Coursing With Dogs

Coursing means the high speed pursuit of game (or a subsitute for game such as an artificial lure) by a predator hunting primarily by sight. If you have stories, pictures, question or discussions on 'sighthounds' or 'gazehounds' post it here.

Moderators: Coyotehunter, Prairie Ghost

User avatar
Coyotehunter
Site Admin
Posts: 3387
Joined: Sat Jul 01, 2006 10:57 am
Location: Wyoming

Coursing With Dogs

Post by Coyotehunter »

This is an excerpt taken from The Clever Coyote by Stanley P Young –It’s History, Life Habits, Economic Status, and Control- pages 201-202

Coursing With Dogs “The domestic dog and its use in the chase dates many centuries BC on some relief’s discovered by archaeologists in Egypt and elsewhere hunting scenes are depicted showing the chariot drawn by horses in full speed in company with a racing hound like dog. Apparently the gazelle, then a part of the Nile Valley fauna, was coursed and eventually captured much as was the coyote and wolf in the later times wherever habitat permitted. The evolution of this form of sport unfolds an intriguing story, the minute details which are to extensive to be used in this text. Suffice it to say however that running dogs of the grey hound, Russian wolf hound and Scottish deer hound type have served many masters at times on our great plains as a method of coyote control, but more often merely as a form of sport. Often these dogs, referred to by their owners as “running dogs” were and are still used in certain parts of the west to course jackrabbits as well as coyotes.”
Coyotes Forever
User avatar
lyonch
coyotehunter
Posts: 2795
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 7:52 pm
Location: Not where i want to be

Re: Coursing With Dogs

Post by lyonch »

Interesting information on how coursing began. Im sure some individuals will be posting in this area when the snow hits the ground this fall/winter.
Chris Lyon


My mind belongs to my work,
My heart belongs to my family,
BUT MY SOUL BELONGS TO THE COYOTES!!!
User avatar
Prairie Ghost
Site Admin
Posts: 2272
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:38 pm
Location: On the line

Re: Coursing With Dogs

Post by Prairie Ghost »

Goes to show you that some things never change :wink:
Money is a great servant but a terrible master!!
User avatar
wyojrt
coyotehunter
Posts: 47
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:18 am
Location: Wyoming
Contact:

Re: Coursing With Dogs

Post by wyojrt »

lyonch wrote:Interesting information on how coursing began. Im sure some individuals will be posting in this area when the snow hits the ground this fall/winter.
Why would folks wait until the snow hits? Are you meaning from a fur aspect? I know of one person that has done it in the spring and summer, but it's more of a predator control and sport with the dogs issue. I don't believe he sells the pelts.
It's all about the huntin'
User avatar
lyonch
coyotehunter
Posts: 2795
Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 7:52 pm
Location: Not where i want to be

Re: Coursing With Dogs

Post by lyonch »

All the guys that i know in the central minnesota area that run them with dogs always wait until the snow is on the ground so that they always have fresh tracks to work with and the coyote is easier to see. I know of 3 groups around my area that run coyotes with dogs and to them it is a sport (and the only way they know how to hunt a coyote), one group shot 154 coyotes this past winter and all the coyotes were sold and they made just enough money to pay for 2/3 of the dog food supply for a year.
Chris Lyon


My mind belongs to my work,
My heart belongs to my family,
BUT MY SOUL BELONGS TO THE COYOTES!!!
User avatar
wyojrt
coyotehunter
Posts: 47
Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2008 10:18 am
Location: Wyoming
Contact:

Re: Coursing With Dogs

Post by wyojrt »

Ah...I see. I'm not sure exactly how this guy goes about it with or without snow. Not sure if his part of Colorado maybe just has that many of them or what.
It's all about the huntin'
jr54

Re: Coursing With Dogs

Post by jr54 »

Hi , JR. Lehman here in Minnesota . I have 2 Running Walker bitch hounds that i use for coyotes .I also have a 3 yr. old Irish Wolfhound stud and i'm thinking of breeding this cross. I need more speed and hope to get sight and smell with mix. Any toughts. JR.
User avatar
Coyotehunter
Site Admin
Posts: 3387
Joined: Sat Jul 01, 2006 10:57 am
Location: Wyoming

Re: Coursing With Dogs

Post by Coyotehunter »

do you have any pics of the dogs?
Coyotes Forever
User avatar
Prairie Ghost
Site Admin
Posts: 2272
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:38 pm
Location: On the line

Re: Coursing With Dogs

Post by Prairie Ghost »

For coursing i think that could be a good combo
Money is a great servant but a terrible master!!
User avatar
Tim Anderson
coyotehunter
Posts: 1275
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 11:48 am
Location: Minn

Re: Coursing With Dogs

Post by Tim Anderson »

They had a pretty good story in the Tribune about running coyotes with dogs. Story was by Dennis Anderson. The reason for the snow is like lyonch said, its much easier to find a fresh coyote track or tracks. They will put the dog to the track and if its fresh enough the dog will take off on it, if its not fresh then they just move on to the next set of tracks.. They canbe run without snow but you have to get them up out of there beds first or catch them out and about and then the dog would have to see it and get on the track after a bit of running..


I've been thinking about getting one for running coyotes here at home then i don't have to hunt with the group but on my own. I got a young kid a mile south of me that has some Plotts that had pups and he can't find anyone to buy what he has left so he is giveing them away. I'm waiting on the weather to clear up and then may go out and look over what he has and see if they are what i want and check on how good of a nose they have..
User avatar
Coyotehunter
Site Admin
Posts: 3387
Joined: Sat Jul 01, 2006 10:57 am
Location: Wyoming

Re: Coursing With Dogs

Post by Coyotehunter »

should work, we use plotts some for trailing wounded coyotes and working pups. full blooded plotts are tough to work with but a good cur cross or terrier mix is easier to handle. Great noses.
Coyotes Forever
User avatar
Tim Anderson
coyotehunter
Posts: 1275
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 11:48 am
Location: Minn

Re: Coursing With Dogs

Post by Tim Anderson »

Do you think they would work for a little denning once in awhile or are they to hard headed for that????
User avatar
Prairie Ghost
Site Admin
Posts: 2272
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 7:38 pm
Location: On the line

Re: Coursing With Dogs

Post by Prairie Ghost »

by itself with a good collar on it you should be able to get it to work but you are going to need to put in the time and get it into a good number of coyotes so it catches on. If you are lucky enough to get the first pair of coyotes to be a real aggressive pair and get close to the den so they work it hard it would really help.
Money is a great servant but a terrible master!!
User avatar
Tim Anderson
coyotehunter
Posts: 1275
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 11:48 am
Location: Minn

Re: Coursing With Dogs

Post by Tim Anderson »

Thanks for the info.. Just trying to come up with more than one use for a dog so it gets used rather than sitting in the kennel for 6-8 month's. If i decide to get one I would like to run coyotes with it and do a little denning or just working coyotes with it...
coyotehunterOK59
Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2010 5:36 pm

Re: Coursing With Dogs

Post by coyotehunterOK59 »

I am from Oklahoma, and I hunt coyotes with Site Dogs, Greyhounds. There are several of us in this area we all have radios in the pickups, we have to wait for cold weather to run the dogs other wise they will get to hot and die. Only problem is there are those out there that say it is a blood sport like dog fighting. It is nothing at all like dog fighting. The coyote has a chance to get away and sometimes they do. Where dog fighting the two dogs have no chance to get away they fight to the death in a controlled enviroment. Coyote hunting with dogs is very exciting watching the dogs run. We dont leave our dogs for dead if one gets hurt like some say we do. they go back home and we take them to vet they recover and go out again. The coyote is sly and smart, they are on there on turf and know where to go to get away. Many of the trunouts that we have are from 100yards to 1/4 mile the coyote is at dead run before the dogs ever leave the dog box. If you have never hunted with greyhounds you should go with someone at least once see for yourself. Some people say it "Dog ripping apart Dog" sure the coyote is in the K-nine family but ever coyote I have cought you couldn't even tell that is was killed by a dog it was not ripped apart at all.
Post Reply