Should a dog have a good handle before being put in the woods?

This is a subjective topic (as many on here are).....one man's definition of "handle" will not be the same as the next man.

Having said that........If I can't catch a dog when I am ready to leave, he WILL NOT eat my dog food, no matter how good a prospect he is!!! I just got rid of a dog that was a good prospect but I could not catch. I have been catching hogs for a long time, and I used to run hounds in the '80's that were HARD to catch.....and it drove me nuts!!!! As I moved on to cur dogs, I began to work with them more and I liked the results. They had a "handle" on them.

My curs dogs aren't long range dogs but they find hogs....and when I call them in the woods they come to me.....you know why....because I feed them, and if they don't come.....someone else will feed them when I catch them up.......