Pocahontas Plotts

I've hear a lot of guy say that the cur dogs seem to bay game sooner than the hounds. While it may be true on some occassion, I dont think that is a one-size fits all statement. I've had some nice plotts that bayed very, very young and some that it took a while longer for them to come around. Seems like the younger they bayed, the rougher dogs they were. The better trailers seemd to start a little later when it came to baying.

I do believe that the hounds natural ability to run and chase game allows a hunter to sometimes start hounds a little earlier in the woods; again, not a one-size fits all comment. Surely, someone will not agree with me.

I start taking mine to the woods as soon as I think they can run; when I say run, I mean go a couple miles (with game or without). While starting tome young hounds, I try to put them on everything I can, as long as I know the hog is not a real bad boar match with a young catchy plott. When I am just riding looking for tracks, I usully let young dohs run in front of my ranger. If it fun for me to see them try to wind or check the woods for something they think they smell. If durring the process they jump a deer or run some other trash, I am okay with this. I would rather have a dog that is too gamey, than one that not gamey enough.

If my pups naturally bay from the beginning, it is very likely they will never see a penned hog, I dont see what good that does for the dog. If I have a dog that is having problems with not baying, I may show them a hog a couple times to try to help them out.