Registered: Oct 2011
Location:
Posts: 389

How many of you have participated in a HTX event and what's your thoughts on them? I've entered my dog in 5 so far and have throughly enjoyed them. I've heard some compare them to the nite hunts saying that competing against other dogs is a better way to prove a dogs worth. Hum... Not necessarily true. Just last month I was at a hunt were there was only 4 dogs to compete. 2 of the handlers were young. 1 a 16 yr old boy the other a 10 yr old girl. The other cast members were grown men. So in my opinion what have u proved by beating a 10 yr old girl on her first hunt. I think often times people forget exactly what a HTX is meant for. That being a way to draw pleasure hunters, prove a dog is not a " me to " dog, and a great way for breeders to see a dogs worth on paper. Just my opinion! What's yours?

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Registered: Aug 2010
Location: MT HOME
Posts: 198

THINK THERE IS GOOD AND BAD I HAVE SEEN DOGS THAT HAVE PASSED THE TEST THAT HAVE FAULTS THAT SHOULD NEVER ALOW THEM TO PASS EXCEPT WHEN A BUDDY GOES AND JUDGES THEM

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Registered: Oct 2011
Location:
Posts: 389

Yes, that can happen very easily. If you look on the website under HTX FAQ's it states that breeders can not inspect a dog that they have raised, nor can you inspect a dog that you have trained or housed etc. But I can't find that in the rule book. Maybe because it was over looked! Don't know. I recently got in a healthy debate about the " honor rules " with a buddy. He was saying that there is a lot of things that needed to be changed. My come back to him was that there's very little wrong with the rules we have now. It's the people who don't properly apply and use them or bend them for personal gain. I've seen things that I personally didn't agree with and basically addressed them in a rule seminar at our club. Which was a big success by the way!

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

It's purty hard to have an opinion on something that is scarce as hens teeth. In the months ahead, Nov. & Dec., Indiana has 4 at two clubs, none in the north half of the state. Ohio has one, Mi has none. These same states have 36 nite hunt events. But then again, maybe that IS what our thoughts are on Hunt Tests.

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Registered: Sep 2007
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 1442

I am of split opinion on this one. Yes I think it is good to see a dog tree a coon all by itself. However, taking one of my GRNITECH's just to prove they can tree a coon all by themselves seems a little redundant, I have seen, and countless other people have all seen my dogs tree a coon by themselves. Kinda tends to happen at least once or twice at a nite hunt when you hunt independent dogs. Just seems like it would take a lot of running around to htx events that are scattered far and wide and pretty rare just to prove what I and tons of other people already know.

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Registered: Jan 2011
Location: MICHIGAN
Posts: 1309

i think it good to see a hound tree its own coon alone.

btw;i've seen grnite. that couldn't tree or would hunt alone.aka;me too pack hounds...click, bang!!

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Registered: Oct 2011
Location:
Posts: 389

Come to think of it there's 4 clubs all within 60 miles of each other, including the club I'm a member of, where I live. Out of the four clubs ours and 1 other hold HTX events. We usually have 2 a month, every other month due to most of us working off in the oil field or on the river. We average 6 dogs a HTX. The other club that's holds them has 1 dog on average if that when they hold HTX's. I'm wondering why this is. I know I'm guilty of not traveling to other clubs near by for a few reasons. 1) cost 2) convenience 3) time
I think another reason is the name of the title it self. I bet if the HTX title included champion in it it'd draw a bigger crowd. Ex:GrChHtx

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Registered: Mar 2004
Location: Bunn, NC (Near Raleigh)
Posts: 1584

I like the concept of the HTX, as a hearing impaired coonhunter I really like the thought of having to concentrate on only one dog, having hunted with seniors I can relate to their need for a more relaxed pace as they walk to and from the tree. I firmly believe a coondog should be able to tree a coon alone, as well as go hunting alone. The HTX ensures that a dog can do both of those tasks.

Having said that there are some issues with hosting them at some clubs. Especially clubs like mine who typically (on comp hunts) have no casts hunting in the host club county...with long drives to hunting spots it's difficult to send the dogs out and have them come back to be re-paired up, if we could get a few non-hunting judges it would work better...

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Registered: Oct 2011
Location:
Posts: 389

A few problems we encounter are lack of enough inspectors. In order for the dog to receive the HTX title he has to have 3 passes by 3 different inspectors & the inspectors cannot be a regular hunting partner, housed the dog, or raised ( breeder ) of the dog they're inspecting. Our club is new and small so it takes a little planning to ensure the inspectors & dogs are paired properly. I'm wondering if after you get the HTX does the dog have to be inspected by 3 more different inspectors or does the cycle start over again.

Another issue is time. We try to pair off in groups. So we have atleast 2 dogs hunting at the same time but different locations. Pairing off only works in groups of 3's though because you can't inspect the man's dog that you just inspected on the same night. This is were a non-hunting inspector comes in handy. We average 6 dogs per HTX, which makes for a long night when there's a conflict of not being able to be paired up due to the afore mentioned rules.

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Registered: May 2007
Location: NW Iowa
Posts: 311

Our club started having them and I have been to them and they are fine. Not saying they are any more or less of a way for judging the quality of a hound than a night hunt. I think they do give you a good idea that a dog that has an HTX title can at least tree a coon by itself.
The truth is there is really nothing to not like about them. If you like pleasure hunting with one dog like I do then it is just like that with a judge to see if your dog can get the job done on that particular night.

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Registered: Oct 2011
Location:
Posts: 389

I think you're absolutely right. I really enjoy them myself, and everybody that has participated in one at our club continues to come back to them. Heck I've got a few calls wanting to know a month ahead of time when we have them scheduled! We even ask when would be a good time for them so we can try to hold them on dates that best suits everybody. All of ours have been held on week nights cause we feel that most people are at nite hunts on the weekends. I've noticed that the HTX seems to draw a different crowd of people than the nite hunts. Which is a good indicator that it gives more options and is making the ukc events more rounded with a little something for everybody.

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

like to try em, no one close having them....

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Registered: Feb 2007
Location: Pomeroy, Ohio
Posts: 2840

To answer your question, once you pass three times and earn the HTX you just start over and can use the same inspectors again. I personally enjoyed the HTX hunts and myself and my Dad put the degree on several of our dogs. I even enjoyed the inspecting part. But after a few of the other club members finished their dogs, participation dropped off and it has been hard to hold them. I am usually their to inspect any dogs coming to the club and then I didn't have anyone to inspect my dog. I think that if a club got behind them it can be a good thing for the club. The club can make a little money and more importantly the HTX hunts could bring some just good old country coon hunters back to the clubs. There is nothing to loose for clubs to hold the hunts.

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Registered: Aug 2003
Location: Indiana
Posts: 6168

I've attended enough to put the HTX title on a couple of dogs. Our club too had trouble with the format of inspectors....Seemed that with the requirements we had more dogs show up than we had eligible inspectors....We also saw that once the HTX title was earned, participation dropped off dramatically.

My opinion of HTX test is the same as my opinion of Nite Hunts, as far as the "title" goes. If you are judging the "value of a dog" by it's titles, your measuring stick is messed up. Now, don't get me wrong, I still believe that competition is a good thing, and I value a dog that can pass the HTX tests....it's really not as easy as it sounds. Folks are quick to dismiss a dog treeing a coon by itself, in an hour. Few take into account that a dog must do so without faults. A good dog should indeed be able to pass this test without fail.

Titles, be they HTX, NTCH, GRNT, Bench CH, Water CH or whatever are ONLY a testament that the dog met the requirements to wear the title. Some dogs will always do things "better" than others...One Grand Night Champion dog will walk through the hunts in 8 casts, while it may take years and "hundreds" of casts for others to make GRNT...you don't know how many it took, you just know they met the requirements....same with HTX. We don't know if the dog made it through HTX in three attempts, with NO faults...or if it took 10 attempts and each time they passed, they did so with faults....

All in all, the HTX tests are another way for us to enjoy our dogs, enjoy the company of other like minded folks, and to support our local clubs. I personally feel that the hunt test program could be expanded by introducing some sort of requirement that to earn a "full" NTCH or GRNTCH degree you should have to pass three HTX tests...that would drive participation, and maybe hush those folks that claim they know a Grand Night Champion that can't tree a coon alone!

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Registered: Aug 2003
Location: Indiana
Posts: 6168

quote:

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Originally posted by JiM
It's purty hard to have an opinion on something that is scarce as hens teeth. In the months ahead, Nov. & Dec., Indiana has 4 at two clubs, none in the north half of the state. Ohio has one, Mi has none. These same states have 36 nite hunt events. But then again, maybe that IS what our thoughts are on Hunt Tests.

---

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Registered: Jul 2012
Location: Odessa, Mo
Posts: 2066

We need to get more HTX hunts going. If it was up to me I'd make every club hold atleast 3 a year. Why wouldn't you want a HTX title on your dog?

Support your local clubs people, go to the hunts, even if its just a club hunt. Spend your money there, it keeps the doors open.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Los Angeles, MN
Posts: 4236

I understand that some just dont like nite hunts and that is fine.

But for those that do, it seems to be very difficult to get them excited about these HTX hunts.....The concept that most competition dogs cant tree a coon alone is one that is only held by those that dont partisipate in nite hunts.

Again, I have nothing against the HTX, but there is very little interest in my area by active club members....Some inactive ones have expessed an intrest, but not enough to show up to a meeting and get one held.

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Registered: Mar 2012
Location:
Posts: 112

Ilike what Joe stated about requiring dogs to pass the HTX test before going on to become nt. ch. or Grand,

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Registered: Jan 2011
Location: MICHIGAN
Posts: 1309

You want to admit to or not.there a 100's,prob. 1000's of titled;ntch and even grnite that will not hunt,tree their own coon or even be 50%accurate ALONE !!
I've hunted with them and owned a few{that didn't stay here long}

I think the biggest reason is from being "pack hunted" from a pup.They never learn to do it themselves.
There at home in a comp. hunt,they can me too each other all night!

I went and looked at well known dual grnite. on here that was{sold now} for sale.Placed in major hunts.He slicked 3 in a row..... alone!!

Does that hound deserve the title?Just another paper coondog,and papers don't tree coon!!

Bottom line-there not coondogs if they can't do it ALONE!!

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Registered: Oct 2011
Location:
Posts: 389

I know I've read where UKC says that only 33% of the dogs pass a HTX. That doesn't say a lot about our hounds as a whole! And if these are the same dogs that are being competition hunted how much does a nitech title really mean?
I'd like to see a breakdown of the stats. Percentage of passes & fails as a whole & brokedown by breeds, how many passes & fails each dog has received etc. I think that would be a eye opener!

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Registered: Aug 2003
Location: Indiana
Posts: 6168

quote:

---

Originally posted by Joseph A Clark
I know I've read where UKC says that only 33% of the dogs pass a HTX. That doesn't say a lot about our hounds as a whole! And if these are the same dogs that are being competition hunted how much does a nitech title really mean?
I'd like to see a breakdown of the stats. Percentage of passes & fails as a whole & brokedown by breeds, how many passes & fails each dog has received etc. I think that would be a eye opener!

---

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Registered: Oct 2011
Location:
Posts: 389

The 33% pass rate is UKC's number not mine. I understand that the HTX is more appealing to pleasure hunters and the like. And yes one would have to keep in mind that if a low percentage of any breed that participated would have to be considered and not reliable info. And I also believe that a title doesn't prove a dogs worth but what he does night after night does.
Hope I didn't offend anybody! That wasn't my intention at all. The reason I'd like to see the stats is just out curiosity mainly. As far as the 33% goes at our club we have a 46% pass rate. I believe the HTX's are a great " gate way " to get more people involved and can be used by hunters to earn a little with a young that may not quite be ready for competition hunts.
Why do you think that, as a whole, there's not that many clubs holding HTX events?
Again I aplogize if I offend any one!

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Registered: Aug 2003
Location: Indiana
Posts: 6168

Joe,

You didn't offend me at all, just wanted to make sure that you were looking at things in the right perspective....

I personally think that the HTX tests appeal to a very narrow audience, and that very few of the folks that take a dog to an HTX test are the same one's going to a night hunt. Because the audience is narrow, the attendance is low, and because as soon as someone finishes a dog to HTX they quit coming....and that because of the narrow audience, there are very few qualified judges, and because the audience is narrow, and guys quit coming once they finish their dogs the attendance at the events is very low, and when the attendance is low, clubs stop having them!

I have often wondered what would happen to the pass rate if you had to have an HTX title on a dog to finish the NTCH title off. I would bet that the pass rate would actually go UP! Not that the dogs are necessarily better, but because you are dealing in percentages, larger samples hide failures easier!

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Registered: Oct 2011
Location:
Posts: 389

Yeah that's true. Having to have a HTX title to Gr a dog would help I believe and would be a nice way to cap off a GrNiteCh title. I also think that because after you get the initial HTX & there after only receive a # behind HTX title that it does have much appeal to it, the # that is. The grander the title's name the more appeal it has. For ex: if they would make it HTXCh etc it might get more attention. I emailed ukc about that and the response I got was that they felt a dog shouldn't earn a champion title with out having competed against other dogs. I see their point some what I guess, but say if a dog has earned a HTX10 what would it hurt to label it a HTX champion? I believe the HTX title is great as long as all the HTX's the dog passed were done by the book. I also wonder how many are actually being conducted the correct way.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: North GA
Posts: 14395

We had one. Fixin to plan another. Had 7 dogs I think. All failed but one. I can live with em or without em myself. Hard to really plan em when you have a full schedule of ukc hunts. Several Pkc hunts and a buddy hunt every month. Folks will get burned out.

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