# The July Hound Of Yesterday-"Quick To Jump, Runs To Catch"



## eWarren19842008

Ok. So I have done a little diggin'. Here is just a little info on the once very popular July Foxhound. I recently started a thread titled, 100% July Foxhound, and I was getting worried that I wasn't going to be able to find one. So here is a little info on why I looking for this perticular breed of dog.  I am also going to include a link or two to a site with alot of July history. The following article/story is pretty good in my oppinion. Give me some feed back, good or bad, on what you know or don't know about the July breed.

http://weisair.net/foxhistory.htm

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/fulltext/hr724.htm

http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=9486



The Hunter’s Horn
February, 1956
Page Twenty-eight & Twenty-nine

The July Hound of Yesterday—‘Quick to Jump, Runs to Catch’ –Sets the Pattern for Today
By Jack Davis, Temple, Ga.

Mr. July man, what do you want?  Do you want a July hound patterned in performance and appearance after 
some other strain or do you want a hound with the characteristics of the old original Julys?  Are you going 
to try to breed something to hush the criticism within the ranks of some other strains that do not have and 
are not supposed to have the July’s characteristics?  Or do you want to breed a July hound that is a true 
July hound, “quick to jump, runs to catch”?

It seems to me there is not enough uniformity within the strain today.  Perhaps some breeders are breeding 
for oppositely different characteristics.  Perhaps some are trying to breed a hound that will conform to the 
standard of performance set up by the breeders of other strains.  As a student of the July strain, I have 
found a variation in type and performance of July hounds in different communities.

The July hound that attracted almost world-wide attention and gave birth to a burning desire with a 
multitude of people to own them, was a strain with certain fixed characteristics.  Breeders would do well to 
recognize just what those characteristics were and set them up as their objective in their breeding 
program.

Old July, when a growing pup, was scorned and laughed to shame.  This was because his appearance was 
so foreign to the ideal existing in the minds of men as to how a fox hound should look.  In that day men of 
the South had as their ideal of appearance and performance a smooth-coated hound, with extremely long 
pendulous ears, that followed the track closely giving long, drawn-out, bawling musical notes.  Old July was 
just the opposite.  One thing is certain; it was not their appearance or long, drawn-out, musical tonguing 
that won the Julys their fame.

There came a day when old July had almost grown up and he jumped and ran a fox to death in the presence 
of a number of men.  From that moment on his stock soared high.  Now, what was the factor that brought 
about this sudden popularity?  His performance, of course.  There is simply no room for argument 
whatever.  His style of performance was one of being quick to jump and running with a determination to 
catch his fox.

Let us analyze the slogan, “Quick to jump, runs to catch.”  What enables the July, or any hound for that 
matter, to quickly jump a fox even when the strike is cold?  If the hound moves with a leisurely gait, 
covering every crook and turn that a fox out hunting its dinner makes, that hound will never jump the fox 
unless the fox stops, and beds down to rest.  Even then it will take a long time for the trailing hound to 
come up to him.

The hound that does not make every crook and turn, cuts a few corners and does some drifting, but does a 
lot of tonguing meanwhile, will be a long time getting up to its fox.  A fox hearing a great clamor from a 
trailing pack will move faster and away, keeping its distance as long as possible.

A hound that does a lot of drifting, not following every crook and turn but coursing the general direction of 
the line of scent, not wildly but efficiently and fast in a semi-silent manner, will surprise it’s quarry, as the 
quarry, undisturbed and unaware of danger, leisurely feeds along its habitual range, and quickly jump it and 
put it to running.  This is the characteristic that won the July hound the right to be called the strain that is 
quick to jump.

How did the July get its reputation of running to catch?  Simply because the July hound ran with that 
thought gripping and governing its whole being.   A hound that runs to catch does not move forward and 
give tongue just because it has scent of a fox in its nostrils, but because that scent denotes there is a fox 
out ahead that it wants to catch.  This type hound does not move ahead when it scents a fox in mechanical 
manner just as if that was its whole duty and it was interested in performing its duty only.  Any sense of 
mechanical duty is thrown to the winds and the hound plunges excitedly ahead, its whole being stirred by 
the excitement of the chase and the determination to catch that fox, the scent being only the means of 
obtaining the end.  It decidedly is not the end.

So, if the hound loses the scent it has not lost its chief object of interest.  The scent being only secondary, 
it casts ahead knowing full well that the fox almost always moves in a forward direction and the fox is its 
primary object of interest, contacting the scent line again, confirming its belief that the fox went in that 
direction.

With a slower track-running type of hound interested in the line of scent primarily and the fox secondarily, it 
is different.  When it makes a runover its chief concern is to find the line of scent again.  It makes little 
difference to this type of hound whether the line of scent is found closer to the fox or farther away.  This 
hound checks its pace and makes a tight or close circle searching mechanically for the scent and not for 
the fox.  A pack of hounds of this type will give one a lot of hound music and precise, mechanical action, but 
not as much excitement as a pack that runs with ingenuity and intelligence—to be more exact, as the July 
hound of the late nineties ran.

July performance should be the July breeder’s watchword.  It seems to me that we as breeders of a strain 
should agree on what that performance should be and breed for it, letting the chips fall where they may.  In 
choosing breeding stock we should choose individuals within the strain who perform according to the 
accepted July standard.  And these individuals should be from families that perform likewise.

We should refrain from becoming “pedigree happy” and using as breeding stock individuals who are poor 
performers from families who are poor performers, although these families have a traditionally good 
pedigree.  Even if their forefathers were good hounds six or seven generations back, our chance of 
getting good hounds from such a mating is one of getting a throwback only.

Any family line can “run out.”  We see the proof of this in some human families.

Neither should we use good outstanding individuals whose background is unimpressive, especially in the 
close up generations, nor individuals with a radical cross close up on another strain, for it is the July 
characteristics we want to intensify and preserve.  Just about all outcrosses on strains that perform in a 
different manner to the July, made in the past, have been made by men who wanted to introduce other 
strain characteristics into the July strain, and not to intensify and preserve the July characteristics.  Such 
people should get some hounds of another strain if they do not like the July.  Let us not try to conform the 
July strain to the pattern of some other strain.

The strain in its true and original state had individuality.  The tenets of that individuality were such that the 
breeders adopted a slogan that should be descriptive of every hound within the strain –“Quick to jump, 
runs to catch.”

Evidently the July hounds of the late nineties packed close and well and would hark to one another quickly, 
but they also displayed more individuality and ingenuity and executive ability than most strains.  They were 
keenly intelligent and fiercely determined, never contented to be just a cog in a machine.  A pack of them 
became a deadly cooperative group, not just a mechanical organization.  Their speed and ability to stay 
close to their quarry, keeping it running for dear life, supplied the hunter with thrills from the beginning to 
the end of the race.

“Quick to Jump, Runs to Catch.”  Three cheers for a July that is a July.


----------



## Tag-a-long

Thanks for the info ... when you posted the other day I'd never heard of a July Hound.  I enjoyed reading and learning about them.


----------



## eWarren19842008

You're welcome.


----------



## irishleprechaun

I have some july's and when they get out of the pen you might as well not look for them until a day or two later when the finally tire of running!  They tend to be bigger than a tri-color with thicker hair for tight cover.  They are of bigger build and not "lightning fast" but they have tons of endurance...

There is a hunt in mid georgia that runs them with horses, I can't locate a link though....


----------



## Tag-a-long

Sad part is I live not 10 miles from Col. Harris's Shoulderbone Plantation and I'd never heard of them!!    Not a fox hunter but it was an interesting read.


----------



## eWarren19842008

irishleprechaun said:


> I have some july's and when they get out of the pen you might as well not look for them until a day or two later when the finally tire of running!  They tend to be bigger than a tri-color with thicker hair for tight cover.  They are of bigger build and not "lightning fast" but they have tons of endurance...
> 
> There is a hunt in mid georgia that runs them with horses, I can't locate a link though....



If you come across that link help a brother out.


----------



## irishleprechaun

I thought it was the belle meade hunt or bear creek hounds but I can't get the belle meade link to work and bear creek didn't show the july's....you may want to see if you can get the belle meade hunt....


----------



## builditbreakit

Thanks for the info. Never knew


----------



## Gabby

You might be interested in Vargy's Coyote Hunting Forum up in the mid-west.  He has a section just for July people.  They could give you some help on finding one in this area.   http://tesboard68150.yuku.com/forums/83/t/Hound-Associations.htm
his will take you straight to July's : http://tesboard68150.yuku.com/forums/73

Gabby


----------



## eWarren19842008

Thanks. I found some up in Dawsonville. I'm gonna try to go Sunday or Monday and get them. Thanks for all the help!!!!


----------



## grouper throat

I actually thought Julys had better noses for trailing scent than walkers but I knew they had as much or better endurance. I've seen a few of the longer haired versions of july/walker crosses and you can definitely pick them out in a pack by their odd appearance. I know an older guy that I have learned alot from in the way of hounds tell me he tries and keep some July blood in all of his deer hounds to give them good drive and endurance for a long race. I'd still like to try a few July  just to say I've owned some. 

By the way EWarren thanks for the info.  What game are you going to run with them?


----------



## eWarren19842008

Well the PLAN is to have an all around, reasonablely priced dog that people would like to own for deer, coyote, and hog  hunting. Never had one to run a hog though I'm sure they would if they were exposed to it.  My grandpa had some that would run coyote 4,5,6 hrs. and when the coyote got tired of runnin' and decided to stop and fight, or they caught it most of the time, it was bad news for Mr. Coyote. He also had a pack that he used for nothing but runnin deer. They would push a deer across a road so fast it looked like a big brown thrasher.


----------



## puddintane

What does anyone know about the TRIGG hound?


----------



## eWarren19842008

Trigg Hound



Height: (Approx.) 23-25 In. 
Group: Hound 
Weight: (Approx.) 50-70 Lbs. 
Coat: Short; Soft, Fine, And Glossy 
Color: Tri-Colored; Bi-Colors Are Allowed 




Appearance: Head: Full and strong, but Not heavy. Eyes: Deep set and dark in color. Ears: Set low and hang close to cheeks. Muzzle: Medium size and well proportioned to head. Nose: Black and self-colored according to coat. Bite: Scissor or level. Neck: Long, lean and slightly arched. Chest: Deep, broad and let well down. Body: Back is straight, muscular and level. Legs: Forelegs are straight and strong. Hind legs are muscular and parallel, with stifles bent moderately. Feet: Round and cat like. Tail: Does not curve over back, tapers to a point. Movement: Good reach, with well balanced movement. Temperament: Energetic, free-spirited, with good movement. 

I found a book that has all of the American foxhounds in it the other day and the trigg was listed I'll see if i can find some more info you.


----------



## grouper throat

puddintane said:


> What does anyone know about the TRIGG hound?


Try here- http://www.foxhoundspastandpresent.com/


----------



## July 1

My Daddy bred July hounds for over 50 years . You will see his name in a lot of pedigrees in the older bred July hounds. Our dogs was known for speed as well as running head up and maybe s little tight lipped when they was running close on there game I just saw your post  and it brought back a world of memories . If you see the name Sharpe in a July hounds pedigree that was my daddy .


----------



## jaydawg

Awesome breed...my family ran them for years...deer in Va, and fox all over the southeast


----------



## stonecreek

My grandad ran a pack of July hounds on coyotes in Kansas years ago. After WW2 my oldest pair of uncles got into July’s pretty heavy on foxes in the Ozarks of Missouri. Back in the 60s when I was a kid we would visit with them and the dogs were tied up behind a barn. Running them foxhounds caused all them marital issues!!


----------



## specialk

jaydawg said:


> Awesome breed...my family ran them for years...deer in Va, and fox all over the southeast



we ran deer with them too in south central VA....mainly Halifax Co......in the 70's.....


----------



## jaydawg

specialk said:


> we ran deer with them too in south central VA....mainly Halifax Co......in the 70's.....



Nice!  We still have a farm in Campbell Co...used to hunt some in Halifax too when the dogs would cross the Staunton river!


----------



## specialk

jaydawg said:


> Nice!  We still have a farm in Campbell Co...used to hunt some in Halifax too when the dogs would cross the Staunton river!



we are down on the state line, more deer there now than there ever was when i was a kid.....i got bunches of family there and still have my grandparents place we go back to several times a year....


----------



## Hillbilly stalker

The next county over from me…they use July’s on Fox and deer. An elderly gentleman told me they would catch a grey in 45 minutes or less. I had never heard of that. Back in the hills Fox hunters were mostly wore out coon hunters who couldn’t pull the hills anymore. I never heard of a pack actually “ catching “ a Fox. Too many ground hog holes and rock bluffs for that to happen. The Fox hunters never wanted to kill a Fox anyways. They wanted to hear their dogs run. People weren’t infected with the incurable “ deer” disease back then. Old timers pulled out on a point where they could hear the whole holler/ valley, turn the pack loose and build a fire, usually pulled a cork too.  I Believe that’s where the saying “ Pee on the fire and call in the dogs” comes from. They ran mostly Triggs back in the hills, never seen or heard of a July until I came to South Carolina.


----------



## jaydawg

specialk said:


> we are down on the state line, more deer there now than there ever was when i was a kid.....i got bunches of family there and still have my grandparents place we go back to several times a year....


ten fo, good deal...we’re located in Seneca, on the river...still dove hunt and black powder hunt every season, plus Thanksgiving and Christmas...no more July hounds running...dog hunting just isn’t the same


----------



## jaydawg

Hillbilly stalker said:


> The next county over from me…they use July’s on Fox and deer. An elderly gentleman told me they would catch a grey in 45 minutes or less. I had never heard of that. Back in the hills Fox hunters were mostly wore out coon hunters who couldn’t pull the hills anymore. I never heard of a pack actually “ catching “ a Fox. Too many ground hog holes and rock bluffs for that to happen. The Fox hunters never wanted to kill a Fox anyways. They wanted to hear their dogs run. People weren’t infected with the incurable “ deer” disease back then. Old timers pulled out on a point where they could hear the whole holler/ valley, turn the pack loose and build a fire, usually pulled a cork too.  I Believe that’s where the saying “ Pee on the fire and call in the dogs” comes from. They ran mostly Triggs back in the hills, never seen or heard of a July until I came to South Carolina.



That’s right...for years my family ran July hounds all over the southeast in fox hunting competition, and then used the same hounds to chase deer in Va...the old timers just wanted to hear the dogs run, build a fire, drink, and argue whose dog was best...they’d rather see you kill the deer in front of their dogs....and those July hounds were fast...seen em catch foxes and have seen em catch 2 deer in my day, and not yearlings either....good times back then, but doggin days are about gone


----------



## Cypress knee

My daddy had a pair of July’s out of the same litter when I was a kid. He called them his Daytona 500 dogs cuz they was faster then anything else we had. I’ve got a picture of my daddy and one of those July hounds with a buck he had killed in front of them on my reloading bench. My daddy always said that was the best jump dog he ever had.


----------



## catchdogs

Old man in our club mr. Jackson passed few years ago but he had close to 60 July hounds . They had a big fox pen on Friday afternoon he would load up as many as he could and run all weekend . They would run a deer to death on many occasions . They sure were some good looking dogs always wanted to cross one into my hog dogs years ago but never did.


----------



## eWarren19842008

July 1 said:


> My Daddy bred July hounds for over 50 years . You will see his name in a lot of pedigrees in the older bred July hounds. Our dogs was known for speed as well as running head up and maybe s little tight lipped when they was running close on there game I just saw your post  and it brought back a world of memories . If you see the name Sharpe in a July hounds pedigree that was my daddy .





July 1 said:


> My Daddy bred July hounds for over 50 years . You will see his name in a lot of pedigrees in the older bred July hounds. Our dogs was known for speed as well as running head up and maybe s little tight lipped when they was running close on there game I just saw your post  and it brought back a world of memories . If you see the name Sharpe in a July hounds pedigree that was my daddy .


I’ve seen the name Sharpe a lot over the years in July hound pedigrees. It hard to find a good July anymore. I’ve got one old male dog that’s still kicking. He’s been bear caught and nearly killed twice, and cut down by several bad boar hogs over the years, and caught many fox & coyote right by himself. He runs to catch no matter what it is. Fine all around gamey dog. Wished I had some good old blood females to cross him back on…


----------



## stonecreek

I remember there use to be running pen on 280 outside of Richland. Back in the 70s and 80 s folks would come from all over to run in the pens. Mr. Bell use to supply them and other pens with coyotes. He would cut the tails off the yotes. Said they run faster without the tails and that mud on the tails would slow them down. Mr. Bell retired from Georgia Power but made a pile of money trapping yotes and selling them to pens and also Auburn for research.


----------

