coyotecaller
New member
I heard it is hard to train bear hounds. Is this true and what are some tips on training them and what are your opionions on good breeds for bear hunting.
Thanks
Adam
Thanks
Adam
Bear Hounds
- Thread starter coyotecaller
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NiteFright
New member
Hard to start a bearhound from scratch, best to buy a well started to finished dog and build a pack from there. There are good biggame lines in all the tree breeds.
Its takes money, time and effort and may take years to get where you are catching consistantly. Definately isnt for everyone, but the rewards outway the price for me atleast most of the time. Good luck
Its takes money, time and effort and may take years to get where you are catching consistantly. Definately isnt for everyone, but the rewards outway the price for me atleast most of the time. Good luck
NiteFright said it right when he said it takes money, time and effort to get yourself a decent pack going. My advice is be very selective with the lines you start with and then don't get too attatched to them.
I like plott hounds. Here's a pic of one of my favorites, now deceased.
I like plott hounds. Here's a pic of one of my favorites, now deceased.
CacheCreek
New member
The desire to hunt and chase is a trait that is already present in all GOOD big game hounds, but doesn't mean every big game bred pup has it. There is a lot of junk out there and it is often a crap shoot finding a pup capable of catching it's own game. That is why buying finished or started dogs, like NiteFright suggests, is no doubt the easier way to go.
But even then you've got to be careful. There are a lot of dog jockeys that will misrepresent a dog to separate you from your money. Horror stories are common in the hound world about guys spending several thousand dollars for dogs that just don't cut it. The best advise is to personally watch the dog hunt on its own before you fork over any cash.
As far as breeds, everyone has their preference, but my observation is that there is a greater difference in catching ability within the breeds as there is between them. In other words, you can find good dogs and junk in every breed. The individual dog is more important than the breed IMO. Sometimes you have to just go with what's availible and keep trying until hopefully, it starts to works out for you.
But even then you've got to be careful. There are a lot of dog jockeys that will misrepresent a dog to separate you from your money. Horror stories are common in the hound world about guys spending several thousand dollars for dogs that just don't cut it. The best advise is to personally watch the dog hunt on its own before you fork over any cash.
As far as breeds, everyone has their preference, but my observation is that there is a greater difference in catching ability within the breeds as there is between them. In other words, you can find good dogs and junk in every breed. The individual dog is more important than the breed IMO. Sometimes you have to just go with what's availible and keep trying until hopefully, it starts to works out for you.
Coyotecaller, It is not hard to train a good bear dog. Just hunt it alot, and do not let it get away with the wrong thing, like running trash ect... But finding a good bear dog is a different story. Getting a hound pup and thinking that you can train it to be a good bear dog is not easy.Like nightfright, and CacheCreek said buying a good broke dog is a lot easier. You can not make a dog want to catch bears, they have to want to on thier own. You can however help them by putting them on bears, and keeping them from running trash, and hunt them alot. A good bear dog does not just run a bear to run it, it runs one to catch it. There is a big differents. As far a breeds, there are good and bad in every breed. I have seen good dogs in just about every breed, but it is easier to get good dogs locally, so find out who is catching game on a regular basis, and who just feeds dogs. And go from there. You will find a lot of opinons on what breed is better, but it all boils down to what you like, since you are the one that have to feed them. Good luck.