Improvements

It's been roughly three weeks since not only did I lose a dog but my buddy as well.  After one hard shock a few weeks ago on a deer mine hasn't touched them since.  Seen one last night on the way off of Iron Horse and set them out on it.  Wouldn't leave my side.  Things are getting better, but till I can pressure check mine I won't know for sure how broke they really are.  

Good news is a pup I'm buying was born yesterday.  While Thor is going to be to big for trials I'm hoping this female I plan on buying won't be, and she throws under 15 inch dogs.  I put a lot of stock in pups, but I can guide them more as well.  They have to learn how to hunt hard where I live.  Not as many rabbits, hill sides, and plenty of the thick stuff.  Gotta hunt hard and have grit or they don't make it here.

Peace and God Bless,
Curtis

New problem

I've discovered a terrible problem that cost me a nice pup that was coming along great.  At the end of the day its my fault as my dogs trainer and handler.  I last a pup two weekends ago.  Due to running off game.  I don't have an older dog to train with, and was working on breaking mine.  Thing is none of us that are buddies with young dogs have an older dog to check the young ones with.  If you own an older broke dog it will come back and not touch off game.  I thought I had that in a young dog, but pressure got to her.  The pups took off with her, and that's were I stand.  My buddy last a dog last night.

My new goal.  Buy a broke dog to train my young dogs with.  My bluetick pup has a ton of potential and even my tri-color gyp that is about two.  I need a dog that is broke, and can help finish them.  Now to find someone willing to part with such a dog that I can trust.

The pups

If anyone actually reads this I've got two bluetick pups.  Thor and Mary Jane.  Ran them five hours yesterday, and three today.  Coming along real nicely.  Showing more hunt every time out.  I just hope they don't get over 15 inches.  Can't trail them if they are :/

Stupid weather

I don't mind cold weather, but there's a point where it get's to cold.  It's been like that here lately.  With work starting back I had today to go hunting since I'm usually off on the weekends.  Well every other Saturday for my second job.

Go figure the Saturday I'm off theres a thunder storm.  No running, nor hunting this week.  

Pups doing well

My buddies give me a hard time.  One of the many things they are good for.  At their advice I sold down.  I wanted to get down to two dogs, and I couldn't move my bluetick pups.  I like them.  Built great, good looking, and love how they are papered.  That doesn't mean they will be good gun dogs first, and trail second.  While having them up for sale I took them out in the wild with my grade gyp Sam.  Second time out the bluetick gyp Mary Jane opened up.  Sadly the rabbit holed up about 20 yards on the chase.  Next day went with a buddy to hunt.  He's got a nine month old pup while mine are seven months old.  I consider Sam a pup at just 21 months.

The day went fairly well.  Hard to shoot at anything. I seen the back end of a bunny and that was it.  Pups done real good though.  Started hunting, and tracking.  Both opened up that day.  The gyp Mary Jane seems like she's coming along good.  Ran a track real nice.  Thor is coming along the male.  He's been a bit tough to handle, but came right to me for a change.

Overall the pups are doing well.

Overall happy

With moving all my dogs I'm happy.  Right now I'm down to three, and probably move both those pups.  I took Sam out to solo hunt her yesterday.  I wanted to gun hunt, and went to a spot that is easy to do.  Sadly not a single rabbit up.  First time I was soloing her too, so I was worried.  Went to another area, but it's extremely hard to gun hunt at.  She ran three rabbits for about two hours.  I was really happy.  At 21 months old, and the first time I solo'd her she done it all.  Jumped her own, worked hard in the check area's, and kept the rabbits moving good.  It was a good day.

The full update.

Back in October I was running Jack and Sam a lot.  Five days a week, and working with two pups.  Well things went down hill.  Jack scratched out in two hunts on me.  I loved how hard he hunted, and found out a lot more about the paycheck dogs.  So I found two paycheck pups.  Beautiful blueticks.

I went up to seven dogs.  Mostly all pups.

The week before season comes in my grandmother becomes very ill and in the hospital. Had a stroke that triggered an anuism(sp?) She died, and buried her the Saturday before Thanksgiving.  Done a little gun hunting, and with seven dogs I started to move them.

I traded Jack for a bluetick gyp.  Liked her, but still to many dogs.  Sold her back to the guy that I got her from.  Traded Bandit one of my tri-color males for Coco.  Sold Coco.  Figured to keep the littlemate Hoss but sold him.  Sold Princess as well as a brood dog though she had potential to run.   I did have her lightly started at one time.

Down to three dogs.  Sam, Thor, and Mary Jane.  Thor and Mary Jane are my paycheck pups.  I'll keep Sam till she dies.

Plan is to get the paycheck pups burning it up.  Getting them out of a starting pen tomorrow.  Been there for a week, and doing real well.  Guy ran them all day and left them in the pen all night.  Ate one of the rabbits.  Hate it for his rabbit, but glad those pups had the drive to get over it till it wouldn't move.

Plan on buying a nice older dog to help train the pups with, and going to solo hunt the guys out of them and Sam.  I do have the time in truth.