I agree with AR... I like to have a solid bay before cutting anything loose. I want to have the "leaves shakin'", as Jimmy says...
I want to know that they are not going to make it break again at least until it sees the CD coming. My dogs are little on the rough side, and will try anything around their size... so if it's bigger than them they are normally backed up hammering. It only takes a couple seconds for things to go really wrong out there in the woods, and especially if you are using CDs... We also use two CDs most of the time, and that makes it a lot easier on them stretching it out and getting the job done. I try to give them the best chance possible to catch, and if I don't think (at that time) that it is possible then I will ease on in until I feel that I am close enough. You really never know out there though, and sometimes you have to make decisions that you normally wouldn't make. I have had the creek thing happen before though, and was about to cut the CD loose, headed closer instead, and ended up crossing 4 creeks before we even got close enough to let the CD go. Judgement couldn't be a better word for it because you have to figure out what, not only YOU are ready for, but you DOGS are ready for as well. Jimmy, I honestly think that this comes all the way back to knowing your dogs very well... how they sound in different situations, and how they can handle a bad hog. Good post!
