I took Ruby to the vegetable garden alone and sent her north. She struck a track but it wasn't very fresh. She grubbed for about 40 minutes & then I just went in and caught her. I took her behind Don Edens next and started walkiung the ditch. She struck behind me & something about it I didn't like. I was able to get to her quickly & I just leashed her up. Maybe it was OK but I didn't want to let her run that one for some reason. I headed home, Ruby will get plenty more chances.
I waited til about 10:00 and headed north with Roy & Ruby. I think it was about 11:00 when I got to the vegetable garden. I walked them all the way to the north edge of the woods and sent them in on the ditch. It's a little wet in there since all of the rain. I think Ruby may have split off to the left to avoid some of the standing water. Anyway, that's where she struck. She trailed a little northeast. Roy struck and sounded like he was northeast of her. She located and I'm pretty sure she treed. Roy was there immediately and treed hard. On the way in they got quiet. I think Ruby was milling and Roy must have been watching her. I picked up the pace and turned on my light, I didn't want to give Ruby a chance to to screw up. Roy started hitting it even harder when he saw my light. Ruby joined back in and was doing a nice job when I finally got there. I a little lovin & headed home.
Ya' know, Roy had an ear infection when he was up at Gordy's. Sometimes I wonder if that wasn't the reason he started backtracking and slick treeing. He's getting better but he still has a little more trouble than I think he should. I may have a vet look at him some day just to see if he can spot anything. He's doing pretty well, but I remember him as being a better dog than this. He's had Bronco and 2 pups get the strike and tree on him in the last couple weeks. Now that I see his pups doing so well, I think I'd like to finish him and get a few more litters on the ground.
The kids had a new spot behind their cousins house. We let Pearl and Roy go in the back yard. We saw a coon sitting up but the dogs ran by. Pearl sat down and treed back in the woods. Roy joined her shortly. We saw another coon sitting up on the way to the tree. Pearl looks like she is going to be a coondog. She had this all by herself.
Picked up Pete Friday. We sent Bronco and Roy north into thee vegetable garden. Brinco struck then Roy. Bronco treed then Roy. They had a coon on the ditch tree. Bronco did pretty good for an old dog.
Took Mabel up to the farm tonight. We sent her and Pearl south by the singing frogs. Mabel opened way off to the east by the shed. It sounded like a rough track. We listened for a while & then decided to drive around. We parked in the approach and when we got out I heard them both. Mabel was treeing and Pearl was right there with her. They were across the road & to the north. We hurried to the tree cause I was anxious about the pup. Probably no need. Pearl is a natural tree dog. Charlie is a believer in her now. He wants to take her out again Saturday night. I think I better get him a tracking collar for that dog soon. She goes hunting too! I'm sold on Roy/Lucky pups.
Picked up Pete Wednesday night & headed for the vegetable garden. We walked right up to the woods and sent Bronco and Ruby north. They both struck and trailed around for a while. I think they were too excited to begin with and missed part of the track. Bronco finally came back around & seemed like he straightened it out. He treed back between young Stokel's and George's. Ruby was there but kept her distance from Bronco. When I got there she ran in and started treeing with him. Saw the coon & headed home. I made her ride in the box with Bronco on the way back to Pete's. Pretty good night.
Took Roy & Ruby with me to see the kids. Picked up Charlie and Pearl and headed into the south section. Roy and Ruby grabbed a tree then left. I walked into the general area & didn't see anything sitting up. Ruby barked up a few minutes later and Roy locked down. It was slick & I shocked him off. He went deeper and treed. We caught the pups and drove around. I left Charlie on the road with the pups and ran in. Slick again & I shocked him again. Dropped Charlie and Pearl off and headed to the vegetable garden. Sent Roy and Ruby north. They each barked once or twice and then locked down. It would break my heart if this was slick. I got in there & they were both hammering. Whew! They had a coon. Roy was happy & so was I. Man you should see that pup Ruby tree. I love that puppy! Anyway, a good night of training.
I waited until about 10:45 and headed north with Roy. I got the vegetable garden about 11:30 & sent him across the field. I noticed he had made a u-turn and was heading south along the fence line. I yelled at him and he came crawling in to me. He might not have been doing anything wrong, but this time of year there's no good reason for him to go that way. I walked him up to the woods and sent him along the ditch. He only went a couple of hundred yards and treed and I saw the coon right away. I was looking for a little longer track but I wasn't going to push it tonight. I headed home. On the drive back I thought that maybe I'm finally getting a rhythm going with Roy. I think he still needs a lot of work but I'm feeling better about him lately.
Took Roy up to see the kids. We dropped right behind the house. He struck but got quiet. The kids were getting bored & went home. Roy made a loop & I caught him in a little swampy area. I took him to the vegetable garden & sent him north. He got in pretty quick & treed. He had a nice coon. Maybe he's finally getting in shape? I felt good on the way home anyway.
Took Roy up to the farm kids. He treed in the next section behind a house. I don't know if he had a coon. I just got him and got out of there. On the way back to Charlies we saw a cat. We put Pearl on it just for fun. Man, she found the track and pushed it up a tree. She is a natural tree dog. I know I shouldn't train a dog to tree cats but man, she was impressive. I guess I'm turning into a farm boy. It was great fun!
Went with Dieter up north. Made a drop with Toby & just caught him after a while. Driving to the next drop we saw a coon. Dropped the pup, she didn't look like she was going to figure it out so we sent Toby in. He struck & finally she joined in. They ran a long time & finally bogged down. Toby grabbed a tree out of frustration. Just another coon on the side of the road gone bad tracks. I was happy with the chase Ruby gave though.
I waited until after the Klitschko fight was over to go out. BTW if you like boxing, this was pretty good fight. Brewster was quite a surprise. Anyway I went to the vegetable garden and tried to send Roy north across the open field. He made a quick loop and started to follow the tree line along the ditch. This leads right to where I wanted him to go anyway but it takes longer. He opened in the woods after a few minutes. This was nice, Mabel gets out there faster but she races. I'm pretty sure Roy hunted his way out there. He ran a nice track for about 5 minutes. This was an area where the coon had probably been foraging about for a couple of hours. Roy had to use his head, this is just the kind of track we needed. When he finally hit the tree he gave out a good locate and he started chopping. Very nice. If I can just clean his act up a little he can still be a top dog. We'll see...
Took Roy out with the kids. He ran some kind of junk, deer I think. All the way through the north section and treed in the middle of the next. He ran it like an old Black & Tan. Really put his heart into it. I knew he was trashing & for some reason I just let him. Partly to see just how far he'd take it. It was too far. The gloves are coming off now. My shocker is charging & he doesn't get away with anything from here on out.
Took Mabel up to the farm. Picked up the kids and Pearl. We sent the dogs south & they split up. Mabel treed across a little pothole. I heard Pearl on the way in but she got quiet. She was off in the woods by the time we arrived at the tree. I called a little & she came in. Looks like she forgot her lessons over the winter, just like Ruby. Well, it's time to start getting these pups trained. As soon as Roy's leg is closed up I'll be hunting those pups with him. This week I hope. Anyway, Mabel had a coon and looked pretty good. She's a little stiiff this morning but not like she was after those hunts in the snow. Maybe she'll be alright for another year if I take it easy on her.