squirrel dog question

[PSE Mountain stalker]

My wife brought home a stray dog from her work place. It looks like it has alot of fiest in it. I took it in the woods at my house and it seemed to have a very good nose. it was trailing all over the ground with its nose to the ground. I suspected it was trailing where squirrels had been. I've never had a squirrel dog but i think i might have one with a little training. should i kill a squirrel and start working with it or How do you train a squirrel dog?

 

[ad28]

Yea I would kill a squirrel and skin it and make a drag and mess with him. I also trap squirrels and mess with the dogs with that. Keep taking him to the woods and put some miles on him.

 

[buckdead]

you need to get him interested with a squirrel tail. if likes playin with it(he doesnt have to trail it) you need to find someone with dogs and see if they will let you hunt your dog with them.

 

[InfoMan]

trapping squirrels for dog training is illegal.

 

[turkeyhunter]

I would really work on the handling of the the dog. Like coming to you when you call it . Getting use to a leash. Then when you get him in the woods hunting will be pleasant. If it is in his blood he will tree. I know alot of guys have dogs that will tree , but I would not give you a nickle for the their dog. You spend more time chasing the dog, yelling etc.. than hunting.

 

[PSE Mountain stalker]

Thanks for the info. I killed a squirrel and drug the tail around the yard and up a tree. I let the dog out and he went right to the tree. he was tore up., but he wouldn't bark. I found a guy that has some dogs and is going to let me go along with him.

 

[NateUK]

I don't really understand the need for a dog when squirrel hunting. When my dad and I go out, we always just listen for them cutting on nuts or barking. We almost always come home with as many as we want.

 

[turkeyhunter]

nateuk it is not the need, its the fun of working with dogs. My brother trains dogs year around. He kills many tree rats. But he would not consider hunting without dogs. I my self do not enjoy working with dogs. But I do understand peoples passion for useing dogs.

 

[NateUK]

nateuk it is not the need, its the fun of working with dogs. My brother trains dogs year around. He kills many tree rats. But he would not consider hunting without dogs. I my self do not enjoy working with dogs. But I do understand peoples passion for useing dogs.

Turkey...yeah that makes sense. When I was really young, my dad had a couple beagles that he used to hunt rabbits with I think. By the time I was 10 or so he no longer used them.
I wasn't hating on people for using dogs...I was just curious as to the reasoning behind it. I love dogs myself, so I can understand that.

 

[cruff10]

NateUK,

It is not about the killing of squirrels, but to watch a dog work up a track and find the a squirrel in a tree is amazing. It is a blast and it takes a lot of shoe leather to make a good one!!!

 

[Buckblaster]

NateUK,

It is not about the killing of squirrels, but to watch a dog work up a track and find the a squirrel in a tree is amazing. It is a blast and it takes a lot of shoe leather to make a good one!!!

Ditto.

Me and my uncle I guess you could say "shared" a squirrel dog. We traine dand worked with that dog and spent many a trip to the woods with him. When he started he wouldnt bark, we would have to keep him hunting close to watch him tree. We kept working with him
He was 2 when he treed his first squirrel, he started barking 50 yards from us. I was so excited shooting at the aquirrel runnning around in the oak tree I was shaking like I had just killed a big buck. I had a 20 guage and my uncle had a .22 I bet we shot 30 times chasing him from tree to tree with the dog watching. Usually I just walk up and blast them out one shot. But man, it was exciting. When the squirrel fell out of the tree, Max (dog) picked him up and pranced around like he had just won a medal. I picked him up and carrie him the ramaining 100 yards to the ruck. 4 years later, hes been shutting dogs down in squirrel trials now for awhile.

It was frustating watching all the other dogs out of his litter come around and start treeing and he never would, guess he was a late bloomer but it was well worth the wait. I wouldnt have it any other way.

I guess the main part of squirrel hunting with dogs is putting in the time and sweat and getting out there and watching him grow up and hunt knowing that you made him do that. Gives me butterflies in my stomach.

 

[moondawg]

I don't really understand the need for a dog when squirrel hunting. When my dad and I go out, we always just listen for them cutting on nuts or barking. We almost always come home with as many as we want.

Some people (like me) probably can't hear them cutting nuts, but can hear the dogs barking or see the dogs looking for them.

If I had the patience for dogs, I'd be tempted to get a squirrel dog and try hunting it.