Took Roy up to the farm and put him on a caged coon with Pearl. They treed on the edge of a swamp & I headed in. The tree was slick. I called Roy off and tried to get him hunting more. This confused Pearl, she stayed at the tree but quit barking. I saw the coon sitting up a few trees over and walked that way with Roy. I got him to tree on that but Pearl still wouldn't come. I gave her a warning tone with the shocker and she came over then. She took a long time to convince that the coon was up this tree & not the one she picked. If dogs can learn, I figure this was a perfect lesson. We'll see.
I took Ruby up to Ben Barthel's to chase a caged coon. She's ready to be exposed to hunting with strange dogs. We let the coon go in a field and waited a few minutes. Then we set Ruby, Hitman and another female loose. They trailed down into a junk pile by the lake and bogged down. After a few minutes I heard Ruby open and head out. Hitman joined and the two of them trailed down into the woods. Ruby located, and Hitman was right there with her. The other female was there when I arrived at the tree. We were able to get a good look at the coon and could see that it was not the one we let go. When they were bogged down in the junk pile they must have picked this coon up instead. Anyway, a nice night and Ruby acted well around new dogs. It's time to keep exposing her to strange dogs and a variety of hunting conditions.
Seever called & was concerned about the airport field and a late strip on the river. I took Roy and checked them out. I waited til midnight and hit the airport. It's an odd place to hunt, the coons can't be living there. They must be coming in through the fence but I can't find out where or when. Roy covered the area pretty well with no strikes. I headed to the river. There is a late patch of corn by the Shakopee end. It's the field about 1/2 mile in with the corn rows running perpendicular to the road. The rows end at the line of trees on the edge of the swamp. I spooked Roy when I was starting and he didn't want to go hunting at first. I walked in the corn with him a little and he finally took off. Then I walked the edge out to the swamp. I ran into Roy down by the trees. This spooked him again & he wouldn't leave me. I just walked around the whole field and he stuck pretty close all the way. No strikes, the corn is too early As usual, I knew that the corn wouldn't be ready there but I let Seever talk me into checking it anyway. Probably 4 or 5 days before the coons will be in there. I was down there so I thought I'd see if I could strike anyplace else. I left Roy on the road and drove all the way to the big tree. I got out there and walked around and trimmed some brush. After a while Roy showed up. He had come all the way from the Shakopee end and hadn't struck. Just one of those nights when the coons aren't out where I'm hunting. Anyway, looks like I could road Roy down there with a little practice. Headed home, saw 3 deer as I rounded the curve and passed the gun club gate.
Had a couple of coon to pick up in Edina. I took them up to the farm and let them go. We waited a little and then set Pearl and Ruby loose. They ran all around a little swamp and finally both hit a tree. Perarl is a little rusty from sitting out this summer. Better rusty than trashy I think. I also think she might be silent. Hard to tell on a caged coon, a lot of dogs don't bark on them. Oh well, she's gonna tree a lot of coons for those kids either way. Ruby is looking sharper all the time.
Seever told me about a new field inside the fence at the airport. I walked Roy around it last night but no strikes.
I had a caged coon & took it up to Wades. We let it go and waited a few minutes. Then we let Ruby and Rocky go. Rocky was a little spooked and stayed by Wade. Ruby ran a nice track and treed in the swamp. We walked Rocky in and let him sit a while with Ruby treeing.
Took Ruby to the vegetable garden an walked all the way around the corn field. No strikes. It looks about 2 to 3 weeks early for a young dog. Maybe this is my chance to get out with Mabel for a while. This is one of my favorite times to hunt her anyway.
I put Ruby and then Roy on a caged coon Monday night. THey ran this thing for about 1/2 an hour in a little woods. Back and forth, back and forth. If I hadn't put them right on this I would have sworn it was trash. I finally just caught them and went home.
I met Dale and Wade & we tried to run a caged coon with some pups. The coon ran across a hay field but didn't climb so Roy caught it on the ground. Lot's of barking and was probably good for the young dogs to get used to all the noise. Later we dropped Roy at the vegetable garden. He struck deep and was grubbing out an old track. He treed but left before I got to him. It was late so I just called him in. It's still summer out there & I probably don't want to hunt Roy or Ruby too much right now. Roy needs to be hunted where he can do well & I can build up his confidence. Ruby, I just don't want her to pick up any bad habits for a while.
I took Roy to the river tonight, waited til midnight. I wanted to check it with a more mature dog. I was driving the big curve on my way to the Shakopee gate when a fox crossed in front of me. It was right where Ruby struck two nights ago. At the time I gave her the benefit of the doubt & just figured she gave up on a tough old track. Now I suspect she was running that fox instead. Oh well, may a trip to the fox pen in her future. Nothing out of the ordianary. I dropped Roy by the gate and walked the road. No strikes and I caught him. I went to the back field and dropped him again. He work the entire strip and no strikes. It was about 1:30 & I headed home. It's like a desert down there now & I am sure it's a good idea to hunt someplace else for a few weeks. The coons will find their way into the corn that's left by then.
Took Ruby to the river & walked the curve. She struck but it was a cold track. She did pretty good but I could tell this could go on all night & I just caught her.
Went to the gun club and walked the road.
She hunted out for about 15 minutes and came back.
I just went home.
I think I've got it under control for now.
I may wait a week and let the coons regroup down there.
Took Ruby to the river and walked the curve, no strikes. Went to the back field and walked the river. I heard Ruby behind me in the woods. I ran the road back towards the dam & got close to her. She was still trailing and I headed in. She treed by the river bank after a nice run. It was real jungle & she was treed on a very tall tree with blowdown and leaners all over. To my surprise I saw the coon. On the way out I got turned around & was walking parallel to the road. I walked almost all the way to the dam before I figured it out. I turned and finally broke out on the road then had a long walk back to the field where the truck was parked. I'll have to remember that the road runs east-west. Anyway, that was a real nice job Ruby did.
Have to go to work early on Monday & it's hot tonight.
I'll take a break & go out tomorrow.
Took Ruby to the river again and sent her in the corn by the big tree. I walked around for a while and bumped into her as I was headed back to the truck. Drove up to the big curve and let her go. She hunted a little and came back and stood by me. I drove to the Shakopee gate and sent her along the corn on the road. She opened after a few minutes and started working a track. I saw a coon sitting up after a while and I figured Ruby must be on the backtrack. I let her fumble around for a few minutes and then I called her into the tree. Once dogs screw up like this down her I rarely see them recover & I don't want them to make a habit of backtracking. I was thinking, as much as I like her, she still has a long way to go. It will be intgeresting when I finally start hunting her with other dogs. I figure she'll be intimidated the first few times. Then the finer points, can she get there first, find her own coons, take pressure, etc..? I think she'll be OK but only time will tell for sure.
Took Ruby to the river and sent her in by the big tree. She hunted for about 15 minutes and then came back. I headed for the big curve and a coon came out of the corn about halfway there. It took off into the woods. I stopped and let Ruby go. She opened and headed into the woods, then came back to the corn. It looked like she was going to backtrack but she figured it out fast and headed back into the woods. Ran a good track and then stopped barking. Finally she started chopping. When I got there I saw it was a huge leaner. She could have easily gone way up in this thing but she stayed on the ground. She had the coon.
It's been hot & humid so I've taken a break. I pretty much have the coons under control down there anyway. Supposed to turn nice Tuesday. I'll hit it then.