would you hunt with hounds???

[chilcotin hillbilly]

I am trying to see what the public opinion is regarding the use of hounds for hunting. If you don't like it please explain.
Lets keep it civil!!!

[bigwhiteys]

I think hound hunting is fascinating... Unfair advantage? I don't think so... You're using a natural hunting tool and pursuing the prey on foot.

Doesn't get much purer than that... Just my opinion.

Carl

[lilhoss]

Having hunted with (my brother's)hounds, it's not always a "slam dunk" as they say.The advantage doesn't always go to the hunters.Many a cat,bear,and coon for that matter has gotten away only to make the most experienced crew look like amateurs.I don't think using them for other animals is right because I believe just the "stress" of the chase could do alot of damage on the populations of deer,elk,or moose.The hounds would have no way of identifying whether or not they are chasing does,cows,or calves.

[rocksteady]

I would, but only for cats...

IMHO, just about every other species I would rather go spot and stalk/ bugling etc....I am successful at those species, but need the help of dogs for kitties...Just my opinion though....

I did not realize how much work and expense it is to keep a couple dogs for hunting (kennels/collars/dog box/ special diets etc etc).....Plus I think I would drive the wife and neighbours nuts with a couple of howlers...

[AT&T]

I have only shot one cougar. without dogs. We have too many cats here in the west Kootenays. The more hound hunters the better. Come one come all and kill our cats. Aside from hunting cats, coons wolves I dont agree with it. Using hounds on ungulates deserves bullets.

[steelheadSABO]

I would use hounds for any predators such as B Bear Cats coons and any other problem species

[835]

I put yes for anything,,,,, But,,

I have no interest in coons ,,,, But dont care if people bo
I'd love to go cat hunting!!!
And I'd rather hunt bear the way i do.

I have no problem with any form of legal hunting. Furthermore I love to watch dogs do what they do best!

To trump all this though, If a guy asked me to go with him on any type of hound hunt i would. As long as i didnt have to chase the dogs after a coon!! :)

[sawmill]

Dogs move too fast for me and I`m too lazy:mrgreen:

[Sleep Robber]

Hell, givver sh!t !! I think guys with hounds put a lot of time and effort, not to mention cash, into the handling and welfare of their dogs and their sport. Hunt whatever you can with them, they'll love you for it.

I myself am with Sawmill, I'm to lazy to be chasing howlers through the god damn bush, I'd probably have a freekin jammer :eek: , so it's not my cup a tea. I probably would though, if there was a quad involved. :mrgreen: :wink:

[Spokerider]

IMO, *most* houndsmen have a deep bond with their dogs, and enjoy the intrinic relationship between the two of them that develops. Like other folks that participate in working dog activities, or sporting dog activities, the common denominator will be a love for working with the dog. Hound hunters however, seek just a little more of an adrenalin rush than do waterfowlers and herding dog competitors, lol. They are pretty much at the far end of the spectrum for seeking man-dog adventures.

For hound hunters, killing game is not the epitome of the hunt, but rather the route travelled there is.......

Can the non-hunting public discern a difference such as this and appreciate the values that houndsmen seek? I doubt it. If you were to prepare a lakeside trout dinner for these folks, it would matter not if the trout were caught on hook and worm or a fly rod. They just can`t get it.

Are non-hound hunters able to appreciate this distinction? Perhaps. If you have it in you to understand, you will. if you don`t , you won`t.

[tomahawk]

Not interested in using hounds for hunting anything other then cats. I prefer the challenge of taking an animal with just my abilities.

[Barracuda]

The people that seem to think that it is easy or cheating really are ignorant to the realities of hunting with an animal.

The investment financially ,physically and emotionally that one puts into an animal that they hunt with is far beyond what most would ever put into hunting .


It is so much about working with animals and watching them do the job that they were born to do that is the reward.

Be it hunting over a bird dog , falconry or musical hounds on track , it is a sight sound and feeling that one will not soon forget.



The investment is huge but then again so is the reward.

[weatherby_man]

I would love the chance to hunt with trained hounds. I guess my personal preference for a hunt would be to go on a cat hunt, but if its legal I say go for it. It takes a lot of work to train them and you have to appreciate it for what it is. I really enjoy having trained dogs when I duck hunt but I also love being quiet and alone in the bush when I hunt.

It would be cool though to hear the hounds baying on a cat!

[porcupine]

I hunted black Bear with hounds back in 1971 and it was a blast. It's one of the few ways you can play catch and release hunting. You tree or corner the animal, take the dogs away, and the game is released.

[Tyler21]

only cats for me, there is lots of cats and there a pain in the ass, like wolves...but, we used to see alot more bears in the spring, but now not so much, and i think thats fron the hound hunters chasing them all the time, just what me and my father think

[Kody94]

I would hunt with hounds for cougar, lynx, bobcat and bear. Maybe even leopard someday, and a jaguar would have been cool back when it was possible.

I'd also like to hunt rabbits with beagles, and have no issues with fox hunting.

I am not interested in hunting ungulates (deer, elk, moose) with dogs, as is practiced in some parts of the world....except maybe a bongo in Cameroon. :)

[srupp]

hmmmm I am going on a cougar hunting trip in the near future with one of the best in the business......and yes its with hounds...about the only logical way to get it done... ya cant outrun em...pretty darn hard to find them in the first place..

I have spent a great deal of time in the outdoors and have only seen 3 cougars in many many years of outdoors...so I dont have a problem with using hounds..on a cougar hunt the hounds are your friends..your very best friends..

my oppinion

Steven

[BlacktailStalker]

only cats for me, there is lots of cats and there a pain in the ass, like wolves...but, we used to see alot more bears in the spring, but now not so much, and i think thats fron the hound hunters chasing them all the time, just what me and my father think

Wolves are turning to young bears more and more as a source of food.
Hounds have nothing to do with what you're seeing or not seeing, at all.
I've run the same bear, from the exact same spot multiple times a year, a couple years in a row. They arent going anywhere.
For every deer one cat kills, the amount of game a wolf pack kills equals close to the number of wolves in it.

How many wolves have you shot lately ? Do your part.

[mikek blacktail]

I said no ,but i would definately go on a hunt to help or watch.

[Mr. Dean]

Never ran w/ hounds, doubt I ever will; but feel free! I envy ya. :wink:

[Barracuda]

I am trying to see what the public opinion is regarding the use of hounds for hunting. If you don't like it please explain.
Lets keep it civil!!!


i would be curious also? :-D

[guest]

Knowing full well I will never likely take a cougar with out dogs, I wish I could afford a nice Tom, not interested in female.

Kind of the same thinking on Cougars as Goats for me, males only.

CT

[Barracuda]

Bunnies are also alot of fun to run with a slow dog :mrgreen: they kinda do a big loop it seems .


I would love to go on one of those huge foxhunts one day :-D

[bowhunterbruce]

The hounds would have no way of identifying whether or not they are chasing does,cows,or calves.
any dog can be trained to identifie individulal ungulates.like every other spieces on our planet. every animal has its own individual scent very much like humans do.this is even amplified when an animal is wounded,its interdigital gland (located between thier toes) releases a scent that is only its very own.
dogs when trained properly can track any individual animal,person,cat rat etc as long as they have somewhere or something to start from
bhb

[mcrae]

I would love to hunt behind some hounds someday. Would love to have my own dogs for bear and cougar but the cost and time neccesary is beyond me right now...

[Jelvis]

I'm not sure cuz Elvis didn't like the hounds too much, take for example this line.
.. You ain't nothin but a hound dog .. ka ka cryin all the time .. you ain't never caught a wabbit
Jelly (hot dog) .. I can't relish it lol ..

[Barracuda]

Elvis loved dogs.

[Barracuda]

i would love to hear how it isnt fair chase LOL!

[dana]

I have a buddy that grew up in Ontario and they used dogs on a regular basis to hunt whitetails. They would use them to push bush to hunters on stand on the other end of the timber. I had clients from Norway when I guided bears that used dogs to hunt moose. The dog would go in the the timber and work the moose just like a modern cowdog works cattle. Working dogs of any kind, be it hounds, bird dogs, sheep dogs, or sled dogs, are amazing to watch. The bond between handler and dog is something that is hard to put into words.

[1/2 slam]

I have a buddy that grew up in Ontario and they used dogs on a regular basis to hunt whitetails. They would use them to push bush to hunters on stand on the other end of the timber. I had clients from Norway when I guided bears that used dogs to hunt moose. The dog would go in the the timber and work the moose just like a modern cowdog works cattle. Working dogs of any kind, be it hounds, bird dogs, sheep dogs, or sled dogs, are amazing to watch. The bond between handler and dog is something that is hard to put into words.

That is so true.

[Ron.C]

hell ya I'd love to hunt with hounds given the opportunity. Then again, I'm willing to try pretty much anything "when it comes to hunting that is"

Similar to Dana's friend, my dad's family uses dogs to hunt Whitetail in Ontario. Nothing wrong with it.

makes me laugh when some say hound hunting it's not fair chase, or unethical, and go further to break it down and say it's ok for bears/cats, but not for deer elk etc. What difference does it make what species you are using them for?

Hunting with hounds, in my opinion, is every bit as fair chase or ethical as any other legal method of hunting.

[islandboy]

I think hound hunting is fascinating... Unfair advantage? I don't think so... You're using a natural hunting tool and pursuing the prey on foot.

Doesn't get much purer than that... Just my opinion.

Carl
agreed. I have only been on a couple of cougar hunts, it is work. :-D

PS: unethical hunting is done at your local grocer - those critters never stood a chance!:evil:

[TyTy]

I would.

I imagine to tree an animal with your very own hounds feels great. (as opposed to following hounds where someone else has done all the work to train them)

[stoneguide]

Any hound huting ive been on has been as much fair chase as any other type of hunting. My cat was A 9hr run and a few days of me doing the work to find it, find where it was staying, keeping track of it for a couple days till my friend got done with clients and could run the track for me.

If guys wanna get into fair chase then maybe we should address pushing bush for deer, baiting animals, long range shooting and many other ways that people hunt. It is only "not fair chase" in a persons opinion. And most of the time that opinion is that of people that dont really understand the concept and make judgment off misimformation.

My cougar hunt was one of my most physical hunts ive done and ive hunted everything in western canada lots. Sure a few are easy but there are alot more easy deer shot from or near a vehicle or atv which to many isnt fair chase either to some but again that is just personal opinion.

People need to remember that any form of hunting can have some people calling it not fair chase. Some traditional archerers say compound bows are not fair, them same compound guys may say muzzleloaders arent fair, them muzzleloaders may say cartridge shooters arent fair, them same guys may say shooting a rifle with 20x optics isnt fair. Everyone isnt going to agree on what is classed as fair chase so just remember somene out there will think what you do isnt 100% fair chase so watch how you judge what others do.

My rant!
SG

[BradB]

My knee jerk response would be yes, but not against animals that could turn on the hounds. I've hunted lots of snowshoe hare over beagles and the sound of a beagle on a scent raises goose bumps on my arms everytime, but I get so attached to the dogs I hunt with (even other peoples) and given I've never hunted predators with hounds, I think I'd be too nervous for their welfare.

**I acknowledge that I do not have experience with pred hunting and may be worried for nothing**

[Mr. Dean]

People need to remember that any form of hunting can have some people calling it not fair chase. Some traditional archerers say compound bows are not fair, them same compound guys may say muzzleloaders arent fair, them muzzleloaders may say cartridge shooters arent fair, them same guys may say shooting a rifle with 20x optics isnt fair. Everyone isnt going to agree on what is classed as fair chase so just remember somene out there will think what you do isnt 100% fair chase so watch how you judge what others do.


Ahhh, but thats why people finger point at what their peers are doing.... Pass the buck, a little deflection and VOILA!!! You're not in the spotlight any longer. Until, that is, you're the only one left standing.

[hunter1947]

I would hunt any animal with hounds that are legal.

[chilcotin hillbilly]

This is a good discussion, with lots of input from the different opinions.Keep it up

[Bear Chaser]

I have hunted with hounds before. I loved it. If practicality and work commitments weren't in the way I'd still be doing it. The most exciting hunting experiences I've had were during bayups on bear hunts. One day I hope a cougar will be in the cards.

[digger dogger]

Here is a video that was e-mailed..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGo9uSgnqbo