Harrier Or Foxhound

[milliken 791]

in one the recent topics there has been abit of talk about the drive of the harriers personally im a foxhound man i started out with harriers and there crosses more so because thats all i could get my hands on at the time now i had some decent hunting but each time i had them out i just wanted to pull my hair out they would hunt most things and i just could not stop them hunting hares

 

now i must admit they where older hounds when i got them and entered a couple pups along side them in turn the older dogs help destory the pups thinking back now if id of just started out with a couple of pup im sure id have a few harriers now

 

i just find the foxhound suits me better ive far more control and its alot easyer to keep them true to fox i do feel they lack the drive of the harrier along with the voice but i put up with it knowing im not gonna see my hounds flying over the hills on a hare or deer and everything im shouting falling on deaf ears

 

so what type of hounds do yous all prefair

 

does anyone know a pack of harrier that are fox only ?

 

 

 

 

[whippet 99 2,613]

theres loads of fox packs which hunt harriers , the ones iseen tho have some fox hound just too steady them up......

be honest its all about your hunting country and fast hunting out on the open plains would suit the harrier more ......

welsh and fox hounds are more steady than the moderns and harriers, and have there uses for drawing thick cover , and being that much steady would hunt hills better as there slower , modern hounds from what i seen all ways too quick and over running taking the majority of the pack with them

alot of so called harrier packs got bits of all sorts , huntsman drafting there own hounds inn when leaving different hunts

[derekbrown 176]

Good few harrier packs Munster area that hunt fox only,all the ones I know would have a few foxhounds mixed through though

[foxbolter 447]

Hounds to suit your country. Hares and harriers don't mix when hounds are running around the country hunting things you don't want them to hunt their disturbing the things you want them to hunt ruining the plan of the day . But a touch of harrier in the breeding can improve the nose of a hound in my opinion.

[harrier 46]

We hunt pure harriers so do all the packs around us, they suit our country and our quarry...the hare. It's whatever suits ones needs. I would have to see someone's country to see what hound suits them. I'll always be a harrier man but while we're on the subject of hound types I know a pack of beagles that are very effective at accounting for foxes.

[foxbolter 447]

Harrier I was talking of hunting foxes sorry .I think you wouldn't get a better hound to hunt hare on any country than the harrier. I would never waste my time going to watch a beagle pack hunting fox spend half the day hunting rabbits and squirrel they would be no comparison to a half tidy pack of foxhounds. I can see exactly where miliken is coming from with harriers

[harrier 46]

Miliken is 100 percent and I understand what he's saying. Harriers can be hard work to manage unless given a lot of running. Foxhounds carry a bit more sense for Fox work and are bred for it. I just said id mention the beagle because a lot of people have them or hounds with a bit of beagle in them and they always look to be an addition.

[Goliath 4]

this is an argument that will run and run because its all down to personal choice... for me its harriers all day long....i keep a few foxhounds but they have only one purpose on a hunt an thats to mark to ground at the end...they do be under pressure trying to stay wit the harriers if ur having a good day an the biggest problem is them jacking..also they are very soft when it comes to wire... we start at 9 30am an go to dark... u will hear people sayin this foxhound pack is flying an that pack is flying but when u inquire more they dont start till 12 an gone home by 3 30... thats what they are suitable for few hours out....when u get a very good day out with harriers u have a day that u will never forget.... foxhounds just dont excite me with there poor voice

[foxbolter 447]

Goliath I appreciate what your saying also what harrier is saying I understand because I haven't got tunnel vision. Goliath don't your harriers mark because I've seen many that do I don't think I've ever seen any cold mark but I'm sure they will just haven't been with them enough perhaps and what is it with foxhounds and the electric fences I've heard a few mention about this is it because they shy off them being soft the harrier doesn't

[milliken 791]

this is an argument that will run and run because its all down to personal choice... for me its harriers all day long....i keep a few foxhounds but they have only one purpose on a hunt an thats to mark to ground at the end...they do be under pressure trying to stay wit the harriers if ur having a good day an the biggest problem is them jacking..also they are very soft when it comes to wire... we start at 9 30am an go to dark... u will hear people sayin this foxhound pack is flying an that pack is flying but when u inquire more they dont start till 12 an gone home by 3 30... thats what they are suitable for few hours out....when u get a very good day out with harriers u have a day that u will never forget.... foxhounds just dont excite me with there poor voice

goliath are own pack start at 8 or 830 and finish most days round dark and if i thought any of them would jack they sure as hell would not be there but then again they get excercised ever day and in summer get biked for 4 or 5 miles each day just to take the edge of them so they are right and fit

i know the mounted foxhound packs are only out few hour i watched a local pack on boxing day and id say they spent half hour in the field the rest was spent trotting round roads

[fox digger 1,086]

Harrier I was talking of hunting foxes sorry .I think you wouldn't get a better hound to hunt hare on any country than the harrier. I would never waste my time going to watch a beagle pack hunting fox spend half the day hunting rabbits and squirrel they would be no comparison to a half tidy pack of foxhounds. I can see exactly where miliken is coming from with harriers

 

 

You obviously havent much experience with beagle packs! We have a pack and hunt fox only and have alot of foxes accounted for this season, more than some of the foxhound and harrier packs close to us. Granted some of them were days with lurchers but majority were open country hunted. Havent seen one to hunt a squirrel yet.... The majority of lads hunting the harrier packs here in ireland run an odd foxhound with them to steady them at a mark and keep them put, otherwise they have a tendancy to try cast on for another one instead. But in my opinion you won't get a better day than out with a pack of well educated and mannered harriers. They will make the ground shake with voice and cover country at a rate of knots

[fox digger 1,086]

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[Goliath 4]

what type foxhound do u keep milken because one thing for sure is not too many of them would stick a long day like that in our country here where it is open with very little cover.... also throw them same foxhounds in with harriers an u could see different story....i guarantee u in the evening they wont be doing much hunting they will be just triying yo stay with the harriers...dont get me wrong there is an odd freak out there thats tough as nails but in my expierence they are like hens teeth..... last season i entered 12 old english bred out of good stuff an finished with 4 at end of season.... all hunted but were not able for the hardship.... some of the 4 could jack next season.... they are hard work but my harriers are very poor to mark so thats why i need a few foxhounds with them

[foxbolter 447]

Fox digger I have had experience with beagle packs other wise I wouldn't pass comments obviously you have your fun using your beagle to bush for waiting luchers that's not hunting I would be interested in. Just answer me one question I've seen many good packs in different countries some have a bit of English hound introduced in the pack of what ever type of hound their hunting some introduced Welsh some fell and so on how come they never introduced beagle? When you say about your local horse packs my original post was of tidy packs of foxhounds I wouldn't go outside the front door to watch my local horse pack pass by there's many that a waste of time . Just one more thing I was talking of beagles something tells me there's harrier in the beagles you hunt with am I correct?

[fox digger 1,086]

Fox digger I have had experience with beagle packs other wise I wouldn't pass comments obviously you have your fun using your beagle to bush for waiting luchers that's not hunting I would be interested in. Just answer me one question I've seen many good packs in different countries some have a bit of English hound introduced in the pack of what ever type of hound their hunting some introduced Welsh some fell and so on how come they never introduced beagle? When you say about your local horse packs my original post was of tidy packs of foxhounds I wouldn't go outside the front door to watch my local horse pack pass by there's many that a waste of time . Just one more thing I was talking of beagles something tells me there's harrier in the beagles you hunt with am I correct?

 

No your not correct in saying there is harrier in any of our beagles. It's only occasionally we run to lurchers, the majority of our hunting is beagles only. They are faster than any harriers or fox hounds in tight cover and search better in that environment. The reason beagle isn't introduced is clearly down to speed in my opinion. There are some other packs about with beagle harrier crosses and they are serious but too highly strung for me. I hunted some of our better beagles for two seasons clubbing with a very we'll know harrier pack with a very good name in order to entice the younger dogs into tighter covert and improve the marks. On the open country hunts it was obvious the lack of leg was a hinderance to the beagles but at a check they would arrive and set it straight quicker and at the mark they were never too far behind in arriving at it and getting the harriers wound up. I'm far from an expect, I'm only a fool that hunts dogs the way it pleases me but the 14/15 beagles we run defiantly aren't a waste of time firstly, hunt squirrels secondly and finally are more than capable of lifting there fox and putting enough pressure on him to make him drop in. Our last day of the season stands out because we covered many a mile on the same fox and put him in on 3 occasions in holes that were a good distance from each other. Proof enough for most that they are able to do what they were bred for many many years ago by men and women that knew a lot more about it than you or I!.