100% fox dogs

[TonyHunterSBT 5]

100% fox......the real deal...... I can, after 25 years pursuing this quarry, say I have only seen one, perhaps two, that I would call a real deals and it wern't me that owned them!!

Two factors IMO make the genuine article and the first sure ain't the dog..... It's the hunters 'tunnel vision', single minded pursuit of this quarry, boys that will un-flinchingly clear fields full of fat lamp shy bunnies or hares with the sound of a squeal for a shot of the 'bigger' prize and eyes at the far end of the field. Then have the skill to bring foxes in where most would fail. Add to this 4+ nights a week travelling hundreds of miles all over the country, right through a season and beyond.... Put that ammount of skill and effort in, couple it with the 'right' hound and there lies the stuff of legend.

 

So what makes the right dog? As stated before, heart, plus brains and the same single minded goal of his owner. I have seen these dogs, dogs that almost look 'shabby' in the kennel, fair on bunnies, fair on hares and might have hit a few with 'handle bars' but see them big shiny eyes coming in and something very special happens.......

Single minded..... I have watched these clued up hounds walk into a field, off-slip, the beam shines around, full of ruby eyes, not on the menu, not a flicker from the dog. Along the hedge and under a tree, a 'click' from the owner an this hound moves alongside then takes position between his legs. Call screaming, lamp scanning and still no restraint. Hit them big eyes an Dr Jeckyle becomes Mr Hyde.

Knowing how to run to catch........ Oh yes, speed is required but its never just about that, all good dogs that are used to pursue one quarry over others will develope, reading and anticipating 'the moves'. Foxes turn well, so a excellent strike is needed and for the 'numbers', a real 'when the chips are down' striker.

So we strike..... Again, knowing 'the moves', hitting hard and finishing the job with a shake or two is always the 'right' result, especially for the numbers game but wherever that dog has gotten hold to make the catch, you can rest assured, thats a dead fox, no matter how much punishment the dog takes to finish the job, though that dosen't mean they welcome the pain but it's never gonna stop 'em!

Rip's, tear's, punctures and breaks, if your not on your game and checking, these dogs will almost never let you know, for them it's always the next field!

 

Cheers

 

Got to say pal, u should be a writer that verse had me gripped, great stuff!!

 

Tony

[Cold Ethyl 63]

Neither of my long legs have ever let me down they have always given 100% and done as ive asked and more sometimes lol.The Big black lad is a nutter wont give up for life nor money none of them do even the old terrier thinks she can take on a lion and would have a bloody good go

[hunt and fish 35]

I no im going into something different here but whats the smallest dog youv had that done them regular..im not talking 7 a night like these dogs i just mean week in week out.

[pattfell 1]

a bull gray v fox is no match to be honest and is no real test.av seen mogy cats put up better fight than some foxes.and doing 8 foxes is a good amount but most bull grays bred of off decent bulls not shity untested curs would do the exact same if u could be arsed walkin al night to do so.

[stewie 3,387]

tonight i went with a couple of mates to pick some pups up from a dog that a few lads round here class as the "Real Deal", this dog was 100% on fox and deer in his day, killing stacks of foxes and deer week in week out single handed, he was a numbers dog, that killed a few in the night on many occasions, his personal best was 8 all single handed and in the same night.

imo this is what i would class as a 100% fox dog, not the 1 a week dog that so many class as "very hard", or "game as f**k" etc etc...i also know that most dogs that could kill foxes were'nt tested to the limit for many different reasons, sometimes a bit of common sense on the owners side aswell, because we've all seen dogs that can kill a fox or two but they take tons of punishment doing so, these dogs are limited to one or two usually.

 

so my question is this: what would you class as a 100% fox dog ?, what would you have looked for in a dog ?...size ?, breed ?, style ? etc...and has anyone ever had or been out with your ideal fox dog...maybe if you had the pick of any dog/bitch to own or breed from, whether there still alive today or long gone what would it be ?

i have my own answers/oppinions, i'd just like to know everyone else's ?.

this question is hard to answer imo 8 foxes in one area could be half the size of others in another area 8 old vixens would be alot easier to kill than 8 dog foxes in there prime and testosterone pumping through their veins BUT ive never seen a dog kill that many in a week never mind a night so i guess if that dog went to the grave never turning its head on a fox and doing numbers like that as long as it was physically possible to do so then yes you got a 100% fox dog but you have to remember most people dont have the time to test a dog like that with work and family commitments etc yes its good to prove a dog can do it but if circumstances mean that man cant do it doesnt mean his dog cant do it

[coney clucky 93]

IVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF OWNING TWO GREAT FOX DOGS THE FIRST WAS TARN A HANCOCK BRED 5/8 3/8 BEARDI BORDER GREYHOUND HE WAS A BE LTER FOX KILLER 4 OR 5 A NIGHT NO PROBLEM AND DIDNT GET TO MARKED UP THE SECOND OF MY DOGS WAS FRED A 5/8 /38 BULL CROSS HE WAS A ANIMAL ON OWT THAT BITE BACK AND LOVED TO CHEW A FOX HE ALSO OFTEN TOOK 4 AND 5 FOX A NIGHT PLUS OTHER THINGS

[Catcher 1 639]

My old foxer...retired now 10yr old and not an ounce of bull in her...3/4 grey 1/8 border 1/8 beardie

 

 

In Its pre-ban days.Never seen anything that could match it.

[moondog 9]

My old foxer...retired now 10yr old and not an ounce of bull in her...3/4 grey 1/8 border 1/8 beardie

i do like a good hard collie grey.bet he done some work in his day