BigGameHoundsmen.com

Blue now you Mark lol. I'm sure I have told you i try to leave females and poor bellied cats. I have also said we have a poor population compared to a few select areas in the country. Now like I said there are some that put great numbers up and you are one of them, I can say that do that. I have seen better yrs than this yr for cats here but its always had its up and down with your cat populations but its not do to the houndsmen in this state I can promise anyone that. Our cat population rises with the food source and for the past few yrs our rabbits have been down this yr they are coming back so cats will fallow. I also believe high pelt prices have effected the cat population to a certain extent. Dhostetler dont go culling any of your dogs that are catchin bobcat ill take them lol. Andy

How the hell did this topic get so convoluted? I personally would hunt a poodle if it treed cats regularly, don't know why people have to start flinging shit about how we don't have "real" cat dogs out here and it's because we "mismanage" the population. I think you oregon guys have been living in cat heaven for so long you forgot what it's like to hunt where you don't strike 5 cats a day. I always thought we were a part of a brotherhood of people that supported each other in the endeavor to continue a culture and way of life that is going by the wayside quickly. Guess I was wrong. I don't think numbers a re relevant unless we're talking percentages like Andy and Trueblue mentioned. I'm probably wasting my breath, but I'm a glutton for punishment.

I have never said you dont have real cat dogs back there. I wasnt saying you mismanage your cats back there as im sure your F&G handles the management. I was saying that if the guys i know ( Andy isnt one em im referring to) would leave a few it dang sure wouldnt hurt the population any. If you leave cats to run again Newby i dont see why i would of offended you in any way.

Ok i have had it who hi jacked my post, i wanted to find some running dogs that tree, not listen to a bunch of grumpy old cat hunters at who has the best cat dogs.

You started it to get the shit flying! It worked and now you want to take your ball and go home! You live right in the middle of running x dog capital of Oregon and if you cant find one there i dont know how to help you. You have said in the past that you have hunted with every major cathunter on the west coast. Surely you have seen some runnin x dogs that tree? That is where i would start unless youre waiting for someone to drop one off on your doorstep free of charge.

Bones2 goto marks house, you'll see some.

Bone, I'm with Mark on this one if you can't find and running dogs that can tree out there you are one poor looker lol I'm am a long ways away but can point you in the right direction if need be. Andy

I have lots of experience running red fox with foxhounds, but if I wanted them to run bobcat etc I would be looking for the right strain of treeing hound instead of going through the painstaking process that your ancestors went through centuries ago when they first got over there and started huntin' tree game with true hounds... sounds like re-inventing the wheel to me?

No offence meant. And please forgive my inexperience with treeing hounds, but surely there are strains that would suit your requirements in existence that are born to tree?

Surely if there are strains of running hound that tree, they are then in fact treeing hounds, no?

Fallriverwalkers- how many times I hear you say this same thing highland hounds just said? Lol

Big N' Blue, no you didn't piss me off my post was more of a joke. I well understand how one's opinions are formed from personal experiences.

mark, I am guilty as charged. In Trapping District one, where I hunt we have a quota of 275, last December it closed in 26 days, the year before it closed in 18 days. You would not believe the rig of steel that is deployed during open quota. The best bobcat roads have a trap every 300 yards or less. There is a limit of 4 each per person. So if I would not have killed the 4 I did in December, that would've allowed the quota to stay open another 1/2 day before those 4 were killed by somebody else. According to FWP website a third get harvested by hounds and the rest by trappers in District 1. I have some serious doubts about those numbers. I know for fact it is under 10% with hounds in the specific areas of Trapping District 1 that I hunt.

dhostetler wrote:Big N' Blue, no you didn't piss me off my post was more of a joke. I well understand how one's opinions are formed from personal experiences.

mark, I am guilty as charged. In Trapping District one, where I hunt we have a quota of 275, last December it closed in 26 days, the year before it closed in 18 days. You would not believe the rig of steel that is deployed during open quota. The best bobcat roads have a trap every 300 yards or less. There is a limit of 4 each per person. So if I would not have killed the 4 I did in December, that would've allowed the quota to stay open another 1/2 day before those 4 were killed by somebody else. According to FWP website a third get harvested by hounds and the rest by trappers in District 1. I have some serious doubts about those numbers. I know for fact it is under 10% with hounds in the specific areas of Trapping District 1 that I hunt.

That sure makes it tough on a hounds man!! I sure admire your tenacity to stay with it!
I sure meant no dis respect to any one especially you and Andy. Wish ya'll lived in a more hospitable country to hunt! For that matter Me too!! All my old stomping grounds have been taken over by sub-divisions!!! Oh well! It is what it is!! Good luck to you!!

I meant no disrespect to anyone either. I guess what i was getting at is that it has to start somewhere with someone. Can you still pursue after the quota is filled? And if you can how hard do you guys hunt just to make the dogs better? How many guys rely on a fur check to be able to justify being out there? I realize there is nothing you can do about the trapping,no fur market is the only thing that takes care of that and with quality of the fur i suspect a cat will always be worth layind some traps down. I am fortunate to live where i do and count my blessings daily! However the passion i have had with cats and dogs for 40+ years im sure i would of found a way to end up living where i could satisfy that passion. It comes down to how much of a priority you make it and how much work you are willing to put into it. Contrary to popular belief there isnt a cat behind every bush here. The guys that i know that have high success didnt get there over night, it takes alot of trial error to get to that point. There is a ton of knowledge on here if you can sort it out, but dont just sit back and call bullshit until you have really given a method a hard honest try. I believe it would be real hard at best to make a rig dog back there but if you know where to look and seriously check a dog out,they can be bought. Be prepared to pay some money for a top notch "rig dog" be careful of the dogs that will strike cats, there is a huge difference.

mark wrote:I meant no disrespect to anyone either. I guess what i was getting at is that it has to start somewhere with someone. Can you still pursue after the quota is filled? And if you can how hard do you guys hunt just to make the dogs better? How many guys rely on a fur check to be able to justify being out there? I realize there is nothing you can do about the trapping,no fur market is the only thing that takes care of that and with quality of the fur i suspect a cat will always be worth layind some traps down. I am fortunate to live where i do and count my blessings daily! However the passion i have had with cats and dogs for 40+ years im sure i would of found a way to end up living where i could satisfy that passion. It comes down to how much of a priority you make it and how much work you are willing to put into it. Contrary to popular belief there isnt a cat behind every bush here. The guys that i know that have high success didnt get there over night, it takes alot of trial error to get to that point. There is a ton of knowledge on here if you can sort it out, but dont just sit back and call bullshit until you have really given a method a hard honest try. I believe it would be real hard at best to make a rig dog back there but if you know where to look and seriously check a dog out,they can be bought. Be prepared to pay some money for a top notch "rig dog" be careful of the dogs that will strike cats, there is a huge difference.

Well Stated!

So true about differences. I have one female that is heck of strike dog on ground casting or roading---but cat so far has to be next to road before she will strike from rig? But until 5-6 months ago, she was never showed or asked to rig. Will see how she comes along as she is a good strike dog on ground.

Mark thanks for letting others know there is not a cat behind every bush here. There are pockets of cats scattered, miles where one can road a dog to death with striking cats. I too never mean to show disrespect. It does take a huge effort to keep decent cat dogs. Al

al baldwin wrote:Mark thanks for letting others know there is not a cat behind every bush here. There are pockets of cats scattered, miles where one can road a dog to death with striking cats. I too never mean to show disrespect. It does take a huge effort to keep decent cat dogs. Al

Al,

You left our a great amount of time and expense!

Stated in early post--my home country is like someone else posted--being divided and homes built on so fast. I have to travel 170 miles to my SE to get into cats and public hunting. Really question my sanity at times, but love hounds and attempt to out smart the wily bobcat. Bobcat wins more times then not!

Clyde