Ron Moore
UKC Forum Member
Registered: Jan 2006
Location: WV
Posts: 821 |
IMO
IMO, the so called high percentage crosses are dubbed that after the fact. Nothing is cut in stone. Does anyone remember the Rambo II and Heather cross that produced all the Gr Nites out of one litter. I spoke with Jim Smalling on this cross and he informed me that this cross was made several times with only good success in that first litter. If there was such a thing as a high percentage cross, I would say that this would be it but considering how many made it from all the crossed from these two, it probably wasn't.
In years past, way before we started keeping score, how did we get a good coon dog? Word of mouth and hunting with the dogs we were interested in. Only when we started keeping track of all the Gr Nite and Nite Ch did we have a tool to use for figuring out how to choose. When this method came about it was much easier for people to pass on the not so qualified hounds, IMO. I've personally tried many times in the past to make the so called high percentage cross by going to some of the winningest Blueticks in the country with my good females but got average outcomes at best. Now, my average and yours may differ some so I'm just going on my standards. Some of my better crosses were made with the not so well known hounds. I remember one well know stud owner saying to me one time that if the pups turn out to be a success then they're out of my male and if not they're out of your female. Those are the words of a good promoter! I don't mean to sound pessimistic on this subject because there are some very qualified studs and bitches out there that will definitely improve our breed but we need to study first what we want in a hound and it's not always all rolled up in a piece of paper. This is just some food for thought and not meant to discredit any one or any dogs.
All this being said I believe that there were some dogs that left their mark. Hammer II, SR Diamond Jim and Chief, Jet V, Ucthman's Ranger and Hawk, Rambo II and one of the lesser used studs, Hindman's Broad Ax Blue Max. That is just a few of the more modern studs that produced well when crossed on different females but even breeding to these studs were no guaranteed high percentage crosses as they all had their share of duds as all dogs do. I didn't leave anyone out on purpose but it would be impossible to list all the dogs. Sorry so long but stuff just kept popping into my head, LOL. Thanks and have a wonderful day.
Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged
|