Buying Dogs from the coast for the mountains

[super white hunter]

Seems like lots of activity in here lately so thought I would ask what people thought.
I have been keeping my eye out for a bobcat dog for next season. Don't have tons of money so need to find a good deal. Need one that will cold trail a track that I show to him.
Seems like lots of bobcat dogs for sale on here come from west coast states and not very many from my climate. and the ones that do are super expensive. I know it is a risk to take a dog from a different climate and try to hunt him here.
-Is it worth the risk to get a dog from out west or should I wait and shell out the money for one that is from here.
-Also curious what people do when wanting to buy a dog but it is out of season here and hard to test him out and see if he is worth keeping. Pretty hard for me to go some where and hunt with them, Have a job and kids so can't just take off. I have bought dogs out of season and been screwed. by the time I can really hunt them my trial period is long over and can't return.
I know this is pretty big question thanks for your input.

[mike martell]

SWH.
The style bobcat dog you are talking about are out there....By definition a real bobcat dog should adapt and catch game no matter where put down....I hunted Bear for years and watched mediocre style dogs fall way short of catching bear in certain areas and even though they did tree bear, they were a far cry from a bear dog...This is the fundamental breakdown...Finding that dog and how you can afford to own that dog on a budget while raising a family Etc....I would recommend shelling out the money in your back yard if you have it or starting a pup target "bobcat" specific on you own from top bobcat bloodlines and you will be way happier and you can simply work your way into this one step and dollar at a time..... and yes we have way too much idle time since season is closed out west or we wouldn't be here!

[CRA]

SWH.
The style bobcat dog you are talking about are out there....By definition a real bobcat dog should adapt and catch game no matter where put down....I hunted Bear for years and watched mediocre style dogs fall way short of catching bear in certain areas and even though they did tree bear, they were a far cry from a bear dog...This is the fundamental breakdown...Finding that dog and how you can afford to own that dog on a budget while raising a family Etc....I would recommend shelling out the money in your back yard if you have it or starting a pup target "bobcat" specific on you own from top bobcat bloodlines and you will be way happier and you can simply work your way into this one step and dollar at a time..... and yes we have way too much idle time since season is closed out west or we wouldn't be here!

SWH,
Mike may have just saved you thousands of dollars with what he just put into a quick paragraph. There is alot on valuable information given in that post.

[super white hunter]

SWH.
The style bobcat dog you are talking about are out there....By definition a real bobcat dog should adapt and catch game no matter where put down....I hunted Bear for years and watched mediocre style dogs fall way short of catching bear in certain areas and even though they did tree bear, they were a far cry from a bear dog...This is the fundamental breakdown...Finding that dog and how you can afford to own that dog on a budget while raising a family Etc....I would recommend shelling out the money in your back yard if you have it or starting a pup target "bobcat" specific on you own from top bobcat bloodlines and you will be way happier and you can simply work your way into this one step and dollar at a time..... and yes we have way too much idle time since season is closed out west or we wouldn't be here!

Thanks Mike, I have a pup now that is showing great promise on the bobcats. Have learned that they do lot better with that older dog. Lost some good dogs last year so need a restart. The older dog that I have now will put a hurting on the Lions but won't touch a bobcat. Just trying to get a jumpstart with a new dog but what you say makes perfect sense

[Jeff Eberle]

SWH I'm with Mike on this. Well bred pup from a line of cat dog is the way to go if you feel you have it in you. The way I see it if it was trained by someone else it will always be the product of that man. But I love working pups and have the prefect situation with a buddy that live on a large ranch surrounded by blm & Forrest land load with cat & fox if he's not hunting them I am, the two pups that I'm starting right now will learn the basics on their own before their are ran w/ mom & dad then once they are show a hand full of cat they will be singled out and hunted alone one night a week or more. I enjoy watching a pup learning to put a track together for a longer race each time out. It may sound funny but I will enjoy get beat with the pups more then catching with the old dogs. When that day comes it will be all the sweeter. good luck

[dwalton]

I will try to answer some of your questions. Dogs that are good dogs adjust pretty quick. I use to take my dogs to Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and still do in the deserts of Oregon and California to hunt bobcats and they do find. I think you are more likely to get a good young dog out here than you could find anywhere else just because there are more. But be careful as you know people will sell you anything buyer be ware. I have know to people offer for sell a dog that won't run bear as a cat dog that may of not been on many cats. Ask for references and have some one out here hunt the dog for you. There are some good bobcat hunters in southern Colorado, I don't know if they sell dogs often. Most lion dogs can catch bobs but may or may not be a top bobcat dog it depends on what you expect or want. What do you expect from a bobcat dog? How much experience do you have? How much do you plan on paying? These are some of the question you need to look at for yourself which you may already have. Good luck Dewey

[twist]

super white hunter, If you find someone that is respectable and tells it like it is with a dog from the west you will be fine they adapt may take a few cats but they will do you just fine. Just keep after Dewey to sell ya one of his younger dogs that have been on some cats and you will be just fine he is a straight shooter. I bought a male off of him a few years back and he is 5 going on 6 in Aug. now and he will stay here until he dies, He is leathal on bobcat, he is not perfect but none are. Andy