stay in the woods. If I could check my performance points on a more regular basis or get a quicker return to help me the next week I would attend alot more ukc hunts.

I believe this is also why you see alot of people my age Huntin g the other kc it gives them recognition and something to shoot for against others

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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Chattanooga, Tn
Posts: 22461

Cory, I mean no disrespect and I know exactly what you are talking about. You are a typical PKC hunter. That is not a bad thing. There is nothing wrong or right with that. UKC is not going to entice you back. Except for the fact that you realize that you need the local UKC clubs to feed the PKC hunts.

I don't think that UKC should attempt to pull the hard core PKC handlers back. UKC will alienate their base and lose them in the process.

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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Chattanooga, Tn
Posts: 22461

Actually no one has even mentioned that they hunt for that little yellow slip of paper. Does no one go just to put/get a title on their dog? Didn't that used to be the driving force?

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Registered: Jun 2006
Location: Newton, North Carolina
Posts: 12254

Mr Richard? Why would anyone post if you’re gonna pick there reason for going Apart?, I go for many reason, to compete, to title my dogs, to see where my dogs need improvement, to hunt different places with different people!

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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: Chattanooga, Tn
Posts: 22461

I have heard a lot on other posts about prizes, trophys, money, yellow slips. But doesn't the recognition and prestige mean a whole lot more? Isn't that why you see so many entries at a big major hunt? There is a whole lot more prestige and recognition when you win at a major hunt. Maybe the local clubs could come up with a way to recognize winners at the local level. Anybody have any ideas for that?

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

Because official " dog fights" will get you locked up like Mike Vick. lol

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Registered: Apr 2014
Location: batsville ark
Posts: 1110

quote:

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Originally posted by Richard Lambert
I have heard a lot on other posts about prizes, trophys, money, yellow slips. But doesn't the recognition and prestige mean a whole lot more? Isn't that why you see so many entries at a big major hunt? There is a whole lot more prestige and recognition when you win at a major hunt. Maybe the local clubs could come up with a way to recognize winners at the local level. Anybody have any ideas for that?

---

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Registered: Jan 2014
Location: Ohio
Posts: 69

quote:

---

Originally posted by Richard Lambert
I have heard a lot on other posts about prizes, trophys, money, yellow slips. But doesn't the recognition and prestige mean a whole lot more? Isn't that why you see so many entries at a big major hunt? There is a whole lot more prestige and recognition when you win at a major hunt. Maybe the local clubs could come up with a way to recognize winners at the local level. Anybody have any ideas for that?

---

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Registered: Jun 2012
Location: McRae Ar
Posts: 3701

quote:

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Originally posted by Richard Lambert
Mike, that is a great response. Where did y'all "visit". Does your club have a nice heated/air conditioned area that is conducive to "visiting"? Do the club members all get there early to "visit" with the guys that show up to hunt? Do all of the older hunters show up early even when they are not entering a dog? Maybe you don't have to actually enter a dog to "hunt". How many of the older hunters bring children or grandchildren along? I know the PKC hunters laugh about the number of trucks parked in the parking lot of a UKC hunt compared to the dogs entered. But just maybe that is the difference between the two kennel clubs and what we should capitalize on. Maybe instead of trying to be more like them we should promote the differences.

---

__________________
Michael Rosamond
Sunspot Lights
936-827-6309
http://www.sunspotlights.com/
When brightness matters!!

Home Of:
PKC Ch, Grch Grnch 2008 Tx state champion They call me Crazy Betty

PKC SCh CH Grnch They call me Howler too

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