Tracking Bobcats

[Varminator]

In general, how old a track do you think a dog should be able to handle in good dry ground conditions. No snow!! And not some amazing ole hound that you seen, I think most of us has seen one of those. Maybe in hours or minutes? I didn't say days because I don't believe it.JMO. Think about getting back on top the cat after a bad lose.

[mike martell]

Think about getting back on top the cat after a bad lose.

Brad

This is possibly as good of a real time indicator going....You seen them dogs make a bad lose and struggle to trail it back up only over a matter of minutes....I was on a bear race years ago and marked a location I seen one jump the road while going to my dogs, an hour later I went to catch number two and couldn't start it with a hound that could rig and trail with the best....Humidity, weather etc. all play a role...I have seen certain conditions make dogs look good and conditions that make them look real bad....

Thanks for being a contributor on BGH. You bring years of experience to this board.

Mike

[david]

Brad,

Thanks for being a contributor on BGH. You bring years of experience to this board.

Mike

Amen! as we used to say. Now I think we say:

X2

[mark]

X3 Brad....... When sept. 1st rolls around drive up here and i will show you dogs that can trail up a 36 hour old bobcat track and catch it!!!!!!

[al baldwin]

Brad, really don/t have a clue how old a track average hounds can trail. Do believe lots depend on weather & etc. as mike mentioned, with you, it sure is not days. Also think makes a difference if the cat knows he is being pursued. Mark those dogs trailing & catching 36 hour old cat tracks have to be 5/8 bluetick. Correct? Al

[fallriverwalker1]

hey mark is it still alive or did it die of old age ha ha jim

[Big N' Blue]

hey mark is it still alive or did it die of old age ha ha jim

Jim, what happened to Bonjour!!!

Al, they had to be all bluetick What Mark failed to say it took him 6 days to catch him!

[david]

X3 Brad....... When sept. 1st rolls around drive up here and i will show you dogs that can trail up a 36 hour old bobcat track and catch it!!!!!!

Mark might have meant he could catch the track. Not sure he is saying he could catch the cat. Pretty good market for cat tracks these days. They are putting them in energy drinks.

I have seen tracks 36 seconds old the dogs could not smell.

[Varminator]

Mark. I think the cat was either living in that area and your dogs hit it fresher. Or the cat was off a ways and started moving out when he heard the dogs. How do you know it was 36 hrs old?
Did someone see the cat, and you went 36 hrs later? I've seen dogs that smell cat scent and go try to find it, but that isn't tracking. Seen dogs lick a rock or brush to try and get a better whiff. Mark I'll be there to see your super snoopers!! ...Brad

[LarryBeggs]

I would say in poor conditions a few minutes. In average conditions a couple hours. In Ideal conditions maybe over 5 hours. But the last two are guessing I have never seen a cat on dry ground and went back and put on it later. I have seen them on dry ground and take a half hour to an hour for the dogs to wake up and realize a cat was there and take it. Maybe the scent conditions changed or maybe the dogs were not focused. But they always eventually took them.I did see a big bore coon in the road one cold east wind night that the dogs never did take. Have put out on snow tracks that I know were a few hours old and had them take them . I have seen them struggle to take hot tracks in snow also. Also glad to see you on here Brad. I never got to meet you the other day but you have a very nice hard working family. Take care ,Larry

[Old dog]

mark i may come with brad and i'll tell you what,,,,,just show me a cat cross the road on dry ground and lets come back in half the time you claim oh heck lets call it in 15 hours. if you catch it we buy steak dinner if not then you buy ?

[al baldwin]

mark i may come with brad and i'll tell you what,,,,,just show me a cat cross the road on dry ground and lets come back in half the time you claim oh heck lets call it in 15 hours. if you catch it we buy steak dinner if not then you buy ?

Skip, think Mark has a sense of humor, believe he is having a little fun. Al

[Old dog]

lol thanks for the heads up al. good one mark, you got me. hey, I have met people that actually believe that kind of marleky

[mark]

Hey, im just going on what the dogs are telling me. They have caught far more cats than i ever have or ever will. We are kinda new at this getting in to each others heads thing and may have a few bugs to work out yet though????? An old cat hunter told me once "if they cant smell it they cant run it" and that is good enough for me.
Skip and Brad, come on up anyways cuz i have feeling we can catch some while we are trying to set the 36 hour thing up. If we can get one to cross the road and come back 36 hours later and the dogs cant trail it who cares, i will of had 36 hours of listening to you two lie to me and that is priceless!!!!!!!

[Varminator]

Thanks Larry, for putting a time on what you think. Sounds right on to me. Of course we have seen dogs that seem just to move out on tracks that other dogs don't have any idea a cat was there. Seen both ways with tight mouth dogs, Track or trail hounds walking off with the track and/or the drifting dog that hits the cat and gone.

The reason for me asking this question is, 30 some years ago I would sell a couple dogs each year to supplement my income. Almost everyone would ask "How old of a track will he or she take" I'd answer them how "I Felt". As some know my Dad was a member of the Bluetick Breeders of America and I was raised with some cold nosed dogs.

Mark, I heard that a track that old, is hard not to backtrack all the way to the after birth.