Pretty New to Bobcat Hunting .. Need Help...

[bullseyecowboy]

I am just starting out in the Bobcat Hunting and I tell ya , I have had alot of difficulty getting my dogs to run a track without me walking it out for a mile with them. Must be doing something wrong. Do you guys suggest I get some stray cats and dowse them in bobcat scent . I have some gland Cronks Bobcat scent I have run the roler and dobb training from Mike Leonard as few times and dogs smoke the track and I put a stuffed animal in the tree, and they tree. But I have a Topper Aaing pup who is not a direct daughter of topper and a van johnson male they run good together and both wana kill the barn cats everytime they see them. I havent use barn or stray cats for any of my train. What do I do. I am not rich so am unable to afford a bobcat trainer dog to run with these 2. I am finding lots of tracks and putting them on the topper female wants to take them every time .

[Mike Leonard]

Bobcats can be tough for even an experienced dog to line out in the country you are hunting, but don't give up. get rid of that Cronks scent and get some Grawes bobcat glad scent and use less and less each time you work them. I am not sure but I believe you are hunting pretty close to some of my old cat hunting grounds around Alzada and Capital and that can be really tough country when the tracks freeze down really hard. without a trained dog to start these dogs behind you want to get a couple of catches on them to really get them fired off. Sounds like you have the good blood for cats so here are a couple of suggestionsI got from and old time Montana cat hunters over 35 years ago. Make sure you are legal and trap a few cats either leg hold or live trap even better. Cats are pretty easy to catch when compared to coyotes and such and even as a dumb ranch kid i was able to trap a bobcat now and then. Let you dogs trail up the trap drag and bay the cats and if they break loose all the better for they will catch them again. You may have to sacrifice a little fur to get them rolling but it will be worth it. also if you have a good number of cats in a certain area that is not too rough and you know where they hunt wait for an evening when you have a little warmer breeze and better yet a little fresh snow down or even falling and take them out there at night. These tracks will be fresher becasue the cats are out and about and you will get some good runs. Cats can be very hard to hold in a tree at night so wear your good walking boots but this will really fire those young dogs up.

stay with them and you will get them going ,cat hunting is never an overnight thing and as most who know will tell you no greater challenge is out there than consistantly catching bobcat with hounds.

Have fun!

[mondomuttruner]

You never mentioned if you got the cat jumped by walking the tracks. If not, keep walking the track with the hounds until you get a hot track. You may have to do this a few times to get the dogs confidence up. It's a lot of walking, a lot of work, nobody ever said cat hunting is easy...Don't expect to tree a cat right away, just get em on some hot tracks and let em learn. I'm not a big believer in scent trails, nothing beats the real thing...

[twist]

Keep the pups on aleash until the cats up and jumped a lot of work and walking but worth the out come. You do this a few times and that little female will end up at a tree. Andy

[kehrer10]

Just keep going, I've been getting my butt kicked repeatedly too. Still get pretty excited when the dogs burn out on a track. Don't give up and just keep going, if this sport was easy and for the smart everyone would do it!!!

[cobalt]

Sounds like an instant gratification issue to me. If the dogs are under 2 and they show desire, keep walking those tracks out til the dogs want to take over the track. Eventually and by luck, you will happen upon a bedded cat in a good spot and the dogs may experience success. The more of these events that happen the harder the dogs will hunt and the tougher the tracks they'll be able to work because they will start to really understand what they are suppossed to be looking for. Patience is the key, I think. If you bag one cat this year (with the dogs) I think you will be doing well. You might be very surprised how much better they'll be next year if you stick to your program and your luck (and work) will turn to their skill. Catching any game is the product of dogs being able to do it and your persistance in putting them in a position to learn.

I also think taking them out individually will help. You can help them so much better one on one.
Barn critters can help pups, but what you're describing, cold to medium trailing, will not help young dogs with this type of training unless you give the critter an hour or 2 head start.

[bullseyecowboy]

Thanks for all the information, greatly appreciated. I knew it wasnt going to be easy just wanted to give these 2 dogs the best training and advange on bobcat hunting I can. Thanks again for all your help. I have one other question but will make a new topic for it.

[live to hunt]

Bullseye you should read the bobcat regs for montana. Hunting at night is not legal. Andy has good advive keep your dogs on a leash until you jump the cat.

[bullseyecowboy]

For your information all I have to say to you live to hunt is . I live in south dakota. I do not need to read the montana regulation book. Hunting at night is legal in south dakota.

[live to hunt]

Well shame on me for trying to help a guy out! Your heading states that you are from Montana! All you NEWBY's are alike you know everything and then you find out you don't

[Unreal_tk]

Read this, re read it, and re read it. Best advice!

Sounds like an instant gratification issue to me. If the dogs are under 2 and they show desire, keep walking those tracks out til the dogs want to take over the track. Eventually and by luck, you will happen upon a bedded cat in a good spot and the dogs may experience success. The more of these events that happen the harder the dogs will hunt and the tougher the tracks they'll be able to work because they will start to really understand what they are suppossed to be looking for. Patience is the key, I think. If you bag one cat this year (with the dogs) I think you will be doing well. You might be very surprised how much better they'll be next year if you stick to your program and your luck (and work) will turn to their skill. Catching any game is the product of dogs being able to do it and your persistance in putting them in a position to learn.

I also think taking them out individually will help. You can help them so much better one on one.
Barn critters can help pups, but what you're describing, cold to medium trailing, will not help young dogs with this type of training unless you give the critter an hour or 2 head start.

[mark]

For your information all I have to say to you live to hunt is . I live in south dakota. I do not need to read the montana regulation book. Hunting at night is legal in south dakota.

Well you need to read something,thats for sure! I would recommend a good book on common sense for starters. Then go back through the whole bobcat section on here. A lot of your questions have been hashed out many times on here already. I got to agree with Cobalt on this one,a instant gratification thing. I think thats a pretty common problem with hound guys out there. Try becoming a studier of animals and there habits first then try to figure out how to catch them with a hound. This will of course take some time and energy. So if thats not an option buy a good "cat dog" $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ because in the long run you are going to spend a lot of money anyways and probably wont have the success you are expecting. There are no fast tracks to being a successful cat hunter short of the same things you want in a dog. Brains,Heart,Drive, PERSEVERANCE! Don't smartass people trying to help you! Im done,sorry

[bullseyecowboy]

For one I dont act like I know everything , why dont you read something. I posted a question. I find it funny how some guys think they are so tough and know everything and run there mouth on peoples post. If you dont have anything nice to say. STAY AWAY FROM MY POST.

[bullseyecowboy]

Sorry to whomevers feelings I hurting that reported me to this site.

[mark]

Wasn't me,takes more than that to hurt my feelers.