Black & Tans for Big Game

[Justaguy]

Hi Guys,

I have always liked Black and Tans and I plan on getting back into hounds in the next year or so when I retire. I really do not want to start a pissing contest nor do I want to start any fights concerning different blood lines but would like a little advice or knowledge on a few lines I have found.

But first let me say I will run mostly bobcats with a few coon when cat season is closed. I live in the western United States and will remain here and will very lilely end up in SW Oregon or Northen California so you know what kind of ground I will be hunting. Also I am not color blind and will more than likely have walkers and english in my pack when it is all said and done. But at this moment I am focusing on the B&Ts. Enough info..

It seems that there are a few lines that suit cat hunting and they are Three Times Albert dogs out of Gene Hicks line, Ken Duncan's Black and Tans and I keep picking up tid bits of info on a line "Trackdown Kennels" but it is only a line or two here and there and I have yet to see any real info or who has the line of dog. I would also like to through in one last line and that would be the wagner line out of the nighthawk kennels. Now if I understand correctly the old wagner line was one of the first to try and bring down the size of the old B&T's. Also my understanding is that all these above mentioned lines are the lighter smaller B&Ts (males 65-75 & Females 50-60) when in hunting shape.

I would like to hear any and all comments or experiences (good & Bad) or suggestions of a line better than these if you have one.

Thanks

Joe

[elkheadb&t]

I have been hunting a male that is Three Time Albert x Duncan and female that is three Time Albert x Schenker. They have been doing a nice job on cats for me in the middle to south west Oregon. You are right in there on the build and weight on these dogs. Both are med. to cold nosed, The male is a good box dog and solid tree dog while the female seems to push a track a little harder, she does locate and tree just not as hard.Hope this helps good luck.

[oakridge]

I have been hunting a male that is Three Time Albert x Duncan and female that is three Time Albert x Schenker. They have been doing a nice job on cats for me in the middle to south west Oregon. You are right in there on the build and weight on these dogs. Both are med. to cold nosed, The male is a good box dog and solid tree dog while the female seems to push a track a little harder, she does locate and tree just not as hard.Hope this helps good luck.

I hunt the old black and tans and have for many years. I have a friend that has a full duncan dog that does a good job on coon and bobcat. The dog started young and has done a good job for him.

[Justaguy]

Thanks Guys for the info your comments just re-inforce my preliminary findings. Retiring just can not seem to get here quick enough.
Are any of you guys running any of the Wagner blood line out of Iowa or have any info on the Track Down line?

[Machias]

Cody and LeRee run B&Ts on cats and have some outstanding dogs. They are in Western MT. Super nice people, here's there website: http://www.royaltine.com/forum/

[Houndhead]

The Trackdown dogs are owned by Merold Mohni from Isanti,MN.
I have not heard much about them lately.

I just discovered that he lives in Prairie Farm, WI. tel:715-455-1661.

[Morton Creek Hounds]

I love my B&Ts. we primarily coon hunt, but our dogs are used some on bear and have done a nice job when called on. Our dogs are a blend of Gene Hick's Albert bred dogs and different lines going back to Dale Sowder's bloodlines out of Kentucky (Combs & Smith Smokey, Chenoweth's Smokey II, Lamb's, Hasty's, and Mink/Minkland dogs all going back to Sowder blood). But instead of talkng up my own mutts, I'll give you some names and numbers of folks in the B&T Association Yearbook that feature their dogs on big game stuff...

Trackdown Kennels (Wisconsin): Merold and Cathy Mohni 715-455-1661

Headrick's B&Ts (Georgia): James & Dwayne Headrick 706-635-5882 (these are bred from the old Wagner/Niterider dogs)

Northern Nightrider Kennel (Wisconsin): Vince Murphy 920-826-7534 (more Niterider breeding)

Chris Dansereau (Massachusetts) 413-563-4005 (more Trackdown bred dogs)

D.W. Dixon (Kentucky) 606-297-4234

Ken Duncan (Utah) 801-876-3312

Of these dogs the Trackdown dogs, Dixon's dogs, and Duncan's dogs are big game dogs first and foremost. Ken Duncan has been running and treeing cats, lions, and bears with his dogs out West for a long time and has a good reputation and is closest to your part of the world. Hope this helps. These numbers are from Yearbook ads from this year and years past. Best of luck. Hope you find a B&T you like and stick with them!