A Poem for the New Dogs

Margory Cohen sent this, by the late, great, and much- missed Vicki Hearne:

The New Hound Puppy

Now it is time for her name –

Start the call.  The time may come
For her job, which is to run
Holes in the palpable wind

Hallowed by world and the world
Will collapse, follow this hound
Through meteoric  valleys.

Wolf-shag domains.  Here God says
Himself through the wolf until
A slenderness of hound bitch

With a speed like silk shimmers
At God, all arc and angle,
Revelations for voice.  So

It was in the beginning
And evermore shall be, so
Her arcs speak back to the light

Which is become an affair
Of luminous shadows, so
It was in the beginning

And evermore shall be in
Her temporal impudence,
Intended as litany.

 
Vicki Hearne

Tricks of the Light
University of Chicago Press
Chicago and London
2007

Serendipitous semi-random hound meeting

This is a very preliminary photo batch, as we are having dinner with Joel, and photos are not yet all in. But Dutch Salmon invited us to meet him at the Owl in San Antonio (our S A, NM not  TX) where he was picking up a young female part- Azawakh from Marya. (I hadn't seen him since his successful Deep Brain Parkinson's op). We were barely seated when Sis Olney came in, with a phone full of SCENT hound pics (her unique Gascon crosses, now hunting lion in at least two states), trail hounds with French genes and heat- tolerant sighthounds & how & why &...

Two more random observations: we live in a culture where "PHONE full of trail hound pics" is natural; and, if I continue to be vain I must eat less...

Snakebit!

Two of our beloved tazluki relatives got snakebit by what seems, judging from the fang marks to have been a large rattler, at Daniela's. Incredibly, 15 year old Lahav got  the better of it, while grandog Shunkar seemed to have some eye involvment. Both better now-- will pass on any news.

I don't hate snakes but I hate snakes around dogs. Lahav above, Shunk below.

"In our time..."

"... which is a rather stupid time.." (Jose Ortega y Gasset): the latest on the California bill to ban hunting with hounds; and the possible loss of the historical and economically important Remington factory in Ilion New York.

On the hound bill, the concern of the antis is touching. ""It's typically a high-tech hunt that results in an animal being shot out of a tree, which is unsporting", says Wayne Pacelle of the HSUS-- because, of course, he would be cheering on the hunters if it were "sporting". Another backer worries about the hounds, who would be much better off neutered in urban dog parks: hunting with dogs "could also result in dogs being hurt or lost."

They did quote a sensible voice or two: ""We do not want the challenge to be in the shot," Brones added. "We want the challenge to be putting yourself in a position for the shot... We don't want the animal to suffer." I somehow doubt it will make any difference, though.

Money quote in the Remington article is priceless: "“Look, frankly, if we really want to keep jobs in New York, let’s invest more money in yogurt..." IF??

Two quotes from Dr John Burchard, in a recent letter: "Modern humans are in great danger of becoming totally disconnected from the natural world - with dire results for us as well as for "wildlife"."

And: "There is a tendency in the modern world to want to eliminate all risks, even to the most inattentive, uncaring and irresponsible individuals. A certain measure of risk management is indispensable for the maintenance of an orderly society - but the complete elimination of risk is first of all impossible, and secondly not even desirable. "

Our culture...

As demonstrated in our social center, the Golden Spur Saloon (I have for the moment ignored ranchers and cowboys, though the Spur's site doesn't). Click or double to enlarge either photo.

Below, my late mentor Floyd Mansell in our front yard in 1986, with son Brandon, who now has his own kids, and a morning's quarry. The big back and white hound, Blaze, is a "Cunningham", a last remnant of a lost Texas strain of wolver's hounds; the big dark dog is my old half- deerhound Riley. Betsy Huntington took the photo; within six months she was buried with the pelt of the bigger coyote, brought down by her "Baby Riley"-- it is all in Q- The- Book.

Floyd, incidentally, was a lifelong Democrat, probably to Retrieverman's left; also a Catholic convert, father of nine natural kids and one adopted one, an educator with a master's degree, a naturalist, a former Golden Gloves boxer, the baseball coach, one of our mayors, and a chickenfighter.

The guy who put up the heads, and Floyd's photo, is a Republican.

UPDATE:Our collaboration with the Spur, and Montana's continuing work on its site, continues; this two- week old pic of us there just up:

Bad news for houndsmen...

.. and all hunters. David Zincavage reports, furiously, here.

From an unremarkable story, earlier:

"California Fish and Game commissioner Dan W. Richards travelled deep into the wicked terrain of Idaho’s Flying B Ranch to fulfill a long-held goal. “It was the most physically exhausting hunt of my lifetime. Eight hours of cold weather hiking in very difficult terrain. I told the guides I appreciated the hard work. They were unbelievably professional, first class all the way,” he said. Richards said he took the big cat over iron sights using a Winchester Centennial lever action .45 carbine. Asked about California’s mountain lion moratorium, Richards didn’t hesitate. “I’m glad it’s legal in Idaho.”

And now he is ousted from office:

"Although the kill was legal in Idaho, California has outlawed the hunting of mountain lions for decades. More than 40 state legislators called for Richards to resign in March, saying he showed poor judgment in killing the cougar when the practice is opposed by most Californians...[Michael] Sutton, an executive with the Audubon Society [who was at the same time elected Vice President of the Fish and Game Commission], said later that the killing of the lion and Richards’ comments defending it were factors in his decision to vote to replace Richards."

Zincavage: "The president of the State Fish & Game Commission is supposed, in California, to be out of line when he uses his office to speak in favor of hunting."

LA Weekly, though reporting that some comments against Richards were "pretty terroristy", is flat- out exultant:

"Needless to say, he was immediately attacked by every shade of the left -- from animal-rights crazies to some of the Legislature's most mainstream Democrats... [really?!]... although Fish and Game commissioners haven't explained specifically why they decided to vote Richards down from his throne today, it was clearly a symbolic move to kill the human who killed the beast... Let this be a lesson for all trigger-happy Republicans who dare to dream of swimming against California's blue tide: We'll eat your grin for dinner."

Several churning thoughts: is hunting in Cal really that partisan an issue, or just in a few big cities? What do some of my friends who are Democrats and hunters say, in and out of Cal? What does this bode for the politics of hunting, and the nation?

For certain, it is a black day for the hounds. I wonder who they will call when a lion next stalks, or eats, a runner. Will they let them use hounds?... even end up begging for them, when nothing else works? I wouldn't let my dogs step foot in California, where a coursing ban is on the agenda, and mandatory spay- neuter waits in the wings...

Still standing

And above all still hunting: two over- sixty writers, houndsmen with Parkinson's: Dutch Salmon and me, wearing out some younger hunters, with our hounds last February near White Sands...

Baluchi Hounds

A collage of Baluchi hounds owned in Pakistan by Ali Hosnain, a member of my "extended dogfamily"; assembled by Jutta Rubesam in Germany.


Call them tazis or Asian salukis or aboriginal Afghans or what you will; I'd own one, and breed from it.

Early Imports & Genetic Diversity

The Bell- Murray foundation "Afghans" (tazis, taigans) in the 20's, c/o Jess:

"All the innumerable 'breeds' of Oriental sighthounds can be found as coat variations in any good litter in northern Afghanistan..."

--Steve Bodio

The caption is unintentionally hilarious...

Dogs & age

An expansion from the comments below, from Chas's staunch "8 is not old!" to Lane's "8 is the new 4.."

I think it depends on the breeding. Atai's family is incredibly long lived-- here is a pic of her at about 3 months with her 15 year old mom, who lived to nearly 20, the day we met her in Almaty. I believe her grandmother, another compact little dog, also lived about that long.

Lashyn on the other hand, not yet 12, has been slowing down for years, and now has diabetes and cataracts. Lurcher Plummer is 2 years older and fat and a bit creaky but otherwise still thinks he is a pup.

But for the gray on her muzzle Atai could easily pass for 4-- or 3-- and still kicks butt!

Good day

Tavo Cruz called us yesterday to meet him and other dog- in- laws and coursing friends for lunch at the Owl bar and a run down by White Sands missile range, where hares seem to thrive even in droughty years. I am gratified that old farts like me and Dutch Salmon are still walking, and that 8 year old Ataika found and ran the first hare of the day. Dan Gauss's "Motley Crew" (that's him on the right-- click to embiggen) says it all. I am in the middle flanked by Tavo & Dutch.

Taik after a run-- pretty good shape for a girl of a "certain age"...

Two different breeds

Ya think?
Afghan, (real)

Taigan

One more irresitible quote

Sent by Black Dog Lady, from a mentor, on her dogs and true "oriental sighthounds" generally:

"These dogs are not fully domesticated, take care to keep them that way."

Beaches in two Hemispheres

Tazis and horses, maritime habitats, family & friends, Scotland and west Australia, Mark McBride and Chantal Parratt, even fierce little cousin Nura...

Renaissance Saluki

An image from the 1500's, oldest western one I know of, by Federico Zuccaro, courtesy of Jess. Anyone have any info on the artist?

Gratuitous dogs

Tavi tazi entranced by the snow; Vladimir's Onana, who looks uncannily like Ataika; Taik.

Magdalena Lion Hunt

My friend and "cousin", local rancher, reader, and hunter Sissy (Mary Helen Gianera Pound) Olney, ran into us in the Capitol Bar in Socorro yesterday and told us to look up this YouTube of her husband Tom and nephew Royce hunting mountain lions in the Magdalenas on horseback with hounds, the traditional way.



The video, by the NM game & Fish Department, is amusing and professional, the hunters articulate and enthusiastic, the hounds even more excited. The humans exhibit a practiced competence that makes it all look easy-- I have known Tom over 20 years, and his father Hugh was one of the pioneering local hound men. They tree a cat a couple of times, photo it, let it go, and explain why...

At this point I should and will state that comment threads outside Q are more often than not fatuous at best. But these ones are truly amazing.

The first here is the best-- it is not only WRONG but: what about NEW MEXICO COUGAR HUNT and NEW MEXICO GAME AND FISH does this person not understand?!

"Hunting cougars is not funny, is an endangered specie and it must be protected! Hunting a cougar is criminal.

"Hunting a big cat is criminal. Who hunts an animal like this most be behind bars. Everybody should tell this to the Canadian Authorities."

Must I say? Not "specie", not endangered, must not most, not illegal, NOT CANADA.

The second is more literate-- if no less fatuous AR boilerplate and propaganda:

"Shooting any animal sitting on a branch takes no skill whatsoever to do it. If these "men" had their act together they would see that. But, it takes all kinds in the world. Unfortunately, we all suffer the loss of animals because these guys have nothing better to do with their time. It is sad for the cats, even sadder for the misfits that hunt them. Get a life.

"I love all these stupid comments about killing livestock etc. Hunting mountain lions is killing and wasting a beautiful animal for some misfit to get his jollies nothing more. Don't give me the crap about losing livestock. It is a cost of doing business, that simple. If you don't like it, don't be in the livestock business moron... if you are a stupid rancher get out of the business."

In the face of what theologians might call Invincible Ignorance ("stupid rancher..") the rational mind quails. So I answered coolly, as I hope we all would:

"Actually it takes enormous skill and experience to train a pack of dogs, not to mention horses, and we are not even talking about maintenance and time.

"The Olneys are second and third generation hunters and pro ranchers, and even so let more lions go with only a digital record than they take-- AS THEY DID THIS ONE. I suspect they care more knowledgeably for lions than their critics."

And the implication that the hunters are somehow not "men"? How... early 20th century Freudian. Apart from the physical dangers, and the skills needed to ride for days and miles in hard country: the very female Sis, hound woman, mother, grandmother, 4th generation ranch matriarch, "Cowboy Bitch" (her own sardonic formulation), and the first female brand inspector in the US, is more of a woman AND a "mensch" than the critic whatever her or his "gender" to put it in proper pc terms will ever be...

Pretty dog pix

Jutta Ruebesam's team, tazi Nhubia and taigan Taalai:

One Good Hound

Not all New Mexico hounds are tazi types; more are longdogs (locally more often called "staghounds"), deliberate and intelligently- bred crosses of various sighthound breeds. I have been hoping, and still am, that Clint Chisler would elaborate on the voluntary partnership between Lucy and a free falcon, but meanwhile here is his celebration of a fine dog.

"In the fall of 2007 a good friend of mine and fellow sight hound hunting enthusiast, Bill Bates, and I took a trip to the Estancia Valley. I bought a pup for $45 that day. She was 7 weeks old and one of a dozen very similar looking siblings. I figured I’d get the smallest female since I’m more of a rabbit hunter than a coyote killer. The ranch hand I bought her from asked me, “do ya think that’s too much money?” I quickly replied, “No I’d say someday she’ll be prove to be worth it.” That statement was soon become an understatement. Lucy was a squirrelly little hazel-eyed light brindle staghound. To look at her you might think she was just another greyhound, but her ancestry traces back to indigenous staghound blood lines from the southwestern United States with a little Argentinean Dogo, Pit bull, and who knows what else mixed in.

"Over the years Lucy has been an outstanding hound. From about 6 months of age she could keep up with my older stag/saluki, and improved the older she got. Lucy has taken about a half dozen coyotes to date and I can’t count how many jacks. Ten of those jacks were taken as a team effort with a wild (previously inter-mewed) prairie falcon I had released on the mesa where I did most of my hunting in Los Lunas, NM. The prairie falcon is a story in itself that I hope to write soon. Not many dogs could match her perfect combination of speed and endurance.

"Lucy has endured many injuries that are all too common in the coursing world; broken toe, fence-torn tail that had to be amputated, a concussion from running full speed into a pickup, coyote bites, and too many sutures/staples to be listed. These strong yet delicate dogs age fast, but Lucy has stood the test of time and the rough miles of running across the New Mexico countryside. Her hardened feet have come to accept the sand, rocks, mud, and snow they have been exposed to and punished by. To this day Lucy is still an integral part of my pack.

"A couple of mornings ago I let the dogs out for the day and after I broke a thin layer of ice in the water tub I stood and soaked up a beautiful cream orange and blue sunrise. In the foreground a murder of crows were flying across the landscape. I’m guessing they were going from their nightly roost to a nearby dairy to eat for the day. I looked down and Lucy was right beside me watching the same grand display of nature, and then she looked up at me with those hazel eyes."

Dog News and Possibilities...

A future father of Q dogs? Shiri's tazi Tavi who lives up the road. Still a pup but...

A BIG descendant of Q dogs: Dan's prodigious pup:

Clint Chisler's excellent longdog Lucy-- there will be field tales soon...