your thoughts on curs

ccinso

New member
hey guys: im fairly new to running my own dogs. Ive got a couple of jagd males, a walker female and a border collie male
that I run as a lurcher. I hunt coon and grays for the most part with a bob thrown in once in a while. Im pretty happy with my jagds but not sure about my walker yet. Been thinking about somthing different and considering curs. Im looking for something with medium nose and medium range and that has a voice at the tree because my jagds are pretty well silent unless they can see it, and maybe some smarts to boot.
I honestly dont know alot about curs, or types of curs and
was wondering if any of you guys had any suggestions. or thoughts as to wether a cur might be a good fit or maybe stick to hounds.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts

casey
 
I have some Cur crosses. I live in Eastern OR.
Your welcome to come over, and see my dogs.
They seem to get the job done. Duane
 
We've used curs for a long time on coons, and are starting the young pups on bobcats. They're doing real well. The ones I've hunted with have all been silent on track, which can be nice so you don't run everything out of the country.
 
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curs oughta fit the nose and range you're lookin for, just gotta get the right ones. there's some with really good noses, and some without. sounds like a trip to Duane's would be worthwhile.
 
Casey, all of the curs I've seen were Kemmer stock from Striker lines, more or less. Most were medium nosed and some had better. All were open on track and tree and most had average grit for a mid sized dog. The things I liked most about them was their athleticism and handling/manners. They were all good dogs to be around and I can't remember any that were too hard headed. Good luck.
 
I have never hunted with them, but a buddy of mine uses them. He is pleased with how they work. He said they are easy enough to get started and they dont range to far, that is his main reason for having them. Plus they are good at the home front.

I hunt Jagds myself, and I would say they are the most stubborn I have ever hunted with.

Tim
 
Having a Jagd (hunted with a few others) and had both hounds and curs I'll say a cur can do anything above ground a hound or Jagd will do cept run a cold track. I've heard of curs that can run a cold track but never seen it and most strains aren't bred for it. I'll even go as far as to say that a cur will do most things above ground BETTER than a hound or Jagd. The average cur is smarter than the average hound and handles better.

But you have to watch out. With curs it seems they are an all or nothing sorta thing. There is not much in between, they either hunt very well or not at all from what I've seen. Make sure to see the parents hunt and do lot's of checking on it's background. They are definetly not all created equal.

I might also add that if I lived in the same state as Duane he'd have to build a room on to his house I'd be there so often. If ya get the chance, go see his dogs!

CB
 
I would agree, take Duane up on his offer!!! I guess i should let the cat outta the bag. I'm planning a 1 way trip to Duanes in 2 weeks!! He just doesn't know it yet. Haha!! I've got a pup outta Duane's Stock and she handles great and is a joy to be around.
 
Thanks for all your replies. I appreciate it, kinda sounds like a cur might be the ticket. It seems like hounds and even my jagds are kinda single minded dogs when it comes to hunting and Id like something like my collie that handles well enough I can keep it with me at work and when I get a chance hunt em. Id have to chain my dogs to every fence post or irrigation pipe I come to just to keep em around. heck id like to even try a cur in the workin corrals.

Duane: thanks for the offer. Id like to to take you up on it maybe later this winter when the roads get better so I could drive my wifes car(not so much fuel) out of curiosity what kind of curs or crosses are you runnin?

Tim: I know what you mean about head strong. But they sure
are fun little dogs, and nothing can keep up wth em in the berry vines.

so for Ive heard kemmer and striker bred, but what about
black mouth, mountain or leapards? theres probably a bunch
Ive never heard about. do you guys recomend one over another?

casey
 
Originally Posted By: ccinso

so for Ive heard kemmer and striker bred, but what about
black mouth, mountain or leapards? theres probably a bunch
Ive never heard about. do you guys recomend one over another?

casey

now you're opening a whole new can of worms! i've had cur dogs my whole life, and my family has had them for about 40 years. (mostly catahoula/leopard dogs) there is even a lot of discussion as to the merrits of, and difference between, the leopard cur, and the catahoula.(there are separate registries now) ours were never registered, we just called them "leopard dogs", and bred what worked for us.

catahoulas, BMC, and leopard curs, are generally used more for bay dogs on bigger, rougher game/stock, and tend to be grittier, but may not have as much nose as kemmers and mountain curs, which may have more "hunt" and nose, but may not be as gritty, and are used more often for tree dogs.

now before you guys flame me, i know there are lines of cats and BMC's with great noses and i'm sure there are kemmers and mountain curs that are gritty SOB's, but this has been my experience.

you just need to find the particular line of dogs that fits your needs, whichever breed it is.


 
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Plink, just to "open the can bigger", I cross Catahoulla stud, on a Kemmer/Walker cross [beeep], Or a Mountain Cur [beeep]. I think you have seen pics and/or video of pups.
How bout that for trying to build a good line of dogs?
Cinso, whenever you wanna come play, just let me know, yotes are gonna get real "wired" for the decoy dogs, by mid Feb. I have some out of state hunting to do, so be sure to get in touch with me, and let me know when works for ya.
Jeremy, you can stay as long as you like, but you gotta, ride out, or work afoot, in the corrals. No "free pass" for man or beast on this outfit.
 
Duane, great minds think alike.
grin.gif
i basically have 2 lines of cat x dogs that i have been crossing on each other. i line is cat with a little ridgeback, hound, and BMC. the other is cat and mountain cur. both lines are probably 3/4-7/8 cat by now.
 
Wow, I am amazed. All this good advice and not one person has asked what you are going to use the dog on.....
Tell us what you are going to use it on and maybe we could get you some BETTER advice.
There are certin dogs bred to do different jobs, even within the cur breeds.
When you ask a blank question like you have done and everyone chimes in with a certain breed.....BEWARE. lol
 
Devin:
not trying to stir anything but in my OP I did say that I hunt coons, fox and bobcat when I stumble across one. even
though, after tonight im starting to rethink about fox, and focus on coon
If you have any recomendations or advice Id love to hear it.
like I said I dont know much about curs so Im all ears.

thanks
casey
 
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Originally Posted By: Devin69Wow, I am amazed. All this good advice and not one person has asked what you are going to use the dog on.....
Tell us what you are going to use it on and maybe we could get you some BETTER advice.
There are certin dogs bred to do different jobs, even within the cur breeds.
When you ask a blank question like you have done and everyone chimes in with a certain breed.....BEWARE. lol

?????

from the OP."....fairly new.....I hunt coons and grays..... bob thrown in once in a while.....medium nose and medium range.....voice at the tree.....maybe some smarts.....any of you guys have any suggestions.....

seemed pretty straight forward to me. and i didnt see one recommendation of a specific breed, just everyone's personal experiences with what they had, and an invitation to go watch some work in person.

 
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Sorry, was not sure that is what you were going to use it on.
I like Duane, use different dogs on treeable game. It is pretty hard to beat a dog at his own game. I know guys that do it but they will tell you that their curs are no hounds.
In my oppinion a cur is a Jack of all trades and a master of None. So in other words if you are not too serious about the game you are playing then get a cur and you may just get that gem you are looking for. But if you are very serious and want to increase your chances of getting that gem then get the dog that has been bred to do it and do it well.
As far as a handle, my hounds mind me just as good as my curs, maybe better. It is all in the training.
You are picking some of the hardest game to tree (bobcat and greyfox). I think it all depends on how successful you want to be at it.
I think if you are stuck on a cur then I would look into a Leopard cur, I think you will find more natural tracking and trailing abilities in them more than any other cur.
I know a very good Leopard cur breeder in Califonia and in Colorado, their lines come from John Wick ( Walk with Wick). I have had a few of them and they were nice dogs, but again they were no hound, but closer than any cur I have hunted with.
Good luck, If I can help let me know. Devin
 
Devin makes a great point. If you want a hound, a cur is not a hound.(at least my crosses are not). They will tree, and "blow the top out of it", but on tree game, I usually,let the hounds get something started, and use these dogs to add pressure. I use my crosses mostly to hunt coyotes,and other game on the ground, and they work well for that.
They will run a fresh track in the snow, but most any dog will do that.Do lots of research, before you get any thing.
 
Thanks duane and devin
Thats one of the perspectives I was looking for. I live and work on a small 3500 acre ranch surrounded by 90% private ground. We have about 2 miles of river front and thats mainly what I hunt on with an occasional trip up in the mountains. Its nice because I usually leave the house with
the dogs on the box. and thats why Im looking for med range.
Ive never had a serious race on a bobcat but Ive see them alot on the place. we have a ton of greys too but im startin to rethink wether I should run em, right now I dont think ive got good enough dogs to put one in a tree and usually just waste time. So my main focus for now is coon. and probably continue to focus on em. Im not in a hurry right now, I think Ill finish the season with what ive got.

thanks for all your replies. and if anyone has anything to add Id love to here it.

casey


 
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I didn't notice if you said you were a caller.Those greys are about the easiest things to get to respond to a call.If you aren't, give it a try.Greyfox can be a blast. They come in quick if they are in the area.
 
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