# best hounds/dogs for hunting bear?



## englishmonster

i have my opinion,now whats yours? what hounds are best for hunting bear/cougar/bobcat?


----------



## Etter2

Walkers.  hands down.  It's not an opinion.  It's fact.  The competitions all prove it.  A walker dog is the best hound on the planet and the greatest friend in the world.


----------



## GA DAWG

Etter2 said:


> Walkers.  hands down.  It's not an opinion.  It's fact.  The competitions all prove it.  A walker dog is the best hound on the planet and the greatest friend in the world.


Now there's a man that knows what he's talking about


----------



## NCHillbilly

The best hounds/dogs for hunting bear are good bear dogs. I've seen some good ones of every breed (even those overgrown beagles  ) and mixture thereof. And I've seen a lot more worthless ones than good ones of all breeds. I'm kinda partial to Plotts myself, as I grew up hunting in the county where they originated. My dad used to do some bear hunting with Von Plott, Taylor Crockett, and some of that generation of bear hunters. The two best bear dogs I've ever personally been in the woods with were "Ol' Squirt," who was a black-backed, brindle-legged Plott, and "Ol' Red," a black-backed redbone cross of some sort, probably Plott/redbone. The three best bear dogs I ever owned myself were a bluetick/English/walker cross, a registered Plott gyp, and a Plott/bluetick cross. 
As my dad, who spent his whole life following hounds of all sorts, used to say: "I don't care if it's purple and green polka-dotted and its ears grow out its arse, if it'll run and fight a bear, it's a bear dog. "


----------



## Etter2

I was half joking there but I do believe every word.  Tons of dogs are fantastic hounds, but if you're picking a breed, Walkers are my favorite.  I believe there's no difference in their trailing or treeing ability, but walkers will hunt harder and longer IMO.


----------



## Cottontail

walkers are faster track dogs


----------



## bullsprig1100

There is a place for several different types of dogs in a bear pack. I like a good nose for finding a bear, and Walkers do a good job at that for sure, as do other hounds. I also need trail and pack dogs that will run the bear and help out when its jumped. That job can be filled by a variety of breeds, Plotts, Walkers Redbones, blueticks etc.  Then I like at least one or two good hair pullers. They convince the bear that its better to climb than to stay on the ground and fight. Plotts fill that roll nicely, as does my American Leopard Hound, and I've seen all breeds that can handle this job too.  Bear hunting is a team sport for the hounds, and it takes all sorts to make it work. Just my 2 cents!


----------



## Rocket41

Etter2 said:


> Walkers.  hands down.  It's not an opinion.  It's fact.  The competitions all prove it.  A walker dog is the best hound on the planet and the greatest friend in the world.



competition coon hunting and bear hunting are two very different things. just sayin. and has far as walkers being the BEST dogs on the planet... that can be YOUR opinion.. but it is sure not a fact..... yea they maybe be fast track dogs and stylish tree dogs... but they dont have the grit to catch fight and tree a mean bear..... if you wanna start a pack of bear dogs.. better get a plott!!!!!!!!


----------



## hoghunter007

Rocket41 said:


> competition coon hunting and bear hunting are two very different things. just sayin. and has far as walkers being the BEST dogs on the planet... that can be YOUR opinion.. but it is sure not a fact..... yea they maybe be fast track dogs and stylish tree dogs... but they dont have the grit to catch fight and tree a mean bear..... if you wanna start a pack of bear dogs.. better get a plott!!!!!!!!



amen


----------



## GA DAWG

I saw a walker,redbone and bluetick tree one the other night. Have saw a good many treed actually. Never saw the first plor under one.


----------



## Rocket41

Congrats on treeing a bear with your walker redbone and bluetick.... I'm sure your a coon hunter so I hope you beat your dogs for running trash!!! Come on up and I'll show a real bear dog tree a bear or a real coon dog tree a coon.... a real live raccoon......


----------



## GA DAWG

What other kinds of coons are they besides real live ones? You coon hunt plots to? I guess you hunt a lot alone.


----------



## englishmonster

calm down fellas. NO ONE MENTIONED ENGLISH HOUNDS!!!!!!!!!! i hunt english!


----------



## NCHillbilly

englishmonster said:


> calm down fellas. NO ONE MENTIONED ENGLISH HOUNDS!!!!!!!!!! i hunt english!



Au contraire:



NCHillbilly said:


> The best hounds/dogs for hunting bear are good bear dogs. I've seen some good ones of every breed (even those overgrown beagles  ) and mixture thereof. And I've seen a lot more worthless ones than good ones of all breeds. I'm kinda partial to Plotts myself, as I grew up hunting in the county where they originated. My dad used to do some bear hunting with Von Plott, Taylor Crockett, and some of that generation of bear hunters. The two best bear dogs I've ever personally been in the woods with were "Ol' Squirt," who was a black-backed, brindle-legged Plott, and "Ol' Red," a black-backed redbone cross of some sort, probably Plott/redbone. The three best bear dogs I ever owned myself were a bluetick/English/walker cross, a registered Plott gyp, and a Plott/bluetick cross.
> As my dad, who spent his whole life following hounds of all sorts, used to say: "I don't care if it's purple and green polka-dotted and its ears grow out its arse, if it'll run and fight a bear, it's a bear dog. "


----------



## dawg2

I am surprised no one mentioned Black Mouth Curs.


----------



## Etter2

Plotts are too ugly and mean for me.  Check out what most of the western bear guides run....the guys who run bears for a living 4+ months of the year.  Most are walkers with some blueticks thrown in.

It's a dumb argument.  Everybody has a different opinion, but I bet if you took a poll of every houndsman in the country, walkers would get more than 50 percent of the vote.


----------



## bullsprig1100

Not really interested in what 'most' bear guides run in the country. I run what works for me. Look what 'most' U.S citizens voted for in the last election. Nuff said. Here in the mountains and on the Eastern coast of NC, I see a bunch of different breeds being run on bear. They all have their purpose. Etter2, how many bear hounds you got? What are they?............


----------



## Rocket41

bullsprig1100 said:


> Not really interested in what 'most' bear guides run in the country. I run what works for me. Look what 'most' U.S citizens voted for in the last election. Nuff said. Here in the mountains and on the Eastern coast of NC, I see a bunch of different breeds being run on bear. They all have their purpose. Etter2, how many bear hounds you got? What are they?............



Exactly......... I'm not gonna lie I'm a plott man..... But one of the top bear dogs I've seen was 3/4 plott and 1/4 English... It's all about traits and bloodlines.... The guy that started the post asked what the best hounds for BEAR HUNTING are....... Not coon hunting.....


----------



## englishmonster

ima start some english, and B@T's on bear. as for now i will hunt Longshore plott hounds


----------



## Etter2

bullsprig1100 said:


> Not really interested in what 'most' bear guides run in the country. I run what works for me. Look what 'most' U.S citizens voted for in the last election. Nuff said. Here in the mountains and on the Eastern coast of NC, I see a bunch of different breeds being run on bear. They all have their purpose. Etter2, how many bear hounds you got? What are they?............



Don't have any bear dogs, but I do know dogs and have probably killed more bears than most folks on this board, and judging by your profile pic, you aint chasing anything over any mtns.


----------



## tnhunter80

i have seen good and bad in all breeds but perfer plotts


----------



## HORJUA

*hounds*

i live in arkansas, we cant hunt bear with dogs, but i have treed 1 with hounds when i was hog hunting. i have had all breeds of hounds and still do. but as for gritt and hogs i love my plotts.


----------



## Paint Brush

Ask any man whats the best kind of dog for any thing and its the kind he has in the kennel right now. 
 Sort of like the most dangerous snake in the world (the one that just bit you) LOL


----------



## brandonsc

the best dog is the one that will run the bear back to the truck and bay or tree him there


----------



## Rocket41

Etter2 said:


> Don't have any bear dogs, but I do know dogs and have probably killed more bears than most folks on this board, and judging by your profile pic, you aint chasing anything over any mtns.



Easy pal...... You say you don't have bear dogs but have killed more bear than most folks on here..... That may be true but again.... The guy plainly asks what's the best type of hound for BEAR HUNTING!!! I suggest you don't open your mouth unless you know what your talkin about.... Thanks.


----------



## GA DAWG

Rocket41 said:


> Easy pal...... You say you don't have bear dogs but have killed more bear than most folks on here..... That may be true but again.... The guy plainly asks what's the best type of hound for BEAR HUNTING!!! I suggest you don't open your mouth unless you know what your talkin about.... Thanks.


What makes you such an expert? How many REAL LIVE bears you treed this yr?
 How many dog fights you had?


----------



## Rocket41

GA DAWG said:


> What makes you such an expert? How many REAL LIVE bears you treed this yr?
> How many dog fights you had?



Lol well I never thought I was an expert..... As far as dog fights.... None... Don't keep an ill dog and don't breed ill dogs... And we cull pretty heavy... If you know what I mean lol I hunt plotts not bulldogs... As far as treein bear we had a pretty good year.. I believe we Treed 16 bears.... Real live ones.... Throughout the TN and NC season... And that's not a kill total, seen a few sows with yearlings.... Can't complain though.... Pretty good year I guess


----------



## bullsprig1100

Rocket41, that is a good year in any mans book......Especially with such a short season........I've run the North River area with the Browns, Jeb and Zeb, and really enjoy that area. Tell the Brown's from Coker Creek TN I said "hey' if you see em'........They have some fine Plott bear and hog dogs.......


----------



## bullsprig1100

Etter2 said:


> Don't have any bear dogs, but I do know dogs and have probably killed more bears than most folks on this board, and judging by your profile pic, you aint chasing anything over any mtns.



ETTER2, no reason to get personal there, but anytime you wanna take a walk through the mountains with a fat old man,  following my ugly and mean Plotts, and American Leopard hound, let me know......I think I would enjoy meeting you and discussing your comments.


----------



## englishmonster

this just gets better and better.lol. ill be heading to bear camp in late March. WHOO HOO!!! cant wait!


----------



## GA DAWG

We ever get a bear season. I can put yall on em. Im sure if we can tree a few a year accidental like. Yall could wear em out and if yall come across a trashy bear dog that will only tree coons. Let me know


----------



## Rocket41

bullsprig1100 said:


> Rocket41, that is a good year in any mans book......Especially with such a short season........I've run the North River area with the Browns, Jeb and Zeb, and really enjoy that area. Tell the Brown's from Coker Creek TN I said "hey' if you see em'........They have some fine Plott bear and hog dogs.......



Yea dave I know those boys pretty well...... Lol


----------



## englishmonster

we got a Ga bears eason


----------



## Etter2

Rocket41 said:


> Easy pal...... You say you don't have bear dogs but have killed more bear than most folks on here..... That may be true but again.... The guy plainly asks what's the best type of hound for BEAR HUNTING!!! I suggest you don't open your mouth unless you know what your talkin about.... Thanks.





Well the best type is still walker hounds.  That's why Walkers are used in almost every lion and bear camp in the west, northeast, and canada.


----------



## englishmonster

there are just as many bad walkers as there are god ones!!!!  there are just more registered walkers than any other hound. that means the 50%  that are bad out number other registered breeds. A WALKER IS HALF ENGLISH!!!!!!!


----------



## Rich Kaminski

I'd say it depends on the type of bear and the location you are hunting. If your hunting Brown Bear in Alaska or Russia, I would say Alaskan Malamutes for their strength, endurance and great warm coats. If you are in the Georgia mountains in the USA, I might go with the Catahoulas or Rhodesian Ridgebacks and possibly Argentina Dogos.


----------



## englishmonster

GEORGIA outdoor news. Georgia has mountains and swamps. only interested in our southern states. thank you for your opinion tho.


----------



## NCHillbilly

Etter2 said:


> Well the best type is still walker hounds.  That's why Walkers are used in almost every lion and bear camp in the west, northeast, and canada.



I've seen exactly three really good walker bear dogs in my life. They'll run a bear, but in general, they would be my last hound pick for bear hunting except for maybe black and tans. They just don't have the combination of nose, stamina, and grit that it takes to run and tree bears up here in these rugged mountains when you compare them as a breed to some of the others. Remember that Plott hounds were bred first and foremost from the start right here in the western NC mountains specifically for bear hunting, and have been selected for countless generations for traits that make good bear dogs. Walkers were originally fox dogs that were later crossbred with treeing hounds to produce a coonhound type that would tree.



Rich Kaminski said:


> I'd say it depends on the type of bear and the location you are hunting. If your hunting Brown Bear in Alaska or Russia, I would say Alaskan Malamutes for their strength, endurance and great warm coats. If you are in the Georgia mountains in the USA, I might go with the Catahoulas or Rhodesian Ridgebacks and possibly Argentina Dogos.



The only problem with that scenario, coming from someone who spent quite a few years hunting bears with hounds here in the NC mountains, and is decended from a long line of generations of bear hunters; is that none of those breeds have anywhere near enough nose to trail up and jump a bear. Most bear tracks you find are several hours old, and it takes a hound with a good nose to get it trailed up and going. Some of those breeds will work as fight dogs once the bear is jumped, assuming that they don't attack your other dogs instead of the bear. Catahoulas would be my pick out of any of those you mentioned, but they still don't work like hounds for bear hunting down here.


----------



## tnhunter80

Etter2 said:


> Plotts are too ugly and mean for me.  Check out what most of the western bear guides run....the guys who run bears for a living 4+ months of the year.  Most are walkers with some blueticks thrown in.
> 
> It's a dumb argument.  Everybody has a different opinion, but I bet if you took a poll of every houndsman in the country, walkers would get more than 50 percent of the vote.



common stereo type as far as the plotts being mean! and beauty is in the eye of the beholder


----------



## NCHillbilly

The stocks of Plotts I've had and hunted with weren't ill or mean at all, except to bears (and I live in the county where they originated, my dad hunted with Von Plott and Taylor Crockett, so I guess that's as pure Plott as you can get.) I won't keep an ill dog. I've seen a lot more walkers that were ill on the tree or in the box than any other breed. I've been around bear hounders all my life, and was one myself for a long time, and I know very few people who run walkers for bears. This ain't out west where they can't get good dogs and don't no any better.


----------



## Timberman

I've seen walkers used for strike dogs but in the mountains the bulk of the pack is plott or plott cross. Smallish athletic dogs with a ton of grit and bottom.


----------



## tnhunter80

NCHillbilly said:


> The stocks of Plotts I've had and hunted with weren't ill or mean at all, except to bears (and I live in the county where they originated, my dad hunted with Von Plott and Taylor Crockett, so I guess that's as pure Plott as you can get.) I won't keep an ill dog. I've seen a lot more walkers that were ill on the tree or in the box than any other breed. I've been around bear hounders all my life, and was one myself for a long time, and I know very few people who run walkers for bears. This ain't out west where they can't get good dogs and don't no any better.



yea that is about as pure plot as ya can get! ill dogs don't get to eat much of my dog food at the price of dog food! they have some good plotts out west just the guys who have them won't let go of them. doyle demoss orignated the cascade line of plotts out west.


----------



## englishmonster

Rev Robert Longshore outa Hogansville Ga has awesome plott dogs!! Bear and coon hounds


----------



## Gator McKlusky

black and tan is what i'm running with and we tree several every year accidentally.


----------



## GA DAWG

I believe they are right. Its gotta be plott dogs cause they sure suck at treeing coon. A bear is bigger and easier to chase I recken


----------



## englishmonster

we took 4 plott/bear dogs to Tennessee and placed in a few events. all other hound breeds cant help that tha walker population is 10 fold to all others. that means that there are more bad ones than good ones compared to all other breeds.. it is true that walkers start sooner and faster than other breeds. THAT JUST MEANS WALKERS HUNTERS ARE LAZY!!!!!


----------



## rivercritter

never seen a walker fit to feed. plotts r bear dogs thats all there is to it. i like to see game in the tree. and as far as speed my to plotts r faster than any walker on the mtn. plotts period keep ur coon dogs on coons and when ur ready to hunt somethin that takes some grit and stay power let me know.


----------



## rivercritter

and yes i hav a bluetick pup


----------



## Dan DeBord

I know a guy around Hayesville ,N.C. that runs Elkhounds.


----------



## The mtn man

Dan DeBord said:


> I know a guy around Hayesville ,N.C. that runs Elkhounds.



I think the guy you are refering to is my neighbor,bears dont run far from elkhouds, the dogs wont let them,best bear dog I ever hunted with was mixed breed, plot, some type of bulldog, blackmouth cur,  and I think sheapherd different breeds of houds would strike and run the bear, but when the mut was packed in the bear would either tree or lose a lot of hair.If you want to hear a race must have hounds.


----------



## rigderunner

walkers cause they will run anything plotts and lepoards cause there gritt


----------



## bearhunter39

rigderunner said:


> walkers cause they will run anything plotts and lepoards cause there gritt


They do make a few good walkers but you have to do a lot of culling with walkers,overall you will not beat a plott.


----------



## englishmonster

on tha big leases in south Ga ive been on in tha swamp all tha bear hounds wer plott and ALL tha deer dogs wer walker. tha hog dogs wer a mix and cross of everything. out of a pack of maybe 30, 1 of tha bear hounds was abluetick bear hound with a hog problum


----------



## plottman88

*dogs*

Well first off theres good and badin all breeds! I got mostly plotts and a walker and a english dog! Prefer plotts that my opinion! Seen good walker bear dog and plott bear dogs too! Its just about your style of hunting and what color u like! I like what works! Almost any dog that will tree will tree a bear if it runs and trees! But it takes a whole other type of dog BEAR dog to fight and bay and stay with one for many hours on the ground! Thats what ilike about my plotts! But im working on a young yadkin river walker now! And from my experience most plotts seem to be less trashy and more accurate tree dogs! Where as walkers have been bred for all the competition hunting no nose and tree happy more slick trees! All this is my opinion and experience!


----------



## eddevelasco

Brown's are personal friends of mine. Have several out of their stock.  Everyone has what they want in a dog and there are good ones in the   different breeds. However, for Bear and Hog I like the strain of Plott's the Brown's are breeding. Not perfect just good fast gritty dogs.


----------



## The mtn man

plottman88 said:


> Well first off theres good and badin all breeds! I got mostly plotts and a walker and a english dog! Prefer plotts that my opinion! Seen good walker bear dog and plott bear dogs too! Its just about your style of hunting and what color u like! I like what works! Almost any dog that will tree will tree a bear if it runs and trees! But it takes a whole other type of dog BEAR dog to fight and bay and stay with one for many hours on the ground! Thats what ilike about my plotts! But im working on a young yadkin river walker now! And from my experience most plotts seem to be less trashy and more accurate tree dogs! Where as walkers have been bred for all the competition hunting no nose and tree happy more slick trees! All this is my opinion and experience!



you said it all about walkers, I own a decent walker I coon hunt with, I had a yadkin river female, was the best I ever followed in the woods, they have bread the good trailing sence out of most walker stocks.Most I have been around do have slick treeing problems.


----------



## englishmonster

keep it up


----------



## englishmonster

i dont think ya can beat tha stamina of a plott


----------



## jughead

when will north ga. ever have a dog season ? Could really help the population problem !!


----------



## ashleyjohn

englishmonster said:


> i have my opinion,now whats yours? what hounds are best for hunting bear/cougar/bobcat?



Plotts are known as best bear and hog hounds!


----------



## muzzy17is

I have always liked walker because they usually start early and catch on fast. Redbone and B and T's seem to be late to start.  I've seen some plot hounds that will out hunt and run anything hands down. To each there own.


----------



## redneck_billcollector

Back when we used to hunt down in FLA for cats we always ran walkers and julys.  They did great on cats and the few bears we actually targeted.  Didn't get to tree many bears where we hunted, was mainly younger pine plantations over in Franklin County with some bay heads.


----------

