MarkNTennessee
New member
We can now chase bobcat with dogs here in TN. so how would I go about getting some dogs to run bobcats??
what breed and how to train a bobcat treeing dog?
- Thread starter MarkNTennessee
- Start date
Any on the hound breeds can be trained to tree bobcat, you just got to spend some time with um . Curs will work also but IMO it takes a real pressure dog to keep a bob in the tree. you may want to check on a simi silent or a silent dog that will put them up quick . I like to hear the chase so that wont work for me. good luck in finding one check with some of the local coon hunters sometimes they may have a dog that will tree cats and want to get rid of um
Chris_Brice
New member
See the recent thread about coonhounds. All of that applies to "cat"hounds. While I don't hunt cats I've also heard that silent dogs make for shorter chases. "If" I get another "tree" dog it will be a leopard cur. I've been hearing too many good things about not to give em a try.
CB
CB
Mark,
First thing I will let you in on is all hounds/curs might run bobcats, but a bobcat dog that actually trees them or allows you to get a shot at them are two completely different critters. I've owned dogs that would run the [beeep] outta them but very few are smart enough to locate a bobcat once treed and they will timber like a squirrel and come down 50 yds. away and take off again. I would spend the $1500-$3000 to buy a broke old bobcat dog and get a pup or started dog to run with and train the younger dog with the old one. Snow helps to run them, but if you have a good population of cats, that is good too.
Here in SoDak, ours get run so hard by dogs, you'd better have a darn good dog or you will log the miles on your feet, not the furs in your shed. Walk with Wick is a good hound training book, many good forums our there to learn from, and running with somebody who runs bobcats now would be a good place to start.
Remember, only like 10% of hounds/curs will make a good to excellent bobcat dog. The best ones I've heard of were semi to fully silent and could locate like no other. I like the sound of a chase and that's why mine were open, but we only treed a few, and never got to kill a one...If you have a bobcat pen, like a fox or yote pen to run, that would be worth EVERY darn penny you could muster. If you have a lot of rock piles and woodpiles for them to run into also, you may want a hard little hole dogs (patterdale, jadg, russell) to yank them out too, if the fur is what you are after.
Hope this helps, but I gave it up for more productive things. Cost me a heck of a lot more to do than any other sport. Gas, dogs, Gas, boots, lost time, gas, etc.
Nate
First thing I will let you in on is all hounds/curs might run bobcats, but a bobcat dog that actually trees them or allows you to get a shot at them are two completely different critters. I've owned dogs that would run the [beeep] outta them but very few are smart enough to locate a bobcat once treed and they will timber like a squirrel and come down 50 yds. away and take off again. I would spend the $1500-$3000 to buy a broke old bobcat dog and get a pup or started dog to run with and train the younger dog with the old one. Snow helps to run them, but if you have a good population of cats, that is good too.
Here in SoDak, ours get run so hard by dogs, you'd better have a darn good dog or you will log the miles on your feet, not the furs in your shed. Walk with Wick is a good hound training book, many good forums our there to learn from, and running with somebody who runs bobcats now would be a good place to start.
Remember, only like 10% of hounds/curs will make a good to excellent bobcat dog. The best ones I've heard of were semi to fully silent and could locate like no other. I like the sound of a chase and that's why mine were open, but we only treed a few, and never got to kill a one...If you have a bobcat pen, like a fox or yote pen to run, that would be worth EVERY darn penny you could muster. If you have a lot of rock piles and woodpiles for them to run into also, you may want a hard little hole dogs (patterdale, jadg, russell) to yank them out too, if the fur is what you are after.
Hope this helps, but I gave it up for more productive things. Cost me a heck of a lot more to do than any other sport. Gas, dogs, Gas, boots, lost time, gas, etc.
Nate
Duane@ssu
New member
Rolly,I agree with lots of what you said,but it ain't rocket science, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif,You just need one awesome dog,lots of cats to hunt, willingness to not sleep for three months,strong lungs,good boots ,and lots of heart.I hunt with a partner,and between us we run 2 dozen "good dogs".Out of the whole pack,only 4 will put up and hold a bobcat every time.Lion dogs are a dime a dozen,I won't feed a cowdog that can't put up a lion.But bobcats are smaller,and don't leave as much scent,also they will run like a rabbit,and rock up the first chance they get.A good bobcat dog needs brains,and they get them from huntin alot.
The best advice I can give is buy an honest dog to start with or you may spend lots of time chasing hounds and not killin any cats.Beware that honest bobcat dogs are not cheap.Our cats last year were about 400$ on the average,dogs that can catch them consistently will cost you.I would not sell my good dog for less than 3000$.I looked at a bobcat stike dog a few days ago for 6000$.Not trying to spook anyone out of the game,but 1 out of 100 hounds will be an honest bobcat dog.We have been lucky to start good pups with good finished dogs.We put over 20 bobcats in front of shooters last year with our dogs.
Silent dogs will put more bobs in front of the gun,but you need good tracking collars.Our best to dogs are silent until they "jump the cat",then all [beeep] breaks loose.We also walk in with our cat hounds on every track.Walkin out your cat tracks will teach you alot about cats and how the dogs work them.
The best advice I can give is buy an honest dog to start with or you may spend lots of time chasing hounds and not killin any cats.Beware that honest bobcat dogs are not cheap.Our cats last year were about 400$ on the average,dogs that can catch them consistently will cost you.I would not sell my good dog for less than 3000$.I looked at a bobcat stike dog a few days ago for 6000$.Not trying to spook anyone out of the game,but 1 out of 100 hounds will be an honest bobcat dog.We have been lucky to start good pups with good finished dogs.We put over 20 bobcats in front of shooters last year with our dogs.
Silent dogs will put more bobs in front of the gun,but you need good tracking collars.Our best to dogs are silent until they "jump the cat",then all [beeep] breaks loose.We also walk in with our cat hounds on every track.Walkin out your cat tracks will teach you alot about cats and how the dogs work them.