# Question for seasoned squirrel dog handler



## hunting clouds (Dec 17, 2012)

Got a 11 month old feist/cur cross. HE is doing really good just a few weeks ago he started treeing. he hunts good checks in about every ten or fifteen minutes. so far has stayed within couple hundred yards . gun shots do not effect him at all . have shot out about fifteen on him . question being he is so eager to hunt that if  he does not see the squirrel moving he will not stay treed long. Does that confidence come with age or do i need to be doing something? HE timbers the squirrels thru the trees pretty good and seems to be getting better. BUT most of his trees have been sight treein so far . DOES treein by smell also come by gaining confidence . I watched a squirrel run out a log saturday eve and run up a tree when ranger checked back in he ran the log with nose down then smelled up the tree didnt see the squirrel and went on .HE treed six or eight times sat. eve shot two out for him.ANY thoughts or just keep hunting?


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## Al Medcalf (Dec 17, 2012)

Just keep hunting him, he should come around.  Sounds like he is doing good for his age.


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## The mtn man (Dec 17, 2012)

sounds like the makings of some good times, he should start staying if he thinks its there, I had a fiest once that only treed by sight, I didnt kill as many with him, but they were always in the tree he was treed in.that wasn't a bad thing,squirrels had to be moving pretty good though,


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## aewhite (Dec 17, 2012)

Using his nose will come in time, lots of young dogs start treeing using eyes and ears. One thing you can do is when you get to him at a tree he is treed on leash him so he can't leave until you are ready for him to leave. While you have him leashed don't be afraid to step away 20 or 30 yards back from the tree to look, then when your finished looking or shooting go in and unleash your dog. This will help him understand his job to stay at the tree.


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## state159 (Dec 18, 2012)

aewhite said:


> Using his nose will come in time, lots of young dogs start treeing using eyes and ears. One thing you can do is when you get to him at a tree he is treed on leash him so he can't leave until you are ready for him to leave. While you have him leashed don't be afraid to step away 20 or 30 yards back from the tree to look, then when your finished looking or shooting go in and unleash your dog. This will help him understand his job to stay at the tree.




x2.  If the squirrel timbers while the dog is tied, leave him tied and you try to follow the squirrel and knock him out. Bring the dead squirrel back to the dog for him to lick as a reward for treeing. He should learn to have confidence that he has the squirrel even if he can't see him.


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## John Abbott (Dec 20, 2012)

Be carefull aobut shooting  the squirrel out without him treeing, if you do it enough you can make a "lier" out of him.


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## Ancient Obsession (Dec 22, 2012)

Agree with others here. Best thing to do with any young dog is to leash it to every tree it makes if you want to tighten them up at the tree. I do it religiously with every dog I train. Curs and hounds aren't as bad, but feist usually need a little more help to learn to stay treed.


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## Ancient Obsession (Dec 22, 2012)

In addition to leashing, after you shoot the squirrel out, determine he ain't there, etc... when you unleash him give him a command to know he is released from the tree to continue to hunt. He will learn that he is to tree until you verbally release him when you are ready to move on. I usually just say " in a hole" or " he got away" if I don't shoot out a squirrel.


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## hunting clouds (Dec 31, 2012)

Thanks for the encouragement. My patience was just a little thin i guess. Have kept on hunting him just about daily.Just a few days ago he exploded . we shot out eight this afternoon . eight yesterday afternoon . He is holding the tree and absolutely on fire about it.


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