Puppies and Deer Chases

[weaver240000]

I like to get some outside opinions on this. My two pups are 7 months old and this weekend I had a big old deer chase. I didnt realize how far they got from me when I finally heard them bark I was to far away to shock them and I lost them both for a day. My question is do you think its better to try to get a young dog on as many rabbits you can and keep them out of deer country if possible until they are older. Or get them running rabbits and then go find some deer and encourage a deer chase then correct them. Im split on this because the pups that I kept off deer until atleast year and half old have never went on a deer chase. But then again I came close to loosing to pups this weekend because they where no broke yet. So what do you guys think

[les guynn]

iF YOU ARE SURE THEY ARE RUNNING DEER OR SOME OTHER OFF GAME I WOULD BREAK THEM AT THAT POINT. EITHER BREAK OR LOSE YOUR DOGS. BEST OF LUCK,AND GOD BLESS

[beaglerun]

I also have a 7 month old pup, and I would try to keep rabbit tracks in front of him. About two weeks ago I was taking mine for a walk, and we walked up on seven deer. The pup didn't see the the deer, so I turned and went in another direction. I didn't want to entice him. About thirty minutes later (as we come out of a curve), we walked up on the same 7 deer. Apparently they turned in the same direction we did. This time they were standing in the dirt road fully exposed.

As they ran off my pup got excited. I thought this would be as good as time as any other time to teach him. After all the deer had ran out of sight, I continued walking. He got to where they were standing, took two steps on a line, and opened up. I didn't say a word. I just kept walking and laid on the shock collar.

He left that one alone and ran into another track, took two more steps, and I got him again. By now I am standing in the area where the deer were. When he got to the third & fourth set of tracks, he took off and ran straight to me and sat down. I still didn't say a word. Just walked off as if nothing happened.

When we got to the next dirt road that I knew the deer had to have crossed, I could tell when he smelled one of the tracks. He would look around scared and run straigt to me. I don't know if he has learned his lesson, but I took advantage of the opportunity. The way I see it is, if I ruined him from hunting, he could still make me a good pet. If I let him run deer, then I would have ruined him anyway.

[kgsc68]

This is the way that I see it. There is no place that a houndsman can run a rabbit without jumping a deer or crossing hot tracks, not even a rabbit pen. I wouldnt say that I encourage a deer race but I would allow the opportunity if it came about and correct them. Nip it in the bud!

[eugenekares]

I HAVE A 10 MONTH AND A 9 MONTH PUP.WHAT I DO IS RUN THEM WITH A PUP TRAINER A OLDER THAT IS BROKE.THIS WAY WHEN THE BROKE COMES BACK TO YOU.YOU WILL KNOW THEY RUNNING OTHER THEN A RABBIT,ALSO YOU DO NOT RUN 2 PUPS TOGETHER THATS WHEN YOU ASK FOR PROMBLEMS.YOU WILL HAVE TO BREAK THEM 2 TIMES,ONCE WITH THE PACK AND BY THERE SELVES.YOU CAN ALSO GO FIND A BUNCH OF DEER IN A FIELD AND WALK THEM OUT THERE TOGETHER AND TURN THEM LOOSE.SHOCK THEM ALL THE WAY BACK TO YOU AND KEEP DOING THIS UNTIL THEY TURN THEM DOWN.I HOPE THIS HELPS YOU OUT AND ALSO IF YOU RUN THEM WITH TRASHY DOGS,YOU WILL HAVE TRASHY DOGS.ALSO YOU A SHOCKER THAT REACHES 2MILES.
EUGENE

[Hillbilly Willie]

One thing I will add to the other post, once you correct them, praise them for coming back to you. then go and try as hard as you can to put them on a rabbit within the hour. Most guys will have a honey hole for this purpose. You may have to do it a couple of times before they figure it out. I have also seen "broke" dogs run a deer after hunting for hours and not finding rabbits, just as deer beagles will run a rabbit if they can't find a deer. That is one reason we hunt with frs radios because you never can tell what is going to happen in the mind of a hound or how good it smells to them.

My 2 cents,

Bill

[SilverZuk]

I set them up.
Take them to places with deer and turn them loose.
When you correct them using a collar, let them have it.
The first few I trained I would just hit them until they pulled off the deer.
They might skip a few and hit another.
Once I really started putting it to them, they quit chasing all together.

As much as I love the sound of a good deer chase, I just can't a dog to do it any more.

[Rabbit Huntin Fool]

I also put my hounds on Deer, both young and old alike as I call them refresher courses every year. I saw a dog that would tell on trash runners for 7 -8 yrs run a Deer a few years ago and after that I started making them " Earn" that "Broke" title by showing me every year they want no parts. I walk them out to where I have seen fresh Deer and turn them out and cast them like I am running or hunting normally and work them and when they get to where the tracks are I back off and seperate myself and watch what they do, some will immediatly come back and/or leave the area of the tracks and whoever stays and smells I Light their AZZ up and praise them when they come back to me. Now to see a Fox and do this process is worth its weight in GOLD!!!! I usually get 1 or 2 Fox sightings a year and I take full advantage of it. I have had a few dogs that were Deerproof hit a fox so now I do the same thing and really lay into them with the collars when breaking off Fox, matter o0f fact I did this to my hunting pack a few days ago after spotting a red fox. My best dog smelled it and ran to another hedgerow to get out of the area while 2 others smelled around, even though they made no sound or " Happy Tails'' I lit their AZZ up for not immediatly leaving and they ran straight to me and I praised them up. I walked further up and crossed the line again and this time 2 of the dogs walked right up to my feet and wouldn't leave and the lone female smelled the track longer than I liked and I lit her up again until she came to me. FOLLOWING THIS UP WITH A RABBIT CHASE IS CRITICAL!!!!! This helps them associate that only that particular smell is bad and that running rabbits is a good thing and fun while smelling trash is painfull. Like someone said earlier I would rather ruin a dog than have a trashrunner I can't trust.

[cris axtell/coal hill ken]

i keep mine in the starting pen untill about 4-6 mo old.have no deer problems unless another dog starts them. then when there is snow on the ground if i see them folowing deer tracks they get a light shock. in deer season i always get one or two deer i will give all my dogs a reminder even if i have drag them to it. seems to keep them honest.

[Pike Ridge Beagles]

I set them up.
Take them to places with deer and turn them loose.
When you correct them using a collar, let them have it.
.

"Let them have it" on 6 for 6 seconds, minimum. Next time out double it, if there is an next time triple it, if there is a next time the starter.

[AlabamaSwamper]

My question is do you think its better to try to get a young dog on as many rabbits you can and keep them out of deer country if possible until they are older.

No such place around here. I just try to avoid them but everytime I run I guarantee my dogs run across a dozen or so hot deer tracks. Just no way to get away from them. I wouldn't encourage it at any age but when it happens just correct them if possible.

I have set mine up a few times but I try to skirt around them if I can. Especially on those slow days trying to find rabbits.

[weaver240000]

Thanks for the replys. I did decide to split them up for a while. Because ever since I put them down together its been trouble. Im going to get the problem corrected and put them back together. I took the female out last night spotting for deer and light her up. The problem I seen tonight was, I tried to do the night spotting again and she realized that we where spotting and not hunting and wouldnt leave the truck. She must ber the instigator though. I put my male down by himself and he had no interest in them by himself. Thanks for the replys.

[JUDE]

I never encourage a deer chase but will turn the pups out while looking at deer
after they have started well on rabbits . I have ZERO tolerence for off game
once a pup of mine knows what a rabbit is they get a #6 once then one more
as an extra kick in the bottom sorta say by the off game , IF they choose to
give chase .

If one of my dogs give chase everything that takes a smell gets some .

Goodluck ,