Anybody coursing in WY, SD, CO?

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.

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wyojrt
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Anybody coursing in WY, SD, CO?

Post by wyojrt »

I'm wondering if there is anyone in Wyoming, South Dakota, or Colorado that courses coyotes with dogs? I've got jack russells and am hosting a terrier trial the end of August. One of my conformation judges is coming over from GB and expressed an interest in going out with somebody that runs coyotes with dogs. I tried searching for houndsmen's associations and didn't have a whole lot of luck there. He won't have a dog along or anything, just would like to get in some action for the brief time he's here. If anyone knows of any groups that I might get in touch with as well, that would be great. I'm about 4 hours from Rapid City and 4 hours from Denver, if that helps. Thanks!

MTA-I'll have my other judges out hunting fox with the terriers, so it would just be one person. I don't have any lurchers myself and have never been out with lurchers on coyotes. He doesn't quite know his schedule just yet, so I'm not exactly sure when he'll be in, but I'll be flying him into Denver and he'll be in the Denver area for at least one night.
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Prairie Ghost
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Re: Anybody coursing in WY, SD, CO?

Post by Prairie Ghost »

How happy are you with your Jack Russells on Coyote dens (if you use them on coyotes) Have thought about one for ahwile to help with denning but have only heard stories and read about them. I haven't talked to someone first hand that had actuall expierence.
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Daryl
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Re: Anybody coursing in WY, SD, CO?

Post by Daryl »

I also have a Jack Russell! He has been pretty good but not real agressive. Not sure how they are suppose to act but he acts 10 feet tall and bullet proof till a coon, house cat, or coyote come after him then he comes running scared. See how he does this fall and winter.
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wyojrt
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Re: Anybody coursing in WY, SD, CO?

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Personally, I haven't used them on coyotes. We've knocked the crap out of some fox that have been getting after some sheep, though. Over the last two years we've nabbed 15 or 16 that I can remember well enough to count. Have a mighty happy rancher about that! I've heard of folks using JRT's for coyotes, but more along the lines of luring the coyotes...not so much for denning. I'm not sure how they'd do....they may be a bit too small for that sort of thing...or they'd probably have to be mighty smart about taking stick from quarry. I don't honestly know. My stud dog is pretty hard as far as earthwork....he likes to latch on rather than stay and bay....I think I might end up with some pretty good vet bills if he were to get into a coyote, but, then again, maybe not.

My main reason for asking about coursing coyotes with hounds is that I'll be having somebody coming here from England to judge my terrier show in August. He wondered if I might be able to find somebody that courses coyotes that he might be able to go with to watch. I'll be with the other judges hunting fox and coon with the terriers, most likely, otherwise I'd be interested in watching as well.
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wyojrt
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Re: Anybody coursing in WY, SD, CO?

Post by wyojrt »

Daryl wrote:I also have a Jack Russell! He has been pretty good but not real agressive. Not sure how they are suppose to act but he acts 10 feet tall and bullet proof till a coon, house cat, or coyote come after him then he comes running scared. See how he does this fall and winter.
I know that many folks that have hunted their terriers quite a bit would rather the dog meet the coon in the ground than above. I've heard stories of terriers getting it handed to them above ground. How old is your boy? Are you planning on using him on coyotes or other quarry?
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Daryl
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Re: Anybody coursing in WY, SD, CO?

Post by Daryl »

Trackers is 9 months old now and full of energy. I want to use him mostly for coyotes but would like hime to go down in holes better than he does. He will start going in and then if there is something in there that makes noise at him he chickens out and backs out. I had a stray cat awhile back held up in a culvet and he went in till the cat hissed at him and he came out and did not want to go back in for nothing. When the cat came out man did he turn and burn after him but he got up a tree before he caught him. Any suggestions
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wyojrt
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Re: Anybody coursing in WY, SD, CO?

Post by wyojrt »

You might see if you can go along with somebody that's got a dog that will enter and let him watch. I've got a bitch that I waited to start in the field until 14 months old as I didn't feel she was mentally mature enough. She's not gotten any game yet, but I'm very encouraged by what I've seen. I had my stud dog with me one day and he bolted a fox from a den....weird den and I neglected to stop ALL the holes.....but after he was done going through it, I let her have a look since I knew it would smell of fox. She took right to it...really worked all the eyes of the sette and was really excited about it. That's her in my avatar picture at a hole we came across later that day. I'm not real sure where you're located, but you'd be welcome to come along with me sometime if you'd like. I'm south of Gillette a bit. I don't know anybody in ND that does any terrier hunting at all.
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Daryl
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Re: Anybody coursing in WY, SD, CO?

Post by Daryl »

I don't know of anyone around here either. It sure would be fun to come out and tag along abit. I will have to see how he does here in the next months maybe as he get alittle older he will get better right now he wants to play to much.
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wyojrt
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Re: Anybody coursing in WY, SD, CO?

Post by wyojrt »

You might also let him have a rat to kill.....sometimes that can help get them fired up. Once in a while I do that for my terriers that run the go to ground event at terrier trials. Some are spot on at 6 months old and others can take up to 2 years to mature into the right mindset to hunt. And, then again, there are some that just don't make the grade.

I tend to try to get out and hunt with the terriers at least one of my days off each set. Lately it's been pretty hot and I am most often out hunting alone...so we've taken a bit of a break. If you're interested and it's not too far, just let me know if you'd like to come down and we'll go.....if you don't mind hunting with a girl. :wink:
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Daryl
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Re: Anybody coursing in WY, SD, CO?

Post by Daryl »

HUNT WITH A GIRL :? Is that legal :D
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wyojrt
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Re: Anybody coursing in WY, SD, CO?

Post by wyojrt »

I know...shhh...don't tell anyone....I shoot guns, too.....known to deer and antelope hunt all by my lonesome as well....have popped a bird or two on the wing, too.....
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Daryl
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Re: Anybody coursing in WY, SD, CO?

Post by Daryl »

:shock:
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Re: Anybody coursing in WY, SD, CO?

Post by Prairie Ghost »

I can imagine a adult coyote in the den would be trouble i know they can rip up my curs plenty good! i was more interested in a jack russell or something similiar for the juveniles. Any where from days old to four months old?
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wyojrt
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Re: Anybody coursing in WY, SD, CO?

Post by wyojrt »

I'd think if the 'yotes were that young, the terriers would be fine with them. Even at 4 months, though, I don't think I'd want a real "soft" baying terrier. I'd want something that was more apt to mix it up a little and not afraid to take some stick.
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wyojrt
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Re: Anybody coursing in WY, SD, CO?

Post by wyojrt »

I just remembered about some friends that lost a jack russell a few years ago and the story shows the tenacity. This bitch was a pet, nothing more, and certainly not from any proven working stock as I believe she was either from a pet store or a byb. Man and wife lived in SD at the time with some forest coming to the back of their property. They'd seen a mountain lion nearby...I mean CLOSE....like....watched through their sliding glass doors as it walked across their deck. So, the terriers were not let outside unattended. The woman had gone out with them and the one terrier had been sick....she was bent over rubbing this terrier's belly when the other one began to growl and get really agitated behind her. She stood up and turned around to find her terrier between her and the mountain lion....cat coming right toward her. The dog stood her ground and, sadly, was grabbed and eaten by the lion. She'd said the game and fish had told her that he thought the cat could have been coming for her and that the dog saved her from an attack.

They are big dogs in little bodies....I've no doubt that many, many terriers would stand up to a 'yote.....hefty vet bills from future hunts will not surprise me with my crew. I've been lucky enough to get away with only a few cuts and small punctures so far.
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