Hound question...

[dgwoody]

I heard someone say that a good cougar hound won't always be a good bear hound and vice versa. Is that true? I've never owned hounds, and just started getting into bears when I hear this and was wondering if there is any truth to it. Educate me, I know nothing about hound hunting. (although I'd love to go on a cat hunt and see it all happen)

 

[Kevin D]

It's true.........running different species require different sets of skills from the dog. A good bear dog needs to have the ability to run a track with it's head up to push a running bear, then the aggressivness to pressure the bear to climb a tree when it finally catches up to it. A good lion dog needs to have the ability to hunt with it's nose down and the patience to work out a cold track often for hours.

My experience is that while a lot of hounds will run whatever game you put them on, most dogs tend to specialize in one species or the other depending on their hunting style. This specialization becomes even more pronounced as they mature. Hounds that can adapt their hunting styles to whatever the conditions or species they are running are extremely rare. I've only seen a small handfull of dogs that I considered both exceptional lion AND bear dogs.......none of which were owned by me.

 

[LOWCOUNTRY]

+1 Kevin D. I too have noticed not all good lion hounds will chase a bear. I have seen exceptional lion dogs do a mediocre job chasing bear and Ive seen a few that were both great lion and bear dogs because they hunted the track not by stradeling it but by hitting it and moving it almost in a figure s trailing patteern over a track this criis crossing of the track enabled the dogs who do it too move a track much faster than a track stradler. Just depends on the dog.

 

[HoundDawgJr]

I agree with both of these guys. Another thing is that very FEW hounds will ever excel at either lion or bear.

Probably 90% of the dogs out there, are average at best, or good and probably only about 10% of them will ever make lead dogs that can go catch a lion in any conditions, or stick a mean bear all day.

My point is, if you get lucky and get one of those "top dogs" enjoy it, because they don't come along very often.

 

[muleybull]

I do know a couple guys that have dogs that do both very well. But these guys dont have real jobs. All they do is hunt. They hunt lions and bears more days a year than most of us would ever get to do, and these guys are in AZ and do dry ground stuff mainly. So since these dogs are out every day, they are going to get good.

But, I agree with the guys above. Unless your one of these guys that just hunt every day, you probably wont get many dogs that do both equally as good.

www.muleybulloutfitters.com

 

[dgwoody]

So are there certain breeds that tend to be better for lions then bears and vice versa? What is it that you are looking for when picking a dog?

 

[pawsnpads]

It's not a certain breed you want, but a certain line of dogs. Do some research and find out who is catching alot of lion and bear and try getting pups or dogs from them. Just my two cents

 

[dgwoody]

Not trying to find a dog, just trying to learn a little more about a division of hunting that I know next to nothing about.

 

[muleybull]

DONT DO IT!!!

Its just going to lead to beating the tar out of your truck, spending lots of money on equipment for the dogs. Lots of money on dogfood. Lots of money on dogfood. Lots of money on dogfood. Spending all your time training dogs now, in the near future, in the far future... Hiking the soles off every pair of boots you can get your hands on...

Oh, well, what else are you going to do with your time and money... good luck.

www.muleybulloutfitters.com

 

[456camp]

i had 2 hounds out of the same litter one was a cat dog the other one great on bear

 

[firemedic56]

I have not cat hunted, since I live in the Southeast, but I have spent a many a day chasing bear and hogs with hounds. I agree with the above info that you've been given. Most of the hounds we have are Plotts, with a bluetick or Walker thrown in now and then. No one breed will be better than another as a whole, only a very small percentage of any breed will be a super dog. You need to let a young dog have a chance to show what he loves to run....be it a bear, cat or hog. I too have seen pups from the same litter differ as to their choice of game. Very seldom will a hound be great at the pursuit of 2 game animals. He will sooner or later gravitate to a certain critter. Hope this helps you to better understand a sport that if exposed to, you will most likely either want no part of after your first trip.....or you will find that you cannot imagine a life without it.......so be warned before you go on your first big game hunt with dogs.