new to the sport of "houndsmen".. Also need answers?

[blu_cal]

HOWDY YALL... The name is Jack (28) from FRESNO, CA... I've been hunting in California country line for years. I only hunt on groundcover. Using callers, baits and scent cover. i hunted bears, deers and hogs. I have NEVER hunted with hound/dogs before, haven't seen it in ACTION until this one day. I was tracking a mule deer I have seen the night before. Early that morning, I set off at 4:15am to the spot where i saw him wondering, got to the coverground at 5:30 almost 6 (2hour hiking). i stayed n waited, no movement or what so ever. Noon-time, no luck. i started walking toward my truck. when i was almost to my truck, i heard some noise and movement behind me. i looked back then boom, there were these pack of hounds howling and barking toward my way. i can hear their barking and howling is getting closer n closer. Suddently, i can see them about 45 - 50 yards away from me. They ran n ran, then this one hound had just STOP. It was sniffing in the air, it then turned and looked at me. At that moment, i realize that the hound can smell my scents. Then it went back on doing what it was doing. I stood there for almost 30 min listening to where they were going. The hounds howling and barking with downhill n then uphill. The howling and barking started to faded into the woods. i dont know what it was chasing but i sure do love the way they sound. I got so excited... i had never done anything like that before but I'm up for it. i soon later pick up two pups, a 2month walker and a 6m bluetick. i am very new to this kind of sports but i do love it. i was wondering, can anyone give me some clues?
* When do i start training my hounds?
* what are houndsmen club do? what kind of activity to they do?
* what are the purphase of these clubs? (will they help me train my dogs...)should i join

[Emily]

most of the hound clubs mainly put on competitive coon hunting events. Very little training goes on at the clubs, but you will meet people that big game hunt as well as hunt raccoons at the events, and maybe someone will take you on a hunt with them. You don't have to be a member to attend the events. Go to an event and see if you like it.
You should start taking your hounds to the woods as soon as they are able to go. Get them used to the sights and sounds in the woods, and teach them basic obedience commands [Come, stay, leave it/drop it, load up]. The hunting gene switches on fairly suddenly for most hounds, usually somewhere between six months and two years. A pup that is just padding along in the woods with you may suddenly take off on a track and come up treed.
The easiest way to train a hound to hunt is to hunt it on your preferred game with an experienced, good natured, older hound. It is possible to do this without an older hound serving as an example, but it is more difficult. Find some nearby hunters with hounds to serve as pup trainers, and ask question here.

[chaseb]

buy you an good old dog and he/she will train you and your pups

[blu_cal]

thanks for the advise y'all. I will start looking into those clubs to see if I'm interested in. And also I will give it a shot by taking my dogs out to the woods. By how would I train my dogs if I don't have an older n experience dog. I don't know anybody in California that hunts hounds. I think I should be looking into buying an experience hound to start my pups. Thanks y'all.

[plottpappaw]

stay away from those coon clubs they will have you wanting to quit as fast as you got in. tons of drama, back stabbing, and much worse!

[blu_cal]

Wow. Is the clubs really that bad? Why is it like that? Making me not wanting to join nomore... I was hoping to join n meet new people n hound dogs. Hoping for their advise n experience on training dogs and how to pursude big game. Well I'll have to find my own way...

[walkerdog]

There are several different clubs here, some are UKC clubs and some are deticated to preserve hunting rights. There is a decent houndsmen population here also.

Go to the hounsmen site and you can look up your local club and officers, and they will give you some information as to what their club does.
http://www.californiahoundsmen.com/index.html

Welcome to the site You can join some of these clubs and meet some nice people.

[blu_cal]

thanks walkerdog, i sure appreciated. i will have a look at it. Now, do all clubs have the same activities or different? what if i only wanted to hunt big games only. like bears, hogs, and lions. Do all clubs do those activities instead of coon hunting? just curious. I'm very new to this, so i just wanted to ask??? i will sure do look into those clubs for sure..

[Benny G]

blu_cal, no matter what club or group of people you get around to learn with and enjoy, YOU STEERE CLEAR of those lions in CA. There isn't any amount of learning that's worth a felony and prison time just to follow some hounds around. Part of your learning should be the game laws in your state, and then you will at least have the option as to whether or not to follow them.Good luck.

[plottpappaw]

i will say the ukc clubs are the worst. find some big game hunting crew and enjoy that cause most big game hunters are out for the enjoyment

[walkerdog]

I'm not sure what all of the clubs do, but CHC puts on a few field trials in the springtime, and they do a couple of dinners.
Nor-Cal Treehound Association does the UKC events around here. Most of us just do it for something a little different after bear season is over, for fun, and to get your dogs out in a little different area. Those are the 2 that I participate in.

[regan hauschen]

beaglewalkerhunter4 you sound like a phoney to me .
You sound like a undercover hsus person to me!!
All you people on this site better know about the hsus they don't what anyone to have animals ag. animals or pets check out HumaneWatch.org and learn about your enemey,
the HUMANE SOCEITY OF THE UNITED STATES, IS BAD FOR ANY HOUND HUNTERS!!!!!!!!!!!! BELIEVE ME, PUT THEM DOWN ALL YOU CAN------------ Thank you.

[beaglewalkerhunter4]

Aright, well considering I havn't even commented on this post and once again your calling me out, I'll shoot you down again. I'm not an under cover hsus person? look at my posts, and find one where that illisuion may exsist. Your making yourself out to be an idiot, so I suggest you get the facts before you call some one out. Hell I'll bet Im twice the hunter you are and Im 16

Sorry for jaking your post, blu-cal. Good luck getting started, my advice would simply be dont ever get discouraged, it a fustrating first starting out believe me! Also try and tag along with an ol' timer not only are they full of wild stories and great advice, most will really help you get goin.

[Emily]

blu-cal
Most hound clubs have members that love to show new people the ropes. You don't have to join one to go to the events. Go see for yourself what goes on.

Do check the game laws. There's a link from this site. CA has some laws about tracking collars that are quite different from what goes on in other states.

Most people make a lot of mistakes training their hounds. Some mistakes can ruin a hound for hunting and/or be very hard to fix. Especially, you don't want to put an inexperienced pair of pups alone on a bear until they have some other hunting experience----if a young hound gets beat up by a bear, it may never want to hunt them again. So, its better to have someone experienced help you. An experienced hound can teach you also--that's how I got my start.

Some other ways to meet hound hunters: ask the people who sold you the pups. Even if they don't come from that near you, they probably know people who know people that do.
Look for trucks with dog boxes on them and strike up a conversation. I've met several people by following trucks with nice looking hounds... Go to the area where you first saw the hounds when the season is open. Look for trucks with dog boxes parked near the side of the road.
Go to the section on hound books and videos here and read and watch other hunters. Its not as good as first hand experience, but some of the books are pretty exciting and great for an off-season hound fix.

Always remember that you may be a long way from your truck when the hounds tree a bear, so safety precautions are important. A wounded bear can be pretty dangerous, so you're probably going to want to get some catch and release experience first, and its best to have a hunting partner or at least let someone know what you're up to so that someone goes to look for you if things turn bad. Some first aid supplies for both people and dogs are always a good idea.

[blu_cal]

Thank Emily, thanks for the advise. I have been doing alot of studying, reading books and watching video. It is very very helpful. I love this web site. Meeting people with open minded giving me advise from each other. I've been trying to get a hold of the owners who gave me the pups, seems that they are very busy. It's hunting season rite now in California. I also been trying to chat with people in big game houndsmen who located in Cali too. It seems that my pup are still young to be chasing bear. I'm trying to trap a coon so I can train them. I meet a very nice n generios guy who offer me to take my pup to run with his older dogs. I'm very thankful to him. Well I hope my pups will learn from those older and experience dogs. so I can take them by themself. It will take alot of time and but I'm very patient with it. thanks for all y'all, I don't know where to start if it weren't for y'all to help and give me advises. God Bless.