BigGameHoundsmen.com

Anyone have any opinions on night hunting for bear? i know the tracks would be a little fresher here but didn't really know if dogs acted different on a bear in the dark. i have ran in the dark before but didn't really like it because i didn't get to see the bear cross roads and it seemed when they caught the bear on the ground, the younger dogs would come out but if they caught during the day they would stay in and bay.

Dogs should handle a bear in the dark just fine if not they are not bear dogs

We run alot at night when it's real hot out.Have bayed up a few big ones in the dark,thats no fun at all.

common practice here.Dont really see no differance in how the dogs do.

I HAVE RUN PROBLEM BEARS IN THE DARK FOR PEOPLE AND THE TRACKS WERE FRESH(LIKE BEAR WAS STILL THERE OR JUST LEFT) THATS THE POSITIVE. THE DOWN SIDE IS YOU BETTER HAVE A GOOD LIGHT/BATTERIES.. I NEVER SHOT ONE AT NIGHT BUT WAS SORELY TEMPTED TOO. FRESH DOGS, FRESH BEAR, DARK, 2 AM ITS FUN FOR AWHILE THEN ITS WORK. CRAWLING THROUGH MESQUITE,CACTUS,ROCKS AND CANYONS AT NIGHT? MAYBE IN A DIFFERENT AREA JUST NOT REAL HIGH ON MY LIST

Had a hunting buddy that bought a plott hound about 20 yrs. ago that was a rig/start dog. Went to WV one night and tried the dog out before he bought it. This dog did a very good job of rigging, starting, and was at the tree when they got there. He ended up buying the dog and when he went to hunt the hound latter that week he found that he wouldn't hunt a lick in the daylight. Was a very good bear dog but only at night, wasn't worth a bullet in the daytime.

To hot for day hunting here right now. I agree its a common practice around this place too. The wars are over shortly after daylight. To hot. Dogs shouldn't look any different but they will sometimes. They either get over it or well they don't make bear dogs. Unspoiled or unmolested bear are usually caught easier at night.

I have started tracks here at 10am and the dogs walked with the bear all day and night. I was following them on foot trying to get infront but the bear was human smart. I HATE walking around these big canyons at night. I cant see anything accept solid brush. It just sucks. That is my experience because we don't turn out at night, we just get on walking bears that don't stop.

You can put the hurt on cause the freshness of the track, but be carefull cause at night sows with cubs on the move can put you in a predicament with treed cubs and the sow meandering in the brush pissed off .The only time ive treed sows with cubs was coon hunting and it happened 3 times different bears,always treed the cubs and the sows was just hanging back in the brush pissed or popping there teeth,not good....

It all gets down to the bear, some will tree with one dog, others won't with a dozen and a big fight. (Day or night) Although I think they tree a VERY little easier at night. We run at night when legal and can't see a lot of difference. Some pop ups and some run forever. Same smell daylight or dark (sometimes dry sometimes not).Dogs over the long run will do their same job, good or bad, daylight or dark. Anyone who says different doesn't have a dog I want.

DOES'NT SEEM TO MATTER TO THE DOGS,
IT DOES MATTER TO ME I FALL DOWN ENOUGH IN THE DAY TIME, LET ALONE AT NIGHT IN THE MTNS.

thats the only time we hunt during runnin season.we run every night. really not much difference in how the dogs perform if you have bear dogs.