Airedales hunting

[bill10979]

Hicntry-I would change Winchesters name to Lucky. Any dog that can survive all those breaks and snakebites is a special dog. I appreciate your input and it sounds like you know what you like, and you have high expectations from your dogs-and thats good. Ive heard that a 200lb boar is more dangerous than a 400+ boar due to agility and speed. Do you find that to be true? Do dales bark on hot scent or just on tree or bay? Are the Redlines a throwback somewhere in the gene pool? It happens w/DDs-you get a slick coat occasionally, courtesy of the Kurzhaar(GSP) blood way back in the line. Your dogs appear to be larger than the "standard" do you give up any agility in that size and what it the optimum if such a thing, in big game hunts-I can see where too big, like too small can be a detriment and dangerous.

[hicntry]

They told you right Bill. A 200lber can move like a snake and if he has cutters, he is going to cut dogs fast. Airedales are meat dogs, they are silent on track, they will bark once or twice when the game is jumped. If the game is bayed or treed, the keep barking, of they go silent again, the game is running and you won't hear them till they stop it.

Yes, the short coats are a throw back.....or they were till they started breeding for it in the last 10 12 years. Al said they were not a separate line but when you are breeding specifically for it, I would say it is becoming a definite line. Lets face it Bill, the redlines do fine as a varmint dog and that's all a lot of people want...or need. There are also dales that commonly run 90 to 110lbs and some even tip the scales at 130lb. I like my dogs as close to 75lbs as I can keep them. They give up a little power from the big dales but they have a lot more than the small(standard) ones. They can out run either size if they are built right. Even if the big ones are fast, they are sprinters. Pushing them all day in steep hot country won't happen. The smaller ones can't keep up with running game in timbered country with big downfall. I like my dogs 27" to 28" with a long back, and narrow chest but the have to retain the heavy leg bones and skull. This is largely why they can endure the beating they take without falling apart. Have you ever seen body builders. Many of them are bulked up with massive muscle but have very fine wrist bones. Doesn't matter how bulked up they are.....they won't hurt you if the hit you. Same principle. The heavy skull is imperative if they are going to have the power to break bones and back some prey up.

[bill10979]

Hicntry-how the heck to you keep track of the dogs-remote collar GPS? If like most hunters they can cover ground quick and be out of range-do you use ATV, walk, or horse?
#2. How many breedings/yrs did it take to establish what you think is the "right" type for your hunting.
In the DD community I can say that we are blessed. There has been very good breeding practices over the last 100 +yrs and record keeping for about 30. You can find a line and breed to it, use it as you to improve any faults.

[hicntry]

Bill, I use Wildlife Materials tracking equip. It runs about $1000 for a two dog set up. One collar goes on the lead dog, the other on a trainee just in case he can't keep up with the older dogs. I use a PU, get as close as I can where I get a good signal and it is on foot from there.

Time? About 16yrs so far to get to what I have consistently. Now I would like to develope some that are more dependent for bird work, because a lot of the dogs are really birdie. Birdwork would actually be ideally suited for the slick redlines. Grit isn't a requirement that is tantamount, the slick coat would be better for burrs and whathave you. They would work great if the people that have them would ever realize they haven't gotm and never will have, heavy duty dogs in a 45 to 50 lb dog. You have to realize Bill, most of these redline people have only been around the smaller dales and shun the big ones. It would definitley be a learning experience for most of them to watch these dogs at work. Most would not want there dogs to do it anyway. But, they don't, or rarely hunt anything where a heavy duty dog is neccessary. Even bears "usually" tree.....if they can keep up with them.

[bill10979]

Hicntry-If I lived closer-you and I would do some huntin together. Ive learned a few things from your posts and appreciate your big game experience.
I have never hunted(let alone seen) Mt. Lions. Have you worked your dogs on any, and how are they for dogs-short or long chases, fighters or runners, basically are they as tough on dogs as wild pigs? Do you have to travel further to find em.
My uncle has hunted them a bit over horseback in NM. They do a fair amount of riding for the dogs to wind and track one usually.
thanks

[hicntry]

Lions? ?? What lions??? They are very protected in California
They don't have a lot of wind...I have heard I don't think any treeing animal is going to be as hard on dogs as hogs. A lion or bear can kill a dog quick if the stay on the ground and fight but they just normally tree. You never get to Calif?

[bill10979]

I forgot they were protected. What a shame..maybe theyll get it right and open a short season on them.
Dont get to CA much. I had family in Pasadena they moved to Dallas. Closest I got is a sister in Phoenix and a brother in Seattle. I hope to "go on tour" and bird hunt a dozen states or so next yr if all goes well. Even talked to a ew guys on the board about meetin up out West. Never driven across the country and figured I can take it in and hunt/fish along the way. This is if the wife allows. I think I might fly her out to meet me, so I will probably get the ok. If all goes well, perhaps I can swing down your way and take in a hunt. Id ride along just for fun/pictures but be happy to introduce them to a 12ga 3in slug too. If we could bird hunt too, so much the better. Please keep in touch and best to you. If you ever get to OH or Midwest look me up.

[hicntry]

I was hoping to get to OH the 1st week of April for the National Hunt test for airedales. If you live in the area you may want to go take a look. It is mostly for birdwork and I have never been and won't be able to make it again. I just got to many dogs to go looking as a spectater. The info is at
http://www.airedale.org/

[bill10979]

Thanks for the heads up. This might be an event I might be interested in attending for the heck of it, and may go in fact.
If I were you, I would take 3-4 of my best dogs and go. Im sure it will be a well planned event. Its about 20minutes East of Columbus-I know the area well. Mostly flat land, nice water and woods/fields. 1 hr. South and your in Appalachain Mountains and rugged/good grouse country. We had our annual DD meeting close to there last year. Airedales as a breed never interested me, as the ones I saw were flaky and so much different than the other breeds I worked with. But seeing a new side of them(actually performing) has me curious and a new perspective/respect. Curious what they are judged on-tracking/retreiving/flushing and what the testing entails?

[hicntry]

Bill, it may be interesting. My dogs are big game dogs and really have no business there. I am trying to get folks interested in working birds with them and more and more are, but, they are hunters and not much into the games unfortuneatly. Dan Wolf may take Apache and Lenape . They would be easily recognizeable from the size and bone mass (and drive if he enters them). There are some good dogs there from what I understand, but many are show dogs they are trying to hunt. If you go, don't expect it to be like watching seasoned bird dogs. It would be interesting. I would like to hear an objective viewpoint also.

[bill10979]

I enjoy watching any working dogs and would expect them to do a credible job if trained and bred properly. I would expect a stronger tracking performance and retrieving than I would a field "search" like a bird dog, but I could be wrong. Ill let you know what I see. Hopoefully Ill see some nice field work too.

[bill10979]

Hicntry-I found this group of hunters who hunt Eurasian Boar here in OH bout 3x/wk. http://www.ohioboarbusters.com/_wsn/page3.html

Im trying to get some info to run with them. In pics, they seem to vest up their dogs-as I will do. Im too attached to part with her and am using for breeding as she is exceptional.
I got a pup coming soon, I may use for for this-lots of run/drive in parents-too much almost-for me-as they seem to excell more in tracking then in pointing-prey drive is very high-cooperation is ok but not as good as i need for a duck dog, but tracking is exceptional w/these dogs. My observations when hunting them.

[hicntry]

Go for it Bill. Read their site info and it is unfortuneate that their goal is to totally eliminate an invasive species, but, get in on it while you can. Let us know how it goes.

[Guest]

Is this what I think it is? ... Thats awesome!:)

[Airedale From NY]

From "The Hunting With Airedales Blogspot" a few photos and information for anyone interested in some other opinions about hunting with Airedale Terriers.
http://huntingwithairedales.blogspot.co ... ction.html

Al Kranbuhl