Bay Pen Buzz

Professional Bay Dog Field Trials are exciting modern competitions where Bay Dogs hold a wild boar/cows at bay for 2+ minutes, and are judged on their ability to control the stock without damage, while barking in a pattern that alerts the hunter/stockman that they are “Bayed Up”. 

It is a “cross-section”, or part of, an otherwise afternoon hunt or herding, it is not a “timed event”.  A dog can receive a “Perfect Score” regardless of the stock’s actions, as long as he does the best of his ability to deal with the situation at hand, without damaging the stock.

Contrary to some public perception, there is typically very little contact between the animals in baying events.  The competition has gotten so tough, that even one minor mistake by the dog can toss him out of a trophy win and cash.  Add to that, countless dollars, plus hours of training make most Open Bay Dogs so valuable, Professional Kennel owners won’t risk injury on sub-standard stock or arenas.

Wild Stock Contractors also have enormous investments in their animals.  Most are vaccinated and fed year-round, only to be used a few times a year.  Some States require special permits and inspections, veterinary care is expensive if you can get it!  Cattle & Wild Hogs are very intelligent, dangerous and need very specific care with holding pens fit for a buffalo.

Not one Professional in this Sport wants to see injury to either the Stock or the Dog, so don’t believe everything you read on the PETA site!

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

“Hunting dogs have been used to hunt boar since ancient times. Boar hunting dogs are loosely divided into two categories, bay dogs and catch dogs.

Bay dogs harass and harry the boar, keeping it cornered in one place, while intensely vocalizing. This behaviour is known as “baying” or keeping the boar “at bay”. The bay dogs vocalizing alerts the hunter(s) to the bay, and the dogs maintain a slight distance from the boar allowing the hunter(s), once caught up, to dispatch the boar with a well placed rifle shot or tie the hog up to be killed and cleaned later as the meat from a boar goes bad very quickly. Bay dogs are typically Cur dogs such as the Leopard Cur, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Blackmouth Cur, Blue Lacy, Catahoula and trailing scent hounds such as the Walker Hound, Foxhound, Plott Hound.”

…and as we know, there are many breeds and mixes that have brought food & trophies back home!

** While both types of dogs are used while hunting, Bay Dog Field Trials are competitions for Bay Dogs only.  Catch dogs are not permitted to compete, “Catching” the stock is grounds for disqualification.

The dog(s) begins with a perfect score of 10, and then is deducted for each error.  Points are calculated/deducted in 1/10 increments, major errors are 1 point deduction where minor errors only carry a 1/10 point refraction.  Don’t underestimate the point system, many 9.9 runs go home empty-handed!

Typical Errors/Deductions are:

• Looking out
• Losing concentration
• Quit barking
• Spinning away from hog
• Drifting – Relinquishing control of hog, causing hog to gain ground
• Urinating or Defacating during the run
• Checking Out – Losing eye contact/control when swapping sides with partner
• Unnecessary Roughness
• Touching Handler
• Sniffing ground
• Looping away from hog

There are usually 1 – 5 judges, with top and bottom scores thrown out for fairness.  The higher the entries in the class, or the larger the arena, the more judges you may expect to assure no errors are missed.