The Orbital and other Coon Tales

[bjrogg]

Good stories guys thanks for sharing.
Bjrogg

[BowEd]

I've gotten to know many hound hunters over the years from all over the country.Some for breeding purposes or puppy sales or drawing out with them in a nite hunt.Hunting in their state and them hunting up here in mine.Most times we would meet at some centrally located large hunt and pleasure hunt a night or two before the nite hunt.I still stay in touch with them.
To be straight they cannot get on anything other than a coon.Some people will tolerate more than others.I had to have absolutley straight clean hounds to be able to train all my pups.They had to double duty things making the nite hunts too.I've been lucky enough to own at least 3 purely straight coon hounds throughout their whole life from a pup.Not even a possum treed by them.Would'nt even back a hound treed with one.The others that were outstanding were'nt that big of a deal to straighten out when young and continued to be straight the rest of their life.In the beginning though trying out different strains and breeds I had to break a few.They will teach you something too.It is'nt all about me being the trainer.The hounds teach me something too.Not the same method works for all personalitys.A person needs to learn to read a dogs temperment and go accordingly.It's a never ending learning curve just like making bows.The wood teaches me something too.
A dog will accumulate quite a few trophies on the quest to be a Gr.Nt.I've had a few myself and sold a few to others that they made into GR.Nt.and state Ch's.The smaller hunts and little trophies I usually gave back to clubs so they could save money by just changing the inscribed plate on them instead of buying a whole different trophy.I kept the larger ones.I've got a few 4 to 5 foot trophies.
From open registered a 1st, place plus with a total of 100 points of other placements to be a nt.ch.1st. place  counts 40 points.After that 5 nt.ch. wins need to be won to be Gr.Nt.That's with the UKC registry.World hunt qualifier hunts get wins also.
There are a few other registries like PKC[money hunts]/ACHA/AKC/NKC out there too.
A person needs to get to know the rules before getting into it.More importantly a person needs to know exactly what your dog will and will not do alone or in strange company and that takes hunting.That's why socializing dogs is a very important too.All ill dogs will be disqualified on the spot.No mean dogs allowed.These are part of the rules too.
Competition coon hunting will get rather expensive and time consuming.It's a life style.Another reason why after some realize it they don't continue on with it.One reason why I'm not into it any more but do enjoy hearing about it.I know what it takes to win and my standards on quality type dogs remains also.I was tougher on criticizing my own dogs then on others.I'll call a spade a spade no matter who owns it.There's a saying that holds true to the progression a hunter will become over time.First a hide or pleasure hunter/competition hunter/breeder,trainer,competition hunter.The more you hunt/the more different dogs/the more you learn.It's that way with bows too I'd say.
One thing though in northern Iowa is that I would get treated with occasionally in the winter was the northern lights.You get to see all kinds of crazy type weather.Thunder snow too.It makes no difference to the dogs but is memorable.

[BowEd]

Here's a couple of personal appreciation type salutes to a hound of mine but had a few females almost equal to his abilities and attributes.The picture was a christmas present from my sister.It's hand stitched macro may I believe.The other is a piece of my smoked brain tan laced onto a willow hoop with a few crow beads on the bottom with a beaded image of him on it.Done the traditional lazy siouw and applique method.You'll notice the thread does not go through the leather.Half way in and then out.This stuff does'nt collect as much dust as the trophies.

[Zuma]

Just a quick check in Ed. Those are very cool. I want to get up with you on the night hunts.
Gotta run out a while today. Good things. Later
Zuma

[Hawkdancer]

The dog game can be a lot of fun and a great sport on any plane, it can also get too cutthroat if there is not a presence of good sportsmanship!  It is fun, and a great socializer for the dogs, and usually for the handlers, but a lot of folks wind up soured by the poor sportsmanship that sometimes occurs.  I judge Earthdog events, and like the idea that the dog is competing with him/ herself at all levels.  The field events can be a lot of fun, too, but it does get expensive, depending on how deep you get into it.
Real nice work on the plaques, those are trophies that are appreciated the most!
Hawkdancer

[BowEd]

This is true at times about the sporstmanship sometimes and sometimes the best dog does not win.I've been on a few of those kind of casts.The dogs are competing with each other and it's up to the handler to call his dog.Right or wrong.You have to know the rules and stick up for yourself and your dog.Judges are appointed onto every cast that are recognized and chosen to be fair.I've been a judge many a time myself.There's an old saying about this...If it's too hot in the kitchen then you better get out.Sometimes handlers want to blame everything else but their dog for losing too.Honesty is always the best policy.Overall honor is given to those that deserve it.Just like the creed on the U.K.C. insignia says making it recognizable to the coon hound world by the title in front of his or her name on his or her pedigree besides the personal recognition one feels towards his dog.

[Zuma]

Ed your home made heart felt tribute art is way more cool than some generic ones.
I hope the pooches look down and realize how much they meant to us. Oh yeah and
I hope the mutts look up to. lol
 Yep Dancer it can be like Little league with some in any competition, And you remind me---
Also a part of a night trial hunts, when I was active was showing your hound. Straight tail, muzzle
bunched toes etc. My daughter loved it.
Ed did you ever cross paths with a guy from Henderson NC Kenneth Taylor. He had two outstanding dogs Sounder and Sheba both Treeing Walkers. He may have claimed Raleigh/ Durham as home.
Zuma

[BowEd]

Yes showing hounds is a good thing to participate in too.The ABC's of standards.A hound has to be set up right to perform well in tough conditions.It really helps to socialize the dog and get him used to handling etc. to.All in all a good thing.I was'nt into it all that much but liked watching the shows.Nor the day time type field trials much just the nite hunts.I always had to have a good water dog though doing most of my hunting along larger rivers and did enter into the pond water races occasionally.
No I can't say I have heard of him but I bet a B&T friend of mine by Raleigh/Durham called Randy Pridgeon has heard of him.Randy and me had bred dogs together for years.Heck of a nice guy.His brother hunted some walker dogs though.Randy has outstanding hounds.He hunts lots of beaver pond like swamps over there hence his kennel name was Backswamp Kennels.Mine was Blackland Kennels being from the farm land area.