What to do in off season

[hankster]

This is probably a really really stupid question but im new to the sport and couldnt find an answer on here. Do you do any training in the off season, all the snow in central wisconsin here is pretty much gone and i was wondering what i could do to still work with my dog. I dont want him to forget some training that took place in the past few months becuase he was only on about 10 coyotes this year due to the lack of snow.

Thanks

[kc]

my off season is only a few months, then bear season starts. it nice to give the hounds and myself alittle bit of rest. if you are still allowed to run coyoes, keep running them. snow only helps in finding tracks, hounds should be able to run yotes without snow. you could also find a training pen in your area.

[hankster]

Alright i was wondering if i could free cast them and see what they do. Would it be a bad idea setup an overhead cable guide for them to run on? I just feel bad or feel like im wasting them when they sit in the kennel all day everyday.

[Geohunts]

i would use the pen it 3 dollars per dog half a day

[mondomuttruner]

In my opinion, I would shy away from trying to run yotes on dry ground if you plan to hunt that dog on bear. Hounds learn that snow means yotes or cats and dry ground means bear. Cuts down on the trash runs when bear hunting. Let em rest and work on handling during the off season.

[Hounder-]

In my opinion, I would shy away from trying to run yotes on dry ground if you plan to hunt that dog on bear. Hounds learn that snow means yotes or cats and dry ground means bear. Cuts down on the trash runs when bear hunting. Let em rest and work on handling during the off season.

I agree with mondo....I try to keep my dogs thinking snow = cats and yotes and bare ground = bears.

However, you may not be a bear hunter, if not you can run 'em all year by free casting. The hides won't be worth anything but no one is doing it to get rich on the hides

Coyote pens are nice too, get a for sure run and its a controlled hunt.

I road/run with my dogs in the time between coyote and bear hunting, but that is just me. They don't get as much use as during an actual hunting season but its something to ease my mind at least. I hate to see my dogs in the kennels day in and day out too.


Oh ya, if you like a little competition, the Wisconsin bear hunter's association has a field trial every Saturday for like the next 2 months around the state. They are fun to go to. Check out WBHA's website for the schedule.

[hankster]

In my opinion, I would shy away from trying to run yotes on dry ground if you plan to hunt that dog on bear. Hounds learn that snow means yotes or cats and dry ground means bear. Cuts down on the trash runs when bear hunting. Let em rest and work on handling during the off season.

I agree with mondo....I try to keep my dogs thinking snow = cats and yotes and bare ground = bears.

However, you may not be a bear hunter, if not you can run 'em all year by free casting. The hides won't be worth anything but no one is doing it to get rich on the hides

Coyote pens are nice too, get a for sure run and its a controlled hunt.

I road/run with my dogs in the time between coyote and bear hunting, but that is just me. They don't get as much use as during an actual hunting season but its something to ease my mind at least. I hate to see my dogs in the kennels day in and day out too.


Oh ya, if you like a little competition, the Wisconsin bear hunter's association has a field trial every Saturday for like the next 2 months around the state. They are fun to go to. Check out WBHA's website for the schedule.

Hounder first off thanks for the tips, and second im assuming you use the same dogs for cat/yote as you do bear. Was it hard to train them on both? Do they ever trash on the game your not hunting? i have been wondering if it was possible to do that. My buddy told me about the bear hunters association and were planning on going to some becuase we would like to get into bear hunting in future. Although i read it costs are 11k a year even after you have an established pack of dogs, gear, vehicls etc.. OUCH!! thats rough l

[NYCOYOTEHOUNDS]

I do not use the same dogs on coyotes as I do bear/coon.

[mondomuttruner]

Hankster..
It's not hard to train dogs on different game, it just takes lots and lots of time in the brush. (it only takes lots of time on straight game dogs, lol) I get a cross run every couple years but generally happens early in the season on a tough cold track when a (hot track) different critter crosses the cold track. I can live with that. 11k a year? I don't think I could spend that much if I threw money out the window while checking baits!! I consider myself lucky by being able to run hounds just out of my driveway.(I don't have to drive a 100 miles to run, which may get costly)
NYCoyotehntr..
The way I see it, the more hounds you have + the more money you spend + the more you have to work= less time to run game. One pack, different game, works for me. My hats off to ya though, I'd love to see some of that dry ground coyote runnin...

[hankster]

I have no facts or anything about the 11k costs so it very well could be untrue. So it seems as though that you guys run a dog and bear and run it on some other type of game. That would be nice, not having to have a pack of dogs for every game. I could see how this would become costly.

[NYCOYOTEHOUNDS]

Mondomutt...unfortunately in my neck of the woods we are scarce on bear and cats. An hour in either direction of me you can get into some. At this point in my life, I cannot do it all. I keep to coyotes and coon and don not use the same dogs because I use running dogs on coyotes. If I was fortunate enough to have it all, then perhaps a different style of hound may be a better choice. Could never figure out how to get these running hounds to tree well..

[mondomuttruner]

NYcoyotehntr,
By being able to hunt out my back yard a person looses sight of what a lot of people have to do to run their dogs that live an hour or more away from gamey country. If I had to drive an hour to run I'm not sure what I would do as far as running hounds. Gotta give a lot of credit to the guys that do have to commute to a hunting area.
I do drive a couple hours to hunt on occasion, but it sure is handy to drive 15 min and run a critter.

[DunDealHoundHunters]

I also agree with mondo...i keep coyote hunting on snow and bear on dry ground of course and lucky to have 3-4 coyote chases all bear season and coyotes dont get much more plentiful then where I hunt but then again depends how smart the dog is...happy hunting.

[NYCOYOTEHOUNDS]

Plenty of coon and coyotes right out my door step. The bear and cat are slowly closing in and who knows, maybe some day I can have a versatile pack.

[mondomuttruner]

NYcoyotehntr...good attitude..
I have the same views here in Wisc., those cougars are slowly finding their way here. Every year there's more and more spotted. Probably be a cold day in hell we can chase them but it's hope. There's some guys that got to chase one legally a year or so ago, the dnr wanted to catch it and test it.