Honestly...How often do you run in the off season???

[josh]

I know a guy who hardly ever even lets his dogs out of their kennel during the off season, last week I hunted with his dogs, I was amazed at how good they were, considering they never get out!

It has me wondering if I am wasting my time trying to get the dogs in the woods at least a couple times a week. What do you guys think?

 

[engman99]

It depends on the dogs personality,and the age of the dog.I have a 15 month old that goes plumb nuts if I dont hunt him about every other night.He is a very highstrung dog that gets caught at the tree or he dont get caught.My NT. CH. female,which happens to be the other dogs mother,is 5.She checks in about once an hour.She usually looks her best after she has been layed up a week.I had a 9 year old male that could be hunted every night or once a month,looked the same either way.
If you aint competition hunting then you could probably hunt them about once a week and not feel guilty about it.I have hunted 3 nights so far this week,and tomorrow will make 4.

 

[Mountain Boomer]

I usually run mine once a week during the off season and twice a week during season.

 

[hntrjohn]

Afriend of mine who used to have dogs said he ran his dog 2 to 3 time a week.

John

 

[Bear Creek Adventures]

Josh,

The answer is not often enough!! During the season I try to get out 1-2 times a week. During the off season, I am lucky if I get them out 1-2 times a month. This summer it looks like I will be able to get them out more often, supposed to hunt 8-10 days per month. I'm looking forward to that!!

 

[George P]

When our training season for bear is in I like to run at least 3 days a week.I should say go at least 3 days a week as some days we might not get a run.In 99 I ran 4 to 5 days a week during training season.When kill season opened my dogs were real hard.I treed bear 7 out of the first 10 times I went.At one point I treed 6 bear in 6 times out.Once a client kills a bear I stop for the day unless I have another hunter.There is no doubt the reason why i was treeing those bears was because of the shape the dogs were in.I had over 30 trees during training season that year.
Last fall I only ran once or twice a week during training season and it showed during kill season. I got out run sometimes and that hardly ever happened the season before.I think I averaged a treed bear about every third time out last year during kill season.And I know I had a better pack last year than 99.I think more so for bear hunting than coon or cat,being in shape is a huge advantage in treeing bears.

 

[Bear Creek Adventures]

I think you are right George. When we used to have a spring season, those bears were HARD to tree! In the fall it's not as bad, but they are still harder to tree than cats.

 

[bcat]

Josh-Good dogs NEVER loose their touch. I dont get mine out near enuff, but they have never forgot what they were supposed to do when they do get out to hunt. Of course an agressive poodle can tree lions, bears are a much harder animal to tree I hear. Bobcats are harder to get in a tre than lions and this isnt the first year that I havent ran a bobcat. They never forget, and thats the good thing about a good dog. As long as they are in shape a couple weeks before season opens, they are just fine throughout the season. That has been my experiance with it. The pups are another subject. Ya have to work with the pups and excercize them all year long. The rest of the dogs may only see the excercise once a week around here, sometimes longer depending on whats going on. bcat