Does the Judge have to See it to Score it?; Other Coonhound News

Coonhound Advisor

August 10, 2018

Source: Allen Gingerich

As published in the July issue of Coonhound Bloodlines.

LAELAPS Tracking System Must be in Competition Mode for Use in UKC Nite Hunts

Q: Theres a new GPS tracking system on the market called LAELAPS. Their collars do not have the stimulating feature, but they do have a tone feature. What stipulations, if any, are in place for their use in UKC Nite Hunts?

A: Ive had the privilege of trying the LAELAPS system for several months now and have acquired a good insight on them. Weve also worked directly with their team to make sure they meet requirements for use in UKC licensed events. LAELAPS systems may be best compared to the Dogtra Pathfinder; most specifically, in the way they operate. The LAELAPS systems use GPS, Radio and Bluetooth to track dogs from a users smart phone. The dogs location is transmitted via Radio signal to a gateway gadget carried by the user. The gateway connects to your phone via Bluetooth which eliminates the need for cell phone service.

The LAELAPS system is not capable of stimulating a dog; however, it does have a tone feature on all its collars. In other words, they do not offer a collar with tracking-only capabilities as several of the other systems on the market do. Toning is considered as a controlling feature in the same manner as stimulating would be and may not be used during a nite hunt. Toning is almost a bigger issue than shocking is because, technically, stimulating controls the dog wearing the collar only as compared to toning that gives off a sound that may affect a tone-broke dog that happens to be near the dog wearing the collar. In other words, if your dog reacts to tone, but mine doesnt, I might easily tone yours in to you, if your dog happens to tree with mine.

For this reason, LAELAPS has designed a Competition Mode feature on your cell phone. When you enable this feature, the system is not capable of toning. When the Competition Mode is turned on, it will be on for a period of ten hours and cannot be turned off until that time period expires. While in Competition Mode, a signal appears on your phone that shows it to be in Competition Mode as well as the time remaining in that ten hours of being in that mode. Once expired, it automatically comes back on again.

So, the LAELAPS system may be used during a UKC Licensed Nite Hunt as long as the system is in Competition Mode and shown as such on their phone. If theres any question, the user can easily show it to be in this permissible use mode, including how much time remains before it expires.

Time Hunted Not Required to be Noted on Scorecard

Q: Is it still a requirement to note the time used on the scorecard? I know a lot of guys still note 120 minutes on the card, which has created some debate in my part of the country. Some guys claim it must be noted or the card will be scratched while others say its not required. Either way, its not a big deal, but would like to know for sure in case it ever becomes an issue in an official capacity.

A: UKC recently posted this very question in a poll on their general message forums. As evident by the 42 percent who voted, it is a requirement; Im not surprised to hear that theres still debate that exists on this topic. The fact is, its not a requirement. In other words, it is not necessary, nor would it scratch any dog if the amount of hunt time used is not noted on the scorecard.

Many will still remember when we still had time-in and time-out blocks on the scorecard for time-keeping purposes. Many can also attest to having their card thrown out for some minor mathematical technicality, unfortunately. In 2005, that strict time-keeping record was eliminated and replaced with a nothing more than a simple signature from handlers to verify that they hunted the correct designated time.

Rule 13 (b) states; {Handlers signature verifies hunting time and scores are correct. Any protest relative to time or scores should be noted with a question mark.} However, to this day we still see the majority of scorecards coming with 120 minutes noted in the note-keeping box on the scorecard. So much that it may be why some are led to believe that it is required. Of course, it doesnt hurt anything to have that time noted, but for the record; it is not required. If a handler disputes the designated time used (under or over) was not correct, they should simply ask to put a question on the scorecard if it cannot be resolved in the woods. Always remember that a handler not signing the scorecard does not automatically result in a scorecard being thrown out. Not in UKC. A handler always has the option to protest, as long as the procedures are followed, even with his signature on the card.

Refusing to Sign the Scorecard Scratches Your Own Dog Only

Q: After our hunt last weekend, one handler didnt agree with a call that was made so he refused to sign the scorecard at the end of the hunt. The handler did not ask for a vote or a question to be placed on the card at any time during the hunt. His thinking was that the scorecard would not be accepted without his signature, and the winning dog would not place. The Master of Hounds did accept the winning dogs score and only scratched the handlers dog who did not sign the scorecard. The handler in question thought this was the wrong call and criticized the official for it. This might be a good one to cover in the Advisor Column.

A: The Master of Hounds made the correct call. When a handler refuses to sign a scorecard that simply scratches his own dog and no other dog in the cast. Here again, handlers should always sign the scorecard and they still have the right to protest if the proper procedures were followed. If the handler didnt agree with a situation in the woods, he should have asked for a cast vote, right then and there. If still not satisfied after the vote, he should have asked for a question mark to be placed on the scored. The only thing he accomplished by not signing the scorecard was getting his dog scratched. In most hunts it really doesnt matter; however, sometimes it will, depending on the hunt. Not signing the scorecard on Friday night of the UKC World Championship Zones is one where his aspirations of moving on to the finals would have ended without an opportunity Saturday night.

Does the Judge Have To See It To Score It?

It is a common misconception amongst some hunters that a judge must actually see an offense take place before he or she can make a ruling. That is simply not true. Indeed, there are times when you cant tell whats happening without being able to see it first-hand. But on flip side, there are many, many situations where you can tell exactly whats happening without seeing it first-hand.

By the very nature of the sport of nite hunting, most of what goes on comes to us on the night air as we stand completely in the dark. To a first-time hunter, none of it makes sense. Yet experienced houndsmen can tell you with almost certain conviction exactly what is happening. Thats why it is so important for club officers and licensed officials to make every effort to appoint qualified individuals to judge casts. Most of what happens requires a judgment call based on experience.

Do you have to see a dog fight to scratch two dogs for being involved in one? Certainly not. You know a dog fight when you hear one. If there is no question as to which dogs are involved, they must both be scratched. Could the aggressor be determined without seeing who started the fight? That call is riskier. I would have to say that no, the aggressor could not be determined without witnessing the offense. But the fact that a fight did take place, and the fact that there is a provision for scratching those involved when the aggressor is not known, obligates a judge to make that call.

Just like you dont have to watch a dog leave a tree to minus them for it. If, as a Judge, you are certain of what is happening, it must be scored accordingly. Thats what judging is. If you are not certain, hold off until you are. Some handlers will attempt to pressure a judge into making a premature decision. Thats just as bad as not making a decision that you are certain about. Do you have Nite Champion dogs burning off game out of the country? You dont have to see the deer to scratch dogs for running it. Make the call if you are certain.

Judging is not for everyone and if you are not confident enough to make the decisions that you know are correct, or if you are not confident enough to hold off making decisions until you do know them to be correct, then you should refrain from accepting the responsibility to judge. If you have been appointed as a judge and cannot rightfully fulfill those duties, take your cast to the Master of Hounds and address your concerns with him or her. Do not take it upon yourself to pass the card to someone else in the cast. Let the licensed official do that.

If you are confident with your experience as a coon hunter and your ability to make decisions, then take pride in the fact that the club has confidence in you! Draw on your experience and score situations accordingly.