does anybody here hunt with a pitbull?

bamarammin87

bamarammin87

New member
Hey guys, quick question.
I have a female apbt, she will weigh in around 48 pounds conditioned in a few months when she hits about 16 months, and I am looking to hunt with her. A few guys on pitbull forums will call one in, and when it gets close, release their bulldog on it. Does anybody have experience with this? I would only worry if the coyote ran back to a pack, then they would kill my dog. Thanks for any thoughts or info, it seems like it would be great fun. I still get the thrill of calling one in, and my dog gets the thrill of doing what bulldogs were bred for. Thanks guys,

Ian
 
Man, I doubt they could kill a pit bull. I'd think it would take a pit bull to kill a pit bull! My son in law has one, and while he is a sweetheart, I'd hate to get on his bad side!

I've never heard of anyone actually letting the dog do the killing. Most of the times I've heard about dogs is as decoy dogs. I'm sure the veterans will chime in.
 
I doubt 2 would be a problem, our scrawny coyotes ain't no bigger than 35 pounds MAXIMUM round here...heck I've seen videos of a greyhound taking 2 on and killing them both. Pitbulls were actually bred for canine combat, and I would bet she could handle a couple, maybe 3 (since they only average around 20-25 pounds. BUT if she runs into a group or more....she may be a pile of bones a day later. I've seen 3 different guys now that hunt them, one releases 2 pits on a den and they can get one or more while they scatter, and the others call in the coyotes, and when/if they get close enough, release their bulldog and it runs it down and kills it. I figured I'd ask here since this is the biggest group of coyote hunters I've seen on a forum.
 
Just make sure the dog is of performance breeding: a backyard-bred "pet bull" might not cut the mustard. If using more than one pit at a time, they may well start fighting each-other in the heat of battle so you will need to be prepared in order to separate them. That means having a "breaking stick" on hand, which you may need anyway to pry them off of the dead coyote.
I'll put my pair to use (one at a time) should I need them to track down a runner. They will make short work of any coyote.
If I think there are more coyotes in the immediate area, and need a real gang-buster of a dog, I would prefer to use the bandog (Mastiff/Pit Bull cross) pup I co-own with a friend that is bred specifically for hunting. He's going to weigh an honest 110+lbs grown (weighed 90lbs at 9 months). There is no slop to that dog either....all rawhide and piano-wire. He will wreck a coyote like a rag-doll (literally), and take out the whole pack with a quickness if they are dumb enough to hang around.




 
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I have a dear friend in Western NC that is doing something similar with a pack of two Reverted Irish Wolfhounds, a great pyrenees and two Blue Tick hounds. He usually runs with nose dogs (Blue Ticks) on the hood of his truck, just after daylight. He travels farm roads and forest service roads till they strike, then he lets the entire pack loose. He says they will bay in a hole about 80% of the time, and the dogs can normally dig them out. He says that when the entire pack is close, they will not normally turn and fight.

By the way, his Pyrenees is his stock dog. He started letting him come along because he was jealous of the attention the other dogs were getting.

John
 
My pit bull is not a big time hunter but he sure can get the job done. He is more for home protection but I run him with the terrier from time to time. He makes short work of just about anything.

I had goats at one time. A coyote got caught up in my fence. It was in the middle of the night and the goats were going crazy, I thought it was a dog because I could only make out the outline. When I got up close, it was a yote so I turned the pit loose and the yote broke loose right before the dog got to him, it was lights out in no time. I do not know about the whole running them thing because I have never done it before. But I can tell you that no yote stands a chance against a pit bull, not even two of them.

Tim
 
Originally Posted By: bamarammin87Hey guys, quick question.
I have a female apbt, she will weigh in around 48 pounds conditioned in a few months when she hits about 16 months, and I am looking to hunt with her. A few guys on pitbull forums will call one in, and when it gets close, release their bulldog on it. Does anybody have experience with this? I would only worry if the coyote ran back to a pack, then they would kill my dog. Thanks for any thoughts or info, it seems like it would be great fun. I still get the thrill of calling one in, and my dog gets the thrill of doing what bulldogs were bred for. Thanks guys,

Ian

your pit should be fine, but she ain't gonna catch a coyote unless the coyote comes to her.
wink.gif
 
I have a pit and she is a brute, she has never caught her own coyote. If you "slow one down" for her she will get the job done quick, but I wouldn't turn her into more than one coyote by herself. I know she would hold her own, but its not worth the risk.
 
I don't know of any coyote guys, lots of hog hunters. I know a handful that use pit crosses though. Tony tebbe has an upcoming male I believe that's half pit and 1/4 bmc catahoula?
 
Originally Posted By: emeraldterriers1
your pit should be fine, but she ain't gonna catch a coyote unless the coyote comes to her.
wink.gif


Ain't that the truth!
lol.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Jeff MockOriginally Posted By: emeraldterriers1
your pit should be fine, but she ain't gonna catch a coyote unless the coyote comes to her.
wink.gif


Ain't that the truth!
lol.gif


I would cross some Greyhound blood in there if I wanted the dog to have a chance at catching a coyote that wasn't already wounded. A pit bull is more "quick" than it is "fast".
 
I have hunted (pit)bulldog and (pit)bulldog crosses on everything from badger to bear. They are hands down my favorite breed, and have alot more hunt than most folks would ever imagine, BUT they wont ever replace dogs that are bred for the task.
I used a 1/2bull 1/2stag on coyotes, from the calling stand and from the jump box. She could catch an occasional coyote in the right spot, but even the 1/2 crosses need lots more speed to catch coyotes consitently. I have two 3/4 stags now that are catching their own coyotes.
A good bulldog can whip a coyote, but two or more coyotes will gang it, and can cripple one. That being said, I wouldnt hesitate to use one calling and take my chances, even with multiple coyotes.

Take care.
 
Thanks guys! I appreciate the input. I've only called 1 double for some reason, its always a single. I think if I can get one close enough, my dog miiight have a chance. She can run like a dang cheetah. I've been exercising her, she's trimming up, and I will start conditioning her hard in a few months to prepare. How exactly do I start her on them?
 
I've ran pitbull/greyhound crosses on coyotes for years, as catch dogs when running our hounds. Not quite as fast as a stag, but can definitely get the job done.

I'm currently training our pit Mattie on calling stands. She's fast, but can't catch a coyote. But, if one stumbles or has a hole in it...it's no contest. I think one can handle itself quite well with coyotes. No worries.

Tony
 
Bulls aint bred to run like that, and somethin like a pit is gonna make a yote run, I doubt you find one that will challenge it with that bull runnin full speed their way. I would throw a cut collar on it just in case it does get "ganged up on" by a couple. I just think your main trouble is a pit actually catchin up with a yote. A pit might be able to come close to matchin a yotes speed for a very short distance, but that yote is gonna have alot of stamina on the pit. Also be careful in the summer heat. A gamey dog like a pit aint gonna be much for givin up, or even callin off unless you have an excellent handle on him, and they easily overheat. I would run a good trackin system on him too. Yote will have him a mile away before you get to put your call down. Most people who are runnin dogs that kill a yote are runnin sight hounds such as a stag, they have alot of speed and power on a yote. Be careful though, I hate seein people loose a dog to a heat stroke. Its a sad thing to watch, especially when its your dog.
 
Thanks! Yeah I walked for only about 30 minutes with her today and I hade to come home. 102 heat index is too dang hot! Man I appreciate the info, that helps a lot. Maybe if I just hunted with a .22lr? Pop it and then let roxy run it down. Man she would love that! I am going to pick up a cut collar and cut vest soon just in case I find somebody to go with and put her on a hog.
 
Originally Posted By: TonyTebbeI've ran pitbull/greyhound crosses on coyotes for years, as catch dogs when running our hounds. Not quite as fast as a stag, but can definitely get the job done.

I'm currently training our pit Mattie on calling stands. She's fast, but can't catch a coyote. But, if one stumbles or has a hole in it...it's no contest. I think one can handle itself quite well with coyotes. No worries.

Tony
Thanks! My dog is fast as lightning...but probly not fast enough for coyotes. I may pop them and then let her run em down first, or let her tear up a near dead one to see how she likes it.
 
Originally Posted By: orrbull48I don't know of any coyote guys, lots of hog hunters. I know a handful that use pit crosses though. Tony tebbe has an upcoming male I believe that's half pit and 1/4 bmc catahoula?

I love your dog! American bulldog?
 


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