who started from scratch?

[Liz ODell]

I started out with one 8 week old bluetick pup who basically became a measuring stick and the start of all my dogs. I spent a lot of time running anything that wore hair and alot of time looking for him (no tracking collars back then) but by the time he hit 1 year old we had caught our first few pieces of good game (bobcats) and carried on from there. I never really had alot of other hunters to help me out, by the time I found some me and Mojo were already catching game. All but one of the dogs I own now are sons, daughters, nieces, nephews and grandkids of Mojo. It has been about 15 or 16 years since I made that trip down to the Galt pond to pick him up. Persoanlly I'm glad I started out that way as I figured out alot of stuff on my own through my own experiences.

[jkcasey]

i started from scratch and still scratching...my head wondering what i'm doing

[bency]

I did. Still in the process, but catching more consistently now....which took me about 3 years.

[coastrangecathunting]

i do about every five years train a dog sell it or get killed train another isnt that hound hunting .doing it right now . just getting my dogs catching sht again now something is going to happen truck breaks down need new tracking collars something.cant pay the rent.finally i lose it and say f it i will sell a dog.the oldest dog i own right now is three and i have six dogs talk about nerves when the wrong dog barks on a bobcat lose. i dont use shocking collars which i know alot of you are saying you stupid s.o.b but i know the country i hunt know how game runs when its chased and know which dog should be leading the race. there are exceptions to the rules but those are the times i would shock the dog when it did have the cat .i know where the coyotes cross and when i start a track i know within 5 min if its a cat or not 95% of the time. a jumped tom bobcat in this country sounds excactly like a coy race . i invite anyone out there to come hunting with me just for fun bring a couple of yours and i will bring a couple of mine. i promis i havent ran a coyote since the last one.

[kk]

My son and I started from scratch, About 2 years ago. Our dogs are starting to do a good job. It has taken a lot of time and has been fun. We still have a ways to go but we are catching game. We hunt Bear lion and Bobcats.

[bryan]

I started from scratch with pups, I think my border collie probably taught them hounds more than I did, but the most rewarding hunt I have ever been on is when they finially got a lion caught.

[Smiley]

I started with pups but was able to spend woods time with other houndsmen that help get my dogs started.

[bad moon]

i started from scratch a few years ago with no background behind me. i went around picking up every free dog i could find and tried them out. mostly unstarted yearlings and let me be the first to tell you what an experiance it has been. after countless trash races and hours of looking dogs( first two years i did it all with no tracking system) i am finally able to catch game consistanly on my own. bear has been the hardest part to get them going, but needless to say they are going. out of all the original first dogs i have one remaining. it is by far the hardest way to start but think the knowledge and respect you gain is well worth it. i definatley recommend you do start out with a tracker and a trash breaker. i am pretty sure i could of bought all of the best equipment two times over with all the gas and time i spent looking for trash running hounds

J.T. Robbins

[mulemanbl]

Started from scratch too. I had some friends that were into hound dogs for years but got out of the sport. They told me what to do and look for when training. I walked those pups on a leash on a lot of lions tracks before letting them go. Chased a lot of deer too. Caught my first lion in an old mining culvert. What a rush !! I'm hooked for life now.

[Nolte]

I feel like I'm constantly starting over from scratch. I will let you know when I get past the "start" part. Luckily I know a guy or two who have a few dogs that let mine tag along.

I got to go with Pete on this one. If I had to depend on my dogs to eat, I'd probably have to buy one. Or REALLY open up my menu options.

[Redwood Coonhounds]

I did, and still am. By next year I should have a good "solid" pack.

Born into a hunting family. My Mom gave me my first hound pup for my 18th birthday. Hunted him hard, and had him around some other good dogs. He was killed by a bear a couple seasons ago so I've had to start over, again. I got my current best dog as a 7 week old pup as a Christmas present. She turns 3 next week. She started early, and has now been my main dog for two bear seasons. I have an almost 2 year old son out of her. He's gone from tit to tree for me.

I've gotten a lot of older dogs, bought dogs, given dogs, ect - none of them have ever made it very long here. I don't like other peoples throw aways, and other peoples bad habits. If I don't raise it and train it from a pup I don't have the commitment to it. I take pride in the dogs I have now, though they aren't perfect, I've put a lot of hard work making them what they are.

[Cat Crazy Miller]

I've only run hounds four two years now ive never hunted whith another hound guy just loved the out doors and dogs and hunting so i bought my first walker which turned out to be a dud wouldn't do two run in deep snow so it didn't take me long to get rid of him then you could say i got lucky and bought two one year old walkers that had never bein run on game before i walked my tail off on tracks trying to get them started but it paid off cause by the end of the year they treed there first cat and the switch got turned on then last summer i bought another female from the same guy that was started and between those three i treed 6 cats last winter all i can say is if you wana start from scratch its fun and rewarding but make shur that you buy from proven lines and people who hunt there dogs hard or you might still be tryin 10 years from now do i now what i'm doin no theres only one thing i know about hounds they keep my pocket book empty but they shure are fun

[Eric Muff]

SHOULDA BOUGHT A DOG TO START WITH BUT YOUNG,NO CASH,KIDS AND SO ON I TOOK THE HARD ROAD TOO.BEEN ALOTTA YEARS NOW,YEARS I HAVE REALLY ENJOYED AND CONTINUE TO ENJOY.
I'VE GONE ALOTTA DIFFERENT WAYS,BOUGHT DOGS,STARTED PUPS,RESCUED A FEW,SOLD A FEW,GAVE A COUPLE AWAY TRIED ALMOST EVERYTHING.
IT'S ALL GOOD.
IT IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT.

[houndnhorse]

Mr. Muff, other than you shouting at me, you summed it all up in a very short diatribe. It'll take some a hundred years to learn, and some come by it naturally. I am not a natural, but I learn from others mistakes. This board and others hasten the learning curve, I wonder how good the hounds of tomorrow will be? That is, if we can not repeat previous mistakes nor get restless with success. Hunt what you have, and if somebody else has better get it. I don't know any other way to improve. "They're just dogs." (Pete Richardson)

[nait hadya]

me,several times.