I took my 9 month old Mountain Curr/Fiest out for his first real squirrel hunt. He's shown a lot of interest, but I haven't worked him as much as I should of. But, this morning, he started hunting his little butt off!! After a while when the squirrels really started moving, he got on a hot trail and went freaking nuts!! Whined on a big ole oak with hollowed out limbs and a big vine running right through the middle. I gave the vine a good shake and wouldn't you know, that squirrel bailed out and took off timbering! I let him get away with some bad shots, but my dog was on it, watching the lil sucker as he timbered. The only problem I had was even though he whined and growled at the tree, I need him to bark. But hey, first day out on his first season, yeah, I've gotta winner. And his name? Well, he's a tan dog with a tail that looks like a blackened piece of firewood, so I named him Match, and registered as Match Grade Perfromance, and thats just what I think he's gonna give me.
PS: If anyone has any suggestions on how to get him to bark on a tree, I'd appreciate it. At the moment, I have a feeling it'll just come with time.
Tap gets some treats and start teaseing him with them...Make him bark to get a treat. And if he Barks give him a treat and make over him.
This is what you gotta do and if he want bark, he want. Good Luck...A.H
Oh, he'll bark his head off for his treats!!! Now I just need to transition that to barking at the squirrel. I took him again this morning, he didn't do as well, but then again, the lil buggers just weren't moving. I ran into three other hunters who'd been out there since before me and after 2 hours, they had 4 squirrels between the three of them. And they said the only ones they saw moving were tree top to tree top. That doesn't help the dog!
He's great out of the yard. In the yard (I live in the city) he's a bit wound up. Take him for a little walk to get the energy out, and he's great with children. But then again, we haven't had him around children smaller than 7 years old yet. Me and the Mrs. are yet to have children, waiting for the money to move out to the country before that one comes up.
Tap when you get in from hunting take one of the squirrel and tie a small rope to the squirrel and then throw the squirrel over a limb at home.
Raise and lower the squirrel to tease the dog. Sic the dog on the squirrel, make over the dog to get him to Bark.
Only reward him with petting and love, don't give him a treat when doing this because he may become what we call a lier to get a treat.
Keep working with him until he barks.
An old old friend of mind that trained a few dogs to tree squirrels would get down on his hands and knees and rare up on the tree barking and cutting up to get some of his dogs to bark.
He also would tie a tail to a string when he did this.
His average price for one of his dogs was 800 bucks and they were some of the best to be found.
He could also trained them to walk or trott in front of his truck as he drove the back roads. the dogs would smell the squirrels and take off into the woods and tree the squirells and we'd get out and go shoot them LOL.
That Old man was my best friend when I was growing up so in Honor of him I'd like to say
God Bless You Mr Harrell for all the wonderful times we had together. You taught me how to raise Hogs, Cows and Chickens. You taught me how to make a garden.
You worked my ass off cutting firewood and pulling corn and watermellon's and stacking hay.
When most kids did'nt have anything to do I had you as a friend to learn country ways.
Though I never could figger out how to plow with a mule, which I hated anyway I did learn so much from you that has helped in one way or another now.
When I stepped into Bull Nettle and it felt like my leg was on fire you said Piss on it and I did and the sting went away LOL
RIP Mr Harrell and thanks for the many good times we shared together...Mike
__________________ IN GOD WE TRUST NRA MEMBER
Last edited by ArkansasHunter; 09-08-2009 at 02:50 PM.
Mike, sounds like Mr. Harrell was a great man. They're too few of 'em. And I think I'm about to go fishing for my squirrel dog with a squirrel tail. Its something I've been planning on doing, but just forgot about it till you just reminded me. Thanks.
Hey tap, your pup is only 9 months old.Just take him to the woods and let him figger things out for himself.He will be a far better squirrel dog if you dont try to teach him what you think he needs to know.My advice to get him to bark would be,wound a squirrel in the leg,when it falls to the ground and bites his nose,he will gladly bark at the next one he sees. I have owned several good squirrel dogs,and they have all had their noses bit.
I couldn't be happier with him seeing he's only 9 months old. Hopefully once the acorns drop, he'll get a lot more experience in smelling the squirrels out. My only problem is that the WMA that I squirrel hunt on is closed to dogs during deer season, so that leaves me driving over an hour away to the Pond Creek National Wildlife Refuge and using steel shot. (ugh, steel shot). But, after Match gets this season under his belt, I'm sure I'll have people asking me to let him sire some pups! He's gotta lot of potential that's for sure.
^ I've got three!!! One's my wife (shih tzu toy poodle mix) one's my big buddy (pitt bull, mastiff, boxer and lab mix 1/4 of each) and then Match is my hunting buddy. My Sgt. got me hooked on getting a squirrel dog last year. Most fun squirrel hunting I've had! He's got a decent pup that's starting his second season. I did have a mutt when I was a kid that would tree, but he was gun shy. Had to take my air rifle out if I wanted him to go, and he would tree 1/8 of a mile away!!! Not exactly what you'd call trained, lol.
Oh, and Match isn't for sale
Edit: But I'd mail you the little Shi-poo for free if my wife wouldn't kill me!
Tap, Sounds like ole Match is doin pretty good for his age. Like Smokey said they'll learn more on their own than they will any other way. If he's already looking up and following a timbering rat he's already ahead of most dogs twice his age. The barking should come to him. Not trying to scare you but some dogs never bark treed, they'll just stand and whine. If he ends up being one of those but is really a good tree dog otherwise then here's a way to keep up with him. Garmin Dog Tracking Systems & GPS Tracking Collars This rig will tell you within about ten feet where Ole Match is at all times. Ain't technology great!!
Haha,SNIPED YOUR HEAD RIGHT OFF!!
