BigGameHoundsmen.com

It all started with the Hound of Saintonge. The Hound of Saintonge, or Saintongeois, was a specialist at hunting wolves. They were created by crossing the black St.Hubert bloodhound, the white St.Hubert bloodhound (Talbot?),(White Hound of Kings?) and the Saintonge greyhound. Some were crossed on wolves to increase conformation, jaw power and teeth. The Saintongeios had great stamina. One account states that a pack of Saintongeois started a wolf and trailed it for 4 days until they caught and killed it. Multiple accounts were found of wolf races that lasted in the 3-4 day range. Saintongeois owners were known to be very jealous, to the point of being stingy. These hounds ran 24 – 28 inches tall, which was considered very large at that time. Because of the great amount of hunt drive, their extreme cold trailing ability and fine nose, their glued to the track nature, their ease of discipline and packing up, their noble way of carrying themselves and their tremendous ability to pass on their high quality traits, they were very valuable in making crosses. After the French revolution, there was only three remaining Saintongeois hounds in existence, a bitch and two dogs. In the mid 1800’s, Baron Joseph Latour, bred these three to the Grand Bleus of Baron Von Ruble. the first -generation offspring were of such magnificent quality that the two men continued to breed in such manner, and the resulting descendants were given the name "Grand Gascon-Saintongeois".

This is from an old article: ”we find in the Universal Sports Illustrated, 14 January 1906, this description Saintonge dog, which differs little from those given above: "The construction was impeccable, built like greyhounds, they were chest deep, slightly kidney harp, members strong, the feet strong and well made, their very expressive head was elongated and adorned with pendants bypassed and medium length. He is very disciplined and easy to pack. " "The Saintongeois resembles the greyhound" with its distinction, its deep chest, his back slightly curved and narrow ... and its gallop, which places it plain to the forefront after many hours of hunting ".

Also, this: A pack of Gascon Saintongeois of Baron de CARAYON-LATOUR had the honors of the Exposition of 1863 in the "Jardin des Tuileries." She not only won the Grand Prix of Honor packs, but the congratulations of all Veneurs and fit one of the major journals of the time. This was their first public unveiling.

And this: The race can boast of having a Grand Gascon Saintongeois ranked best subject in''Festival VICHY "to 123 packs of Grande and Petite Vénerie.

And this: The former hunting companions of M. de Saint-Légier cite extraordinary examples: "An old wolf attacked between Saintes and Blaye was taken three days in the mountains of Limousin. Nothing was more beautiful than to see the pack of M. de Saint-Légier approximate at noonday on limestone plains and barren tract of old wolf, it would sometimes run five or six leagues of decoupling. " To take an old wolf after three consecutive days of racing, it was real hard and these dogs rough dogs in a few years, were not a shadow of themselves.

By the 1980’s, there were less than 10 breeders of the Gascon Saintongeois. At present, there are less than 2,000 Gascon Saintongeois in the whole world.

Excellent reading!

These dogs are rather incredible with their rich history. This put me in mind if Montague Stevens the one armed Englishman who owned the giant Spur Ranch in New Meico in the late 1800's. He was the most successful grizzley bear hunter with hounds I have ever heard of. These were not the stunted 5-600 pound griz of the mountains. Many of these were the monster class plains or buffalo griz weighing in excess of half a ton or more. He said only the Talbot and hounds of St. Hubert had the endurance to stay with these and battle them for days at times for successful hunting. He said he had tried hounds of southern breeding and although they were very good for panther and the little bears only the bloodhounds had what it took for the big ones.

Obviously the French even perfected upon those with this cross that made for a hound that could handle the wolf hunting.

I am still rather amazed after looking at the photos of your dogs how closely they resemble some of the young dogs Bill Green had in his pack. I wonder if he ever made a trip to France or had contacts there?

I will have to ask his grandsons that same questions. That reminds me. I was thinking the other day that we had not discussed Montague on here yet. I will start a new thread on him. The word bloodhound, actually started with the term blooded hound, (high bred).

These GS act like no other hound I have been around. They have been very selectively bred for over 150 years and it shows.

Tim, I have not seen any post from African lately. How is he?

He is very well, although somewhat removed from civilization and the computer, in Africa.

Tim...Good Reading...I can't wait to learn more. I really need to get down and see the dogs..

Brady

Very good translations you achieved there Tim.Tres bon!
You been visiting the French quarter after hours?

As you can see from the following pic we have been putting in long hours this side.



I will post some more in the following weeks but here is a bit of the country we hunt.

I'am only Guessing Here but I would think that Bill Greens French hound (Shown on another Post) may have come from "French" Quebec Can. Heck they may have even come from Bear Hounds used their ??..

I wonder if John knows wether Bill ever went to France?

African, the French Quarter was supposed to be a secret!

Que es esto? Habla ustedes Ingles, por favor.

Cual era ese?

I had seriously considered trying one of these hounds but I do not think they would work for me language barrier you know? Well with my whistle if I blow it once it would be oui(Whee) two ( Whee Whee, so I can handle the yes part but now how do I blow No? non(nong) HMMM. non you dirty trash running French son of oiu. LOL!

Hmm? maybe revert to hand signals I have seen how the French wave at Americans I have that one down. LOL!