Slow dogs

[dwalton]

This is two stories that I was told about a person that I never had the opportunity to hunt with. I hunted with his younger brother Don. These stories were told to me by someone that was there. George Nelson lived around Powers to my knowledge he work in predatory control work most of his life. One happen on the Chetco country in southern Oregon. George ran predators of any kind but mostly coyotes. The person that told me this run into George one day about noon he was also a hound man. They stopped to listen to his dog running a coyote. George comment to them was that the dogs were about ready to catch it. They were impressed that his dogs could catch a coyote on the ground which they did shortly. A comment was made about the luck that was involved in catching a coyote in the rough coast country. George pointed to the back of his truck, they walked over and looked in it, two still warm coyotes were in the back with not trap marks. This was the third coyote for the day that the dogs caught and killed on the ground. There used to be several coyote hunters in that area. How many of you houndmen could go and run down a coyote today let alone three in a day? The next story about him took place in Douglas county. They had a sheep killer that could not be caught in traps, snares, getter or with hounds. Dave Johnson had ran this coyote several times and it always left the country and the hounds could not run it down. Dave killed a lot of coyotes with his July's. The county put a hundred dollar bounty to all comers for this coyote. Dave called George and asked him to come give this one a try. George asked several question and told Dave he would. For Dave to gather standers and put them out where this coyote might run. George showed up at the ranch where the coyote was killing. George took a hound out of his truck to put on the coyote at the kill. Dave look at the hound it was one old broken down coyote dog that could barely move. How are you going to catch this coyote that out runs our fast hounds with this dog Dave thought. The dog trailed out on the coyote at a slow pace. The race as it was was headed up toward a stander. A shot was heard, coyote dead. The shooter said the coyote was just walking along looking back in no hurry. Speed is the best thing when you need it but can be the worst thing when you don't need it. The key is to know the difference. Dewey

[slowandeasy]

dewy, i had mentioned on a topic jc started as to how animals behave when being followed by slow to medium speed dogs. i think that us meaning houndsmen or woman like the excitement of a good fast race with the real excitement ending at the tree. but, after seeing many different animals in front of a variety of different speed of hounds. i think if just to kill the animal was all a person was concerned with. i believe most would be truly surprised that if you were to take a hound that was just a tad faster than a brace beagle. there would be a whole lot of killin goin on. and not near as many miles put on. but you would be doing all your shooting on the ground, ambushing the critters in front of them. this would be true for (most) all types of game. take care!

[al baldwin]

I consider my self lucky to have known George Nelson a little bit. Not many people really ever got to know George very well to my knowledge. George had a ranch in the Fairview area, & got along well with Clarence Berg, who was a government hunter for several years at the time George was trapping. One morning I was at Tom Barnetts, George called, had ran a bear the day before that was killing George/s sheep. Had got his dogs beat up & needed some help wih that bear. Tom insisted I go along with, I was very hesitent, knew george did not permitt just anyone to hunt with him. We stopped at Don Nelson/s place to pick up a redbone hound Don had on trail from stan thomas. George/s two teenage nephews climbed in with us. I really got apprehensive. We meet George on the road near his house, I knew immediatley trouble was brewing, George looked upset, he turned the Bronco & headed towards the fresh killed sheep. As we followed that bronco came to an abrupt, out jumped George. Tommy, what the hell are you thinking, you know I DONT HUNT LIKE THIS. Tom was patient at first and tried to explain he did not plan things that way. George wasn/t having it. Tom & george were both tought to deal with & things escaluted after Tom got mad. I didn/t know what to say, but manged to interupt & offer to take tom/s pickup & the two nephews up the road & WAIT FOR GEORGE & TOM TO GO BEAR HUNTING. George quickly settle down, would you do that? YES SIR! George turned to Tom & ask, do you still want to help kill that bear. Tom never answered, just grabbed his dogs, 30-30 , calk boots & climed in with George. The young men & I spent several hours visiting, they explained George was usually very good to them. George & tom arrived, Tom loaded the dogs & etc. into his Pickup and we parted ways. After george was gone , Tom told us they took care of the problem. A short time later Clarence told me George said that Baldwin kid might be all right. A few months later he told Clarence to talk with me about breeding his best bear hound to my Bell female. From that cross came the Deacon hound that was with Bell on that 428 lb. sheep killing bear I wrote about. Tom & George had a love hate relation, but had a huge respect for each other as bear hunters. The last time I talked to george he was retired, and at a family picnic at the park where I worked. He took the time to hunt me up and visit with me. I considerd that an honor. George was LIVING LEDGEND IN THIS AREA. Thanks Al Baldwin

[tmalone]

dwalton, i liked your story about those slow hounds, how true it is how game will run without being pressured !!

[South Texan]

Mr. Dewey,
From your story, I think I know why George worked for predator control for all those years. Sounds like he knew how to get the job done. One way or the other, whichever it took.

Mr. Al,
Enjoyed your story too. Mr. George must have been a good houndsman and woodsman. Thanks for sharing. Robbie