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15 Dog breeds that make great hunters

Big-game hunting

10. Mountain Cur

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Truthfully, just about any dog can help you hunt squirrels, but these dogs are literally built to do it. They’re related to hounds, so they have great noses and voices, but they’re also tenacious and protective.

11. American Foxhound

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This leggy beaut differs from other scent hounds in that they’re chasers, not tree-ers. While they can chase smaller game, like foxes as the name suggests, they excel at moving deer and can keep up with them better than smaller alternatives.

12. Plott Hound

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Plott Hounds are bear hunters extraordinaire. While they may be capable of treeing and even fighting a bear alone, it’s advisable to have them hunt bears in packs. They have short, very choppy barks, which allow them to keep running while still alerting hunters to their location.

13. Bluetick Coonhound

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Mountain lions are tough to catch… unless you’re a Bluetick Coonhound. These tenacious canines have the skills to stalk this illusive cat and the cajones (figuratively, if they’re female) to stand paw-to-paw with them.

14. Weimaraner

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William Wegman drew attention to these graceful dogs’ quirkier side, but they’re actually very agile hunters. They specialize in large game like deer, boar and bears.

15. Rhodesian Ridgeback

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Also called an African Lion Hound, the Rhodesian Ridgeback is South African in origin. As you might have guessed, they were originally bred to hunt lions, making them an ideal overall large game hunter.

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