Bear hunting with hounds
A day hunting bears with hounds, checking baits, dropping dogs, treeing of the bear, plus why are radio collars really used.
It is 3:00 a.m. and the alarm clock is ringing. Time to get up. After grabbing a quick cup of coffee, the fun, and work, begins. Before leaving the house, dogs need to be radio collared and loaded into the dog box. Older dogs know the routine and when let out of their kennels will head straight over to the truck, anticipation there, but tempered by knowledge of the day ahead. Younger dogs will take advantage of the early release from the kennel when the air is still cool. They make circles around the house, barking up a storm, before finally loading up onto the tailgate.
The dogs themselves can range from Plotts to Blueticks, to Walkers or Redbones, to several other breeds of hounds. Our group hunts almost all Plotts. A sturdy dog bred specifically for hunting, known for their stamina in the hunt and their gentleness outside of the hunt.
Each dog has a radio collar, besides his or her normal collar, with a specific number. These are for tracking the dogs during the hunt. Many people believe that this allows the hunters to stay in their trucks throughout the hunt, doing nothing more than riding around until the bear is treed. Not so in the least, but in today’s world, with roads everywhere, they do allow for safety of the dogs by letting the hunters know when one has strayed from the group, or is headed for a highway. Dealing with theft of the dogs is also a concern, and many people ‘picking up’ the dogs do not know that the collar is in actuality a radio device, and the dog can sometimes be traced in this manner.
Once all the dogs are loaded up, it is time to check baits. Baits are maintained throughout running season and the actual hunting season, usually three or more times a week, depending on the area, amount of bear, days that will be hunted, etc. Baits are made only of natural materials, normally stumps and rocks. Bait itself consists of breads, cereals, jams, and other sweets. This can vary depending on the specific area and the law. After all the baits have been checked, bait that has been hit will be dropped on.
Dropping of dogs consists of walking a few of the older, more trained dogs into the bait itself. Once unleashed, they know instinctively what to do. Working the bait, a good start dog will be able to tell which way a bear came into a bait, and which way he left. Picking up on a retreating bear track, the hounds head out, barking hear and there, and exploding in sound when finding the game. Listening for this sound, the hunter can then release a few of the younger dogs to join in. Dogs are limited by law, six being a common amount allowed. Once a dog leaves the race, he may not be replaced either. At this time, the dog’s main goal will be to tree the bear.
Depending on the area, the hunters themselves, and the situation, the hunters will listen closely at this point. Determining in which way the hounds are heading, listening to which dogs are in the race, and, if a dog is off from the group, decide to retrieve him or allow him to try and reach the group. Many more hunters may actually be on foot at this time. Bear are not always fast moving, and if it is possible, the hunters follow on foot, with the hounds, keeping literally on top of the hunt. This is especially common during training season, when young dogs are in the hunt. Keeping the dogs safe is the top priority, treeing the bear is the second. Many people believe that the radio collars are used from this early time throughout the hunt. That is not usually the case. Most hunters rely on sound, knowledge of the terrain, knowledge of their hounds, and gut instinct. The dogs are commonly household pets though, and if a hunter fears that a dog is in need of help, will not hesitate to use a tracker to retrieve his pet.
After what can be a short period of several hours, to nearly a whole morning and into afternoon, the dogs may tree the bear. This is not always the case, as not all bear will tree. If one does though, you can tell even if you are not one of the hunters that are right in there. The dogs have a bark distinctively different when they come up treed. The sound of their barking is no longer moving, but is now focused in one area. If the hounds are in a hilly or rocky area, this is not always easy to tell as it alters the sound, but at the same point, the collars are also not any help in a situation such as these either, as the rocks and gully’s block the signals. Again, hunters on foot with the dogs are the best way to tell what the dogs have accomplished.
Once treed, if it is training season, the dogs are removed and the bear is allowed to go on his way. If it is hunting season, and someone is in possession of a kill tag, the bear will be assessed. Bores are the main choice. Sows are rarely taken. Never if in attendance of cubs, which can be told even in the absence of the cubs themselves by whether she is being suckled. Usually a sow will only be taken if she is very old or is known to be a problem. Serious hunters know much about the bear they are hunting. If a bear is considered viable, the dogs will be leashed back from the tree for their own safety. A hunter will take aim with his weapon of choice, which can include a handgun or bow, and shoot. If all goes well, it will be a clean shot and the bear will drop from the tree. The hunter will make this as clean a kill as possible. No one wants a bear alive and wounded as he comes down.
Bear hunting with hounds is not for everyone, but if you are looking for an adventure, are not afraid of hard work and have a love of hounds, find a group of experienced hunters and see if they will allow you tag along for the day. Do not be surprised if you come home sore, tired, and with a new respect for this working form of hunting.
El arte de educar
La tarea de la educación es delicada porque supone, a la vez, amor y desprendimiento, dulzura y firmeza, paciencia y decisión.
La tarea de la educación es delicada porque supone, a la vez, amor y desprendimiento, dulzura y firmeza, paciencia y decisión.
¡Cuántos libros se han escrito sobre cómo educar! ¡Cuántas veces los educadores, llenos de entusiasmo y esperanza, compran este o aquel libro con el deseo de educar mejor o de atacar algún problema específico que les preocupa en la actitud de algun evento cultural.
Al leer... ¡se ve tan fácil!
Los libros contienen a veces infinidad de consejos que parecen mágicos, con diálogos imaginados y reacciones casi perfectas ante las iniciativas.
Si tan sólo fuera así en la vida diaria...
Sin embargo, la realidad es otra. Cuando los educadores intentan poner en práctica algunos de esos consejos que acaban de leer y no salen como ellos esperaban piensan: "¿Qué sucede? ¿Dónde está el error, si hice exactamente lo que el libro decía?".
Resulta que, como dice Fernando Corominas en "Educar Hoy": "Educar es un arte, un arte porque no hay reglas fijas y cada caso es diferente, cada circunstancia es única ya que las personas somos irrepetibles".
Entonces... ¿Qué pueden hacer los educadores cuando se sienten desorientados y afligidos?
A veces quisieran darse por vencidos o descargar la responsabilidad en un tercero.
Pero en el fondo, los educadores saben que es responsabilidad suya dar las herramientas y respuestas que vayan necesitando.
Son los educadores quienes deben enseñarles el sentido de la vida y capacitarlos para vivirla.
Es un trabajo de equipo
Parece obvio, pero muchos parecen olvidarlo: la educación es la función más importante.
Es una obligación común, es un trabajo de equipo, una labor armónica e irremplazable.
Todos deben unir sus esfuerzos, anhelos y capacidades por el bien de la cultura.
¿Cuál es el camino?
Si las recetas no son iguales para todos...
Si la misión no se puede delegar a un tercero...
Si no se prepara de antemano...
Si lo que enseñan no es suficiente...
Entonces ¿Qué hacer?
Puede que sea fácil
Educar, sólo para que sepan tolerar la vida, puede que sea fácil.
Pero educarlos para que sean personas íntegras, capaces de autorealizarse y de contribuir con la sociedad, sí que es una enorme tarea.
Como dice Gastón Courtois: "La tarea de la educación es delicada porque supone, a la vez, amor y desprendimiento, dulzura y firmeza, paciencia y decisión".
Bullfighting will still be seen in Spain
For those who might now think bullfighting is no longer to be seen when traveling to Spain, the Spanish Embassy in Seoul said “no.”
Luis Fonseca, head of the cultural section of the embassy, said it is a decision made by Catalonia, one of the 17 autonomous communities.
“It (the legislation) is limited only to one region,” he said. Since “it (the bullfighting) is pretty much widespread in the country,” tourists will have no difficulty running into it.
People who come to Spain and Catalonia don’t come just to see the bullfights, he added. “Spain has a rich cultural diversity, and that’s why visitors travel to Spain.”
Catalonia is located at the northeastern tip of the country. Barcelona is the capital city of the autonomous community.
The legislation to ban the bullfighting passed the Catalan parliament by 68 to 55 votes with nine absentees on July 28. The decision came after eight to 10 years of debate, and will take effect in 2012.
The decision appears to be a political one made by a culturally and linguistically distinctive Catalonia. It is known to be seeking to gain independence as a state.
Quoting the local media, the Economist, the London-based weekly publication, reported that the decision was “revenge” by a few nationalist parliamentarians, who were discontented with Spain’s constitutional court that nullified parts of Catalonia’s autonomy charter. It was initially approved four years ago in a referendum.
Fonseca dismissed it.
“It isn’t a political decision,” he said. Instead, it was motivated by animal rights activists, who have long been criticizing Spaniards for getting pleasure out of cruelty.
“Pro-animal groups have visited Catalonia, and have campaigned hard to ban it,” he said.
Joan Puigcercos, a lawmaker from a Catalan pro-independence party, told the Associated Press that the debate was about “the suffering of the animal. That is the question, nothing more.” Although the bullfighting is on the decline in Spain, he added, the bullfighting is morally wrong.
Some wondered whether the decision was abandonment of local tradition, a view mostly shared by outsiders, who perceive the bullfighting a symbol of Spain.
Fonseca denounced the view, saying the bullfighting is only one of many symbols of Spain.
Strictly speaking, he added, “the bullfighting isn’t from Catalonia.” It is popular in the southern Spain, yet has permeated into other parts of the country.
And “opposition to the bullfighting only means that they wouldn’t go and watch it. They will still respect those who like it and its tradition,” he said.
The diplomat also stressed that the central government keeps a neutral position on the matter.
The history of the bullfighting traces back to the prehistoric time. As part of a religious ritual, the killing of the sacred bull was a common practice in ancient time. It is also linked to Rome where humans were fighting against animals as a famous public entertainment.
Now, it’s mostly in Spain, Portugal, southern France and Latin American countries, where it is played and watched.
