What seperates a houndsman?

[TomMN]

What seperates a houndsmen from just a person with hounds?

Saw this post on another board and thought it was a good one.

http://www.biggamehoundsmen.com/shadetr ... hp?t=14220

I think a true houndsman is someone who would be out there running hounds every chance they got even if there were no field trials and no one near them that hunted. They would still hunt by themselves as much as they do now. In fact they probably hunt most of the time by themselves now anyway. For them it is all about the hounds and the chase, everything else is secondary.

One well known coonhunter that fits this discription is Frank Giddings of Michigan. Frank hunts every night, all night long. That's seven nights a week, until dawn, all year long. Lots of people travel to Franks to hunt with him. Many times they want to quit before dawn. Frank drops them off and goes back out, alone. When the snow gets too deep to go coon hunting Frank runs beagles.

There are many more people like this but most of them are unknown outside of thier local area. They usualy don't go looking for fame. Sometimes it finds them like in Frank Giddings case, more often it doesn't.

Tell us about some of the houndsmen you know of.

[mike crabtree]

My Old Man. He has had Fox Hounds or Beagles for 60 years. He runs for pleasure, as I do, but Im a little more competitive so I trial a little.

I used to beg him to take me gun hunting, I saw him shoot 1 rabbit in my lifetime. He would have let it go, but I missed it I was small so he tried to tell me I killed it.He said it was already rolling when he shot.

I have spent lots of hours out with dogs, but cant even hope to ever catch up to him. It seems like i cant ask a Question about dogs he cant answer.

[HOUNDAWG1]

ATTITUDE.

[Alabama John]

Tom
I bet that Frank is not married or if so, what a wife!!!!

What I call a Houndsman is someone that has come to the realization of what he wants in a hound and buys, or breeds and raises for that single type of dog.

Doesn't follow what is popular, or has to have a dog from big names to drop.

Doesn't seek ribbons or trophies as much as just enjoying his hounds.

Doesn't have to blow his own horn, others that he runs or hunts with do.

Doesn't really care if no one ever sees his dogs or like them or not.

Like to run with others, has friends and famoly, but finds himself watching and listening to his more than theirs and happily planong how to inprove without making himself unhappy with what he has.

Realizes as long as he is on this earth, his hounds are a work in progress that will never get finished and is happy to just simply enjoy the ride.

[sand ridge beagles]

Tom
I bet that Frank is not married or if so, what a wife!!!!

What I call a Houndsman is someone that has come to the realization of what he wants in a hound and buys, or breeds and raises for that single type of dog.

Doesn't follow what is popular, or has to have a dog from big names to drop.

Doesn't seek ribbons or trophies as much as just enjoying his hounds.

Doesn't have to blow his own horn, others that he runs or hunts with do.

Doesn't really care if no one ever sees his dogs or like them or not.

Like to run with others, has friends and famoly, but finds himself watching and listening to his more than theirs and happily planong how to inprove without making himself unhappy with what he has.

Realizes as long as he is on this earth, his hounds are a work in progress that will never get finished and is happy to just simply enjoy the ride.

very well said!!

[clousewt]

I guess Alabama John just wrapped this post up, that was very well said. Tom Clouse

[Big River Beagles S]

AMEN ALABAMA JOHN!!!!

[TC]

Tom

What I call a Houndsman is someone that has come to the realization of what he/She wants in a hound and buys, or breeds and raises for that single type of dog.

Doesn't follow what is popular, or has to have a dog from big names to drop.

Doesn't seek ribbons or trophies as much as just enjoying his/her hounds.

Doesn't have to blow his/her own horn, others that he/she runs or hunts with do.

Doesn't really care if no one ever sees his/her dogs or like them or not.

Like to run with others, has friends and family, but finds himself/herself watching and listening to his/hers more than theirs and happily planing how to improve without making himself/herself unhappy with what he/she has.

Realizes as long as he/she is on this earth, his/her hounds are a work in progress that will never get finished and is happy to just simply enjoy the ride.

John Hope you dont mind! I needed to change this just a little.
because yer describing One of the best I know and She fits that to a T
Sally McGehee
Oakhillblue beagles
TC Said It!!!!!!

[gus]

This post brings to mind a beagler who posted that when he got into trialing his beagles were too conservative for the judges in his area. He moved out the dogs that he liked and bought more aggressive beagles and started breeding towards his new goal. As he was breeding for more aggressive hounds the judges began to lean toward a more consevative hound. Now the type hounds he discarded are the ones winning.

I agree with John's list.

[Wilson Creek Bill]

I think what your describing as a person with just hounds is someone who has 30 or 40 dogs, and a dog in their kennel may be ran once a year. I see these people as dog owners that have no idea what they really have to hunt with. They may have some of the best dogs in the state, but dont even know it. Like has been said before, a true houndsman has that bond with his dogs. knows the in's and outs of every dog in his kennel, and knows every difference in their dogs personality. And each dog has thier own personality. A true houndsman goes the exta mile to make sure their dogs are extra taken care of, even if they have to let themselves go alittle. A true houndsman sits in aw everytime a beagle fires in on a hot race, and cant help but have that smile come across his face, like it was that dogs first rabbit jumped. The thrill and excitement never leaves. A person with just hounds is out to get all he can get and has lost the thrill of listening to a pack hammer down on a big buck rabbit. In my opinion, if you cant sit in the edge of a field, and listen to dogs run for 8 hours, your not a houndsman.. its just a hobby. To a houndsman..its LIFE. JMO

[Alabama John]

Good thought and topic Tom.

Well, I must have hit a spot! That's how some age and being around a lot of old heads like me that have gone on will make you think.

TC, maybe when ya'll come down here for a run I can meet both you and Sally. I'd sure like that.

Thanks fellow beaglers, you made me feel mighty good!!!!!!

[fulcount]

John
you hit it buddy would probably enjoy a day or two running with a man like you
we need to treat our hounds as a friend and not just an object as quite a few seem to do
so to you I say amen brother
John O

[TC]

TC, maybe when ya'll come down here for a run I can meet both you and Sally. I'd sure like that.

John I Would Like that very Much and getting to run with you Would be an honor that I have on My list to do this fall. I will talk to Sally and see what we can set up and when. I will PM you.
Or You are always Welcome to come up and spend a Weekend here runnin and Talkin Dogs Got plenty of Room.
got a 26ft Trailer all set up Just for the guests

[Darryl]

Frank Giddings is Married with Children and Grand children, My uncle went to Franks a few times a year to breed to One of his stud hounds , or buy a pup and the story that sticks out most is when he went out running hounds directly after his sons wedding ...now thats a houndsman!!! He owned GR NITE CH ROCK RIVER SACKETT JR . Top producer of walker hounds of all time JR . was making more money then most of us a year ... breeding many female every week for a few years and frank never stopped running him, died young hit by a car while hunting. If you read a Coonhound Bloodline Mag its tough to find a stud without JR in its ped.

[TomMN]

John, I don't think anyone could have said it so well without knowing first hand what they are talking about. How about telling us about some of the other houndsmen you have known through the years?

One thing that I always notice about houndsmen is that they usualy go their own way and don't care what anyone else thinks. I saw a good example on the BB board in this post by John Monkman:

"Now for the purists another glitch,they run whats ahead of them . We have a rifle season on deer here in canada and dumb me has run both mom and my male champ with success on the govt goat. We have approx 4 thou acres south that is ministry ground with no houses and few travelled roads. Chastise me but I have yet to see where it hurts the dog. I ran her on deer to get her in shape for a fall hunt in the wild in PQ that she won running hare about as quick and far as she had run deer. I understand the consequences of off game and I have been reprimanded for bringing my off game junk to a trial in the wild so pens is where its at for competition as no chance for off game."

You can disagree with Monk all you want to but chances are most of us will never own as many top hounds as he has.