BigGameHoundsmen.com

Opinions on the differences between coonhounds vs. big game hounds. Nose, speed, tree, grit, etc. I've seen a lot of posts that claim "these dogs are big game bred" for so many years. What does that mean other than they have been run on lion and bear and not on varmints. Are they for the most part the same, just a sales point?

I hunt bear so I'll tell you what I like in a big game hound.

Nose, I like a cold nosed dog. A dog that can, and will want to, follow a track that is 8-12 hours old. If I find a big bear track at 8:00 a.m. that was made yesterday at 8:00 p.m. I would like a dog to follow and jump the bear. That bear may have traveled many miles in that time. Most coon hunters don't want a dog messing around with yesterdays tracks. They want a dog that will find a hot track, run and tree the coon.

Speed and Edurance, Once the bear is jumped, I want a fast dog. I dog that can run hard and fast all day long. I want the dogs to "wind" (tire out and catch) the bear. This may take several hours of hard nonstop running.

Grit and Desire, This is where you seperate the men from the boys. A 50 lbs dog catching a 30 lbs coon, is alot different than catching a 300+ pound bear. When they catch a bear, with an attitude, on the ground, I want the dogs to stay close to the bear and nip it when he gets a chance. When the bear turns around and chases them, they better scoot, but when the bear stops they need to turn right back on the bear. A dog that stands back 30 feet and barks isn't going to hold a mean bear on the ground, or put it in a tree. They need to do this for hours if need be, until I get in there or the bear goes up a tree. Picture this, you getting in a fight with a man 6 times bigger than you. Yes, a 35 ft tall man. Will you stay there and duke it out with him know matter what, for as long as it takes? Big game hounds were bred for this for generations. They do not understand the concept of quitting.

What he said.LOL

Yea, what treem said and this is how it looks when they getrdone! I do respectfully disagree, however, that a coonhound pup can't be a great bear dog cause they can and do all the time. It probably works best if a coonhound pup is raised and hunted with a bear pack from the time it's young, and then it grows into a bear hound not knowing it is suppose to be a coondog......roflmao!

http://www.ingramwildlife.com/bearhole.wmv
(short video of dogs eating bear)

Right now I have a coon bred dog that is doing great on big game. Shes cold nosed, been real gritty this year and is fast. I think what it boils down to is percentages. If the parents of a dog have been big game dogs for generations, there is a higher chance that the pup will turn out to be a big game dog. If a dog has been bred forever to be a coon dog, there is a higher chance it will be a coon dog. I dont, however, think that there is any reason a coon bred dog cant be a big game dog. Its just a game of chance anyway that any pup will turn out to be what your looking for. Which is something else, everyone likes different things in their dogs so what suits one person might not suit another. I think that if they have the desire to hunt and a nose to do it any dog can be a good one regardless of breeding. Just my opinion. Whatever the case, get em in the woods and have a great time hunting!

Ryan

Seems a lot of people around here get coon bred dogs and turn them into big game dogs no problem. Actual a rule I learned to go by as I started hound hunting. Typically a coon dog can make a big game dog. Could be wrong just what I have been told and from what Ive seen its actually true

It sounds like the bear are going to be safe next year!

Coonhounds, foxhounds, treeing hounds were not created from the beginning for big game. I would much rather prefer to use the proper tool for the job and hunt big game hounds, that were created for big game.

Yes, some very safe bears in Wa

That's why I picked up one of those eastern bred, bear killing plott dogs, so the bears would not be safe ha! Another benefit is he can turn a five foot sow into a six footer. Just having some fun guys!

Didnt all hounds come from "big game" hunting blood? Including deer, boar, wolf and the like? Seems all were doing is tweaking all those generations of blood to hunt what we want them to right?

Ryan

Many biggame dogs are just coonhounds and there are coondogs that make biggame dogs . My measuring syick between bear dogs and coon dogs is about 20 feet . Many of those dogs that bay tight or make contact with a bear or even pull a bear out of a tree become very distant chearleaders on a bear that is dominate or trying to eat their lunch.

Regardless of the dogs coming from good bear stock or coondogs there are few dogs that have the mental toughness to keep the pressure ( as much as possible ) on bad bears after they have been hurt or on a bear that is running dogs down.
Your consistency level for mental toughness will drastically improve ( as all traits ) when getting dogs evaluated in the field . I realize that many will only evaluate with their ears or the battle scars and let their imagination take over as to what really happened . I know there are guys that do get out and follow the dogs and no not all of them are Plott guys .
If some people only could see what they think happens in the woods the general population of all breeds would be much smaller and the consistency level in all breeds would vastly improve.

My measuring syick(stick) between bear dogs and coon dogs is about 20 feet.
If some people only could see what they think happens in the woods the general population of all breeds would be much smaller and the consistency level in all breeds would vastly improve.

Good post ol' buddy! You knew I'd be pissed to be called a plott man didn't ya. We need to talk later, so I can update you on whats been going down. This weekend maybe?

You bet anytime I am off the rest of the week . Sick.

larry wrote: Yes, some very safe bears in Wa

haha

Smiley hit on the key to a bear dog that most fail to concider. Mental toughness! The ability to take a licking and keep on ticking!
Bear whipped dogs are dogs lacking in mental toughness. Let a bear run the dog down and maul him real good, IF he will go right back and ask for more, he is a bear dog. If he learns when to bite, and when to get out of dodge, he is a good bear dog, If he doesn't learn that he can't over power and kill the bear, he is a dead bear dog. If he tucks his tail at the next hot bear track and slips back to the truck, put him on cats or coon. He doesn't have the mental toughness to be a bear dog and will let your good bear dogs die when the slip up and get caught by the bear. A dog that is afraid to come to his pack-mates aid should be left in the woods, or hunted on some easier game. All big game dogs are nor "bear bred".
Many pack leaders on lions and bobs, turn into cheer leaders on ole Bobo.