Opinions

[oneguy828]

Has Garmin changed the way you do things?? I know I probably wouldn't do it the same with out the equipment we have now.

[South Texan]

Hasn't changed the way I do things but I'm a whole lot surer of the things I do because of Garmin!


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[scrubrunner]

It helps if the trainer is smarter than the dog, sometimes I'm not

[oneguy828]

Have shocked a dog and they went on and count the cat. So it's safe to say I ain't the smartest one in my outfit.

[tigger]

So this post has really got me thinking, I have been raising some dogs for the past ten years that most hound guys would probably cull and some have that I have let try after telling them I don't think they will fit you not be able to make a dog out of them, yet I have never had one not make a decent dog, and quite a few that are all that in my eyes, which isn't much. A decent to dog to me is one that contributes to the goal at hand. So why can these dogs please me and not the majority of other hunters. I know the answer but would like to hear some other thoughts on why. I kind of likin' it to when I was growing up I was was always given the older worn out horses to ride but as a grew older and understood more about what was going on and starting my own horses I built a preference of what I liked in a horse and it was way different then when I was a kid

[coastrangecathunting]

Not all dogs fit with the style of the hunter. My style of dog is completely different than 95 % of all hunters. The style of how I hunt is the same as I was tough from Loyd based and my dad. Which is hot nosed dogs that don't bark until they are jumped. No barking behind or going to the other dogs. About 4 yrs ago I had trained a cold nosed pack of dogs. But got tired of cold trailing. Just not my cup of tea. These dogs I have now will cold trail but I have trained them not to. So if I have a young dog that wants to naturally put it's nose to the ground , open then put it nose to the ground again. I get rid of it. I know most of u are thinking , that's what there supposed to do. And for most people that is what u want. I want my dogs to smell a cat pick up there head and take off. Don't bark, I know they smell a cat I can see there body language. And so can the other dogs. So now there are 10 or more dogs running around covering the area looking for the track. No barking. Once 1 has found where it left the road there will be a bark or 2. And all dogs are heading to that dog. They will open here and there until jumped then it's a solid roar. If they make a lose , complete silence until 1 picks it up. The race tells a story. When u have dogs that won't honor and bark out of place it messes things up. Even if those dogs can catch there own cat. They are messing up my story so I will get rid of them. So a dog that I don't want might be useful to someone else. And a dog that someone else thinks is a hot nosed piece of shit that never opens until jumped is something that I would want. Style of how u hunt determine the style of dog u need. Jmo

[southern fox]

i know this a dog weather he hot nosed or not that wont bark till he is jumped i believe will jump more than a bunch that the cat can hear coming a mile or to, i got some that spills a little mouth on trail and got some that wont bark till there abt to run , they smell the cat just like the others but wont give as much tongue on trail, i like one that don't bark to much on trail but i don't use a garmin only my ears and i kinda like to know, but a cat that's been run a few times , a bunch that wont bark much will put him to running

[dhostetler]

I can see where a hot nosed dog is helpful in putting up a lot of bobcats if you hunt in an area with a lot of roads and a good population. Where I do most of my hunting cold nosed dogs dramatically increase the amount of races/bobcats you can catch. I always strive for colder nosed dogs. I am also anti silent dogs, I lost a very good 13 month old pup last year to a lion that I blame on running the track to silent.

How far away do you guys think a bobcat can hear a dog coming? A bobcat's ear is a lot closer to the ground than a human ear and we all know how quickly dogs can go out of hearing in heavy brush. I can see how a bobcat can be made to pop up if a dog all of a sudden shows up in his bed but once one is jumped almost all dogs I have ever seen run will be screaming.

[1bludawg]

Tigger,just remember the only person your dog has to please is you ! I don't care how good your dog is or how much game it catches I'll guarantee you one thing ,there will be someone who doesn't like it ! Just enjoy yourself and keep looking for and working towards finding that ideal dog you have in mind.

[oneguy828]

Dhostetler, we want similar types of dogs. I believe people give to much credit to a silent type dog jumping cats and putting them up more effeciently. In Jcs situation with 6-8 dogs looking for the cat it can be effective far beyond the means of one or two dogs trailing up but for reasons than just not hearing them. The ground covering between barks has as much to do with it as them being silent, it's a difference and anybody who has seen what I am talking about will know. 6-8 dogs finding loses and honoring swarm the cat more than they trail it. Somebody will be in the right place at the right time and they will get good at doing it if giving lots of time like I know a few on here do.

[oneguy828]

I have had dogs that are like that and excel in situations where they can "shut up and run" I need a trailing dog so that's what I stay with but that's why everybody has a different style of dog they are looking for.

[twist]

I had never been around a silent dog on cats until my Maggie dog came along I promise the right silent dog is leathal on cats! Andy

[dhostetler]

Oneguy828, I know exactly what you mean. I have had many disagreements with guys on the amount of dogs to run on a track. With the way I hunt and the way my dogs honor each other I think my success rate increases substantially when I run a minimum of 3 dogs on a track. Many guys think any dogs over one or two on a bobcat track decreases catch rates.

[cobalt]

I'm of the opinion of oneguy and d. Well balanced dogs give voice. Too much is not good of course. A silent dog who can't cold trail at all is a cull to me. They seem to be deadly on cats, but the reality is their drafting the dogs who work the hard end of the track and take the glory by sneaking off and finishing the race much of the time.
If you think silent dogs are the key, then take that dog out by itself with ZERO tracking equipment on and see how fun that is. Garmins are great but he careful of ruining the COMPLETE purpose of the scent hound.

[twist]

Because a dog is silent on track does not meen it is hot nosed and yes an all silent pack would not be suitable in my eyes but one in the mix is sure fun. Andy