NC Fox Hunting
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Ranger28117
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Sun Feb 09, 2014 6:28 pm
- Location: North Carolina
- Facebook ID: 0
NC Fox Hunting
Anyone from NC on here? I am interested in getting into running foxes. I have been a coon hunter for years but the running dogs have peaked my interest.
Re: NC Fox Hunting
Are you talking about running broke hounds on the outside or field trail fox dogs in a pen? I run fox walkers but they are field trail hounds that run in a pen.
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Ranger28117
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Sun Feb 09, 2014 6:28 pm
- Location: North Carolina
- Facebook ID: 0
Re: NC Fox Hunting
My only experience was running hounds in a pen. It wasn't a field trial but they were in a pen. To be honest I would be interested in either. I just love hearing a good pack of hounds run.
Re: NC Fox Hunting
The majority of fox hunters around NC run in a pen these days, although there are a few with broke hounds that still run greys and reds on the outside. Fox hunting is much more popular in eastern nc than in other parts. I live in Albemarle and while there are several hunters within an hour or so of me if you go east of I-95 towards the coast you will see dog boxes on one out of three trucks with fox Walkers in them.
To be competitive in a field trail your hounds will have to be in top notch shape, they are just like athletes. We run ours once a week for 5 hours at a time and are typically able to hold our own at field trails, we place some dogs here and there and also go and never get our name called but that is field trailing. Some folks will tell you that you need to run twice a week to be able to compete and others will say once is plenty. Its all a matter of opinion and of course what kind of time you have to run and hunt your dogs. Its usually an all day affair to run a dozen or so hounds and catch them all up. The only thing I would tell you to be careful doing with running your hounds is if at all possible try not to run them all night, its fun to listen to an all night hard driving race and you just pick them up at the cabin in the morning but its rough on the hounds and puts them in a gated mind set, as in the dog run hard, the pace themselves as they know will they will be out a long time. In a field trail you want them to run as hard as they can for 5 hours.
Fox hounds range in price from give aways to well into the thousands of dollars all based on ability and field trail records. Its fine to pay big bucks for a hound if you can afford to do that and it will get your name called a lot quicker than the cheap dogs or free ones but keep in mind fox hounds have a very short competitive life, as in 4 years at the very most and the majority of them are no longer able to compete with the younger dogs, they are retired for breeding or become deer dogs. If I was just starting out I would try to buy 4 to 5 young dogs or lightly started pups and work from there. this way you will be able to start running them now and wont have to raise them and wait for another 6 months before you can run them. You should be able to buy 4 to 5 hounds ready to start or lightly started at a much more reasonable price than you can a field trail ready 18 month old hound. Its a trial and error type of thing.
If you've got any questions or if there is anything I can help you with feel free to PM me. I've been at this game for about 10 years now and I remember what it was like just starting out. I started out with pure junk and not much guidance from an experienced hunter, and once I saw some nice dogs run I parted company with my culls quickly are started regrouping.
To be competitive in a field trail your hounds will have to be in top notch shape, they are just like athletes. We run ours once a week for 5 hours at a time and are typically able to hold our own at field trails, we place some dogs here and there and also go and never get our name called but that is field trailing. Some folks will tell you that you need to run twice a week to be able to compete and others will say once is plenty. Its all a matter of opinion and of course what kind of time you have to run and hunt your dogs. Its usually an all day affair to run a dozen or so hounds and catch them all up. The only thing I would tell you to be careful doing with running your hounds is if at all possible try not to run them all night, its fun to listen to an all night hard driving race and you just pick them up at the cabin in the morning but its rough on the hounds and puts them in a gated mind set, as in the dog run hard, the pace themselves as they know will they will be out a long time. In a field trail you want them to run as hard as they can for 5 hours.
Fox hounds range in price from give aways to well into the thousands of dollars all based on ability and field trail records. Its fine to pay big bucks for a hound if you can afford to do that and it will get your name called a lot quicker than the cheap dogs or free ones but keep in mind fox hounds have a very short competitive life, as in 4 years at the very most and the majority of them are no longer able to compete with the younger dogs, they are retired for breeding or become deer dogs. If I was just starting out I would try to buy 4 to 5 young dogs or lightly started pups and work from there. this way you will be able to start running them now and wont have to raise them and wait for another 6 months before you can run them. You should be able to buy 4 to 5 hounds ready to start or lightly started at a much more reasonable price than you can a field trail ready 18 month old hound. Its a trial and error type of thing.
If you've got any questions or if there is anything I can help you with feel free to PM me. I've been at this game for about 10 years now and I remember what it was like just starting out. I started out with pure junk and not much guidance from an experienced hunter, and once I saw some nice dogs run I parted company with my culls quickly are started regrouping.
NC Fox Hunting
I think you scared Ranger off, lol