Innotek brings Hybrid Tracking Collars to OZ

Do you like the range of traditional radio telemetry, but also prefer the pinpoint accuracy and time saving features of GPS tracking? Innotek may have the best of both to offer us (well, those of us in Australia anyway) in their new GPS-20 tracking system.

http://www.innotek.com.au/products/gps-tracking

Gratuitous Hunting Pic/Vid of the Day

Today's gratuitous hunting Video:


I'm organizing a posting on the importance of hounding with children, but it's taking longer than I expected. In the meantime here is a fun little beagling video sample.

Hounding in Southern Africa

I've been beating the bushes for information on this topic and thought I'd give an update.

It would appear that their are some gräoid hound hunters in southern Africa, but most are running these dogs for themselves only.

The PH's appear to be primarily using trailing hounds and jack russells.

It turns out that there is actually a Southern African Houndsmen Association, and in various quarters of the region hounds are being used for leopard, lynx (caracal), serval, genet, bushpig, blue duiker and bushbuck.

Wade Lemon's scenthounds are currently hunting in Zimbabwe. There are now two packs of hounds hunting. One with Tristan Peacock and the other with Theo Bronkhorst. Both pack have been very successful.

Roy Sparks is houndsman to several different PH's and safari companies including Ratelfontein PGR (Karoo), and Burchell PGR (Eastern Cape) who are doing Namibian leopard hunts.

Sandhurst Safari's is offering leopard and lynx over scenthounds in Molopo.

Cornie & Elaine Coetzee (BERGQUELL and SAFARIHOEK, Namibia) offer leopards over hounds.

PH Johan Strydom is guiding cat hunts over Fell Hounds in South Africa.

Gary Niles of East Cape is houndsman for Barrie Duckworth's (Mokore Safaris - Harrare) leopard hunts.

Rick Lemmer and Darryl de Lange (H&HA - South Africa) offer bushpig, caracal and jackal over hounds.

Willem Roux (Erindi GR - Namibia) is hounding leopards.

Dave Davenport (Leopard's Valley Tygerkloof) is guiding leopard hunts over hounds in Zimbabwe and Namibia

And Lastly,

Gavin Lipjes (Xosha - all the countries of southern Africa) pursues numerous species with hounds, mostly Gascogne's.

AKC BOD minutes - 10/13/2008 - Beagle Field Trial Rules

"The Board reviewed two recommendations from the Beagle Advisory Committee whose meeting was held in August 2008. Both recommendations are designed to give the host club added flexibility and efficiency in the running of an event. The first recommendation will change the Standard Procedures in Gundog Brace Trials to permit the running of dogs in trios in the first series if there are 21 or more entries. The second recommendation is to give the club the option of splitting a pack in Large Pack Trials if the entries exceed 25 in a class. Under this recommendation the club will have the option of running the two packs either simultaneously or back-to-back. This will be discussed further at the November Meeting."