Belle treed one at the easy spot. Ruby was on the other side of the swamp but came in to the tree.
No fooling around tonight. Let Mabel go into the schoolhouse section from the north edge. She treed in the Blue Lake section to the west.
Met Paul & his friend Sam down on the river. We let Belle, Ruby and Nitro go at the club bridge. Nitro struck by the corn, Belle was behind him but as luck would have it, that put her ahead on the track. They ran down the creek back to the gate and lost it. They were in the corn across the road going a direction I didn't like. We rounded them up and herded them back towards the river. Nitro slipped down on the river bank & we called him back. Belle slipped down and went the other way & we couldn't catch her. We walked Nitro a little & then I told those guys we might as well not bother anymore. Some nights the river is a bad place to hunt, especially with young dogs. They took off & I caught Belle around 12:15, still on the river bank, about 1/2 way to Shakopee. On a positive note, sort of, Ruby opened by the swamp and was trying to chase something. I caught her because it could have been anything. It shows me she is ready to go right now. She treed a squirrel in the yard this morning too.
Stef came up and brought two little girls. I think they were granddaughters. We went up to the farm and picked up Charlie & then went to the little cornfield. I sent Belle and Pearl down the edge and Belle struck in just a few minutes. She looped out in the corn quite a way south...
Bellle was really moving at first but started to have trouble when the track went into the slough on the east side. We walked a little closer and found a nice place to sit and listen to her working it out. I figured this was getting boring for the kids so Charlie and I walked out by her and called her in. I wanted to tree a coon for the kids so I sent the dogs into the woods on the west side of the road.
Belle barked once after 10 or 15 minutes. She was close and it didn't sound too good so I just called her back in. We saw 2 coons sitting up and she went right by them. Maybe she would have trred them if I made her work some more, but I thought it would be better to move and start out fresh. We sent them south from the road that Charlies house is on. She was out for about 1/2 hour before she barked. She wasn't too far in and it didn't sound like much of a track. We waited for her to figure it out, but she never barked anymore and finally I saw her coming down the edge of the field right by us. I just caught her and we called it a night. Darn, the weather was just beautiful and I was sure I'd get a hot one for the kids tonight. I sure didn't think I'd get skunked tonight. The pup Pearl was in and out all night. She is really close to popping, I can just feel it. I figure all she needs is one or two hot tracks with an old dog, but I just haven't had any luck for a few nights. I'm just convinced that she is going to be a good dog, maybe even great. Well, Saturday will be a new night. Things have to start going my way sooner or later.
Took Belle up to the farm kids. Sent her into the corn & I kept Pearl on a leash. Belle struck a poor track & it sounded like it was going to be a while. It was a school night & already 10:00 so I took the kids and Pearl home. When I came back I heard Belle across the swamp. I walked closer to hear better and figured out that she was treed on the other side of the slough. I walked straight across & it was wet and deep in spots. Belle treed nice while I was going to her. On the way back to the truck, I took the long way around & stayed dry for a change.
Mabel and Ruby on the river. Mabel took off and Ruby was left to hunt around by herself. I saw a coon climb a tree nearby & walked her that way. She struck befreo I got there and trailed out into the swamp. She finally came back after about 10 minutes. She wouldn't let me cathc her though. I drove off after Mable & found her on the other side of the swamp. SHe had been sprayed by as skunk. I drove back around and found the pup. She still ran around for about 5 minutes before she let me catch her. One of those nights..
Took Josie and Ruby to the easy spot with Dale & Pete. Wlaked around for quite a while & finally Josie wandered off. She treed in the pasture about 1/4 mile away. While going to her I heard Ruby bawling farther in. Josie hada coon & Pete led her back to the truck. I checked Ruby & she had a coon too. Pete took Josie home.
I headed up to the kids farm with Dale this Saturday evening. I had Mabel, Ruby, acaged coon and a caged squirrel. I figured this would be an easy night. Wrong!
I let the squirrel go in the yard and let Ruby and Pearl go. They looked for it for a little while but soon they lost interest & started playing. We caught them up and started with the coon. I wanted to check & see what stage the pups were at so I did things a little differently. I let the coon go & didn't let the pups see. I let the pups go a little later and then put Mabel in behind them. OOPs, Mabel was all wound up and just raced into the swamp and took the pups with her. She finally lost them & they came back after 5 or 10 minutes. By the the coon was long gone & they are too inexperienced to work this out. We waited for a few minutes & then I told the kids they might as well go home. Dale and I drove around and I could hear Mabel treeing. I left for the tree at 9:30 and made it back to the truck at 11:30. One of worst times in that swamp I've had so far. I lost my bearings and ended up in some real mud. Ended up backtracking & swinging west to get out of the mud. I'm tired today. Adding insult to injury, I saw a whole family of coons on the drive home. They were right on the edge of the cornfield where I was going to drop after the caged coon. Darn! Oh well, they'll still be there next weekend.
Picked up Josie. Dropped her with Mabel. They ran a track & I caught them on the road. Took them to the easy spot and dropped again. Josie struck while Mabel was still on the leash. Mabel caught up to her & they ran for a few minutes. Josie located and treed hard. Mabel joined in a few seconds later. They had the coon. Surveyors stakes in the field. Darn, there will be a house here in the spring.
Took Mabel to the river. 1 hour in the swamp & then treed one on the creek.
Took Belle and the new pup to the river. Saw damage but no strikes. Went home early.
Wade met me up at the kids farm tonight. We let Belle, Queen, Josie and Pearl go. Queen and Belle treed way down in the swamp. The kids came with us and got a little muddy. I think I'll stick to the corn next time.
Put the pup on a hot one. She yipped a few times and gave chase but lost it in the corn. I sent Belle in to mop up, she made a couple of misses & then lined it out. The pup went with her but didn't open. when Belle treed the pup was there but not barking. I tried to get her excited & she did put her feet on the tree & look up. Maybe only a couple of weeks for this one...? Boy is this pup small for her age! Skinny, short ears and bug eyes. A regular old LaDue dog.
Put Belle and the new pup on a hot one. The pup looked like she was chasing by site. Bell treed and the pup stayed but didn't tree. Looks like a couple weeks of working with her. At least it's a good time of year for pups.
Got a call Sunday evening from the farmer. He said there was a little damage in th first strip. I waited til' Monday night to go check it out. 5 coons in about 1/2 an hour. I only brought Mabel because I thought it would be too rough for a pup. Oh well..
Took Josie up to the farm & traded for Ruby Saturday.
Just been bored with Josie now that I'm not hunting the river.
Ruby doesn't know anything, will be starting from scratch.
Lots of good training left this year.
The easy spot.
Josie ran a possum about 1/3 of a mile into a hollow log.
I scolded her a little.
Walked her around for a while and then made her go out in the first pothole.
She treed another possum!
I scolded a little and went home.
Mabel went deep by the school house again.
Third time now, I think the coons are sticking where there is water.
Paul came by & we headed up there to give the pups an easy one. I wanted to go test out "The Easy Spot" tonight. Pete showed me this spot about 15 years ago. I've adopted it as my own but it's really still his. It was Don Eden's before that, but he died a few years ago. I don't know who had it before him, but I'll bet somebody did. It's been a great puppy spot over the years. I rarely shoot coons out of here, only if the dogs tree close to the farmers house.
I have been on the river for about two months so I didn't know what the Easy Spot had in store. Last few times I was there, I treed a coon & it seemed like a female that was planning on taking up permanent residence. How could I tell? I don't know, funny how you just get feelings about things.
Sent Nitro & Josie in along the path in the pasture. I saw Nitro turn on the creek headed for the first pothole & he struck shortly thereafter. Josie joined in a few minutes later. They both let out locates & I thought they would tree. They went on though, kept getting quieter and finally stopped barking altogether. I thought they might have put the coon up but were too excited to stop. We walked them back through the area & I shined around but didn't see anything sitting up.
This is a good place for pups to strike so we just kept walking. I noticed Nitro change his body language and head into the woods. Sure enough he opened. He was circling in a little area, locating, treeing, moving, locating, treeing. Josie was with him, doing the same thing. Paul & I were sure the coon was up & that the dogs were just confused. We got in close and started shining around. We spotted a whole family sitting up. I got to the tree and called the dogs into it.
Nitro was still really excited and could not settle on this tree. We finally leashed him at the tree. We let them tree together for a few minutes and then headed home.
This was a good example of too many coons. I've seen people minus out in nite hunts more than once like this. Lots of broken trees and thick brush where that litter had probably been playing for a couple of hours. The dogs just looked crazy. A little sloppy but I think both of the dogs learned a little bit. Hopefully they get better at handling this type of situation.
I'll be using this spot a lot so Josie will get plenty of chances to figure this out.