best breed for bear

[Plotts]

One reason there is such a separation between Plottdog hunters and hound hunters is just simply that Plotts are not hounds. The Plott breed went through a "hound" phase back in the Brandenberger days when Dale was promoting a houndy type dog named Pioneer Drum to the general public that owned hounds. The Cur type Plott was not as marketable as the houndy looking Plott with big ears and a bawl mouth. Drums influence was a virus that spread through the breed almost to its' demise.

Fortunatley, not all Plott breeders fell into this trap, and there are several strains of Plott today that do not show Drum and are more "pure" than other strains.

All hound strains trace their ansestory back to the English Fox hound. The Plott does not; and the Plott is a different dog altogether. The terms Plott and hound should not be used together.

So what has happened is that there has become an internal quarrel in the tree game hunting community; those with hounds and those with Plottdogs. Why its such a big deal I'm not sure, but it is certainly there from reading this tread. Its been said before, but the reality is if it makes you happy, then its the best for you.

The other thing about this tread is I think that there is a problem with the definition of a bear dog. Some will define beardog as any dog that trails and will tree on a bear (pretty broad). Others will reserve this title for only the very best of the best. Where it gets fuzzy is that there is a variety of terrain, conditions, opportunity, and circumstances in bearhunting throughout the country, so its hard to judge one dog against the next for comparision. Throw in the fact that most houndsmen are pretty secretive, self defensive, competitive, and have a general dislike for each other and it gets worse.

I'll agree with Smiley that most hunters are content with mediocre dogs because thats' all they know. Mine are mediocre; they get the job done most of the time but in reality they are not superstars. Are mine beardogs? Depends on who you talk to; to me they are just dogs that get the job done. I'm not going to put a label like that on them just yet. By comparison, I know a guy that is new to hounds and he has 12 beardogs!

Kind of like NBA basketball players. Sure there are lots of overpaid athletes in the league that are enough quality to be on a roster. Are they basketball players; heck ya! But then there are the Kobe's and LeBrons' and the MJ's that are the real basketball players and they are in an entirely different league than the rest of their peers. To lump them all in the same category is decieving.

[Catch]

Fortunatley, not all Plott breeders fell into this trap, and there are several strains of Plott today that do not show Drum and are more "pure" than other strains.


You have my attention. Who has these pure Plotts you are talking about?

[Plotts]

I never said anyone had pure Plotts.

If you read what I said and take it in the context it was intended; I referred to Plott breeders of the 40's, who did not fall into the long eared, bawl mouthed craze of the time.

[Catch]

Ok, you still have my attention.

Who has the purest plotts out there?

[Plotts]

To answer that you would have to tell me what a pure plott is.

Furthermore, 'pure' is definitive and factual; 'purest' is subjective.

[larry]

[Catch]

[bearhuntingirl]

i like walkers. black and tans are good too. my dog is a black and tan walker mix

[Rodrigo]

[Rodrigo]

[larry]

[bearhntwi]

[Smiley]

I guess plott guy's do not have the market cornered after all

[Rodrigo]

[Smiley]

Rodrigo your funny man where do you pull this out of. Oh wait i know .