Hunting for my Ozark ancestors was necessary for everyday survival. For them killing wild game was almost a daily routine in order to have meat on the table for the main meal of the day. Besides being an accurate marksman and having a good shotgun or rifle, my Hillbilly kinfolk also needed good, well-trained hunting dogs to help them in their hunting quest. To most, their hunting dog(s) were their most valuable possession, so the Ozark Hillbilly learned what characteristics to look for when acquiring a new hunting dog. They specifically learned what qualities a dog should have when it came to hunting rabbits.
The knowledge of what constitutes a good rabbit hunting dog has been passed down to me through my ancestral Hillbilly generations. First you must know that a Hillbilly rabbit hunting dog is by no means a purebred dog. I am not saying that a purebred dog does not make a good dog for hunting rabbits. I am just relating that the unique information that was passed down to me does not include purchasing a registered or unregistered purebred dog.
The Hillbilly rabbit hunting dog should be a mixed breed, being a cross somewhere between a Beagle or Basset Hound and a small, Hienz 57 variety. These cross breeds prove to be the best for hunting rabbits. The Hillbilly rabbit hunting dog is bred small to enable it to go places a rabbit might go, such as under fallen logs, through thickets and bushes. However, the dog should not be too small in that its legs would not be strong enough to produce the speed needed to chase rabbits. Hunting dogs used for rabbit hunting need to be kept in shape, have their diets watched closely, and exercised often.
Another true Hillbilly way you can tell that a mixed breed dog would make a good hunting dog for rabbits is by its ears. A Hillbilly rabbit hunting dog should not have overly long ears. If the dog’s ears are too long, it can get them caught on briers and thorns causing injury.
The most sure-fire Hillbilly way of telling if a dog will be good for hunting rabbits is by the color of the roof of its mouth. If the dog meets the above requirements and the roof of its mouth is black, then it will most likely be a good hunter of rabbits. The blacker the coloring on the roof of the mouth, the better it is, as far as the Hillbilly hunter is concerned.
The Hillbilly hunter has no fancy techniques for training his dog(s) to hunt rabbits. He simply lets the new dog run with his seasoned dogs in order to learn the skill of chasing rabbits for the hunter.
The term “Hillbilly” in this article is used with respect. It is in no way intended to offend or degrade anyone.
