Why Every Family Should Have a Squirrel Dog and Where to Find One

EDITOR'S NOTE: In years past, you would find squirrel dogs as common as front porch swings, big black pots in the backyard for canning and a smokehouse for preserving meat. You expected to see a squirrel dog in a neighbor's front yard, just like you'd know he had a garden in his back yard. But as the country's population migrated from the farm to the city, a good squirrel dog became as scarce as hen's teeth. This week we'll look at why every outdoorsman should own a squirrel dog.

If you want to teach a youngster to love hunting, take him or her hunting with a squirrel dog. When hunting with a dog, the child doesn't have to sit still quietly. The kids can walk, talk, throw sticks, jump in puddles, slide down banks and pick wildflowers. They can holler and laugh. Under adult supervision, they can shoot .410 shotguns at scampering bushytails in the treetops. Youngsters enjoy action, and squirrel dogs produce plenty of action and fun. To train a child to hunt, you can make him or her either sit still quietly while trying to stay warm and looking all day for a deer and possibly seeing nothing, or, go on a bird-hunting trip, where he'll walk all day and likely come home with an empty bag. On a good squirrel hunt, the child should have an opportunity to bag a squirrel that's sitting still or shoot at a squirrel jumping from limb to limb. He can take his buddies hunting, and you can spend quality time with your children and a good squirrel dog. Get your child a squirrel dog to start a family tradition. You, your child and the dog will have more fun than you ever believed you could.

These names, addresses and phone numbers will help you with your search for a squirrel dog.

* White Oak Plantation
5215 County Road 10
Tuskegee, AL 36083
PH: (334) 727-9258 www.whiteoakplantation.com

* American Treeing Feist Association
15053 Terrell Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
PH: (504) 752-0636

* Tim Cosby
Route 2, Box 330
Ramer, AL 36069
PH: (334) 562-3124

* Jim Rhea
215 North Wilson Street
Wynne, Arkansas 73296
PH: (501) 238-9110

* Danny Williams
5548 Old Liberty Road
Clinton, LA 70722
PH: (504) 638-4598

* Jay Williams
P. O. Box 62
Harrisburg, MO 65256
PH: (573) 815-9308