As always

It's been a long time.  It's my fault.  I have plenty of time to write, and I need something as an outlet.  Something that isn't facebook.  Granted I will link my blog on facebook.  Maybe I'll build a small or large reader base, and I may not have one at all.  That's not the point of my blog.  It's my daily life.  What I experience and opinion on things.

Long time

As always I tend to disappear here and there.  I will say one thing.  I am not a fan of the summer.  Aside from the hot weather snakes are every where.  I've seen people lose dogs to rattlers, and get bitten many times by copperheads.  I've only been out a few times with my hounds.  I hate it because I've got two that needs ran, but I rather not take the chance of losing one.  To me they aren't just another tool to put meet in the freezer.  They are my friends, and I love them.  My one gyp has been with me for over two years, and no matter what has went wrong in my life she's always been a blessing to have.  Sweet little female that always hunts hard for me.  I just hope the rest turn out at least as good as her.

Peace and God Bless,
Curtis

New pup

I finally found myself a trex gyp.  Sadly it's a pup, but I seem to do well with training pups.

Video of my dogs running.

http://youtu.be/7zeEvvdmYTE

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.

Some what reliefed

Sold Hoss and Princess today.  After I get my paycheck pups back I'll only be at three dogs.

Moving dogs

I decided to move my beagles.  Why? Well I've got seven.  So far two are gone.  Maybe three or four today.  Will post pics of my paycheck pups when I get them from a starting pen tomorrow.  Blueticks, and their huge.  Good looking pups, and doing real well.  Hopefully they turn out to be what I want.  Only beagle not leaving me kennel, and never will is Sam.  My Branko Grade Gyp.  Wish her dam had papers.

Took the dogs out this morning after the bus run. Started out slow, but things picked up real fast. My male dog is looking good. I took a different pup with me this morning. Hoss went Tuesday night, and Bandit this morning. He's smaller then Hoss, but done good. Done his best to keep up, and even opened up on a few tracks. Really happy since this is his first time out. The two pups should be easy to get started, and turn out really good.

Since Sunday I've been taking the dogs out.  Jake and Sam.  Jake is about 3 1/2 now, and Sam is 1 1/2.  I believe November she'll be one year and eight months.  Well they've been doing pretty good.  Tonight was bit of an adventure.  I set them off on deer with a pup that is five months old.  Huge risk if my older dogs run a deer.  Thankfully out of the four I seen none of them were chased after.  Ignored the deer and got a rabbit up.  Good news is Hoss one of my five month old pups took right off with the older dogs at the start.  Granted he had some trouble moving through the thickets but over all I was happy.  Scott went with me, and we tried a new spot.  Wasn't the best.  My stupid Shocking System went dead on me on the handheld.  No extra batteries so had to call it early.

Well I changed up again.  Got rid of the younger dogs.  To many not finished to hold onto.  I got two pups that are papered really good that I'm starting to work with.  Going to resume running a lot tonight before season comes in.

Haven't been running lately due to a number of things.  First off it's been really hot out.  Secondly I've had two different dogs snake bit.  One of them is a new pup, and the other I've had for a while.  Got a bigger kennel now.  Will update later with pics and such.

Finally the Weather has let up...

Was able to run a bit Saturday morning, and ran this morning before work as well.  Sucks getting up at 4am to run the dogs and hit work for the rest of the day.  Yet I find it worth it as well.  I really enjoy running my dogs.   Also I've gotten a lot more dogs now.  All younger ones.  Rose isn't in my kennel anymore.  I picked up a tri-color northway/branko female I sold when she was really young.  She might be a year old now.  Slim Jim, and Lumberjack in her.  Also got a female right out of Reggie, but haven't ran her myself yet.  May take her out in the morning.  Also got two little pups that are 3/4 Northway Reffets and 1/4 Branko with Turbo.  Good looking little pups.  One keeps getting out of the kennel.  Been sneaking out beside the gate.  I placed a board there that was about two feet long.  Was pulling out and the little guy was scrambling up it to get out again.  I have to admit he has grit, and smarts to do that.   Believe the two pups will be named Hoss and Thunder. 

More then likely I'm going to solo Jack in the morning.

Peace and God Bless,
Curtis

Finally

Got to run tonight after not running for a week and one day.  It rained a bit, and an hour later it quit.  I took off, and grabbed the dogs.  I only ran for an hour tonight.  Mostly due to having to work all day tomorrow, and how foggy it was out.  Pretty crazy in truth.  Jake and Sam done real good for me tonight while Princess done nothing.  What I was afraid of.

Sam jumped the first rabbit they ran, and held a much tighter line then Jake.  He's faster then Her, but due to having more control on the line she stayed ahead of him.   Jake got the second rabbit up after that one holed, and lead the track on it.  Both done great tonight, and I'm excited about it.

I won't run Princess anymore.  I doubt I'll even breed to her now.  Her and Jake would have some beautiful black and tan pups, but they may not turn out to be what I want. 

Peace and God Bless,
Curtis

To much rain

Most of the time rain doesn't bother me, but lately it has.  Any chance I have at running between work it's raining.  Even when I decide to go in the mornings its raining then.  Hopefully I get to run some tonight, and tomorrow!

Pictures of my Dogs

Here are pictures of my dogs.

Jake - Northway Reffets Ky - 4 year old 14 1/2 to 14 3/4 inches

Sam - Branko Grade Female - About 1 1/2 year old Over 13 inches

Princess - Northway Reffets Ky - 2 1/2 year old True 15inch

 Rose - Branko Turbo - About 2 1/2 Year old Over 13 inches