[killngrill]

Does anyone know of anyone in Pa treeing cats regularly? I'm ready for a new pup and wondered if anyone had a suggestion. I'm not talking about guys whacking them on the ground with a shotgun.I think if they arent bayed or treed, they aint caught.

 

[mtncurhunter]

We treed 3 last year and 2 this year. We bayed 1 last year and 2 this year. The end game is usually down a hole or shot on the run. My dogs, I am sure, are not the best but I don't know of anyone that trees them regularly. There are too many other options for them in the terrain that we hunt.

 

[killngrill]

Ive been trough half a dozen dogs and only had one I really liked so far. I'm not guiding and since i usually don't have a tag i consder a tree a victory. My good dog would tree more than half of them. He died before he turned three. I think it takes a special dog to make them climb regularly. Definetly lots of holes too. Thanks for the info.

 

[MOLLY1]

IN SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY WE ARE BLESSED WITH QUARRY DUMPS ON EVERY MOUNTAIN.GOOD LUCK TREEING ONE HERE!!!

 

[snowshoe]

Ive been trough half a dozen dogs and only had one I really liked so far. I'm not guiding and since i usually don't have a tag i consder a tree a victory. My good dog would tree more than half of them. He died before he turned three. I think it takes a special dog to make them climb regularly. Definetly lots of holes too. Thanks for the info.

I think terrian and snow cover has more to do with it then a dog. Thick cover slows down the chase so the cat doesn't have to run as hard. Deep snow will gas a cat quickly and will make them climb.

 

[killngrill]

The dog has alot to do with it in my experience, I have only been hunting them since 2000 so im no expert. Deep snow and even a mediocre dog can make them climb. If you have an inch of snow and your dog can tree or catch them on the ground, then you have something exceptional. Thick cover can definetly hinder the dog but i think a good one will still put pressure on a cat.

 

[mtncurhunter]

It takes a good dog, but I believe thick laurel and bad blow downs can slow a dog down enough no matter how good they are. I cannot say for sure because I have only hunted cats with a few dogs. A couple of the dogs would never stand a chance of treeing a cat. I like how my dogs run and that works for me. Someone else may not think my dogs are worth a nickle. If in fact this is true I would love to hunt with a real good dog someday. I have only treed one cat in deep snow. The rest were in 2 to 5 inches.

 

[killngrill]

I'm sure you have good dogs.... you post enough pictures of dead cats!

 

[mtncurhunter]

I understand what you mean about wanting to tree. I hope for that everytime I turn my dogs out, it just don't happen very often. I would like to run some different country someday and see if it makes a difference.

 

[snowshoe]

The dog has alot to do with it in my experience, I have only been hunting them since 2000 so im no expert. Deep snow and even a mediocre dog can make them climb. If you have an inch of snow and your dog can tree or catch them on the ground, then you have something exceptional. Thick cover can definetly hinder the dog but i think a good one will still put pressure on a cat.

still can't agree with you...I run 2 hounds and in my opinion they can burn a cat with the best of them. I don't know how a dog can push a cat much harder then they do. I had a hunter out yesterday that couldn't believe how hard they pushed the cat and it didn't go up. The gps collars had almost 10 miles on them after a 3hr chase and the cat didn't tree. If a hound gets a cat out in open timber then maybe they'll tree more...but in the heavy cover it's not happening. I know 2 outfitters in Maine that are 2 of the best cat guides in Maine and they said the same thing. No snow or little amounts they rarely tree cats....but add some deep snow and they're treeing and catching them on the ground.

 

[killngrill]

The deep snow is definetly a big help. I agree that the nastier the cover the more the advantage is to the cat. I usually end up with them circling in the laurel till my dogs loose them or they get bored and go in a hole. Ive never hunted in swamps though. I just can't find a line of dogs that im real happy with. I treed 8 one year in the same cover that i cant buy a tree in now. I think the only diffrence is the dogs. It is nice to talk with other people that are doing it in PA. I think there are alot of times its impossible to tree one, deep crusty snow is one of them. When the dogs are chest deep and the cats are on top. The dogs i have now cant catch a cold. What are you running snowshoe?

 

[snowshoe]

1 treeing walker and 1 treeing walker-running walker cross

 

[killngrill]

I've often thought that the running cross would be great, does it tree ok ? What line of TW?

 

[snowshoe]

Both tree hard....the tw has lots of Nance blood in her.

 

[killngrill]

Nance from maine? Cole dog? Is the running dog cross any faster?

 

[snowshoe]

yes and yes..she's fast..actually both are.

 

[yotkillerbill]

i have had cats in open timber that would not tree

 

[mallardsx2]

I would think a dog that doesnt bark on the trail would push a cat up a tree alot faster than a dog that barks on the trail. But that may not be entirely true

 

[snowshoe]

i have had cats in open timber that would not tree

same here..but if you throw in a foot of snow it may change things

 

[yotkillerbill]

we need more snow