Cold Trailing

[merlo_105]

Got some pups right now day old Cold trailing to the nipple. Pull them away they'll strike it. Not yet treeing the nipple. But good nipple locators. 10,000$ Most see what they want to see that's what keeps them from having quality dogs and of coarse breeding.

[mark]

How much and where you located?

Always wanted to do that!!!!!!! Lmao

[merlo_105]

Nipple pup's aren't cheap... but I do have one with your name on it.

[twist]

Mention nipples to Mark and he just can't resist lol.

[fallriverwalker1]

thought ole merlo was talking about me ,, been that way all my life but he wanted to much money heck I aint worth half that jim

[mark]

Not sure Jim but i dont think he was talkin Man Nipples

[fallriverwalker1]

now now mark im not like ol blue im not a switch hitter ,, even he says if ya go both ways ya get more // but he stays with you when he comes north so you must know how he is

[merlo_105]

Damn went from Cold Trailing to Nipples to Man Love. You guy's sure are a different Breed down there

[Dan Edwards]

Always assumed cold trailin and man love were bout the same thing and I got zero desire to try either one out.

[merlo_105]

Dan You're making me a little Nervous about this Mark Character beings he's the one who started this Topic... I better watch out for that Banjo music when I'm down that way.

[Jonsoutdoors]

Hey Mark and the rest, Hope things are going well. Mark, this to me is such a good topic. I just got back to running hounds about 3 years ago from a 30 year lay-off. Now, I run only cats and enjoying it more than I can tell you. I tell my buddy's it is like playing the guitar. No matter how good you and your pack are, you can still have a great time. But, this scent thing is really messing with me, too. I have dogs right now that I am very satisfied with and my schedule allows me to be in the woods at least 3 days a week. So I hunt a bit. One thing I wonder is how my lead dog can strike a bobcat off the rig then she can't find anything on the ground. This has happened a couple times this year. She will go off up the hill and down to try but nothing. I seen one day a guy I know and has god dogs, seen the cat in the road and didn't get it but get a cat the is 12 or more hours old. As far as cold trail, I wonder how long you let them cold trail. For example, Saturday 2 of my dogs cold trailed a bobcat for almost 3 hours. My lead dog is very good for fixing things but after that long, do you call them out to go get another going or let them go until they quit? Scent is so affected by so many things. Humidity, temperature, desire of the dog just so many things. I try to never make my dogs more than they are. It is about them , not me. I had one guy tell me that your dog will catch every cat it can. I like that. The week before, my girls put up 3 cats in 3 trips and only 1 do I think was a hour or two old. The rest were much older. Where I hunt, most of these cats are very trained because they have been run so many times. I like that because it is good training for my girls. I am babbling like one of my pups so I will shut up. Mark, just keep getting out. You and you dogs will get it figured out. Don't compare to anyone else. Don't write a check for your dogs that they can't cash. I hunt a lot around Mt. Hood. If you are ever in the area, let's go. Because of my schedule I hunt a lot by myself. Good luck to all of you this off season. (if there is one) Later Jon

[merlo_105]

I'm no Mark but I'll throw in my 2 cents. There are a few answers for the striking. The dog can't locate the track. The dog struck off game and went and checked it out. It struck a piss post or a turd. It struck just a faint pocket of scent that managed to hang on in the woods. The track was way off and lost it going to it, To far out. Now it boils down to can you handle unproductive strikes. Some people like for when that dog rigs there is a track there that will get going. That's going to be a warmer better track. Where as I like them to hit everything that is a cat or they think could be. My dogs rig a lot I don't want them missing anything that is or they think is a cat So I will have some unproductive rigs. As far as the cold trailing as long as they advance the track forward I'll let them move it. I don't pull mine off Cold tracks. It's been mentioned in this topic in the early pages that if your truly cold trailing your not going to get every cat to running. So don't feel bad when they don't get every track jumped.

[barksalot]

merlo; I am new to rigging but have a dog that seems to have a talent for it. I tried to pose the question on another thread as to how to handle strikes off of the rig. I still have numerous questions. The goal is , of course, to minimize the unproductive strikes and make all strikes as smooth and quick as possible. Since the dogs are focused ahead they tend to search to the left and right in front of the truck. Should I back up the road 35 to 40 yards before putting them down? Should I factor in wind direction and release them into the wind? I would appriciate all input. I hope that this is not distracting the "cold trailing" thread. Bayne

[merlo_105]

Barksalot, I leave mine loose on the box they seem to pin point it better being able to move around the box and makes the drop time faster. A lot depends on the wind or thermals I try to box them in the wind as much as possible as for moving the truck I don't unless they can't pin point it due to it being way off the road I'll get them back up top and back up slowly till one cuts loose then generally they have it dialed in. As for tracks across the road or near the road they learn on there own to figure it out some are natural and some take time to figure out the direction. You can try walking them back behind the truck get them in the habit of looking for it. If the dog strikes then comes off and just gets going down the road he probably just wants off to road. If they don't look for a track holler at them and get them back up. You'll figure the dog out with time if the track is near by or if its hot or cold and so on. As for cleaning them up on the rig where there only rigging good tracks if they don't go looking hard like there is a track right there just holler at them and get them back up they'll figure it out quicker then yuh think. I have zero practice in getting a dog to only strike run able tracks. When you start doing that your going to be missing cold tracks that they can get going or even warm tracks. I want mine to take what they can get. if you have a heavy population of what ever it is your going to be hunting then obviously its no big deal to pass a couple old ones. Just in force it that there better be a track there. Don't go crazy with the electricity just a verbal say is all thats needed. I'm sure Mark, Al, And Dewey can chime in and others and fill in the Blanks or tell what they do different then I

[twist]

I'm for sure no expert on striking but here I get way more strikes than can move. If your dogs are moving a track I would sure not pull them off here in my area. If its not going no where thats a different story then id say bag it and move on.Andy