Entering a Dog with Puppy Papers as Conditional, Other Coonhound News

Coonhound Advisor

March 15, 2016

Source: Allen Gingerich

As published in Coonhound Bloodlines February, 2016

Poking a Stick in a Den

Q: In a tree-scoring situation, the dogs are treed on a den tree. There’s a hole in the side of the tree where handlers can look down to the bottom and see fur. However, there is some question on whether the coon is alive or dead. Here’s the question. Is it okay to take a stick and poke at the coon in the den or is that considered molesting a den?

A: Rule 6 (p) makes it a scratching offense to disturb a place of refuge. However, this rule does not really apply to the question above although it’s important to bring into the equation. First, the intent of Rule 6 (p) is to not allow snags, squirrel nests, or any place of refuge to be knocked over or to be tampered with. Molesting game could be done in a variety of different ways. It is a non-written rule that goes without saying and is not allowed. Poking a stick at game in a den tree could easily meet the definition of molesting game or disturbing a place of refuge. One such infraction might be where you can’t see the coon in a den so you take a stick and poke at it to get it out of the den or to move it to a place in the tree where it can be seen. Not allowed.

The situation described above is a little different, however. It’s not a matter of the coon not being seen. Instead there’s a suspicion that the coon might be dead. A little common sense should play a part here. Taking a small stick and giving the coon a little nudge seems like an acceptable form of action to satisfy the question. Not being able to properly score a coon for the sake of considering it as “molesting game” seems a little extreme. UKC would support a judge using such practice when possible in situations as described above for the sake of making the correct call.

Scoring Dead or Caught Game

Q: What is the proper procedure for scoring each of the following situations?

1. Dogs baying a coon in a live trap.
2. Dogs treed, bayed on a dead coon.
3. Dogs carrying a dead coon in to cast.

A: It has always been UKC’s policy that when a scoring situation ends with a coon that has been found or treed already dead, or a coon in a live trap or a live coon that somebody has in a pen behind the house, that those points are deleted.

The logic is simple. You can’t take coons in live traps and set them around the property you will be hunting that night to score on them. Nor could you simply hang fresh killed coon in trees in an attempt to score them. Since it’s not really a circle point situation - because a “coon” is seen, and because circle points count in tie breakers - we have always advised that those points are to be deleted.

Entering a Dog with Puppy Papers as Conditional

Q: Is it acceptable to enter a dog as a Conditional Entry who only has Puppy papers?

A: No, it would not be acceptable. A dog must be permanently registered before it can be entered in a licensed event. It is not the responsibility of entry takers to have proof that a dog is permanently registered or not when it comes to Conditional Entries. If a dog that is not permanently registered, and is entered as Conditional, any placement it may have earned at the event would not be awarded by the UKC. UKC records would indicate whether or not the dog was permanently registered on the day of the event. And, unfortunately, there’s no such thing as a slide job to get around UKC’s records of such. A dog must be permanently registered before it can earn Championship points regardless of being entered as Conditional. Sorry.

Officials, Keep Your Scorecards Confidential!

One of the most common rules ignored by licensed officials and Hunt Directors lies within the MOH/HD Guidelines portion of the rulebook. This section addresses the responsibilities of the event official from when they arrive at the event to filling out the Event Report before they leave at the end of the night. Within these guidelines is a section titled: “After the scorecards are turned in:” Then refer to article C to the topic in question. {Keep scorecards confidential until the deadline or until all scorecards have been returned. This must be rigidly enforced.}

When considering the title of “MOH/HD Guidelines”, one may argue that the contents are only suggestions and should not be considered as rules. Well enough. However, the second and last sentence in article C states “… must be rigidly enforced”. That now becomes a rule regardless of how you want to slice it.

When defining the term “rigidly” we find words like strictly, severely, inflexibly, unbendingly, tightly and harshly. Interestingly enough, the exact opposite of the term is defined as “loosely”. I think that pretty much clears it up without further need for clarification.

Why is it then that so many officials tend to ignore this rule? There are probably several reasons, such as:

1. They might be considered a jerk if they were to yell at anyone looking?
2. Those looking don’t have any ill intentions and they are confident it has no effect on the hunt?

Here’s another one that likely plays a part in this very topic. I had a call last week from a hunter asking if it is legal for a handler to hang onto his cast-winning scorecard at the club until just minutes before the deadline to turn it in. We don’t have a rule against that. They must simply be turned in before the deadline. Out of courtesy, however, they should be turned in right away.

But you have to wonder, why are they hanging on to it until just minutes before the deadline? The one and only legitimate reason they may have is to avoid the possibility of someone looking at their score and phoning a friend. I’d say if the scorecards were being kept confidential then we wouldn’t even get any such questions.

Regardless, it is the official’s responsibility to enforce this rule and keep those scorecards confidential, even if it requires a friendly reminder of such every now and then. Although it is the responsibility of the official and the one held accountable, all others should respect this rule and ignore the curiosity that may exist. There’s plenty of time afterwards. Otherwise, you might find yourself feeling like the nosey jerk if the official has to remind you.

This issue doesn’t come up nearly as often as it should be considering its abuse. But be assured, I could give you a few examples of how it can and will fire up the troops in a heartbeat! This topic simply serves as a friendly reminder to all Master of Hounds and Hunt Directors to keep your scorecards confidential. We’ve made it easy for officials to enforce. It’s one of the items you read off when you read the MOH/HD checklist. Please make it a “rigid” item.