BigGameHoundsmen.com

And to clarify my statement, I was not in anyway shape or form, advocating a bird dog cross of any kind. Just stirring the pot so to speak. A short history lesson will prove the evolution of the biggame hound and the reasons why. If a guy can't find what he needs in the modern BGH, then some more looking is in order... they do exist.

Aint you guys ever see a dog point at a lion and 20 minutes later tree a buncha chukar

A close hunting dog can be useful in certain areas for some people.....many of us do not need outfitter/trial power dogs and all the stuff that goes with it.... there is a long history in BC of the use of collies and airdales and spaniels before hounds. A close hunting dog is especially useful in areas thick with wolf.

Seriously one cross that I do make and know alot of other people do to is crossing triggs or running walkers in with a well bred tree dog. Unless you are hunting country that wont hold scent and need a very cold nosed dog these trigg crosses are my favorite as they can really fly on game.
When I was in highschool looking for a "well started pup that would run a track" (be careful how you ask a question when dealing with a dog trader he he) I bought a 1 1/2 year old blue tick/GSP cross. The guy gaurenteed me she would run her own track and was a treeing machine. Boy she would tree like crazy. And she would run a track. She would put her foot down. Bark 5-10 time. Take another step and bark some more. Took her 30 minutes to move 100 ft.
The old timers that I talked to in the past here in Ca said that crossing hounds with bird dogs gave them more brains, handled better, and helped them wind game/tracks better. I don't know how true any of it is.

Ben Lilly's Tales edited by Neil Carmony
basically a reprint of his diaries.

well i think a dog that can point a bird in dry stubble wheat field in kansas from 25/ 30 yds would sure be nice to put that into a gritty hard treeing hound might consider crossing my pointer in on some of this never really thougt about that i know hes got a nose and never ending stamina i like that gaurdrail/cameron thats right ah.

Seems like everyone wants to clarify their last statement so ill do the same. I was refering to hog dogs and hog dogs only when it comes to mixing breeds. The treeing dogs I leave to the rest of you as I am uneducated in the matter. Im just throwing out the hog dogger perspective. Mike Leonard, were you refering to Pete Scardina when you were talking about an old timer Pete from california??

I can't say for sure but the cross I made last year seems to be working for me. The sire is a black and tan and the dame is 1/2 border collie 1/4 german shepard and 1/4 golden lab. The dam had showed a real desire to hunt, treeing many bear solo the first few years and put the teeth into a few long tails as well. I kept 2 of the litter and gave the other 3 to hunters to try out. Those 2 pups treed 20 bear this spring before their first birthday and led each and every race start to finish. ( thanks to Garmin) Both pups went start to finish on lions before they were7 months, no drag training , no walking in to the tree, and never having to use a leash to leave the tree.Now these pups will not be the best for tracking down a 2 day old track, maybe not even a 24 hr old track but they work the way I hunt. Rigging bears and chasing fresh lynx and lion tracks, They both winter much better then the other hounds I have had. One more cat season and I might just make this cross again if everything goes like it did this year.

I like your dogs chilcotin no matter the breed.