We give out a ribbon to the top ten at all field trials these days and the leaderboard give a ribbon and one bag of dog food for the winners??? Could we REALLY make it a sport again or has the money already ruined it?

I can deal with it if the entry is 10 dollars.

Yeah a 10 to 15 dollar a dog is reasonable. Maybe 30 dollars for a three day per dog.

the money has ruined it and it aint coming back..finishing 1st sells pups and stud fees.

Just my opinion y'all buy land fence it in stock it wit game we'll run every hunt u have for 5 or 10 dollars! Save me 5 numbers every hunt.

I THINK IT WOULD DO FINE IF YOU COULD GO LOCALLY,BUT YOU CAN CROSS A COUPLE OF STATES TO WIN A TROPHY.I WOULD GO TO A HUNT LIKE THAT W/IN HR.FROM HOUSE.

I LIKE TO GO HUNTING.

I understand your point behind the post.....it is just like racing or any other sport. The more $$$ and time you invest, the better your chances are. I think if the leaderboard followed one set of rules only that did certain things to insure a hunt is fair, honest, and straight, you would see a lot of this crap cut out. Like it has been said with many things, you got to pay to play

Above post says give ribbons and one sack feed. The entry and prize should go together. People should read the post for what they are. most hunts get donations of feed and such, so why can't the entries be lower on some hunts where the prize is a sack or two of feed.

Judges cost lots. A hunt can't ask them to cover thier own expenses.

I believe their is some corruption in the sport about like all sports, but it's not like that everywhere. There are those that can set their buddies aside, along with their differences with other people and have an honest hunt judging and finding out what was the best hound. Going from money to ribbons wouldn't change a thing other than a lot less people competing. The way I see it if you want an honest hunt be honest yourself. I don't juice my hounds, I don't ask who the judges are or talk to them until the hunt is over just to keep people away from talking about me. I show up at the hunt, pray for my dogs that God will keep His hands on them and cast em out, listen to them run, then catch em up. I may have run in a trial or two that corruption took place I don't know, but at the end of the day I was honest. If I ever get my name called out everybody will know me and my hounds earned it. To make a long story longer lead by example. You do what you know is right and trust every one else to do the same and God will know the truth. Money, ribbons it don't matter. It's a pride thing

Dog feed is high, gas is high, time is money i dont want to run for a ribbon i want to run for money if the entry fee is high it cuts down on people bring a bunch if hound 90 % of hunters have 1 or 2 goodones any way out of ten maybe not that many people would try to keep better hounds but no body in their right mind should want to run for a ribbon i would rather pay 100 a dog and run against 20 goodines instead of 10badmother dollar a dog and run against. 100 plus you cut down on head hunting and cutting tracks but at the end of the day ill have dogs till i die and enjoy having hounds happy hunting to all just my opinion

i dont know if there is such thing as a honest hunt. i think some people want to believe they are. they are the ones living in rainbow land while the profiteers create the stage. some have pens they make champions in and some with pens team up with other pen owners and let each other win their hunts. Why??MONEY!!!! GPS trackers although a great tool has made things worse for bigger pen and outside hunts when some let their fingers do the walking. In summary the sport has become a joke. no prestige.no honor.just dog promotions and puppy sales

Judas, you just need to run the hell out of your dogs, or get you some new ones. Youll make it there one day

In the big established trials with quality leadership and open buissiness meetings,the hunts in my opinion are doing what the forefathers set out to establish.They set out to create an amenable program to view a group of hounds with a hope of choosing a top winner.Things have changed throughout the decades but life long friendships has been formed in this experiment of being civilized.Let us never forget the friends we make and forgiveness we all need. I as well fight negative feelings about things we hear goes on but try and be positive and life's outlook is sweeter.

guys, none of you must not every had a pen. you can not buy game, repair fence etc.,, pay monthly bills and make it at ten dollars a dog entry fee. i know money at the hunts have cause lots of problems, but i do not have the answer. anytime you put on a hunt you lose game, and that cost the pen owner. i know i have to have a few hunts to support my pen. it is not enough night hunters anymore to support a pen, therfore we have to have money hunts to draw enough field trialers to cover expenses for a pen. at my hunts i do my best to put on a honest hunt. i do not run hounds in my hunts, therefore it does not open the books for complaints about the hunt. i find lots of complaining about pen owners winning at their pens.

Yea but Leroy you need to pay back more than 60%,that's Crazy keeping 40% in any kind of hunt.

THE ONLY WAY TO STOP SOME OF THIS IS TO POLYGRAPH WINNERS & JUDGES.THAT IS THE ONLY WAY.

Have a big entry hunt at $100 or $150 and pen owner keep half and top 3 dogs split the other half and if you only had 20 dogs it gives both the pen iwner and the guys running room to make money like i said any hobby you gave is going to be expensive. Its not like your paying that entry everyday plus a guy is going to put his best dog in the hunt and not enter a bunch of junk at 10$100 dollars a dog just to get his name called it gets rid of the junk that most feild trial ets put in hunt just to try to get their name called and then nut up just my opinion

I agree with Mr Leroy. Ten dollars a dog wouldn't cover pen expenses. It been 5 too. Lo.I have pen and I knw wat it cost.if pen owneguor didnt loved it sure wouldn't do it.everybody ought try manage a pen that wants lower rates

I could see $10 if it was a 1 day hunt with no prizes other than maybe a bag or two of feed donated for the winner.

If you run a 1 day hunt for $25 I think that's pretty reasonable. Especially considering a lot of hunts are for charities or benefits. If you run a 3 day hunt I have no issue with 40-50 dollar entries.

I also have no issue with money hunts, if guys have the money to put up and take their chances, why not. No one is forcing anyone into anything. There are lots of hunts out there, but remember sometimes you get what you pay for. Find the hunt that best fits your financial and hounds abilities.

i believe pen owners holding 10 to 20 a dog is justified.. its their playground we play on and its a job checking and repairing fence, acquiring and feeding game, etc..with that being said, making hunts as fair as possible should be every pen owners goal because financially, these hunts bring in more cash at one time than runnin does alone. and if the hunt is a success, future attendance is guaranteed. isnt the primary objective in any hunt to pick the top hound and what makes a successfull hunt? i think its when everybody who attends witnesses solid running and the top hounds reflect the outcome.but everytime i read this board someone is cryin foul and its mostly the 1 day hunts or puppy hunts.why cant we fix this ?? why is it so unreasonable to pair up hunters that dont hunt together and figure scores where all can see ? im confused on why masters and judges have to get behind closed doors to figure when all have the right to witness. its not like anything is gonna change the outcome..whats the secret??is it knowing the outcome before its announced ?? me personally, i would enjoy helping score hounds..i like watchin your hound operate as much as mine and im for whatever method picks the best hound..pairing hunters and figuring scores in the open would eliminate doubt, and prolly save a few a couple dollars on their cell phone bill !!!

One day hunts have to get at least $20 down here for pen owners , the dogs are so fast you run the risk of catching game so bad , further north you go lees you could hold cause the dogs get slower !!!!

If the pens ge $20 a dog for a 1 day what do they charge for a 3 day $ 30 a dog ?

As an owner of a 325 acre pen ,I think more my game than I do my hounds.any coyote can be cought ,and are hard replace at any price till winter.pen owners are not helping themselves to piles of cash with any amount the pen fee is.I say charge more, run fewer dogs,and keep better hounds.This is just my opinion and not ment make hunters mad.

I could not agree with you more joe

I AGREE W/DENNIS.THE BEST WAY IS TO PUT PEOPLE TOGETHER THAT ARE NOT HUNTING BUDDIES & DON'T PICK UP SCORE SHEETS DURING HUNT & PUT THE SCORES OUT ON A TABLE OR HOOD OF A TRUCK SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE.

AT 1 DAY HUNTS JUST ABOUT,NOT EVERY HUNT,BUT THERE IS USUALLY A QUESTION MARK ON IT.

IF WE AS HUNTERS DON'T FIGURE THIS OUT,IT'S GOING TO DESTROY OUR SPORT.

MY OPINION!!!!!

I also agree with mr.prithard

i have judged quite a few hunts and the main reason for judges going behind closed doors is to get away from all the destractions , about doing scores in front of everybody at a hunt, i dont agree with that because you will be geting asked 900 questions by hunters while you are in the middle of adding scores not to mention all the people hooping and hollering and talking over the judges.i as a hunter to like the suprise when it is called out at the end.i think if i have to question a hunt that much i would not go.
as a pen owner the only way i would have a ribbon hunt would be for a benifit hunt.
and to mr. judas ,they do have honest hunts,and not everyone runs in their own hunts nor does it to sell hounds.

to the hunter who think 40 per cent is to much for a one day hunt, then you need to own a pen. you going to lose some game in most every hunt, cost to advertisement of hunt with horn and master, cost of food and drinks for the hunters and gas for 4 wheelers. i could go on with expenses that most hunters do not see that come up. therefore you need that to make any money off a hunt.

James, i believe if hunters seen you in the middle of calculating scores they wouldnt interrupt..i would be listening wouldnt you..if a man pays an entry dont you feel he has a right to witness the figuring? I nean whats there to hide? Once the sheets are turned in nuthin is supposed to change the outcome..behind closed doors has changed some outcomes..wouldnt u as a pen owner want ur hunts to be considered honest or is everyone jus supposed to assume they are..pairing judges and open figuring leaves no doubt the right dog wins..isnt that what ur after to

Buddy hunts can be run like the local crowd wants. Affiliated hunts need order and leadership.I knw some don't like the national rules,but they are mostly there due to trial and error.There to keep peace and speed the judges meeting along.Agin a budd hunt is under no jurisdiction .My opinion only.

I think the master of hounds should pair up the hunters in pairs of twos and let the hunters judge because if i enter a hunt iam not going to let no one cheat me if iam standing next to the guy and also agree i think a judge should not be allowed to have cell phones while judging because of the texting and as far as that goes no gps collars i was at a hunt last year and one if the hunters told a judge his dog was bayed and guess what the judge ask where at and they got the dog off the yote thats crap if u ask me because that dog wasnt getting scored when he was fighting the simple fix to that is dont bring a kill dog to a hunt some people cant affored garmins and it gives that guy an advantage because if my hound is treed and i dont have a garmin i cant tell a judge to get him off the yote cause my hound aint geting scored

Ill tell ya another thing that is crap is a dog getting hunting points while he is a pen that dog shouldnt be hunting he should be in a race not mowping around screwing off

dennis ,most hunters i believe would respect the judges and keep quiet but there is some out there who wouldnt . it only takes 1 to screw things up.at my pen the dog with highest points wins the hunt, i trust the judges i have chose at my hunts.if i had ant question about them they wouldnt be there.and nothing changes behind closed doors here.if you ever come toone of my hunts and feel this way bring a tape recorder and let me know before judges start adding scores and ill tape it for you.

Mr James, and Mr Leroy ya'll make a lot of since. I dont know either one of you but I would be willing to bet ya'll been in this a long time. I own a pen also and know what you're talking about. As for Dennis and Hunter, whoever they are, they probably have never owned a pen, or been hunting very long. People like them are the ones that get on here and know everything, then in 6 months you never hear from them again cause they done quit hunting and found something else to gripe about.
God Bless
Bobby

DENNIS AND HUNTER YOU NEED TO PUT ON AT LEAST A 2 DAY HUNT BY YOURSELVES AND GET A FRONT ROW SEAT OF WHAT IT TAKES....GOOD LUCK....

I geuss you would run if it was 2 dollars a dog wouldnt ya hillbilly?

Hillbilly it takes alot of money time and alot of good freinds to help put a hunt on and it takes a well conditioned hound to win perhaps a hound that i could run faster than cant have much desire to catch a yote most hounds that run to catch cant keep a blistering pace for three 5 hour days you better get some bout as fast as beagle dont read much bout pen breed hounds winning at bart harpers or stoneciphers its call drilling oil wells and a beagle is what it takes to win 2 and 3 day field trials lol

bobby parker, never heard of you either. what does owning a pen have to do with the way scores are figured. ive leased a pen before, stocked it with game ,repaired fences and did all the pen owner duties. i have witnessed all the games hunters play. why is suggesting undisputable fairness to the way 1 days and puppy hunts are scored so unreasonable?? if i pay an entry why shouldnt i witness scores being taken and totaled ? at the greyhound track they give you a photo finish to make sure they get it right. Why is that ? cause your money and their money is on the line !! i see people on this board every weekend hacked off about being cheated but cant prove it... well heres a way to eliminate it..Hillbilly Inc.. Ive organized and ran operations where 1500 plus employees had to be safety briefed and deployed within 30 minutes everyday for 2 years..i was a General Contractor for 12 years..your 2 day hunt proposition would only guarantee 1 thing if i ran it ,,the right dog would win..and you could sit there in the front row seat with me to help figure scores. can you educate me on why totaling scores has to be a secret behind closed doors ?? i will go a bit further Hillbilly Inc. and say after implementing a transparent scoring system, theres a couple of "champion stud fees" that would have to be re-evaluated...LOL !!!

well dennis you might ought to go back to the track! what pen did you lease by the way? and hunter i may be wrong but i think pen raised dogs have been winning stoneciphers hunts.

Their is a difference in pen raised and pen breed mr.trawick iam talking 3 day feild trial drillin oil well pace their self hounds two different types of hounds you sir prob dont even have a dog that could get in a fast and furious coyote race and i know that by the amount of ignorance you blow on this forum have a wonderful evening. Iam not one to get in a arguing match i leave it at that!

your right james, i need to go back to the track. and i will save you a front row seat with me and Hillbilly and let everyone there know you and you alone will be responsible to decide any any questionable outcomes that concerns their money.

well at my pen, i going to do it my way and try to be honest and fair to everyone who bring a hound. if you disagree, then do not come to the hunt. i know i want to pick the best dog on that day to win. if a hunter come to my hunt, i want him to have trust in me to do it the right way. happy hunting to all of you.

same at my pen mr. leroy,ill be at the 8hr maybe it wont be so cold this time. that fire barrel sure felt good at the last one and hope its another good one.