OMCBA Squirrel Hunt Rules

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1 Welcome to this hunt which is being sponsored by the Original Mountain Cur Breeders Association. We hope that you will have an enjoyable hunt and that all of you will be winners. The hunt will be conducted according to the following rules. If you have suggestions pertaining to rules for future hunts, please make them in writing and give them to Master of Squirrel Dogs or any member of the Board of Directors. General Rules 1. Only registered Original Mountain Cur Dogs can be entered. 2. There shall be two or three dogs in each cast with only one handler per dog. 3. If there is a morning and evening hunt, the cast must hunt 2 full hours in both hunts. 4. The dogs will be re-drawn over in the evening hunt. 5. In the event of no plus points scored, the most circle points and the least minus will be declared the winner. 6. The dog with the most total points in the hunt will be declared the winner of the hunt and must be a cast winning dog. 7. To place in an O.M.C.B.A. Squirrel hunt, the dog must have plus or circle points. If your total score is zero or minus, the dog will not be placed in the hunt. 8. If there is a hunt in the morning and the evening, your dog must hunt both morning and evening to place in the hunt. 9. In the event of 2 dogs owned by one kennel draw out together, these dogs will not be allowed to hunt together. They will be redrawn. 10. During the hunt, the majority of the cast must agree to either walk or stand. This may change throughout the hunt. 11. POINT SYSTEM: 100 pts. First Tree; 40 pts. Second Tree; 25 pts. Third Tree 12. ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OR UNPRESCRIBED DRUGS ALLOWED ON GROUNG OR HUNT. SCORING OF PLUS POINTS 1. Points will be awarded only when squirrel is seen by a majority of the cast members or a nonhunting judge. (Squirrel must definitely be seen). 2. The dog that trees first is the only dog awarded 100 plus points even if another dog trees within 30 normal steps and also has a squirrel. 3. If squirrel is caught on the ground, points will be divided among all dogs involved in the catch that are declared treed. 4. Points will be plus if a squirrel is seen in a tree within 30 steps of the tree where the dog(s) is (are) treed. 5. For plus points to be awarded, the dog must be showing tree satisfaction of judge on arrival at the tree. 6. No plus points will be awarded for flying or ground squirrels.

2 SCORING OF MINUS POINTS 1. If a dog moves over 30 normal steps away from the tree when it is declared treed, it will be minus unless squirrel jumps from tree or timbers from tree and dog is following. In this case, dog must show cast where squirrel stopped. 2. When a dog trees and it is evident that a squirrel is not in the tree or the immediate vicinity, points shall be minus. 3. When dog or dogs are declared treed one dog must bark every 2 minutes until cast arrives at tree or all dogs declared treed would be minus. SCORING OF CIRCLE POINTS 1. Points shall be circled when a dog trees and there is a hole in the immediate vicinity in which a squirrel could be hiding. 2. If the squirrel is unable to be found due to being in a leafy tree or if the tree contains a nest. DOGS TO BE SCRATCHED 1. Dogs will be scratched for fighting. 2. If a female is in heat. 3. For any unnecessary delaying completion of cast. 4. Time-Outs exceeding 30 minutes. 5. If a handler is drinking or abusive in any way towards a judge. 6. If a dog is opening on the ground for 3 minutes or running other dogs, dog will be scratched from this cast. If the dog stops barking for 30 seconds during this 3 minutes time will be broke, if the dog starts back barking on the ground, time will have to start over. 7. If a dog is baying or running domestic stock. 8. Anytime during 2 hour hunt that a dog s total score is -300, the dog will be leashed and scratched from the cast. 9. Anytime a dog fails to hunt for a 30 minute period of time will be scratched from the hunt. 10. If a dog is scratched for fighting, the owner will be mailed a letter as notice of a Warning. A second offense committed by the same dog will result in the dog being banned from all future O.M.C.B.A. Hunts. TIES ARE BROKEN BY THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE 1. Dog with most first plus trees. 2. Dog with least minus points. 3. Dog with most circle points. TIME-OUTS Only a judge may call time-out. Time-outs may be called when the judge feels that it would be beneficial to the successful completion of the hunt. No time-outs are to be called when dog(s) are treed.

3 HANDLERS Must be a current member of O.M.C.B.A. and be in good standing. It is the handler s responsibility to know the rules contained herein and agree to abide by them. The handler also agrees to accept and abide by the decisions to the Judge and Master of Dogs. A handler must conduct himself as a gentleman and sportsman at all times. A handler becoming loud, aggressive or belligerent may be scratched regardless of the merit of his argument. A handler displaying unsportsmanlike conduct or failing to abide by these rules should be reported to the hunt director for a disciplinary hearing. Any handler found guilty of interfering with another handler s dog in any way that would affect his ability to compete may be subject to disciplinary action. A handler may not scold, encourage or punish their dog during the cast A handler may not leave the cast for any reason except to go to their dog on a separate tree after the tree is closed. The judge may give a handler permission to leave the cast to search for their dog during timeout. After 30 minutes, the dog is scratched. TRACKING AND TRAINING COLLARS Tracking collars are allowed. The receivers must not be turned on unless time out has been called or hunt is over. Training (shocking) collars are not allowed. Collars that have both a training (Shocking) and tracking device are not allowed. SEARCHING TREE Five minutes are allowed to search the tree after the tree is closed. If a dog arrives at the tree after the tree is closed, it must be leashed also. Spectators, handlers and judge are allowed to search the tree. If spectator sees the squirrel, they must show it to the judge. Vine pulling, bush shaking and pecking on trees are allowed to the satisfaction of the judge. This is not allowed if another dog is out hunting unless permission is given by the handler(s) of the dog hunting. Running objects in dens or holes are not allowed. No climbing trees, no slingshots or baseball bats are allowed.

4 TREEING When a dog is declared treed by the handler, the dog must hold the tree for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, no additional dogs may be declared treed within 30 normal steps of that tree After dog(s) are declared treed, the handler(s) may move at a moderate pace toward the tree if it is evident that it will take longer than 2 minutes to arrive at the tree. Handlers shall not at any time get closer than 30 steps to where dog(s) are declared treed until the tree is closed. No jogging or running at any time to a dog declared treed. After 2 minutes, and upon signal from the judge, handlers should leash their dogs. A search for the squirrel is to be conducted. Five minutes are allowed to search for the squirrel. Dogs that are tracking off and not showing tree by barking up or looking up will be minus. The judge upon arrival at the tree should observe and make sure all dogs declared tree are showing tree before handlers leash their dogs. All handlers and members of cast must stay close together and not separate unless dogs split tree. If dogs tree on separate trees that are over 30 normal steps apart this will be declared split tree and points will be awarded separate. In case of a split tree, the first dog called treed will be checked first. The dog called treed second, handler will be allowed to go to the tree and wait for judges and cast to check tree. A dog can never be recast whenever another dog is declared treed. Any handler calling a dog treed that is not theirs will be warned the first time, second time minus 100 points and the third time scratched from the hunt. A single squirrel will only be scored once per tree. (ie. 2 dogs cannot receive 100 points for the same squirrel) OFF GAME Dog seen running off game by majority of cast or non-hunting judge will be minus 100 points for each offense. Dog treeing game other than gray, fox or cat squirrels will be ignored. Dog returning to tree that has been scored on, handler must leash dog and recast (no points).

5 BREAKING OF RULES If the handler is reported to hunt master of O.M.C.B.A. for breaking the rules intentionally, the handler will have to come before the O.M.C.B.A. board of directors for a hearing. If found guilty, they will be barred from the O.M.C.B.A. hunts from one year to life. SCORECARDS A handler may inspect the scorecard at any time provided the judge is not in the process of scoring dogs. Scorecards should be completed in the woods, signed by each handler and turned in to the Master of Squirrel of Dogs by the deadline previously established. Failure to turn in a scorecard will disqualify a cast. Each handler is responsible for the honesty of the scorecard and will sign it upon completion of the cast. COMPLAINTS Complaints must be made to the Master of Squirrel Dogs within 30 minutes of returning to hunt headquarters. If the Master of Squirrel Dogs is not immediately available, the complaint should be registered with a designated Original Mountain Cur Officer. The handlers and judge should be present when complaints are registered. The decision of the Master of Squirrel Dogs will be final. VISITORS, SPECTATORS & GUESTS All are welcome at O.M.C.B.A. hunts. Please follow the directions of the judges and Master of Squirrel Dogs. If children are present on the cast -NO THROWING ANY TYPES OF OBJECTS. The club may decide and announce if spectators will be allowed on casts, if agreeable with cast members. Handlers shall be responsible for the conduct of spectators accompanying them on casts.