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I never thought of that but now that you mentioned it it makes perfect sense. thanks

When I lived in oregon and guys were calling BS about riggin cats, they eventually told me that I may do it on the coast but wouldn't do it if I came east. I went to eastern oregon and rigged cats. Now, I live in idaho and, when I moved, I was told that I would not rig cats because there were not as many cats and the conditions were different. I have found that to be highly inaccurate. I find a lot of cats and, although I dont think I have a cat rig dog, I still rig cats often. Again, I can't say I've got a cat rig dog riding in my box but I still don't have problems getting after a cat. There is a guy here locally that does rig cats and flat lays it on them regardless of conditions. The rest of the guys say its not worth doing. I'm with Mike though about the way he rigs his dogs. I started just letting them do their thing up there figuring it'd be a trainwreck but, surprisingly, its worked much better.

I cant stand to clip dogs up. I only clip one dog up and that is because he will climb on my cab. And it drives me nuts. My rig dog just kinda learned from a older hound that a guy owned who go me into hunting. Moneky see monkey do.

I have four that by choice jumps to top of box. Two do it all the time and have to get them off to get them to load in the box. The other two do as they wish, may go in or may go on top.

Would really rather not have to snap them on top, but never know which or where the strike is going to come from? As likely as not, hound in box with head out will strike first and strike hard? When that happens the entire pack "blows-up"! I prefer to let out the hound that strikes first and see what and where he goes and if in fact he can jump cat?

The great thing I have found(said same in prior post) rigging has so many plus points! For training young hounds, it cannot be beat in my opinion. You let down one or two that first smelled the track/track, more then 75% of time they jump cat before I can cut other hounds down(including the young hounds), and the cat race is on! AS good as a jump race and maybe better because of lack of confusion as to where to join in race.

My "two cents" & thanks,

Clyde Lawson

Great Topic for sure! When I was younger I had the good fortune to hunt behind my fathers dogs. I was in my early twenties and i remember it was the last day of bear pursuit season in Idaho. My father was primarily a Bear/lion hunter. My dad would pass up good Bobcat tracks to go on and cut a Lion in the winter. At any rate pursuit season closes the last day of july, this particular day was hot we hunted several hours without a strike. Around noon we had a bump we decided to drive on as the road dead ended another 1/4 mile. we turned around and came back and struck a bit harder in the same spot. My dad turned down two walkers and a Red dog he owned named Sam. Tex and sam was the only ones that had struck, Brown had not said a word but was winding pretty hard. The two that had struck grubbed up the bank tails sprigging but not opening at all. they made it up the hill about 30 yards to the timber and opened several times. I asked my dad if he wanted me to run up and catch them he said no they had struck a lion. dogs progressed and eventually jumped Brown still had never opened. As they swung back down the canyon they made a loose. They were quiet for quite some time maybe 15 minutes. I heard the red dog Sam open across the canyon and pretty soon Tex was there and they seemed to be moving it good again. This happened a couple more times over the next few hours. I had seen brown several times right with the other dogs not saying a word. The two dogs had picked it up again and was headed back down the canyon when I heard Brown open for the first time. they made almost too the road and pulled up treed. I got right too them and in a big red fir found absolutely nothing. After about 20 minutes and right before my frustrations about got the best of me, there crouched down on a limb right next to the main body of the tree was Mr Bob. It was upwards of 100 degrees that day. My dad caught several bobcat over the next few years with those dogs in the summer time. My point is I think it is about exposure and timing. If dogs get exposed and the light comes on it becomes pretty easy. I can not remember those dogs ever even being turned out on a bobcat in the snow. A old friend of mine from Hunington Oregon had some pretty nice walker x running dog crosses.He caught bobcat in the summer a few times that I witnessed and i think pretty consistently. Those dogs were not cold nosed dogs, we dont have a surplus of Bobcat either. I feel they just knew their game and purpose.

Hunt took place on Hitt creek in the Mann Cr area of SW Idaho with Bill Shanahans hounds

That's a good story, Shag.

yea, it was a pretty good hunt.