Northway

[FullCircle]

I know every dog is a little different and even pups from the same litter don't always turn out the same but in general what are the traits of MOST Northway bred dogs. I don't mean to get an argument started so keep it civil but please list the good along with the bad. As far as that goes what is bad for one may be good for the next man. If we all liked the same thing then we would all be hunting the same type dog and there wouldn't be any need of but one class of beagle or strain. So lets here your opinion on the Northway!

[briarshakersdaddy]

Only owned 1 northway breed dog. If they are all like he was Hunt, brains, goodnose. speed around 7. Would feed another just like him.

[DRamey]

Once yu go Northway you won't want anything else. More hunt and desire and heart than anything i ever hunted. Excellent foot, nose, rabbit sense. On the downside, a couple of the Northway hounds I have owned have needed strong discipline to not range into the next county if rabbits are scarce. Stubbornness and strong will serves them well when it is channeled in the right direction, though. Most I have or have owned would chase a deer a little way and then quit it on their own. Mine would work a wider check area than some people would like, but it is an advantage when rabbits hit a dusty road and run it. Excellent kennel manners, pack well, hunt solo just as good. If mine goes to a hound that is opening and isn't right, they won't honor that hound unless it begins hammering on good game. I NEVER owned anything that could jump or run a rabbit on snow like old Malachi that is at Reffett's now at stud, he's going on 10 yr. old.

[HillBillyBubba]

personally i like a northway top side and branko bottom a northway has enough hunt for two dogs but the branko has line control out the ying yang. i have two northway dogs in my kennel well three one is a nice perty little pup one is a male about 17 months the other is a reffets female about six northways are nice but the perfect cross is even better

[tinymwoods]

I like the Northway line. Lots of speed and plenty of hunt. I would think hunt is the biggest attribute. Some Northway dogs do lack a little on line control, but with good out crosses they seem to put that into it. JMO for what little that is worth!

[Drop_tine]

I've only ran with one and owned one but I will say I wouldn't mind owning a kennel full. Loaded with hunt and brains.

[T. Sites]

I own a older male out of Reffett's Ky Mtn Chase. Good all around dog.A little lacking on line control(sometimes) Very fast ,Extremely hard hunter. Good jump dog,Handles good ,Hunts where I want him to.Loud machine gun chop mouth. Doesn't bark til the rabbit jumps. Retrieves dead rabbits. He has been a pleasure to own and will have a home with me until he dies. I don't know if all Northway are early starters but he started running by himself on wild rabbits by 6 months old. At 7 or 8 months he run solo like a 2 or 3 year old hound.

[tinymwoods]

This is our young Northway hound. He started at about 6 months. He was about 8 months in this pic.

[BriarCreekBeagles]

i got a 4yr old hound thats got some northway in him 3 gen back on bottom and a little branko on top back about 3 gen if you go back back 4 gen on this dog theres alot of FC on top and bottom and he is about 50% branko on top and About 80% northway on bottom. i aint real sure what all these bloodlines are i ain't been into beagling for very long and all i can say is this old hound is one heck of a gundog his name is Huff's Briar Bustin Outlaw if you wanna do some checkin on his ped, but i wouldn't trade a farm in texas for that ol'boy. He's got great line control, hard hunt, don't run trash, handles great,runs a good check and he always produces a rabbit if there's one to be had in any condition. one thing that alot of guys might not like is he's got a little bit of a cold nose but he he sure can sniffem out. He always wimpers a little on a track thats not real hot but if he makes a peep you can gurantee he's gonna get it hot and bring that rabbit back around. another blood line that alot of the guys on here seem to like is that branko i just went up to MI and picked up a blutick bitch thats straight out of FC Buckeye Blue Ninja and hes got a lot of branko in him up close top and bottom and her momma is FC hales target and she has a little branko in her on top and I ain't real sure about the bottom side of her but she's got Trakarab Pacesetter and some other stuff but there all champs. She's a awsome hound fast hard hunt line control you name it she's got it . Well ihope this helps and if you do get anything out of northway keep us posted on how it does. I been thinking about getting into that northway stuff myself and have a little branko and northway in my pack.
Goodluck and good runnin

[FullCircle]

Fellows thanks for the comments that was what I was wanting for someone that had first hand info to post their opinion. I've been out of rabbit hunting for a while comp hunting tree dogs but I have never lost my passion for a good rabbit race. I've been looking around for awhile and went to some field trials and so forth but I'm not up to date on a lot of the beagle bloodlines but of what I've seen I really like the Northway and the Branko.
A lot of the dogs I've seen didn't have the hunt or drive that I'm looking for in a dog. I will be running year round and run a lot of swamp rabbits as well as cotton tails and I want a dog that will hunt hard and be tuff enough to take hard running in rough conditions and take water. HUNT & HEARTis the biggest thing I look for in a dog then line control because the way I see it if a dog can't jump a rabbit and run hard as long as necessary it don't matter how much line control it has. I can bring one in but I can't make it go if it ain't in it.
If there is any other line I need to consider please feel free to say so. I also apprecate the information as to what crosses work well.

[DinoHagy]

i have a northway female i like alot,i would like to have a hole yard fuul just like her,hunt all day an when she opens the rabbit is gone she is digger with or with out dogs. she is nw top an bottom.

[Mapel Valley Kennels LLC.]

Northway has always offered bottom end as well as hunt.If someone can work off there strong traits you can establish fine hounds. The dogs i know of personally can beat you up pretty bad from the inside ..They also are not the fastest but fill comfortable doing it from middle of there pack mates..I like northway quite well
may get me one someday

[J.C. Blair]

Hunt and desire to spare. The ones I have are more of the Reffett's Line, but all go back to Spur multiple times. Hunt and jump power they have, and the ones I have, have got good foot speed. They are gonna be up there bangin for the front most times. There are some faster than others, this is true. Good and bad in them all, but I am pleased with the ones I have. Good luck on your search. Just remember, go out and watch several lines and go with what makes you happy.

[NCPatch]

Who has redtick north way hounds I have seen them somewhere but dont remember where . I had one that was Reffett's Ky Mtn Indy Girl I got her from a guy in Ky up next to lexington the man said come watch her run. I drive to Ky and he says well I don't fell to good today. Idon't want to get out in the cold air. I look at her pedigree it is full of Fc Fc IFC I pay him and take dog . YEA I must have had stupid wrote all over my forehead . Needless to say this was the crazyest dog Ihave ever seen Hard headed soon as you dropped her down she would take off for the next county even when I kept her on aleash till the other dogs jumped and were running she'd take off shock collar didnt fase her shake her head and keep going Bark In the kennel all night she must have had Lab in her cause she loved the water hose at 2am After a year of this I gave her away for a pet with a spay condition in the deal. I know you don't judge a bloodline by one dog but she sure put a bad taste in my mouth as the old saying goes I am not putting this line down There are bad ones in all of them I even raised a bad patch dog One time but she wasan't that crazy !

[sem]

they must be something special. i've been looking on this board everyday for a month for a nice running nw female and havn't seen one yet. there eigther not out there or no one will let theirs go.