What cross is best for Jackrabbit in the Western US?

[CAcountry_boy 0]

OK, I am a total newbie when it comes to hunting with sight hounds. I live in CA USA and I am wondering what cross is best for a guy to start out hunting Jack and Cottontail using a single dog, or at most two. I spend time in the High Desert as well as the thick forest of Northern California. I have experience taking Jackrabbits with a red Tailed Hawk but no experiance with Lurchers. My canine experience centers on gun dog field trials and ranch dogs in general, with a preference for Bully breeds. (Note: my definition of ranch dog is not breed specific) Thanks for helping a guy get ready for action!

 

Regards, and thanks

 

CAcountry_boy

[Lennard 10]

Oi Countryboy,

 

If I were in CA/NM and had an interest in daytime jackrabbit I would go for a saluki cross, or pure galgo...there are some good dogs around there, you have to ask around for pups...the daytime desert types will catch you cottontails too but they are a bit big for large numbers...

 

L

[CAcountry_boy 0]

Oi Countryboy,

 

If I were in CA/NM and had an interest in daytime jackrabbit I would go for a saluki cross, or pure galgo...there are some good dogs around there, you have to ask around for pups...the daytime desert types will catch you cottontails too but they are a bit big for large numbers...

 

L

 

Like a 1/2 grey 1/2 saluki, or 3/4 grey 1/4 saluki? Which do you think would be better?

 

Thanks

 

CAcountry_boy

[Lennard 10]

I don't know...you can't tell from the "racial equation" if a dog is going to be good...when the parents do the job you have a good chance that the offspring will do it as well...when you are lucky that you can get a pup with good genes it is up to you...I would go for pure saluki or mainly saluki but there are good and bad salukis out there...I wouldn't say no to a good greyhound either...you have to see what comes up...

 

L

[tyson 1]

i would use a pure saluki or a galgo as these are bred for the type of land you would be running on , id imagine it be very hard and the saluki have the best feet in the business so do galgos , the chubasco kennel in CA may help you with a puppy as they run pure salukis on jackrabbit and cottontail

[Saluqi 0]

OK, I am a total newbie when it comes to hunting with sight hounds. I live in CA USA and I am wondering what cross is best for a guy to start out hunting Jack and Cottontail using a single dog, or at most two. I spend time in the High Desert as well as the thick forest of Northern California. I have experience taking Jackrabbits with a red Tailed Hawk but no experiance with Lurchers. My canine experience centers on gun dog field trials and ranch dogs in general, with a preference for Bully breeds. (Note: my definition of ranch dog is not breed specific) Thanks for helping a guy get ready for action!

 

Regards, and thanks

 

CAcountry_boy

 

 

Hi CAcountry Boy,

 

First off you're going to want two dogs to hunt jacks, one dog will get discouraged, as will you, because it'll never catch jacks alone. A single dog can catch the leverets, but that's hardly sporting. As for a cross, a 1/2 saluki 1/2 greyhound is a good one, like others have already said, a galgo is top notch and pure salukis are great too. Salukis are hardheaded and not everyone likes them, adding some grey makes them a bit more biddable and faster sprinters. Galgos are tough to come by, couple of folks breed them here (NM), I hear they are like salukis in personality.

 

Good Luck!

[CAcountry_boy 0]

OK, a pair of Salukis or Galgos sounds cool. (I did not know what a Galgo was so I looked em up.) I can deal with hard headed as long as it also come with smart. My favorite breed personality wise is the APBT . (I also like their hardiness and athleticism come to think of it). Between the saluki or galgo, which one do you think has more sprint? And how would they both do in wet wooded terrain? Sorry for all the questions but my experience with other field sports tells me just enough to know that i am kinda out of my element here, ya know. Fear not however, I will do plenty of homework before I run out and acquire a dog. (Possibly more homework than necessary-I am kinda OCD that way)

 

Thanks

 

CAcountry_boy

[Saluqi 0]

OK, a pair of Salukis or Galgos sounds cool. (I did not know what a Galgo was so I looked em up.) I can deal with hard headed as long as it also come with smart. My favorite breed personality wise is the APBT . (I also like their hardiness and athleticism come to think of it). Between the saluki or galgo, which one do you think has more sprint? And how would they both do in wet wooded terrain? Sorry for all the questions but my experience with other field sports tells me just enough to know that i am kinda out of my element here, ya know. Fear not however, I will do plenty of homework before I run out and acquire a dog. (Possibly more homework than necessary-I am kinda OCD that way)

 

Thanks

 

CAcountry_boy

 

Galgos have a faster sprint than salukis. I don't know that any sighthound would be good in wooded country, once they lose sight of their quarry they pull up and you might as well have a scent hound at that point. Maybe someone else has a different view on this. If you're hunting fox or coyote in wooded country there's crosses of greyhounds and fox hounds that might work, try Dutch Salmon's site:http://www.high-lonesomehounds.com/

 

Thing about pure breds is finding a breeder that will sell you a dog. A lot of saluki breeders are real particular where their dogs go, and a lot don't hunt and might expect you to show the dog. As for galgos, unless you're getting a rescue from Spain, I think they bring em over here, there aren't any breeders, it's a rare breed. There are 3 unrelated galgos close to where I live and the waiting list for their pups is pretty long I hear. If you're in ranch country there's bound to be some houndman around who hunt coyotes and jacks, those fellas have litters and are pretty good about letting dogs go to new hunters. Ask around, most are crosses of hotblood greyhounds, saluki, maybe some pitbull, border collie, or Aussie.

[CAcountry_boy 0]

Galgos have a faster sprint than salukis. I don't know that any sighthound would be good in wooded country, once they lose sight of their quarry they pull up and you might as well have a scent hound at that point. Maybe someone else has a different view on this. If you're hunting fox or coyote in wooded country there's crosses of greyhounds and fox hounds that might work, try Dutch Salmon's site:http://www.high-lonesomehounds.com/

 

Thing about pure breds is finding a breeder that will sell you a dog. A lot of saluki breeders are real particular where their dogs go, and a lot don't hunt and might expect you to show the dog. As for galgos, unless you're getting a rescue from Spain, I think they bring em over here, there aren't any breeders, it's a rare breed. There are 3 unrelated galgos close to where I live and the waiting list for their pups is pretty long I hear. If you're in ranch country there's bound to be some houndman around who hunt coyotes and jacks, those fellas have litters and are pretty good about letting dogs go to new hunters. Ask around, most are crosses of hotblood greyhounds, saluki, maybe some pitbull, border collie, or Aussie.

 

I am not too worried about hunting in thick woods, tell ya the truth I would prefer not to have to wade through the woods trying to keep pace with a dog chasing a rabbit. Light woods are good to run in. But i was thinking more along the lines of the fields bordering wooded areas. or when i'm down south the terrain will be flat or hilly desert.

 

The more I talk to people the more like the saluki or a cross is the way for me to go. Has anyone ran a saluki x galgo? Seems like it would be a good mix.

 

Thanks

 

CAcountry_boy

[sniper 30]

if i was you i would get a saluki and a galgo

[stevemac 433]

Cant beleive you guys haven't mentioned a couple of deerhound x greyhounds they do the buisness for us in our wide open spaces.

Stevemac

[Meerihunter 7]

I'd probably go for a galgo and a saluki (both bred by hunters no show stuff) , the galgo being more able to put the pressure on early on in the course and if it does'nt succeed them the saluki will follow with stamina for the long haul.

 

Also they will encourage a crossover of running styles from running together.

 

As for the cottontails and forests I run pure Salukis on rabbit (our cottontail if you like) and in forests and wooded areas with good success rates the most important thing about running sighthounds in forests is that get them out in them for pups right through growing up so the learn to deal with the obstacles when running and will teach them to scent hunt.

 

Regards

 

Mark