Getting started!

[Paxton2016]

So I am new to this hobby just trying to chase a child hood dream.. but I'm not too sure how to get going can anyone help me with pointers or even be willing to let me tag along for a trip? I have just one dog so far...

[bare.hunter]

Be ready for a lifetime addiction

[Machias]

Tell us a little about your dog and maybe we can help some.

[Huntin Hounds]

Not know anything about your situation I will just make some generic recommendations. Training puppies alone to hunt is extremely difficult. Look on some hound sites for someone selling an old coon dog. Coon dogs are relatively cheap and you should be able to find a 10+ year old one for less than $1000. It will be the best money you will ever spend in hound hunting. That dog will teach YOU how to hunt. You need a good shocker with a 1 mile range and get a GPS collar system. You don't need a beep beep collar for backup like some people say. I hunt big country and while I have lost reception on dogs a lot I have always found them. I have not put a beep beep collar on a dog in over 5 years. Tell us a little about your hound experience and your dog. It doesn't hurt to learn some basic vet skills either like doing your own shots and caring for wounds.

[Machias]

Good advice, just one small caveat, make sure you go hunt with whatever trainer you are going to buy.  You want a dead broke dog that is not ill in any ways for training pups.

[Huntin Hounds]

That's a very good point Machias. Always buy hounds at the tree!

[Huntin Hounds]

One other thing is to buy a dog from close to your area. Dogs from another part of the country may not hunt as well in terrain they are not accustomed to.

[Paxton2016]

I have a blue tick and he is about 2 years old I have used a coon skin with the scent in it for training like dragging at all around a park or something and stashing it up a tree and he seems to follow the trail well just don't know if he's following my scent or not but when he gets to the tree it's on. i have taken him out a couple of times and he has bayed up a tree but when I got to him there wasn't anything there but he will not give up and does not want to leave that tree...

[Machias]

2 years old he needs to go out with an experienced dog.  If he has it in him it'll click on real fast.  At his age you'll have to be careful because he will want to run something.  You'll end up with him chasing deer, or tangling with a skunk or porky.  How does he handle for you?  Lots of guys think because they are coonhounds they are too hardheaded to train to handle well, but that is not true.  At two he might be a little bit hard headed, but you should still work with the basics,  when you leave the tree he needs to come with you, you don't want to have to drag him away.  When he treed did you praise him?  I walk in and check the trees on a young dog before I encourage him.  I don't want to create a slick treeing idiot or praise him when he's got a porky up the tree.  If I don't see anything.  I just leash them up and walk away.  Now if it's an older dog that I trust them I will love him up and tell him good boy.  But they have to show me some coon eyes a few times before I trust them.  Do you have a tracking collar?

[Huntin Hounds]

It's tough to say but some young dogs need work on locating. He may have been treed on the wrong tree or could have been a slick tree. You don't want to praise them until you know for sure and only praise them when they are treeing. Don't even acknowledge them if they come off the tree to see you. It can be difficult to spot small game in a tree especially if they are in a nearby tree. Take your time to make sure. Handling is one of the most important parts of owning a good hound. A good handling dog is a pleasure to hunt.

[Machias]

A good handling dog is a pleasure to hunt.

Amen!! 

[Paxton2016]

I know he has leaped out of my truck after a deer so I don't want to start those habits! It's not too late is it?? And he handles pretty well unless he's onto something then ne needs the shock collar to get his attention. I don't have a tracker collar yet so I am a little worried to take him out at night alone without a way of tracking him..

[bearbaito6]

Don't get into hound huntin it's a trap!

[Huntin Hounds]

Tie your dog up when you drive so they can't jump out whenever they smell something. It's never to late for trash breaking. Even the most broke dogs need a refreshing course every once in a while. Don't start trash breaking until he has a couple races and knows what good game is though. I would rather own a dog that wants to chase everything than one that doesn't, that just means they're gamey.

[Machias]

That's why finding a good broke dog to run your dog with is really helpful.  Go easy on the shock collar.  I made a promise to myself years ago.  I never shock a dog unless I am 100% certain they are running trash.  One time while out coon hunting we got done and were heading to the truck when they struck and ran out into the sage brush.  I was pretty darn sure they were onto a porky.  My lead female back then hated them and killed everyone she came across.  But because I wasn't sure I did not shock her.  Got to a sticker bush and they were going to town.  I knew it was going to be a big ol fat porky.  Shined my light and there sat a big old boar coon.  When I am trying to break them off trash I try to set them up for failure.  If you can see deer up a head I like to road them into the deer and if they show interest they get a correction.  I would not turn your dog loose without a tracking collar on.  You can find some really good deals on the telemetry collars now that a lot of guys have switched to the Garmins.  You can get a collar and tracker for $400ish.  Always secure your dog when riding in the truck, otherwise you're going to end up with a really hurt or dead dog.