BigGameHoundsmen.com

I hunted with this pack of hounds back in the day, and they were for real!

Mike Leonard wrote:I hunted with this pack of hounds back in the day, and they were for real!

Mike, Is anyone trying to keep his line going and what was the foundation of his line ?

Jeff, I've noticed that a really good pack of dogs really don't have a foundation other than the man hunting them. Take the same pack and put them with a so-so Hunter and you probably wouldn't be interested in their foundation. Most of the time the foundation is how they are hunted and handled.

I could be mistaken but I think I read somewhere that Mr. Hopman wouldnt register his dogs to keep the origins of their foundation unknown, then again it might not have been him, might’ve been another hunter but for some reason that name sticks out...

Goose, he was selling treeing walkers in Full Cry several years ago. I think they were nailor bred. Advertised them for several yrs.

I recall Weldon Hopman/s hounds as being heavy in Finley River Chief breeding, talked with Mr. Hopman once. Al

al baldwin wrote:I recall Weldon Hopman/s hounds as being heavy in Finley River Chief breeding, talked with Mr. Hopman once. Al

Al, that’s what I also heard that it was a cross of Finley river White Cloud and Nance . But was just wondering if Mike could shine a little light on the breeding of them.

macedonia mule man wrote:Goose, he was selling treeing walkers in Full Cry several years ago. I think they were nailor bred. Advertised them for several yrs.

I’ve seen his name in the hound world and for some reason my mind was wanting to associate him with an article I read somewhere that talked about what I posted above...

Weldon got his start with pups bred by Benny and Roger Holland. These were old school White Cloud and hounds that caught my interest long ago. Weldon bought four pups from Roger out of WC King and a hound called Star bred by Kevin in Idaho( Keeping his last name private) Kevin hunted with Roger and King and didn't like King one bit. For this reason Kevin give Roger a pup out of his line of hounds named Star, she later become a White Cloud hound once she was bred to King. This outcross produced some of the most absolute fantastic hounds for lions that ever drew a breath of air, a few bear dogs and nothing much for bobcats....Weldon aspired to breed these hounds based on his first experiences, the same experiences I had. it wasn't until he found what he described as Michigan Bawly line / WC cross that made him happy as a houndsmen and breeder. These hounds were all pr registered.

RIP Weldon

cross of Finley river White Cloud and Nance, this is an accurate statement, but what Mr. Martell indicated the Michigan Bawly cross was the key.

Weldon was very secretive about this cross and the story behind it is rather odd, but we will leave that with him.

I was fortunate to get to know the man who really put the Bawly dogs on the map as big game hounds, and he too after he moved west in later years crossed this line on the famous Joker blood line out of Utah which was out of Nance's Little Topper and it was a magic cross as well.

Mike Leonard wrote:cross of Finley river White Cloud and Nance, this is an accurate statement, but what Mr. Martell indicated the Michigan Bawly cross was the key.

Weldon was very secretive about this cross and the story behind it is rather odd, but we will leave that with him.

I was fortunate to get to know the man who really put the Bawly dogs on the map as big game hounds, and he too after he moved west in later years crossed this line on the famous Joker blood line out of Utah which was out of Nance's Little Topper and it was a magic cross as well.

Mike, I think a guy could write a book just about The lines crosses and breedings of the Old school Lion hunters especially dry ground hunters and it would be a best sell . To bad most of that history is lost with the man. On another note I see old Dave Carlson sold out hope all is well with him.

Dave is doing good. Playing a lot of pickle ball