Written by Mandi Williams
Tuesday, 11 March 2008

Even though the Trail Blazers event is about introducing kids to outdoor activities, there was certainly a lot of TDHA member fraternization and good old "camp fire" talk. We got to see and/or meet some folks that we don't get to see as often as we would like.
I am so glad that as of late there is such a boom in active members getting out there represent TDHA. Some of the folks I've met in the past couple of weeks are people that I'm sure will be life long friends and huntin' buddies - despite the distance between us.

At this event, I was so happy that for the first time we were able to do demonstrations of what these hunting dogs can do. Kids got to interact with a retrieving dog, a blood trailing dog, and got to see actual photographs of the same dogs they were petting in their roles as hog dogs, trap line dogs, and blood trailers. They got to see the related tools - retrieving dummies, blood trailing training supplies, radio collars, cut gear (as modeled by a Jagd and a Mountain Cur), and even a real trap. I am VERY satisfied that we bucked the misconception that TDHA is a hog hunting association and were well represented as a Hunting Dog Association.

Breeds Represented (in no particular order)

Dogo Argentino/ American Bulldog (hog dog)
Border Collie (blood trailing dog)
German Jagd Terrier (hog dog,trap line dog,blood trailers,retrievers)
English Pointer (upland bird dog)
Mountain Cur (hog dog)
Australian Shepherd (blood trailing dog)
English Springer Spaniel (retriever, both upland and water fowl)
Plott Hound (hog dog)
Catahoula (hog dog)
East Texas Brindle Cur (hog dog, love muffin)

I think we were very well represented!


This weekend, we all opened these kids' minds to a world that many of them never knew existed. Hopefully, it will be an experience that they will remember for years to come.

I mentioned the "camp fire" feeling in describing our outing to the Trail Blazers event. It was cold Saturday morning, and we did actually bring a fire pit and some wood for a fire. Despite the fact that we were surrounded by over 500 boy scouts, we never got that fire successfully lit. It was the thought that counted :O)
Mandi

Chris and Mandi (cricleC, aladatrot)
John Wood and family (critter)
Eric Gohlke (Brute23)
Jeff (Elkaholic)
Lance Falzone (zonerugby)
and anyone I may of missed that attended the Athens TrailBlazers.

This was the Biggest and BEST turn out by TDHA vol at a Trailblazers.

Thanks again guys and gals!
James Reasoner