Checkwork

[WELLS WOODS]

I know there are some good judges still judging in the Mid-West because I used to judge with them from time to time years ago. I just hope some of the new judges are not over impressed with speed & understand that there is a time to drive & a time to slow down when running a cottontail. The AKC rulebook is the perfect guide in my opinion on proper hound work. It covers everything & can clear up any questions we may have about the right or wrong way to run a rabbit. The Mid-West is growing & I'm proud to have took part in it through the years. The only thing I can see that could destroy it's progress is if we stray away from the AKC rulebook in either direction. A true Field Champion in my opinion is a hound that can excel in all conditions, good & bad with the nose, brains & desire to get the job done right with minimal mistakes. Dogs that drive hard like we like are going to overrun some, but should have enough concentration to stay close to the point of loss & work the check in a manner that should help him find the true line whether the rabbit went left, right, back, on ahead or squatted down. In the last few years I haven't heard many negative comments about the hounds finishing in the Mid-West. The system is set up in a way that it would be impossible for a faulty or below average hound to finish. A hound has to run under so many different judges & different environments & conditions that it has well proven itself by the time it gets 3 wins & 120 points. I can't wait until I get another competitor & I'm glad there is a legitimate field trial system like the Mid-West where we can compete with our hunting dogs. Again, good luck to everyone & let a good judge know that their hard work is appreciated if he is giving 100 percent effort & trying his best to be honest & pick the best hunting dogs.

[Casey Harner]

Southern Indiana a year ago this February had a trial where the ground was frozen with 4 to 5 inches of snow. Windy as heck.

[tom summers]

Thanks for reposting the video Ray, that was a tough couple days slush first day they frozen crust and single digits the next. That was done by my son Neil he has some other videos on you tube and vimeo that are hunting related. Just look him up under Chasin It or Neil Summers.
Thanks

[Ron Conroe]

I just don't understand, instead of bitching about it go to the ubgf, or pp. where they might run your style of dog. There you go problem solved.

[sparky]

Has there ever been an AKC mid west trial held on snow& ice ?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zrIcJFxch0o

Cool video.

[rabbit chaser]

Southern Indiana a year ago this February had a trial where the ground was frozen with 4 to 5 inches of snow. Windy as heck.

You beat me to it casey and after watching 15" male Pine Hill twizzler, now a FC, destroy the rest of the pack (my POS included) He has impressed me time and time again. Needless to say there will be some little twizzler puppies here whenever I get the right one to come in heat!!! He is the same consistent dog every time I see him go.

[outrider66]

I just don't understand, instead of bitching about it go to the ubgf, or pp. where they might run your style of dog. There you go problem solved.

Do they have a different rule book?

[Ron Conroe]

Go run it and find out.

[gpen08]

The problem is everybody interpets the rule book differently. If you asked the UBGF guys, the Appalachian Gundog Brace guys, the Midwest guys, the PBGF guys, or any other style out there they will all say they run as close to a rule book dog as they can find. There is so many different running styles out there that no one can claim they run a rule book dog. It's all in ones interpretation of the rule book. Just find what style you like and run it.

[WELLS WOODS]

The Mid-West runs a "hunting dog" as the AKC rulebook intended. Our dogs may have 3 short checks in a 300 yard circle, but will still circle the rabbit twice as fast as a slower, over conservative pack that never loses contact with the line or that stay so close in the check, that they make something that should be figured out easily look more difficult. The problem I'm talking about that could occur is if we keep bringing hounds back just because they were fast on a drive without knowing how they work a check. Then checks that should be found it 30 seconds, could take 3 minutes. Even if a dog doesn't find the check, you can tell by watching him work whether he is probably a good check dog. Does he stay close to the point of loss and work inside out, keep his nose down & mouth shut or does he swing wide, head up watching his packmates a lot or pop his mouth through the check distracting his packmates ? John Dewyse said it best at his Mid-West Hall of Fame acceptance speech, " Always remember we're promoting a hunting dog". "Bring back the dogs you would use if you were out hunting".

[likeemfast]

The problem is everybody interpets the rule book differently. If you asked the UBGF guys, the Appalachian Gundog Brace guys, the Midwest guys, the PBGF guys, or any other style out there they will all say they run as close to a rule book dog as they can find. There is so many different running styles out there that no one can claim they run a rule book dog. It's all in ones interpretation of the rule book. Just find what style you like and run it.

The Mid-West runs a "hunting dog" as the AKC rulebook intended. Our dogs may have 3 short checks in a 300 yard circle, but will still circle the rabbit twice as fast as a slower, over conservative pack that never loses contact with the line or that stay so close in the check, that they make something that should be figured out easily look more difficult.

Wow that didnt take long at all, Confirmed in the 1st reply,

[gpen08]

How can you say the way akc intended? You talk to the akc reps about it? I had an interesting conversation with Mr. Robert Oliver who is an akc rep at a Midwest trial. He runs a UBGF style dog. If the akc felt a certain style was the correct interpretation wouldn't they want the people they pay to represent them to promote that style. My point is I believe they don't care how any association or federation is interpreting it as long they get there cut of the entries. Before you ask yes I do have a copy of the akc rule book and have read it several times.

[rabbitearl]

If I had the best check dog or dog out there and someone came up with a rabbit that was stronger than the wild rabbits we had and came to my house with a male and female rabbit to trade for my best check dog.By By dog. There s nothing better than hunting in a place were rabbits everywhere. I think thats what we need to look at. I love the fellowship at trials but a dog winning a trial don t tell me nothing about that dog but winning that trial. Was it really the best dog out of the trial that day to take rabbit hunting. What I am trying to say is. Give me a place were rabbits are everywhere and I will take the culls and I can go rabbit hunting. You can have the best dog out there or pack but you have to have rabbits. What is the most imported thing in rabbit hunting.RABBITS. Why is there so many different trials out there. We are trying to find a dog that can make a rabbit. That not going to happened. look at trials. They say.PLENTY of rabbits. What if there want. It will be a tuff trial. I ve come to places this year were I ve never been in my 56 years.Thick Thick and some more thickness. No rabbits. I think we as rabbit hunters beside looking to see who has a good dog we need to look at the rabbit. To me there a lot more imported. I have to say if you wood go to the biggest trial out there and you have heard about these rabbits that can do better than the wild rabbits in one year ther be rabbit everwhere and a person has two and wants to sell to the highess bid.. I don t think there be many hunters looking at the trial.

I ve here of a beagle that sold for 28 thousand last year.This dog will not make a rabbit. I know the man that got that dog. That not his first time. in two years he will have his money back and now making some. What if we took this money and put it on rabbits. Is this what it has come to in trials.Rich people has the rich dog. I don t have the money.I love rabbits better. Just give me the rabbits and I will take the poor dog and go rabbit hunting and have fun too.

[Ron Conroe]

The problem is everyone thinks that they got the best dog in the world, well guess what you don't, there is not a perfect dog out there, wake and smell the coffee people, dogs make mistakes and people like different dogs, go to the trials to have fun and talk bullshit......just like your talking bullshit on here. It's a trial not the end of the world.

[WELLS WOODS]

Ron, I'm not bitching about any trial. I'm just talking dogs & trying to point out what characteristics should be looked for in a good dog. If we don't give a crap about what our future judges are going to be like & just go to socialize then our goal of promoting the best hounds will be lost.

gpen08, I'm not concerned about what style AKC itself or the current AKC reps support or even what Federation they prefer. I'm convinced that the author of the AKC rulebook years ago was a hunter & he wrote the rulebook after many years of hunting & watching houndwork. He knew what style would end in the best results time after time. He knew & documented every fault that would disrupt a smooth running pack. He also said that hounds should pursue with the intent to overtake their game. I think the Mid-West trials are the ones he would prefer as long as we keep a reign on the over competitiveness that leads to faulty actions.

One more thing I've seen over the years in hounds that judges should watch for is what I call "drifting". Say a hound finds a lose & is moving the track, hounds should hark to it & find & fall on the "line" either behind or in front. Many times I've seen over competitive hounds start gambling & drifting ahead using the line runners as a guide to the direction the rabbit went without running the line themselves in hopes of grabbing it out front. Sometimes they will get it & may fool a judge because it is out in front when all it really done was let the true line runners do all of the work. Running mute on the drives is another thing that is hard to spot sometimes. All hounds should be giving tongue if the pack is driving the true line. I've seen lazy hounds cheat by coasting along, not barking or contributing to running the line on the drives. Sometimes they will run along side of the pack trying to beat them on the next turn. It may look like they turned the rabbit right out of the middle of the pack when in fact they did it by cheating by falling out of the drive. There's just so many things to look for it's a lot tougher job that people think. If we just concentrate on the line runners that are moving the track without being faulty, the chips should fall in the right place.