Split Tree Not Obvious When Call was Taken; Other Coonhound News

Coonhound Advisor

March 16, 2018

Source: Allen Gingerich

As published in the February issue of Coonhound Bloodlines

May Have Been Previously Scored Tree that Dog Left

Q: How would you score the following situation? We take the dogs off a tree, score it and lead them away a good distance. We turn the dogs loose, and Dog A returns to what the cast believes is the same tree and is struck in. The handler elects not to tree the dog and the cast members head in his direction. Before the cast can get to Dog A, Dogs B, C and D open and are struck in a different direction, and Dog A goes to them. Does Dog A get to keep his first strike position, or would you draw a line through it and require him to be struck back in upon opening with the other dogs?

A: This is a good question because the answer depends on the type of concrete evidence that is not always available in the judging of a Nite Hunt cast. I maintain if you know for sure, either by seeing the dog on the previously scored tree or in the case the previously scored tree is the only tree around (a lone tree in a field), and you know the dog was at that tree, then you would draw a line through the strike points. It would then be necessary for the dog to be struck back in with the other dogs when he opened again. This situation is covered under Rule 5 (h) which states points are deleted, {when dog trees on a tree or coon previously scored.}

The catch is, do we know the dog in question returned to the same tree or do we think he may have? We all know it is possible for a dog to return to the area where we think he is on the same tree only to end up on a different tree. Because the dog may or may not have returned to the same tree is why the handler is given some flexibility so he doesnt have to tree the dog to go to him. If you dont know for sure whether or not the dog returned to the previously scored tree, which in most cases would require you to see him at the tree, then he should retain his first strike position.

Time Overlap

Q: I have a question regarding the keeping of time on track and tree. Basically, the situation is this. A dog is struck and treed and the cast is walking into the tree. The dog quits barking and the Judge stops to put the two minutes on the dog. You dont hear that dog again and no other dogs are barking. My question is, when the two minutes gets the dog, do you put eight minutes on the dogs strike or do you subtract the two minutes that got him on the tree and give him six more minutes on strike? Ive been hunting and judging for the last 13 years and have never done this and I cant find anything in the rules where it is justified. There are a lot of Judges down here doing it that way. Could you please clear this up?

A: When you think about it, this is a pretty good question; simple in design but not hard to argue either way while out on a cast. UKCs position on the topic is this. Except for the two-hour hunting time requirement, a dog only has one clock applied to him at any one given time. Either the 15 minutes is on him for failing to hunt, or the eight minutes is on his strike, or the two minutes is on his tree barks, or the hour is on him for delaying the cast, or etc. I think you get the picture.

At any rate, the hound at any one time is either considered hunting, trailing, treed, lost, etc. All are key aspects of the hunt, and even though they are somewhat inter-related, they are very different at the same time. Because they are each unique situations, the time sequences do not overlap. Dont hold the dog accountable for his strike while he is being held accountable for his tree barks. If the dog is minused his tree points for not meeting the tree requirements, he is at that point only considered struck in on track and must meet those requirements (the eight-minute rule) starting at that time.

Reminder to Judges as it Relates to Scratched Dogs

Reminder: There are numerous reasons why a dog or handler may be scratched from a cast. There is a difference between Withdrawn and Scratched. When you withdraw from the hunt, it usually means the dog was not in contention and the handler simply made the decision just to withdraw from the competition.
When a dog is scratched, it means it was scratched for a rule infraction by either the handler or the dog. For instance, a dog was Scratched for Fighting but was only marked as Scratched on the scorecard. Unless there is a question on the scorecard, the Master of Hounds cannot assume the scratch was due to a fighting infraction, and the dog may not actually get reported to UKC. The scratch could possibly be an infraction that may be of valuable information for club officers or the UKC. Judges are reminded it is very important to note the reason a dog or handler was scratched from the cast. It will help with any questions or concerns the Master of Hounds, Club Officials or the UKC may have when reviewing a scorecard. Informative notes on the scorecard are always good. Judges should also be aware if it is determined they failed to report for fighting to avoid the dog getting reported they may face repercussions because the rules do not allow for withdrawing a dog for fighting.

Split Tree Not Obvious When Call was Taken

Q: This question came up at our last club meeting. We had a four-dog cast. Dogs A, B, C and D are struck in that order. Dogs are then treed in the same order. As we near the tree, we discover the dogs are on separate trees. Dogs A and C are on one tree, and Dogs B and D are on another tree, approximately 100 yards deeper in. Coon are seen in both trees. How are these trees scored? We have three Masters of Hounds, and we have a difference of opinion. The other two Masters of Hounds say a separate tree must be declared when dogs are declared treed or else the tree points will be awarded as the called positions indicate. I believe Rule 11 (c) covers this. Please help to clear up this confusion at our club.

A: It must be the Masters of Hounds who are in disagreement with you are incorrectly interpreting the new references to separate trees found in Rule 11. The rule states that if split tree is obvious (Judges decision), split tree must be declared. You state the separate tree was 100 yards deeper in. My question to you would be, Was it obvious the dogs were split treed when they were called? If so, the dogs would be recorded on the scorecard at the time they were called treed as follows: Dog A (first tree) and Dog D (second tree) on the first tree. Dog B (first tree) and Dog C (second tree) on the separate tree.

If it was not obvious, as is usually the case when the separate tree is deeper in as you say, the dogs would be recorded at the time the positions were called as follows: Dog A (first), Dog B (second), Dog C (third) and Dog D (fourth). The Judge would then adjust the card to fit the split tree situation when he arrived at the trees.