wildbillb02
New member
I have been invited to go and watch some swim dog trials for the local bear hunters. What goes on at one of this things if anyone knows.
swim dog trials
- Thread starter wildbillb02
- Start date
Wildbill02,
I don't know if they will bee the same, but the ones I am used to... They seperate the dogs into different heats and load them into a start box on the edge of a pond. There is a coon (ours was live) in a cage strapped to a raft which was pulled by rope across the pond with pulley and hand crank. the coon is started across and and the dogs are let loose. At the opposite side of the pond the coon (raft and all)are hoisted up a pole or "tree". The scoring was by "line" and "Tree". First line was the dog that reached dry land first. First tree was the first one to bark inside the painted circle around the tree. If I remember right first and second line and tree were the payoffs. Dogs were bid on prior to each heat.
The last event of the day was usually a treeing contest. the caged coon was set on the ground a few feet in front of the dog, and the dog watched it be hoisted up. The dog was let go and the number of barks were counted for a like 30 seconds or something like that, but if the dog stepped out of the painted circle it is disqualified. the dogs with the most barks wins. I believe they used 3 counters(judges) and compared numbers.
I thought they were quite fun, and swam a dog or two at times.
If you get a chance go to a field trial too. After a few you will be able to tell the hunters from the professional field trialers.
just my 2 cents
Rod
I don't know if they will bee the same, but the ones I am used to... They seperate the dogs into different heats and load them into a start box on the edge of a pond. There is a coon (ours was live) in a cage strapped to a raft which was pulled by rope across the pond with pulley and hand crank. the coon is started across and and the dogs are let loose. At the opposite side of the pond the coon (raft and all)are hoisted up a pole or "tree". The scoring was by "line" and "Tree". First line was the dog that reached dry land first. First tree was the first one to bark inside the painted circle around the tree. If I remember right first and second line and tree were the payoffs. Dogs were bid on prior to each heat.
The last event of the day was usually a treeing contest. the caged coon was set on the ground a few feet in front of the dog, and the dog watched it be hoisted up. The dog was let go and the number of barks were counted for a like 30 seconds or something like that, but if the dog stepped out of the painted circle it is disqualified. the dogs with the most barks wins. I believe they used 3 counters(judges) and compared numbers.
I thought they were quite fun, and swam a dog or two at times.
If you get a chance go to a field trial too. After a few you will be able to tell the hunters from the professional field trialers.
just my 2 cents
Rod
wildbillb02
New member
Thanks for the info guys.