BigGameHoundsmen.com

Dads dogboy wrote:Well Fellows,


What I found was is that up through the 1980s Cats seldom treed. Dad's best year was 1972. He finished 284 Races that year in Central TX, South TX, East TX, South East TX, South LA, North East LA, and Mississippi. (All are different regions as to vegetation and rainfall).

Mr. Clay,

This post has been very interesting for sure but if your Dad is in the mood to hand out advice, the question that I can't get out of my mind is:

HOW IN THE HECK DOES A GUY GET THAT MUCH TIME TO HUNT??

I have no doubt on the validity of those numbers but one thing is for sure he was/is dedicated. In the time it takes me to catch 30 cats I'm wore out, nearly bankrupt and very close to being divorced.

It is very cool you can look back at those log books. I kept a journal for a season but I made the mistake of logging not just catches but of the times the dogs didn't succeed. Everytime I looked at it I became horribly depressed and eventually threw it away!!

Thanks,
George

George,

A year or so ago someone started a thread on how do you get to hunt so much. If you will go back a read it you will find that I posted that being a Houndsman to the extent that Dad takes, it is that it becomes a LIFE STYLE and choices have to be made!

Dad was and is fortunate that he was an Entrepreneur who started several businesses and had great partners to run them. Also the manner that he hunted allowed him to combine Hunting with business by looking at Land or Cattle where he was hunting.

Also we very seldom drive new vehicles, seldom take trips unless they were to visit a Hunter, look at Hounds, or scout new Hunting country. Do not need to eat out a lot as Mama, my Wife, and I are the best Cooks that we know of.

Now Dad made it a point to make most of my sisters and my major events while we were growing up, but really Mom was the Glue that held the family together.

From 1958 through the mid 70s Dad hunted one weeknight and most of the weekends.
From then till now he has been able to hunt over 200 times a year.

We are not materially wealthy, maybe comfortable but damn sure not RICH. This was due again to the Life Style decisions and some GOOD LUCK which generally follows HARD work.

Most Hunters worry too much about excuses to NOT go Hunting or BREAK their Hounds or bitch about the high price of Gas, yet do very little other than bitch about their condition to put more Hunting into their lives.

Involving their families in the lifestyle choices can be a big help. But in our Microwave, instant gratification society with every one looking at the capital I and caring little for the small u this does not happen very often.

Did not mean to ramble or get on a Soap Box but your question has merit, I am sure that more than U think that I am full of that green grass that male bovines process and deposit. That is OK for the non believers the latchstring is always out for GOOD Hunters to come see for themselves!

CJC

PS If this sounds arrogant, it was not meant to be, it is just the way it is!

CJC & family, Your father must be one hell of a man. To have raised such a fine one. Sharing your fathers many years of experience and hard earned knowledge to benefit others, shows a quality of character we must all try to possess. The future of our sport/lifestyle depends on it. In my book both of you are true houndsmen. If you and your family ever find yourself near the southern oregon coast, you will all be welcome at my home. Thankyou John Warner.

Warner5, Thanks for the kind words. You along with all Bobcat Hunters are welcome anytime.....sure would like to see some more Oregon Cat Hunters as with Coastalrangecathunter being the only one we have met....well it would sure be nice to see if he is a ONE OF A KIND or if you all raise em like that in litters!

Shawn Cole, that is a nice Cat, it looks like in New York the 'Blue Power" is what it takes to catch one. Again darn nice Cat and nice looking Hounds!

Just got in from 7 long hours. All the bad weather has played hell with the roads. Still we had 7 good strikes but these sorry Hounds could only trail 3, and those tracks played out when the Cat hit a road. Scenting conditions are just terrible this time of the year....I go back and read the updates from the last two years to remember that it is like this till mid June or early July!

Good Running to All!

C. John Clay

thank you mr clay that was the first time the female on the ground was ever out just got her back from younger cousin 20min cold trail she started barking just before a big loss on clear ice then the mother started doing wide circles and bam 20 min later treed its was pretty cool seeing it all on new gps i cant wait for this next year got a new camera waterproof one dang bears always head to neck deep swamps bye bye camera and phones oh and to all the guys said the mother would never be any good because she had parvo and was raisedin the house after that guess they dont know it all and again THANK YOU

CJC: We still have pretty good conditions here but not training season. I have to go to areas of California to train the dogs. I think hunting in bad conditions is what really makes a cat dog. I have a lot of good looking dogs in the winter but dry conditions most of my tracks that get started is done by one dog. Hopefully some of the young ones are coming on to get it done. If they were all easy it would take the fun out of it. Dewey

"If they were all easy it would take the fun out of it." very well said Mr. Dewey!

Still it does get disheartening for the Hounds...they hunt their Hearts out for you trying to find the Cat but the smell just disappears.

Glen was down at Teddy Dale's neck of the woods last night and had the same luck as we had. They trailed two for a ways then when the Cat hit a road...THE END!

Trailing is what sure makes Hounds out of young Dogs. You are right... challenging conditions will seperate the Hounds with Nose and Hearts from the Hounds that are just taking up space at the feed pan. By being persistant and keeping them in the woods they do learn to compensate for the conditions. This is where we see the Hounds learn to drift a Track until they can find a place to smell the Cat.

So we are going in the morning and see if the AM is better for smelling. If the Hounds can not smell you darn sure are not going to put one in a Tree or on the Tailgate. But a Bad Hunt is Better than No Hunt!

CJC