# Hounds and Bears



## Hillbilly stalker (Feb 18, 2019)

Family up in Logan county WV. They play hard, they got a good channel.


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## jbogg (Feb 18, 2019)

I agree.   I have been enjoying their channel as well. They also have some good deer hunting up around some of those old coal cuts.


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## Hillbilly stalker (Feb 19, 2019)

Sure do, thems some ruff hills over there.


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## Christian hughey (Feb 21, 2019)

I like bear hunting as much as the next but that seems to take away from the sport of it a bit. Yeah it's cool they drove the whole family up the mountain and unleashed the hounds, walked 50 yards up the hill and shot him out of a tree. However you can get it done I guess, not trying to belittle the kill. Very nice ?. I prefer to see one on one stalks and still hunting videos. Leave the dogs to the coon hunters. Just my opinion though!


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## Hillbilly stalker (Feb 21, 2019)

If you ever get a chance to go with hounds, take them up on it. I promise you it is anything but easy. I have been in 3 different counties running the same bear in the same day. Its mostly about the chase. The video is shortened alot so people will watch. Alot more are treed than are killed, probably 10-1. They have several still hunt/stalk videos also. Anytime one is treed next to the road like that, and the roads aren't horrible, they try to involve the family and youngsters. Its not for everybody...but its an addictive life style for sure.


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## Christian hughey (Feb 21, 2019)

Hillbilly stalker said:


> If you ever get a chance to go with hounds, take them up on it. I promise you it is anything but easy. I have been in 3 different counties running the same bear in the same day. Its mostly about the chase. The video is shortened alot so people will watch. Alot more are treed than are killed, probably 10-1. They have several still hunt/stalk videos also. Anytime one is treed next to the road like that, and the roads aren't horrible, they try to involve the family and youngsters. Its not for everybody...but its an addictive life style for sure.


I get that for sure always include the kids if possible and I'm not saying my way is the only way. There way is perfectly legal. I'm just the quiet you can't see me guy!


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## NCMTNHunter (Feb 21, 2019)

Shooting a bear out of a tree is one of the easiest things you can do.  Developing a pack of hounds that will stop a bear and put it up a tree is one of the hardest things you can do.  That is where the sport is in any kind of dog hunting and it is impossible to capture that part on video. Just putting a perspective out there that most don't think about.


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## Christian hughey (Feb 21, 2019)

my beagles run any trail they hit. But I havnt trained them specifically on any one animal yet think they would be fine tracking dogs with a little encouragement especially for deer they love deer. With today's technology you just have to keep up!


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## rivercritter (Mar 5, 2019)

Running beagles takes the fun out of it.


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## Christian hughey (Mar 5, 2019)

I don't run them to hunt I just take em out and let them have a little fun. They are good dogs just LOUD


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## NCHillbilly (Mar 5, 2019)

Christian hughey said:


> I like bear hunting as much as the next but that seems to take away from the sport of it a bit. Yeah it's cool they drove the whole family up the mountain and unleashed the hounds, walked 50 yards up the hill and shot him out of a tree. However you can get it done I guess, not trying to belittle the kill. Very nice ?. I prefer to see one on one stalks and still hunting videos. Leave the dogs to the coon hunters. Just my opinion though!


You obviously have never been bear hunting with hounds. Some of the absolute hardest work I've ever done in my life. Scenarios such as you describe don't happen, at least they didn't in the years I was doing it.


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## Christian hughey (Mar 5, 2019)

NCHillbilly said:


> You obviously have never been bear hunting with hounds. Some of the absolute hardest work I've ever done in my life. Scenarios such as you describe don't happen, at least they didn't in the years I was doing it.


It not really a hard work thing I understand they get a workout. I was just stating that I like watching the one on one videos where you can hear a needle drop moments. 20 yards on the ground and you sling an arrow at him. Its a little more personal. Again not knocking what they do either. That dog will hunt!


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## NCHillbilly (Mar 5, 2019)

Christian hughey said:


> It not really a hard work thing I understand they get a workout. I was just stating that I like watching the one on one videos where you can hear a needle drop moments. 20 yards on the ground and you sling an arrow at him. Its a little more personal. Again not knocking what they do either. That dog will hunt!


I've hunted them both ways, and it's both a lot of fun. You're gonna put in a lot more miles in a lot rougher terrain dog hunting than stalking.


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## ripplerider (Mar 7, 2019)

I agree with the lot more miles statement but not the lot rougher terrain. That depends on where you choose to stalk. However, regardless of that, when you're stalking you're moving slow through rough country. When dog-hunting, you're running through rough country. Big difference. I've only dog-hunted one long week-end  in my life. I camped and hunted with my ex-wife's cousins and uncles, who are from Robbinsville N.C., near Big Snowbird creek. Big country. I was 25 and in a lot better shape than now and it was a real challenge. I fell in love with that part of the world that weekend. I've had N.C. fishing licenses for two years now and would love to spend another weekend up there exploring all the trout streams but life keeps getting in the way. Someday soon I hope.


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## strothershwacker (Mar 7, 2019)

A houndsman is more bout seeing em dogs in action than the kill. Least that's been my experience. Wether it's coondogs, hogdogs, beardogs or birddogs, workin with the dogs is their passion. Just look at what they spend on em rascals! Now as for me, I'm all bout the solo, silent slippage up on critters. Only dog I'm foolin with is corndogs and hotdogs. To each his own. Both are "right".


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## stonecreek (Mar 7, 2019)

Great video. Got kin that dogs bears in that region. Them mountain doggers are some of the toughest folks in the country. Good people. Richard


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## Hillbilly stalker (Mar 7, 2019)

Hounds/dogs,  get in your blood. Its hard to explain to someone who is not afflicted. Its about the chase and the bond between you and them. It like traditional Archery.....if it has to be explained.....you probably wont understand. Its nice to have a variety.


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## wildcats (Mar 7, 2019)

I've hunted several times with these guys and it is non stop fun.  Great bunch of guys.  Josh, Chad and the Marcum brothers helped me take my first bear.  
As has been mentioned.  The conversation was always about the dogs.
Seeing first hand how worked up those dogs get and how eager they are to get the job done is an adrenaline rush.  When the day is done you and those hard workin hounds are wore slap out!  You really get to see just how hard a hound is willing work.  Amazing what mans best friend can get through and continue to show the willingness to go that much more.
A good group of hounds is a prized possession.


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## NCHillbilly (Mar 7, 2019)

ripplerider said:


> I agree with the lot more miles statement but not the lot rougher terrain. That depends on where you choose to stalk. However, regardless of that, when you're stalking you're moving slow through rough country. When dog-hunting, you're running through rough country. Big difference. I've only dog-hunted one long week-end  in my life. I camped and hunted with my ex-wife's cousins and uncles, who are from Robbinsville N.C., near Big Snowbird creek. Big country. I was 25 and in a lot better shape than now and it was a real challenge. I fell in love with that part of the world that weekend. I've had N.C. fishing licenses for two years now and would love to spend another weekend up there exploring all the trout streams but life keeps getting in the way. Someday soon I hope.


When you turn on a bear track, it heads straight for the roughest, steepest, thickest place that it knows of, usually involving hundred-foot rock cliffs and crawl-on-your belly laurel and rhododendron thickets.


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## Buckman18 (Mar 7, 2019)

NCHillbilly said:


> When you turn on a bear track, it heads straight for the roughest, steepest, thickest place that it knows of, usually involving hundred-foot rock cliffs and crawl-on-your belly laurel and rhododendron thickets.



And will run for miles and miles. And sometimes multiple days. I’ll always cherish my NC Mtn days.

That said, I wouldn’t want dog hunting in the Georgia mountains. Way too many granola head transplants here now, it’d be nothing but problems. But we do have too many bears now, and hogs too. I think a spring bear hunt would be a very effective means of lowering the population so the deer can recover.


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## 280 Man (Mar 7, 2019)

I got in on a dog bear hunt several years ago. After a couple hours the dogs finally treed and it took another hour to get to the dogs. We chased that bear from ridge top to ridge top through laurel thickets that we just awful, down through 'hollers and back to the ridge tops that would make a billy goat cry uncle.

  After the bear was shot out it took another 4 hrs to get that bear to the truck. You ever tried to help drag a bear while trying to handle 3 dogs on a lead. Some of the hardest hunting Ive ever done. But it was some of the most satisfying hunting Ive ever been a part of. 

Bottom line, bear hunting with dogs "ain't no joke"


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## NCHillbilly (Mar 7, 2019)

Buckman18 said:


> And will run for miles and miles. And sometimes multiple days. I’ll always cherish my NC Mtn days.
> 
> That said, I wouldn’t want dog hunting in the Georgia mountains. Way too many granola head transplants here now, it’d be nothing but problems. But we do have too many bears now, and hogs too. I think a spring bear hunt would be a very effective means of lowering the population so the deer can recover.


I grew up in a multi-generational hound bear hunting family. I used to keep and hunt bear hounds. I love it. It's in my blood and DNA. 

With that said, I sure wish we had some bear season here without dogs. We can't shoot bears in bow or muzzleloader deer seasons. Every year, I sit during those and see bearsbearsbears. The day bear season opens and the hounds hit the woods, you won't see another bear in the daylight the rest of the year unless it's in a tree with a pack of hounds under it.


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## NCHillbilly (Mar 7, 2019)

280 Man said:


> I got in on a dog bear hunt several years ago. After a couple hours the dogs finally treed and it took another hour to get to the dogs. We chased that bear from ridge top to ridge top through laurel thickets that we just awful, down through 'hollers and back to the ridge tops that would make a billy goat cry uncle.
> 
> After the bear was shot out it took another 4 hrs to get that bear to the truck. You ever tried to help drag a bear while trying to handle 3 dogs on a lead. Some of the hardest hunting Ive ever done. But it was some of the most satisfying hunting Ive ever been a part of.
> 
> Bottom line, bear hunting with dogs "ain't no joke"


Easy, cheating type of hunting, huh?


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## Buckman18 (Mar 7, 2019)

NCHillbilly said:


> I grew up in a multi-generational hound bear hunting family. I used to keep and hunt bear hounds. I love it. It's in my blood and DNA.
> 
> With that said, I sure wish we had some bear season here without dogs. We can't shoot bears in bow or muzzleloader deer seasons. Every year, I sit during those and see bearsbearsbears. The day bear season opens and the hounds hit the woods, you won't see another bear in the daylight the rest of the year unless it's in a tree with a pack of hounds under it.



That’s a big 10-4. That and the 3 week rifle deer season was awful tough to get used too when I was an NC res in the college days. Like you, my family has a long history bear hunting with hounds. They are from Clay County, up on Shooting Creek.


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## 280 Man (Mar 7, 2019)

NCHillbilly said:


> Easy, cheating type of hunting, huh?



Easy, cheating, yea boy!!  Lol


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## NCHillbilly (Mar 8, 2019)

Buckman18 said:


> That’s a big 10-4. That and the 3 week rifle deer season was awful tough to get used too when I was an NC res in the college days. Like you, my family has a long history bear hunting with hounds. They are from Clay County, up on Shooting Creek.


I got some relatives from out that way myself. Nichols and Shooks.


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## goshenmountainman (Mar 8, 2019)

Buckman18 said:


> And will run for miles and miles. And sometimes multiple days. I’ll always cherish my NC Mtn days.
> 
> That said, I wouldn’t want dog hunting in the Georgia mountains. Way too many granola head transplants here now, it’d be nothing but problems. But we do have too many bears now, and hogs too. I think a spring bear hunt would be a very effective means of lowering the population so the deer can recover.


I think the season needs to be in July or August, thats when we have the most problems with them here and when we start to see them nearly everyday.


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Mar 8, 2019)

I'd push for a spring bear season WAY before I'd want to allow dog hunters here, for many of the same reasons mentioned already.


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## Throwback (Mar 8, 2019)

I put People that think dogs are unsporting in the same category with the people that think archery hunting is cruel and inhumane


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## Nicodemus (Mar 8, 2019)

NCHillbilly said:


> I got some relatives from out that way myself. Nichols and Shooks.




Are those the Shooks that are kin to the Ellliot`s in Dawsonville?


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## Buckman18 (Mar 8, 2019)

NCHillbilly said:


> I got some relatives from out that way myself. Nichols and Shooks.



Always knew you were part outlaw. 

We are the Youngblood’s, Moss’s and Davenport’s.


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## NCHillbilly (Mar 9, 2019)

Nicodemus said:


> Are those the Shooks that are kin to the Ellliot`s in Dawsonville?


I don't know if ol' Bill's my distant cousin or not.  I got people of various sorts all over north Georgia on Rabun, Towns, and some other counties. My great grandpa and his people lived on the head of the Tallula River near Tate City, and they were all intermarried up with the other folks around there ten ways from Tuesday.



Buckman18 said:


> Always knew you were part outlaw.
> 
> We are the Youngblood’s, Moss’s and Davenport’s.


A pretty sizeable part, likely.


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## Gator89 (Mar 9, 2019)

I have not had the pleasure of bear hunting with hounds. However growing up in central FL dogging for deer and hogs was just a given fact. Walker hounds will run a hog, too.

I go back to LA every chance I get to enjoy my favorite method of deer hunting, during the rut too boot!


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