'Forest' the hound captured after months in Gibson Woods in Hammond, Ind.

May 14, 2013 (HAMMOND, Ind.) (WLS) -- How do you rescue a dog who doesn't want to be rescued? With a steak.

Everything is fine with Forest, the hound, now. But it was a hectic fall, winter and spring for the young dog. He's lucky to be alive after being on the loose in Gibson Woods in Hammond, Ind., for up to seven months.

Now, he's in the hands of his foster mom, Kelly Mickey.

"It's amazing how well he has adapted," Mickey.

Forest, who is probably about a year and half old and 62 pounds, is a Treeing Walker Coonhound.

"They hunt anything that goes up a tree-- Bears, mountain lions, raccoons, squirrels," Darin Lee, founder of Houndsong Rescue, said. "Yup, truly an American breed of dog."

Gibson Woods is a nature preserve. As early as last September, people reported seeing Forest running wild in there. He was caught on April 29 with a broken leg by Houndsong Rescue. They save hounds from all sorts of dangers, but they had never encountered a dog like Forest.

"This dog tried all of our knowledge," Lee said.

Houndsong set up several traps, which all failed, and cameras to track Forest's movements. In the end, the Treeing Walker Coonhound was tricked by a steak.

After 59 days, we finally found a trap that would work," Lee said. "He came up and grabbed the steak off the trap. The trap sprung and put the collar around his neck, and we had him."

Forest is perfectly healthy now- and up for adoption through Houndsong Rescueat houndsong.com. His original owner was never found.

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local, frank mathie

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