dog is gone and possible wolf food

northwestcat · Post by **northwestcat** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 3:12 am

liv to hunt know how some of that terain can be got some friends that live over there and gone huntin couple times in the past and the ground i hunted threw me for a loop whan a yung dog didnt make a race on a bob so it is true what he is sayin about the ground there is some &*%$ spots over there where my wild life 2000 didnt work right and it was a two month old box and brand new yagi and it not operator just terain

Liv2Hunt · Post by **Liv2Hunt** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 3:59 am

Well everybody, thanks for all the advice and concern. I am not usually a quiter but then reality kicks me in the tail on this one. I was looking on Saturday for the dogs in a very bad snow storm with lots of wind. You could be in one spot and 1hour later it looked as if nobody was there. The main draws/gulches run north/south with each end run by rock wall running east/west. I was unable to receive any signal from my Wildlife Materials system.

I am now no longer going to look for the dogs. Several wolf tracks all week within a mile of where we turned out. The dog food and kennel have not been touched. I am looking for that needle in a haystack with no idea where to look. I am hoping somebody has picked them or atleast my dog and have not yet called.

She was my first hound and only hound so lion season has come to an abrupt end with my wife more than upset. She apparently does not know the risk involved with anything in life. We may go to the store and never come home. The dog went hunting and may never come home. May sound cold but is reality.

Now where does one start? Started dogs cost if decent, bad dogs are cheap, puppies take lots of time, and some say don't bother without a "pup trainer". I'm back to a big mountain and once again looking for a dog!! I wish everbody a fun, successful safe season and better luck than I have. Take care

sasquatch · Post by **sasquatch** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:33 am

hey sorry to here bout the out come but yeah i would be like you after that amount of time wish i was close enough to have helped if i was hell id give you a nother hound i know how it is to have only one dog and something happen but keep something my grandfather told me years ago in mind every thing happens for a reason

Bearkiller · Post by **Bearkiller** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 2:09 am

More than likely your problem is that you're looking where you last had record of the dog. Dogs go a LONG ways in a couple hours much less days. You need to look at the maps and look for big drainages or areas where the dogs could have gone over a mtn or 2. I wouldn't give up yet. Just keep trying. My money is on you getting your dog back still.

Melanie Hampton · Post by **Melanie Hampton** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 2:56 am

Bearkiller wrote:More than likely your problem is that you're looking where you last had record of the dog. Dogs go a LONG ways in a couple hours much less days. You need to look at the maps and look for big drainages or areas where the dogs could have gone over a mtn or 2. I wouldn't give up yet. Just keep trying. My money is on you getting your dog back still.

I agree with Bearkiller on this one.. We have made that mistake looking for hounds.. Not getting a signal, not getting a signal and then have to go back to town and get gas.. On the drive down, 20 miles or so from where you turned out, son of a gun.. Here they are...

larry · Post by **larry** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:03 am

In agreement with bearkiller

Grzyadms4x4 · Post by **Grzyadms4x4** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:11 am

I agree ya got to keep trying. You will get the signal eventually.

Liv2Hunt · Post by **Liv2Hunt** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 12:33 pm

On Saturday we did start with the tracking equiptment from the closest town. 21 miles from where we turned out. We drove the loop wich is about 60 mile around the section we can drive if the dogs went East. If they went West they then will enter the wilderness area with no roads at all. I have driven every road that is in the area and have found no signal. I have no idea what else to do other than cut my losses.

TomJr · Post by **TomJr** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:58 pm

Sounds like you have tried hard to find your dog. 10 days is a long time for a dog to be lost. She could be still alive but chances are not good. Still if it was my dog I would likly give it one more try on the weekend... or as work allows.

I recently helped a guy with a lost dog that walked out of the wilderness above our house after 15days. He had left his number so when this dog walked into our driveway I was able to call. He had given up hope, dog looked fine must have found something to eat since it was not that skinny. No wolves here tho.

catdogs · Post by **catdogs** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:11 am

Got a buddy with an airplane? If not, get up on the highest peaks in the area. Don't give up yet, I saw a dog walk out after 18 days once and mine have been out for a week twice.

az_gogetem · Post by **az_gogetem** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:26 pm

get a topo map make a 10 mile square on it centered from the last place you picked up a signal. find the highest peak near each corner of the square on the topo and get to that peak. take a signal from each one and see if you pick something up. if you can get gps coordinates for me i can do that for you and email you a map. make a bigger square if you don't have a signal and add more points like a 15 mile square would have three points per side because if a dog was between the corners 7.5 miles away most likely you are not going to get a signal on them. where as if they are between two points that are 5 miles apart they are only 2.5 miles away which GREATLY increases your chances. I've done this multiple times, you have to cover every direction.

you might have to walk in and get off the road but hey if your dog crosses your scent trail it'll give em something to trail out.

another thing, i know here they fly a plane for tracking the lions that are collared. see if GandF does that for the bighorn sheep or anything like that in your area. if they do ask if you can tag along and take signals all day. you can cover 100x more ground.

scott beck · Post by **scott beck** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:22 am

Iam going up there this week end i'll keep an eye out. Spanky told me about your loss, i'am running ATS so i cant help you there.Did you take a hike up behind Ford creek outfitter lodge and take a signal into the Smith crk drainage, thats where mine ended up one time.no signal till reached the top of the ridge.Good luck.I,ll be driving a grn nissan.

notellm · Post by **notellm** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 5:34 am

Scott Smith lost his hounds in the Mt Marston area north of Whitefish. He got bounce signals some days and other days not. There were wolf tracks everywhere! Dead elk and mule deer as well left behind by the wolves. 14 days had gone by so we got a search party together to at least look for some collars. We found both hounds tired and hungry but alive. This area is ruff and tuff as well, Hounds will often times suprise you. Sorry to hear of your loss!

NWHoundHunter · Post by **NWHoundHunter** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:13 pm

Liv2Hunt, don't give up hope here. I lost on for 14 days, went into town one day and there she was, skinny but still alive.

Liv2Hunt · Post by **Liv2Hunt** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 10:43 pm

I did bump into a buddy with a plane that I have not seen in years, He is going to watch the weather and try to get the plane up as soon as the weather allows. He is really concerned about the turbulence in this area this time of the year. If we cannot get in the air before Weds. I am then not going to go and pay him the 200 dollars to locate what I think is collars and carcasses. I'll let you all know.