Great Hunt last night in NE Oklahoma
Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:49 pm
It's HOT in Oklahoma and real tough to find a time to get our hounds out, if nothing more then exercise.
My hunting Buddy and I decided to wait until after dark, and attempt to not over stress our hounds, taking plenty of water. Plus planning our road route to take any any water source that was available.
It sure has gotten dry quick it seems here, after rain that we have received. We are in need of some good soaking rains that is not likely to happen at this time of year in our area.
However, we were both happy to get our hounds out and hunting a bobcat! Roading our hounds, we used UTV on rough ranch roads/trails from 9:00 PM until about 1:00 AM, without a bark from any of pack. And, we had 7 young hounds from 10 months old to 2 year olds that have not had that much exposure. We both have worked with their handle and exposing them to deer, coyote, coon, etc. that we don't want them to run. Worked last night!!
Just after 1:00 AM, older dogs started "flagging" over track in front of us. Young dogs showed interest, and then all started opening. They took track about 200 yards to the North, just off of old road, and then seemed to have disappeared. KB and I both agreed with the light wind and as dry as it was, they likely could not ever run track if it was hot? We were wrong!!
First thing noticed was my Sue dog running by the UTV in opposite direction with all of the older dogs right behind her. They went to where they had struck track and commenced to look there, finally figuring out that they had went wrong way in their excitement. In just a few minutes, they jumped the cat and the race was on!
We ran the cat for 50 minutes, never getting more then 200-400 yards from us, according to Garmin.
Treed the cat in small oak tree and all the dogs got to tree, smell, and see him. Cat came out , jumping off a 15-16 ft. bluff and going back into a rough canyon. Race was on with all dogs adding to the music.
This country is rough canyons, filled with timber and brush for those that have not enjoyed our NE Oklahoma terrain, and a bobcats favorite country. The hounds never made more then a 3-5 minute loose in 2 hours plus of running. Race ended up in some bluffs that with our copperhead and rattlesnake numbers being the way they are, neither KB or myself chose to climb around in looking where the dogs were attempting to tree/bay. Being about 5:00 AM, with both of us tired, and dogs hot, we called it a hunt. Loaded up and went home.
But in closing, we both will remember our 2012 4th of July cat hunt in the Osage Hills.
My hunting Buddy and I decided to wait until after dark, and attempt to not over stress our hounds, taking plenty of water. Plus planning our road route to take any any water source that was available.
It sure has gotten dry quick it seems here, after rain that we have received. We are in need of some good soaking rains that is not likely to happen at this time of year in our area.
However, we were both happy to get our hounds out and hunting a bobcat! Roading our hounds, we used UTV on rough ranch roads/trails from 9:00 PM until about 1:00 AM, without a bark from any of pack. And, we had 7 young hounds from 10 months old to 2 year olds that have not had that much exposure. We both have worked with their handle and exposing them to deer, coyote, coon, etc. that we don't want them to run. Worked last night!!
Just after 1:00 AM, older dogs started "flagging" over track in front of us. Young dogs showed interest, and then all started opening. They took track about 200 yards to the North, just off of old road, and then seemed to have disappeared. KB and I both agreed with the light wind and as dry as it was, they likely could not ever run track if it was hot? We were wrong!!
First thing noticed was my Sue dog running by the UTV in opposite direction with all of the older dogs right behind her. They went to where they had struck track and commenced to look there, finally figuring out that they had went wrong way in their excitement. In just a few minutes, they jumped the cat and the race was on!
We ran the cat for 50 minutes, never getting more then 200-400 yards from us, according to Garmin.
Treed the cat in small oak tree and all the dogs got to tree, smell, and see him. Cat came out , jumping off a 15-16 ft. bluff and going back into a rough canyon. Race was on with all dogs adding to the music.
This country is rough canyons, filled with timber and brush for those that have not enjoyed our NE Oklahoma terrain, and a bobcats favorite country. The hounds never made more then a 3-5 minute loose in 2 hours plus of running. Race ended up in some bluffs that with our copperhead and rattlesnake numbers being the way they are, neither KB or myself chose to climb around in looking where the dogs were attempting to tree/bay. Being about 5:00 AM, with both of us tired, and dogs hot, we called it a hunt. Loaded up and went home.
But in closing, we both will remember our 2012 4th of July cat hunt in the Osage Hills.