Hunting Catahoulas

... There is no breed in Australia that is bred to find and bay. We have our Cattle Dog and Kelpie and they do get the job done but these breeds are bred for cattle and sheep respectively and some don't take a shine to pigs. They work mostly by eye and especially in the Kelpie's case, run on pure instinct when working stock, very few make a top grade pig dog, and the Cattle dog is a heeler that is bred for pushing from the rear not stopping or heading off. Plus I just don't like those breeds. There is the crosses that will bail (bay) and they go alright, but, there just isn't anything with the depth and history behind it like your cur dogs. Also most fellas here use RCDs. Running bailers (bay dogs) is new to me and I've only used them since I took a shining to the Catahoula, prior to that I used only RCDs.

The Catahoula does very well under the Australian conditions. Their endurance and heat tolerance has me hunting them longer and harder during the day, especially when walking the hills and steep gullies, than I ever could with my RDCs. At the end of a big weekend my RCDs are completely spent, they're foot sore, muscle sore and knocked up. I'm pretty much in the same condition as my RCDs and my Catahoula are still running about like fools, their energy continues to amaze me.

What breed of cur are you running Waylon?

Cheers.