First good race with the hounds

**brodieross** · May 22nd, 2018, 01:40 PM

I was out on the weekend running the hounds. I have a bluetick that is 9 years old, a finished dog and two black and tan pups that are about 9 months old, but I've never ran hounds on bear before. I had them out with some other guys and we treed a bear in the morning but the pups got off the trail with some of his dogs and didn't make it to the tree unfortunately. In the afternoon I walked them in behind one of our baits free casting and got them on a track. The old boy started it and all 3 dogs took off. My male pup ran about a mile and a half and then quit and came back. The other pup stayed with the bluetick for 4 hours. I think they were either treeing or baying the bear because they'd stop for a bit and then move 60 yards and stop again, they did that for a while but were too far to get to quick enough. Then it took off and ran another 3/4 mile and did the same thing. Finally after baying/treeing three times in that spot my female pup quit the chase and stayed where she was. Which of course made us walk 5 miles to go get her. The old dog ran the bear for another 2 hours and finally quit and came out. Got out of there at 11pm. The pups are definitely figuring it out and I'm happy about that.