The evolution of a houndsman

[pcable]

First of all, great post!
I too have evolved over the years. When I was growing up I had pretty good beagles. I killed alot of rabbits from them. They were all grade dogs of course. One even came in as a stray and turned out to be a great little rabbit dog and family pet! We kept her bloodline for years until about the time I went to college. After losing my old line of dogs I went through alot of grade dogs and couldn't find anything that suited me so I quit beagling for awhile. I raised coonhounds and English setters for a while, then a friend of mine got me back into the beagles. I got my first registered dogs and remembered how much I loved it. Since them I've went thru a load of different dogs and bloodlines. Not to mention learned alot about them. All in all though, I guess I'm happier with what I have right now than I've ever been. I like a dog that has extreme hunt, good foot, and shows alot of brains to go with it. They might not satisfy everyone else but they make me happy! I think we expect perfection out of our dogs, but we forget that they are just like us in that they have good days and bad days too. If we can always remember that we'll be alot more happy with these little hounds that we all love to hunt with!!!

[Tonyallen83]

Augerhead, I love your ideas and they are correct in theory but we live in the real world if you are waiting on the perfect hound you will die of old age. I think for some, hunting intertwines with our personality I know you vaguely and I am afraid it you were able to sit down on your computer and type up your perfect hound then print it off you would hunt it several times than become bored with it and sell it to Buck. I think for you hunting is like chasing women for some it's not about the quantity or quality it's all about the chase. You would rather buy one off of the chain and take a chance than try one and buy it. I'm not degrading your style because it allows some of us who deal with you to obtain nice young dogs at discount prices all I'm saying is some of us would rather find a good ole girl that's dependable rather than chase the next flashy one we see JMO.

[pilotknob]

Good post Augerhead,I've been running beagles about 40 yrs.now and I'm still evolving.I've never had a perfect hound in my eyes.There have been some that other people owned that at the time I thought were perfect.I've had a few that others thought were.My idea of a good hound has remained pretty consistant for the last 30 yrs.The first 10 I was looking to get dogs that could smoke my uncles best dogs,got some that could do it but calling them rough would have been a complement.The older I get my concept of speed and line control has been the thing that has changed the most.I don't trial much anymore still go to a few just to see whats out there.I've come to regard a check that lasts for any length of time as a mistake,it's good to have a dog that can straighten out the tough ones but most checks are due to some faults the dogs bring to the race.We have a state wildlife area close by that people have been running dogs on for 30+yrs you can't hunt only run dogs.The rabbits there have been culled to the point that only the tricky have survived,the little ones are born tricky.You can take a pack of upper med.speed hounds over there and if they get compeditive and have a few 2-3 min.checks they will never lock on and be able to stay up close to the rabbit it will be run,check,run,check untill the rabbit has enough time to pull something really good.Go to the same place with a pack that is a little slower,less compeditive and control the line with few or no checks and in about 1hr.if the rabbit dosn't go in a hole it runs a risk of being caught.I love a fast dog as much as anyone and more than most.Speed has always been my downfall,I've had alot of fast dogs over the years very few that could do it right.The management area I spoke of has regular mid-west hunts and many on this board that trial have most likely run there.

[augerhead]

Tony, You are probably right I do become bored quickly, and the chase is half the fun.


Pilotknob, I agree totally with your views, good one, speed kills, it can be a real problem. You stated you have owned very few fast hounds that can do it right, me to but those few are the ones I am interested in, the upper 2%. Don't get the idea that I have a kennel full of super dogs I don't, and perfection I know is not likely. But I don't think it's wrong to want super dogs, or not settle for dogs that don't turn my crank. Maybe later in my life I will change, but right now I expect a lot out of a RABBIT DOG!

[augerhead]

John W., I think I started somehere around 16 years old maybe got serious about 19. I am now 49 and run dogs year round average probably 4 times a week over a year. Except during deer season. John the first part of the evolution was reall fast, from the time I started until I keep decent dogs maybe a couple years. I am talking way deeper than running a rabbit or hunting good. I am talking about the total package. To stay long at my place they need to do something that excites me, just follow along behind a rabbit barking dosen't cut it anymore.

[bucks better beagles]

On the mountains of truth you can never climb in vain: either you will reach a point higher up today, or you will be training your powers so that you will be able to climb higher tomorrow. -Friedrich Nietzsche, philosopher (1844-1900)

The truth is it is the journey that you seek TC. The search turns you on like adrenaline to a warrior in battle. If it wasn't beagles, it would be something else. Your nose is constantly in the wind searching for the "next big thing". I know the feeling.

[gun runner]

I started when i was 18 and just had good old dogs that could run a rabbit and i was happy with that.Then went threw bad devoice and had to get ride of my dogs.So got out for about 15 years and then one day i heard a pack of hounds running and something click in me and before you knew it i was heading to KY and getting dogs.i also wanted to try some field trials and have a FC dog in my kennel that i earned but do not get to go to alot of trials.I have a speedy sport male that will fly and no matter what he will take the front most of the time and do a good job,but when scenting is bad he is rough around the edges.But when i took him to a trail were it was hot and dry and the scenting was bad every body like him and i thought he ran like sh#t.He is just one of them dogs that want to be the alpha dog in any pack and i do not mind it as long as he is right most of the time.

[augerhead]

Another thought just crossed my mind, my evolution started with a dog named Grady. I bred a solid rabbit dog {nothing fancy} to a northway female and got a male pup named Grady. At 5mhts old he could jump and run his own track, in the wild as good as alot of made dogs. He made it look easy, I've called Grady to me before to put him on a track that several dogs had cranked on for quite awhile and couldn't straighten,with out even a hesitation, no head down, he floated, just had a real nack, a sence of direction for running a rabbit. At 1year old he would beat most and compete with any, with style and very few faults. He was the beggining of my higher expectations. If you have not had the luck to have something like him then evolving would be more difficult. The sire to Grady I thought was as good as they get until his pup at 1 or 1/2 years old was totally dominating him.I guess what I am trying to say is this with out Grady I would have really liked alot of the dogs I have had over the years, some of those little things that bother me now probably wouldn't. JMO Out of hundreds of beagles there has been only a couple that I have owned that could measure up to him.

[BLACKBART]

Evolution or regression. This is sometimes more the the answer to the question. I have seen several men own a great hound and later be satisfied with an average dog. Problem being they could not find the same caliber of dog and decided to settle for less.
I have know problem with this if a man truly is still looking to better himself,but when he begins to brag on the average dog he has
now like he did the superior dog then I question his mind set.
Progression or regression, think on it boys,it is a good question.
Ask yourself WHICH WAY AM I GOING AND BE HONEST WITH YOUR SELF!!!!!

[augerhead]

Good thought BB.