Running dogs that tree

[ridgerunners]

I am with you Twist ! I like to see a hound rig a bobcat here in Colorado too . That hound would be worth a bunch . If anyone wants to show me there hound can rig a bobbie here in Colorado please Pm me . Because I don't think it can be done here in this state .. We got a big storm coming are way and I am so excited them cats are in trouble this week !!!

[mike martell]

I am with you Twist ! I like to see a hound rig a bobcat here in Colorado too . That hound would be worth a bunch . If anyone wants to show me there hound can rig a bobbie here in Colorado please Pm me . Because I don't think it can be done here in this state .. We got a big storm coming are way and I am so excited them cats are in trouble this week !!!

"We got a big storm coming are way and I am so excited them cats are in trouble this week"

You guys are all right, I'm obviously wrong and ask forgiveness for crossing the line for even thinking it could be done.....It can't be done! I get it! I apologize for ever doubting you all! Have fun in the snow!
Key words ridgrunners and quite possibly the most accurate statement made in this entire thread!"That hound would be worth a bunch"

Take care guys and remember...Hunt what you like and what makes you happy, you all pay the feed bill!

Mike

[twist]

Spot, I have been at his game for a few yrs have tried several cold nosed strike dogs and have had some dandy strike dogs come here and ride the box. It just don't work CONSISTANT here in this area to make it worth ones time. I don't just get on here and say this because of lack of trying heck I would be the first to jump on the wagon and be doing it if it worked here. Does one think I am the only dumb cat hunter here that just says it won't work there are some fine hunters in this area that have been at this sport for a lot of yrs. I think if it worked they would be doing it also! If someone comes and takes my offer and does as I say and catches 1 cat per day for 3 days they better go buy a lottery ticket also because they would be one lucky sob. Andy

[oneguy828]

Worth ones time is all perspective. If I caught one in a week, roaded/rigged through trash trailed a couple spent 260 dollars in gas its worth it. Making a better dog is worth it to me. I mean no offense that's just the outlook I have that motivates me to try it! Maybe I am just young and dumb.

[funstuff]

Where I and twist hunt is high desert plateau on the EAST side of the continental divide. our scenting conditions are not as good as the west side. I know where twist hunts is drier than where I hunt, and it is dry here.

And we dont have the large cat pop, or the ROADS to rig for cats. Here you get a trail head at the edge of national forest if your lucky. Alot of places you have to go through a mile or more of private to get to public. We have alot of public ground, but that doesnt mean its easily accessable.

So my dogs have running in them, and when we strike a track, we are usually i few miles in already. If they cant do a 50 mile week the way I hunt, I dont feed em.

[oneguy828]

Cats don't travel roads nearly as much as they do in thicker areas either, they spend more time away from roads giving you less opportunity to rig them. I think that's where the importance of hitting specific hotspots(crossings, big rocks, drainages whatever) using all the tools roading/rigging/walking come in to play. It's not just find tracks or rig. There is many ways to get after them and rigging is just a tool maybe more useful in some areas but is viable nearly everywhere.

[T.Hunt]

I have a great deal of respect for those of you that are rigging cats, and trying to help those of us with less experience ( that are willing to listen), but I am developing an even greater appreciation for the nay sayers!

[Clyde Lawson]

WOW!! When I jumped into this forum never expected the number of or various comebacks.
Let me say that the utilization of striking cats from truck via "rigging" may not be for a number of hunters due to type of country that they have to hunt. Some of my country is not such that I cannot drive either my truck or UTV over it to accomplish what I am trying to do(strike a bobcat track and have a race).

But in saying that, I find that I gravitate to those hunt areas that I can cover 20-30 miles(or less) and get a cat race going. Other areas seem to not see me & the hounds as much as they used to!

Now what we all are trying to do is locate, run, tree or catch Mr. Bob. And most of the time to get some training in on some young hounds we have. OK, what better way to have a fresh track to run & have your older/finished hounds right there to see if (a) it is a bobcat & (b) is it good enough that the pack can run it? Fellows I cannot tell you how old that track is when by hounds "blow up on that dog box"? But I can tell you that so far 9 of 10 times that from 50 yards up to 300 yards there will be a cat race going and it will not be where they are just "pecking" around on that track! What a opportunity to let a young hound down and provide some of that "positive" training instead of having to shock them off of deer, coyote, coon, etc..

Another point mentioned in prior post--cats do not hang around or close to roads. Well you may want to re think that one? FUR, FISH, & GAME some time back had article from number of trappers stating that when trapping you over looked adj. to highways the trapper was passing up lots of fur---mainly cats, foxes, & coyotes. Come on now, road kill is easy meal for those predators. In my hunt area, & since I started "Rigging", I strike from 1-2 about every hunt right next to the dang blacktop( and late at night there if very little traffic) that I cannot or will not put down. We also finding that a number of cats we strike say 1-2 miles from that dang highway will head there when the hounds get to putting the pressure on them.

Another thing I will address---I seem to get more strikes in late afternoon(3:00 PM on) till about 9-10 PM. After that I call it, going back to camp and then starting about 5:00 AM & hunting up till 10-11AM. December, January, and first two weeks of Feb. in reviewing my records showed high percentage were struck at 7 to 9 in AM and 4-6 in PM?
Another oddity, if cool and overcast--would enjoy a good 1-2 hour race before cat had to do something. If sun was out and it warmed up some(above 50*) the scent seemed to get worse as the morning went along?

Just some more thoughts,

Clyde Lawson

PS: For me, my training on young hounds is working far better now then when I utilized only the tools of "roading"(with truck, utv, and mule back) or "free casting in likely cat places". Just saying!

[merlo_105]

Okay for you guy's who are only hunting the snow how do you know you have cold nosed dogs? I have some medium nosed dogs that will take a old old track in the snow. I'm no scientist I don't understand most of the scenting conditions between my snow and your snow. So please fill me in

[houndogger]

Mt bobcat season is dec. 1- feb. 15 unless quota is filled earlier, which it usually is on the western side of the state. Andy, I think you should sell tickets to this event, although you might have a bidding war for that hound if it meets your requirements.

Pretty short season what do you fellas run the rest of the year? Lions open longer?

[Clyde Lawson]

Okay for you guy's who are only hunting the snow how do you know you have cold nosed dogs? I have some medium nosed dogs that will take a old old track in the snow. I'm no scientist I don't understand most of the scenting conditions between my snow and your snow. So please fill me in

Merlo,

I home you get answer to this one! I get asked "You got any cold nosed hounds?". Well, not sure.

On dry ground just cause a hound is opening and other hounds are "flagging and excited", is the one that is opening got a "cold nose"? Or maybe he is just more loose mouthed (in some cases on one of my hounds, maybe to much)?

And by the way, those that are not saying anything, many times get the cat race going!

Clyde

[merlo_105]

Oh I agree with you Clyde, Just wondering how the snow guys know there dogs are cold nosed with out bare ground running them, Maybe the reason there not rigging or getting tracks going is there dogs really aren't that cold nosed... Idk just something to consider

[al baldwin]

Oh I agree with you Clyde, Just wondering how the snow guys know there dogs are cold nosed with out bare ground running them, Maybe the reason there not rigging or getting tracks going is there dogs really aren't that cold nosed... Idk just something to consider

Merlo, seems I read once where a houndman from Montana answer that question. He stated not allowed to run dogs at night, so, they would spot a snow track this evening, return the next am to work that track out. I believe I read that. Al

[oneguy828]

Clyde, I am referring to road density. If you have no roads, cats can't cross them! Pressure or traffic doesn't seem to effect that I have noticed BUT where there is a lot of timber there is a lot of roads and cats seem to use them more in that type of country. Not nearly as much in opener country where they use rims or drainages to travel and just cross a road straight across. A lot harder to rig in those places. In my opinion you can tell the coldest nose dog in your box and that's about it. The rest is speculation for the most part. That's my observations. When I start ats rigging usually I might get a bump or good strike and they go hunting and drift out and find the track a ways out. I am not sure if it even crossed that's in eastern Oregon not the coast or cascades. I think that a seasoned hound sometimes just wants to see what's in the bottom. Just a bunch of thoughts hope it makes sense to someone

[twist]

Well merlo Al put it as clear as it gets. Andy
Merlo, seems I read once where a houndman from Montana answer that question. He stated not allowed to run dogs at night, so, they would spot a snow track this evening, return the next am to work that track out. I believe I read that. Al[/quote]