Question about Patch Hounds

[Bear Creek Kennel]

Wanting to know some history/info about patch hounds from some of the guys on here that have experience with them. Not looking for what someone has heard, or about the one that you saw run one time with old so and so, but I am looking for a true representation of them. I know some love them and some hate them but that is with all hounds. I have hunted all my life and have raised dogs from our stock which are mostly tadpole/Ace/weir creek bred dogs and have not been around patch hounds much. I did run with some back last year that did pretty good though. I would like to know about their speed, control, hunt, etc. as it pertains to hunting in the field, not trialing. What are their positives and negatives. Also, are there many folks running them in the south. Thanks in advance for any help.

[littlewoody]

ILL send you a pm later .

[Will05]

I dont have a ton of experience with them and there are many people on this site that have tons of knowledge about them, but ill give you what i have. I currently am working with 2 patch pups that are just shy of 6 months old . As i have stated on this forum several times i couldn't be happier with them. They started very early and are progressing at what i consider a fast pace. Most days they seem to have tons of hunt and when they get the rabbit up and out of the thick stuff they are EXTREMELY fast maybe to fast as their nose has not caught up with their feet yet and they over run the rabbit alot. They usually only over run by a short distance and always figure out which way he went so im ok with it for their age. One of them is a little cold nosed but usually gets the rabbit up eventually and the other is the complete opposite she wont bark until its up and moving so they work well together. They have yet to run off game that i know of . I run them several times per week and some days they go twice per day morning/evening and never seem to want to stop so they are obviously not lacking in energy or desire. Since they are so young im not sure i could really give you true faults because they seem to get smarter every time they go out as well as improve their skills with each outing so i think most of the quirks they have will slowly go away. I will also say this when they get one going they are both fighting for the front sometimes climbing over each other to get there. The only thing i can say that worries me is that i run with a friend and they have yet to honor his dog so we have been working on that but they have no problem honoring each other so im hoping they eventually figure it out. As i have stated many times i couldn't be happier with both of them and im very thankful that i decided to go with this line ill keep you posted on progress but i look forward to great things this gun season as well as next spring at the trials .

[patchgirl]

I have one female patch hound. She is a little over a year old. If you're looking for a smooth, line control type of hound, then I wouldn't go with a patch. My patch is a fast 'head up' wind scenting type of dog. She will swing, skirt, cheat and do anything she can to outsmart a rabbit. She will not stop running even if she's cut to pieces and bleeding all over her body. I have yet to see her get tired. She has a very honest mouth. Won't make a peep until the rabbit is up and running. Mostly she is a great rabbit dog, but we did put her in one little pack trial last spring and she got a third place. Be prepared for lots of energy though.

[cojax]

I have 9 of the miserable things and love them to death....... They are all kin to each other and they run a rabbit fast enough to make it a challenge to hit. where are you located bear creek kennel? I run mine mostly on cottontail and swampers and it doesn't seem to make a difference just bigger circles on the swampers. I have a few videos on you tube you can check out under cojax1000.....should give u a pretty good idea of what to expect. thanks cojax

[Bear Creek Kennel]

I'm in central Alabama. I hunt big cutovers and real thick swamps. Takes a hard running dog with speed but also have to have control to keep a rabbit moving. Very little open stuff where I hunt. Lots of swamp rabbits but some cottontails also. Good info so far. Would love to hear more. How do the patch hounds compare to progressive pack dogs. Once again, in the field hunting, not trialing. I'm not interested in trialing situations.

The patch hounds I hunted with hunted good and would drive a rabbit hard for maybe 3-5 min (more at times) then shut down. The. Pick it back up and drive it hard again. Is this a good representation?
Thanks again for the info so far.

Justin

[Pine Lakes]

Justin,
You can read my reply to inbreeding or linebreeding to get my answer to your question. I've seen Patch hounds that looked like their feet didn't touch the ground and I've seen what I call medium speed too. I've seen good and bad in every line of beagle including patch hounds. What I can say about the patch hounds I've witnessed over the years is that I don't recall one of them being lazy and standing around. A good patch hound can do anything a well bred hare hound can do and vise verse. Simply put, a good dog is a good dog. Sorry I can't give you any definitives, but I honestly don't think anyone can. If they say they can, they are probably the ones to avoid. Good luck to you.

[PREACHERS KENNEL]

sir as with any line there great diverity within the line itself . but all seem to hunt hard, as i have 8 right now . been breeding these things for about 10 years now or so cant remember when i started exactly .

so i will descibe mine ..hunt very good ,,speed 7 out of 10... easy to break on off game ,if they ever run off game raised 4 so far that never have touched any off game . that is so nice . i have a few that will bark a little early but usually have it up and going within a minute..a couple that only bark once its up and going ...i have trialed them and done well. as with any dogs i strongly feel 50% is in the genes the other 50% is on the trainer . i have a couple swingers but they aint to bad ,but alot of times i can throw a blanket across 3 or 4 of them as they run mr bunny with drive ...

i am in winchester tenn. about an hr above huntville ala.. come run and see for your self.

i am very happpy with them ...and will continue to raise and trian them ...

[PREACHERS KENNEL]

there are some that are big i seen an 18 inch patch hound few years back . and i sold a few that were to small for me last year but were good dogs around 11 inches when i sold them.

most of mine are around the 13-14 in range . it reallt depends on the breeder itself and what he likes or needs i suppose ..

as to what he breeeds to to try and reproduce the hound he wants ...there are a few on here with more experience with this line than me ..so i am sure they can add much more .

[Tsa la gi]

Bear Creek,
My Gus Hound might be the one the Preacher was talking about. Posed he measures 18 1/2 in. My buz Hound is probably pushin 19 in. Check out the Original Patch Kennels for a complete history of the Patch Hound, originated by One Man, Willet Randel.
There are more people that don`t like Patch Hounds than do. They are a pleasure to handle, learn quick, I personally think are eager to please their owner. I raise and train Patch Hounds and at this time I have 14. All running Hounds except one 4 month old male out of Elvis and Marley. I run these Hounds on cotton tail, Swampers and snowshoe Hare and they are good at all of them.I do not carry a leash and walk out with mine while others are gettin tangled up in brush and junk leadin them out.
I don`t have any that cold trail,when You hear them open look for the rabbit to come flyin by. I personally have ran with, Cojax, Preacher, Rededog1and Swampmans hounds and recommend any of them for pups. They all breed for the 15 and under and for good line control. There are more Patch breeders out there that breed and raise the smaller more conservative type hounds, but I have ran with these.
Patch Hounds have great hunt,different speeds, some have brains enough to slow down when going gets tuff.
I have ran my hounds in WV, Tenn, Ky, Ohio, Ga and Mi and have never been let down. I ran in a rabbit pen in Manchester Ky, never been there before. 13 Hounds were turned loose,some FC, some made field Ch after this run. The last 45 min there were 4 Patch Hounds running,the rest had quit or were caught off.
I just prefer the big hounds and breed them. There is a myth about BIG hounds, (they won`t go in the briars) mine will. I hate it but I saw my Gus Hound runnin 3 rd behind the Preachers and cojax smaller hounds in the Mingo WMA in Tenn. Told him next time that happened i`d give him a thumpin
Come Run I have the River Swamp and the Beaver Pond, both full of SWAMPER`S.

[Bear Creek Kennel]

Thanks for all the replies so far guys. Who has patch's in the deep south? I see you are in GA. Where are you located? Also, does anyone know of some GOOD patch hounds for sale?

[Will05]

Dewey Harless is selling a couple right now well I think he has a couple left. He has a post in the puppies forum

[Tsa la gi]

I don`t have any runing hounds for sale my runnin hounds are my breeding stock. Will have a litter end of the month and one first week in Sept. Chad North has pups for sale in South Ga. 229 506 3064. Grand pus of Gus/Shantie and a littermate f/m to my Marley. Good blood and he runs the heck out of his, Dewey bred Marley and has some good Patch blood in his kennel.
I live NE off Athens.

[PREACHERS KENNEL]

just sold 2 nothing for salke rest of this year myself ... thx chuck for the kind words check is in the mail lol... ole guys did a fine job in that thick mangled mess in mingo ...and that year it was thinned out if u can imagine that lol

[Tsa la gi]

Bear Creek,
This is why folks don`t like Patch Hounds. Not much check work in the check area just hit it and keep it goin. There has always been and still is,an open invite for any one to come run. I promise you track runnin dogs are not going to get it done in My River Swamp or the beaver Pond. When these Swamper`s swim you have to have a hound that will SKIRT, SWING and what ever else to keep it going.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2skt_KtFWws