Co-host Corey Gruver and Steve have been addressing various aspects of treeing in reference to coonhounds in previous episodes.  In this podcast, Whatley joins in a discussion based on exploring the many aspects of trail or track dogs in our sport. 

Whatley, in his competition days was well-known for following some mighty-good Bluetick hounds and Steve is not hesitant to explore with the man that fed them, the attributes of those dogs in regard to whether or not they could be identified as good track dogs.  All the aspects of what it means to be recognized as a “track dog” are explored in this episode.  Dex is very knowledgeable, can be extremely humorous and speaks with an accent and with the demeanor of one that is definitely Lone Star to the bone.  Enjoy.   

Desiring to do something to stimulate activity and participation in coon hunting among Georgia’s youth, Riley approached Professional Kennel Club’s National Youth Director Chris Freiberger for ideas.  The result is the Peach State Shootout series of qualifying events held throughout the summer that will advance the overall winners to a championship to be held in the fall. 

This episode spotlights coon hunting from the perspective of a young man that totally enjoys and totally gets it.  You are going to be energized by the demeanor and knowledge of a young man possessed of ways of thinking usually reserved for hunters much older than he.  If you love the sport and I know you do, you are going to especially enjoy it from the perspective of Caden Riley.  

In this episode Steve picked up the phone on the chance that he talk with his longtime friend and was lucky enough to catch Moran before he headed to the woods.   The conversation that ensued was vintage Moran with stories of hounds and hunts of the past, humorous antic dotes and amazingly detailed trips down memory lane that winds through virtually every states when raccoons are pursued with hounds..

As listeners will see, Moran’s mind is a sharp as a double-bladed axe fresh off the grinder permitting the vintage coon hunter to hone his stories, including names and places, to a fine razor’s edge.  If you are a Moran fan, and we know you are, you’ll really enjoy this episode. 

In this, the second episode about tree dogs, the boys are dealing with problems that occur at the tree.  Everything from tree jacking to chewing to guarding the tree are discussed in detail. 

In their years of experience with tree dogs of all types, the pair has experienced and have attempted to correct all manner of issues that make what should be the sublime experience of walking up and seeing game in the tree at the end of the trail, a stressful and often worrisome experience for the hunter.

The episode is ripe with common sense approaches to dealing with tree problems and is a program most any tree dog enthusiast will appreciate even if they don’t recall as personal experiences.  Admittedly, there may be more problems identified than resolved in this issue with a promise of more solutions to come.   Tree problems are complex and the hosts don’t take them lightly, being careful to present only useful, commonsense remedies.

Prepare to hear discussions on milling at the tree, dogs that become jealous at the tree and dogs that become hunt sour after entering too many competitions.   There’s a lot of information packed in this issue and it’s all intended to make the experience of hunting game with tree dogs more enjoyable.   There is also an admonishment that if the listener is afraid to correct problems at the tree, he or she may well need to find another dog or at the extreme, another sport.  

“A brace of cane-backed rocking chairs invited the pair with oaken arms and soon the rough-sawn wood floor was creaking with the ebb and flow of their rocking.”  Taken from “Too Old To Quit,” an essay from his Gone To The Dogs – A Coon Hunter’s Journey book by Steve Fielder.

In this week’s episode, Steve and Corey participate in some summertime front porch-sitting and the conversation turns to the core of the sport of hunting furbearers with the quintessential tree dog. 

As sure as pointing dogs point birds and waterfowl dogs retrieve ducks, tree dogs tree game.  Tree dogs come in all sizes, styles, mouths and a plethora of preferences by the hunters that follow them.  

How long is long enough to stay treed? What is locating ability?  Are layup dogs really just hot-nosed dogs that work air currents instead of scent on the ground?  Which is more preferred, a chop-mouth or a bawl-mouth tree dog and is there really a difference are but a few of the subjects explored. 

If you consider yourself a tree dog man, we’ve got the tree.  We just need you to help us find what’s up it this episode.   

We would like to thank those who support this podcast.  Special thanks to Alpha Dog Nutrition and Double U Hunting Supply for sponsoring this episode.  Want to learn more about Alpha Dog Nutrition? Check out the links below

https://www.dusupply.com/alphadog

www.dusupply.com

https://alphadognutrition.com/

While he was gone, Corey joined the fund-raising ranks with his involvement in a charity called Wags for Kids.  His plan involves raising money for deserving kids needing therapy dogs and such and it produced the idea of a coonhound stud dog auction.   Thirty owners agreed to provide stud service on social media to the highest bidder with all proceeds going to the benefit.  The plan is working great and the boys talk about that in this episode which naturally leads into a much broader discussion of the ins and outs of running a stud dog in today’s tree dog market. 

The discussion runs the gamut of pros and cons and provides a lot of insight and information for anyone thinking of putting a nice hound up for public stud.  Pull up and rocker, sharpen up your Ticonderoga #2 and let’s talk stud dogs with Corey and Steve. 

J.R. Gray, at 27 years of age, has compiled quite a coon hunting resume with his hounds.  Prior to winning two world championships, Willy made the All- Grand Top 16 at Autumn Oaks and was named the UKC Male Performance Hound of the Year, both in 2017.  Willy is also a PKC Platinum Champion having earned more than $20 thousand in that registry’s events.

As if Willy’s accomplishments weren’t enough, Gray finds himself basking in the limelight of one of today’s most prestigious wins, the UKC Tournament of Champions with a son of Rack Em Willy called Grand Nite Champion Gray’s Conor McGregor.  Conor captured the coveted first place win and a check in the amount of $50 thousand at the second annual UKC Tournament of Champions in Greencastle, Ind., in April.

Steve catches up with J.R. to discuss his amazing career with Willy and Connor in this timely and extremely interesting episode. Listeners may be surprised at the perspective this young man has on the sport as he reveals what the sport means to him.  This is a good one for the young hunter and seasoned veteran alike. 

When your dad’s the most successful Treeing Walker breeder in recent history with major money wins, World Championships and Hall of Fame inductions at every turn, it would appear that sharing the big stage, the limelight if you will, would be a long time coming in the shadow of dad Randy’s success.  When you have the attitude, work ethic and the respect for the game of a seventeen-year old Troy Smith, being recognized for your own achievements seems as natural as summer rain.

In this episode, Steve heads up to western Pennsylvania to hunt with Troy and Randy and to record Troy’s story.  The trip entailed two nights of hunting with a pair of Lone Pine yearlings, Lone Pine Phara at seventeen months and Lone Pine Phalse Profit at fourteen months.  A total of nine raccoons were seen on as many trees on the two-night hunt.  The second night was a short one as Steve respected the early departure time for his homebound flight.

This recording is worth your time for a number of reasons, especially if there are young hunters in your family or circle of friends.   It presents the opportunity to view the sport and what it holds for young ones that indeed will inherit it and carry it forward.  Refreshing is the word that comes to mind.  

Recently, Jamie Estep, who joins Sturgill and Bolen in this episode, designated the annual National Plott Hound Association’s West Virginia Plott Sectional the John Sturgill Tribute Hunt and Show.  Sturgill was honored throughout the recent three days of hunts, shows and bear events.  Estep invited Steve to judge the bench show on Friday, setting up the perfect opportunity for the friends to get together and recall old times.

This is a feel-good conversation centered upon hunting in the rugged West Virginia mountains with Plott dogs.  Estep recalls Sturgill and Bolen as role models for his own career which now includes the title of Field Representative for UKC and anchor for the YouTube video coverage of the popular Tournament of Champions for coonhounds. 

Steve is betting you will really enjoy this one.

Florida coon hunter Mack Britt of Parrish, Florida, an unincorporated community in Manatee County near Sarasota on the west coast, began coon hunting with his dad as a boy.  He was bitten by the hound dog bug at an early age and has remained true to his calling for nearly fifty years. 

The reasons Mack was chosen as a guest for this podcast are manifold.   First and foremost, he is a “good old boy.”  I’ve never heard a disparaging word uttered about Mack among his peers within the community of Florida coon hunters.  I’ve driven thousands of miles with him to PKC hunts, his hunt of choice, and have enjoyed every mile.  I talk with him regularly by phone.

Secondly, Mack is a veteran coon hunter in an area the is not for the faint of heart, an area where the numbers of coon hunters has dwindled over the years.  He knows Florida coons and their habitats as well as anyone and better than most.  He isn’t afraid to brave the hazards of hunting alone in a jungle swamp and does so regularly.  When a dog trees, his or yours, he will hack, crawl, and crash his way through palmettos, cat-claw briars and soft-bottomed, snake-infested swamps to get to the dog.   

If you’re wondering what it would be like to hunt coons in Florida, here it is.  It ain’t pretty, but if you are the adventurous type, there ain’t nothin’ like it!