BigGameHoundsmen.com

Like all breeds and strains there are good and bad, I'm pretty sure that the good far out weighs the bad when we are talking Cameron hounds and they certainly aren't for everybody especially a first time hound owner. It's a real fine balance with these Cameron hounds with getting a firm handle on them at a young age with out being overly ruff on them. Correction at the right time with consistance will help mold them into a more balanced hunting machine, Yes I like a good Cameron Hound and if you get a good one they are hard to beat but have seen much better handling hounds with more self control by crossing a Cameron with a fine well balanced Jet V, Smokey River, or Sebastian breed dog.
Regards
Shane

well I have been staying with this post and enjoying the comments. I have to admit that I have never owned a blue tick, not because I don't think they can get the job done or not close the deal on a lion, bear, or bobcat I just have never owned one. The fascination with the Cameron blue tick more than likely was brought to pass with Dale's book with those that not only were looking for success with catching, but others that seen dollar signs with the sale of pups with no regard to how Dale got to the place he got. A lot of breeds have been put to the back shelf redbone, Black & tan, blue tick, blood hound. Western big game hunter are the ones still depending on these breeds to get the job done because of the style of trail hound that's needed for the style hunting we do. That leaves a very small pool of breeders. You can still get one of all the above mentioned breeds alright, but with money being the driving factor you will search far and wide for quality. There are still groups of men that keep their blood lines to themselves and anything that leaves their place leaves castrated, or spayed. The competition hunt back east have ruined the diversity of the trail hound as everyone goes with the winner that's not to say you can't find a pleasure hunter back there still breading trail hounds, but the number of breeder are small for the style of hound that would suit the big game hunter out west. Take the time to read the topic in entirety you might be enlightened as to the where it was going.

sourdough

Sourdough: Well said. More pups and hounds are sold from BS than from hunting knowledge. People don't spend the time it takes to find a good bred pup and do not take the time or dedication to make it happen. Dewey

dwalton wrote:Sourdough: Well said. More pups and hounds are sold from BS than from hunting knowledge. People don't spend the time it takes to find a good bred pup and do not take the time or dedication to make it happen. Dewey

doesnt matter the breed of dog or game hunted the above statement is very true!

I think alot of people go hunting with someone that has put in that effort, so it really looks effortless, then they want dogs, so they go out and spend money on a papered dog from a good line, they don't realize that if you want a damn good dog you have to put in a damn lot of time and energy and give 150% to training your dog as it grows. After the dog they bought sits in the kennel or on the chain for 6 months and they decide to take it out one time and hope it runs that lion like their buddy did, it doesnt. then they decide they don't want a hound anymore and try to sale it as a papered, named dog thats been on lion, someone buys it and says..... This damn cameron hound is shitty. i mean this could be a small percentage of a dog with a good name doing bad. I'm sure theres a hundred other reasons, but my point here is you got to take the time!!!!! And put in the effort. i think any one who has hounds and actually runs them knows this! So I'm just beatin that horse again!!!

ferjr wrote:I have two Cameron pups that are really turning it on, they just turned a year old, they are big hounds, and already have the stamina that my older dogs have and will flat out run them as well. They also have probably the coldest nose out of all of my hounds. They are naturals, both already rig and strike. Last sunday my pup Jake led the race for over 7 miles and his average speed on the Garmin was 6.58mph., in the thick, steep mountains. I cant imagine how good they were before the decline.

I've heard they do perty good on bears ferj, but were talkin lions here and some are talkin dry ground lions. don't think many make the grade nowa days. I think if you were still getting them from dale and his original stuff they wouldn't fall under the cadagory declined. see the propblem is those good dogs fall into the hands of people that don't know how to get er done. then they breed their butt lickers and sell them for top dollar on the name and eventually the whole line gets so polluted and deluted that they aint worth beans. I don't doubt that those ones you have are great, but that's cuz you hunt their tales off, not because they're camerons. jmo

houndnem wrote:

ferjr wrote:I have two Cameron pups that are really turning it on, they just turned a year old, they are big hounds, and already have the stamina that my older dogs have and will flat out run them as well. They also have probably the coldest nose out of all of my hounds. They are naturals, both already rig and strike. Last sunday my pup Jake led the race for over 7 miles and his average speed on the Garmin was 6.58mph., in the thick, steep mountains. I cant imagine how good they were before the decline.

I've heard they do perty good on bears ferj, but were talkin lions here and some are talkin dry ground lions. don't think many make the grade nowa days. I think if you were still getting them from dale and his original stuff they wouldn't fall under the cadagory declined. see the propblem is those good dogs fall into the hands of people that don't know how to get er done. then they breed their butt lickers and sell them for top dollar on the name and eventually the whole line gets so polluted and deluted that they aint worth beans. I don't doubt that those ones you have are great, but that's cuz you hunt their tales off, not because they're camerons. jmo

+1, I have to agree with you.

First of all, this thread has been a great read. I don't agree with everything written, but a great read nonetheless.

I have one of those old school, couch potatoe, slobberin, big eared, loud mouthed, fartin, cold nosed Bluetick hounds of yesterday. This dog sleeps on the couch all day and will hunt all night or day. I bought Blueticks because that's what I wanted, an old school houndy lookin hound and I think they look the coolest. I did the research for what I wanted and gave him every chance in the world to be a great hound, and everyone that's hunted over him would say he's just that.

He was in the woods every single day from the time he was 9wks old till he was 3.5mos old and then he was in the woods everynight until he was 7mos old. I bought blood based upon the research I did, but I believe it's the opportunity that I gave him, that made him what he is today. I've hunted over quite a number of hunting dogs of mine and have yet to have a bad one utilizing this method. Certainly, I've had some better than others, but all worth feeding. I believe that the only "decline" has been the tendency for certain breeders to breed for cash not flash. Shady practices of passing other's dogs off as ones own has gained certain individuals undue respect in the Bluetick world. Continual inbreeding of these lines has ruined it as fault are multiplied when breeding ANYTHING!

I've riled myself up enough, great post guys and gals, happy hunting
Chad

Here are some blue pups actively declining in my living room.



Here's a pic of them this last winter.



Here's the one we kept out of the bunch. Guess why we named him Dopey....

Those are some good looking blueticks. Now that is what a hound is supposed to look like.

i ove reading this lol and i have to agree the cameron i have is all naturall he is teaching me as i am still new to owning my own pack of hounds but he is a handful annd alot of work to keep on him and make sure he is doin the right things not wrong but when he was only ten weeks old he was bayin up my house cat at five months he treed his own cat but i am just startin out i have only been in it couple years now and i love blue ticks lol but he is a lot of dog and can be a massvie head ache at times but all and all he will be my top hound after this season i think the only reason there declinging is becase of poor breeding and no training and be sold

Love those hounds, Good looking dogs