"Home of REAL Treedogs"

Hello to all the faithful readers and subscribers of FULL CRY magazine. It has been an interesting last couple of weeks for me to say the least. I have had a lot of e-mails and phone calls regarding my column here in this magazine. I would like to thank all of you that have phoned or e-mailed giving words of encouragement and reading my column, it sure makes writing in this magazine worth while. I am a little taken aback by all the calls and letters I have received last month. I have been asked by several people that have wrote or phoned, “Why don’t you tell us about your dogs” or “why don’t you write about what you are hunting”. I will try to answer that question the best I can then we will move on. The title of this column is called Out and About; the premise of this column was to write about who I have talked to, if it is at hunts or over the phone, dogs I have seen or heard about, and functions I attend out there amongst the tree dog enthusiast crowd. To a certain extent that will and does involve my dogs because I love to competition hunt, and most pleasure hunts I am on involve my dogs tagging along as well. But in this particular column I feel that it is not necessary to put emphasis on my dogs but other people’s dogs out there. I could write a whole other column just talking about my dogs and how great I think they are but that is not what this column here is all about. I may mention one of my dog’s names in a story here and there but forgive me if I do not go into detail on my own personal stuff. If anyone would like to know what I am hunting and how my dogs are doing I would be more than glad to discuss it with anyone but not through this column. It just my weird opinion I guess and I am sure everyone has one but I believe it will benefit my column better in the long run if I stick with this policy. But for those of you that asked the questions, I will have a website up soon that will highlight my dogs and possibly a quick locater in the classifieds of this fine magazine. SO with all that being said we can move on to some other things.

I had a call the other night from James Horne of Hillsboro Ohio. James had read Out And About in the March issue of FULL CRY and called to ask me if I could send him some pictures of Andy McKinley’s Squirrel Tube that I was talking about. James thinks that he may build one of his own if he could get the basic idea off the pictures I will be sending him. I think these squirrel tubes can be an awesome training tool but I also believe like anything else they can be overdone. I believe once a pup has treed its own squirrel there is no further use for the squirrel tube or any other cage game scenarios. James had some young pus that he thought he may break ground on the training tube. I believe they sure help a young pup to look and tree up, and still have to build one of my own yet. James hunts a dog he calls Buddy that is a accomplished squirrel dog, he is also real proud of a 8 month old pup out of Buddy that is treeing it’s own squirrel. Congratulations James! Best of luck with Buddy’s pups it sounds like you are having a great time. Once you get your squirrel tube built send me some pictures and I will put them here in the magazine so we all can see the efforts of your labor.

I attended a NKC sanctioned squirrel event in Franklin IN at the Johnson County Houndsmens Club on 3-12-05 Jon Kennon served as my guide, and we had a great hunt. This is a great group of guy and gals with a great facility and clubhouse located right on Camp Atterbery Military base. They have plenty of quality guides and they will put you in the squirrels, they have a bench show and will soon have treeing contest for all that would like to participate.

I talked with my father Bob Schneider the other day on the phone; he stays in Sarasota Florida six months out of the year living the great retired life. My dad used to hunt Black and Tan coon hounds, he tells me that he also grew up with his fair share of curs. He is awful excited about hunting with me this next season, who knows he may be a future tree dog owner once again. My father means a bunch to me and I am glad we can spend time in the woods together. Times like that will never be forgotten, my oldest son is now seven years old he thoroughly enjoys squirrel hunting with dogs. I hope I can leave half the impression on my son that my father has left on me.

I also talked with Greg Helwig on the telephone the other night, congratulations to Greg and his fine female cur “Squaw” on winning the Indiana State Championship hunt. This hunt was held in Elnora Indiana back in March. I have always known Squaw was a top dog having seen her in the woods myself. I will give Greg and Squaw credit where credit is due.

I had a conversation with Chris Powell of Rising Sun Indiana. Chris has been campaigning his male dog “Lot’s a Grit What’s Up Doc” in several of the coon hunts. From the feedback I have been getting Doc is holding his own against the hounds out there. Good Job Chris, you and Doc keep up the good work! Chris is also working with some big names in the tree dog industry on some legislative things in the state of Indiana. It will be interesting to see how that progresses. I urge all tree dog men and women to get behind a strong organization that supports hunting with dogs.

I talked with Alex Kovac on the telephone. He has just made a career change and tells me he really enjoys his new line of work. He still keeps plenty busy with all the UKC Cur and Feist events. He is working diligently to further promote the Curs and Feist. I have known Alex now for a number of years; we kind of came into this sport together. I remember e-mailing Alex back and forth years ago when the internet was sort of a new thing. I always enjoy talking dogs with Alex and checking up on him to see what he has been into. I also talk with Amy Thomas who most of you know is Alex’s sister, she writes in this magazine as well, I look forward to reading both Alex and Amy’s articles each month. The Kovac’s are a Tree dog Family that’s for sure!

I told you in last months article that I was going to start something new this month and have a question and interview with someone in this sport. And I would like to start with none other than Mr. Claude Thomas of Jasonville IN. Claude is the secretary treasurer of the National Cur and Feist Breeders Association, NKC State Representative, and has been involved with tree dogs especially cur dogs longer than I have been alive. I meet Claude in 15 years ago in 1990 at the World Hunt in Elnora IN. He has ever since been a great friend of mine, he lives about 3 hours North of where I live here in Indiana. It seems that I do not get much of a chance to see Claude unless it is at a hunt or tree dog event. And He has been to plenty all over the nation supporting and promoting this sport that we all love so much. I have kept in touch with Claude over the telephone throughout the years just as I have with several of my fiends in this sport. I would also look forward to seeing Claude every year like clockwork in Kenton OH at the Kenton Nationals water race field trial and trade days. Claude would go to Kenton and stay for a week, signing up new members and handing out yearbooks. I would stop by Claude’s campsite and talk to him for long periods of time about dogs, folks or friends we shared and just simple talk. Claude had told me in conversation before that I should put my efforts toward helping out the National Kennel Club setting up Cur and Feist events across the state. I declined his invitation due to having too many coals in the fire at the time, but last year I called Claude to talk dogs and see how he was doing and he asked me if I would like to help once more and I told him gladly. I have been a State Rep for NKC since then, helping promote the Cur and Feist program just as Claude has done for the last several years. I know that I will never impact the Cur and Feist world such as Claude has but if I do half as much that would be a great accomplishment. They do not make men like Claude Thomas every day, men that give so much and get so little in return. He truly does not promote Cur dogs because he has to; he does it because he wants to. It was a great day to see the look on Claude’s face when he was presented a Ford Ranger pickup truck by Del Morgan of NKC at the Claude Thomas benefit hunt in Parsons TN. I was in attendance and would not have missed it for anything.

I called Claude on Sunday April 23^rd

Claude and his wife Naomi pickup the phone at the same time

Hello Claude this is David,

Claude: Hello David

How have you been?

Claude: Not good I have a fractured vertebra in my back

How did you do that Claude?

Claude: I am not sure, but I have to go in for surgery on it this week

I sure hate to hear that Claude, you need to take it easy, Naomi is going to have to strap you down! (Ha-ha)

Claude: Na, I believe I will be just fine after they straighten me out in the hospital this Wednesday.

Well I take it you got over that pneumonia spell?

Naomi: (breaks in on the other end of the phone) Yes, he got over that and has been feeling and doing better and now we have this back problem we will have to get fixed.

Claude: If I am at all able I am going to try my best to be at the Spring Round-Up this coming up weekend

If you need any help from me you know you got it, I will help with registering dogs or whatever it takes.

Claude: I appreciate that David, we might just need it. But Steve and Bonnie Baker will both be there and they will have a pretty good handle on things for us. Also, my friend Corky White will help get cast to the woods. We should be okay, if I am there I will not be able to do near as much as I usually do but I will do all I can.

I hear your IN State Championship Hunt went over good, sorry I could not make it.

Claude: That’s okay, we had an okay turnout, you know we could have done better but the dogs that were there were good ones and it was a good hunt.

You always have good hunts at Elnora; I know I try to make them all. I am sure this years Spring Round –Up will be another good one!

Claude: I sure hope so; we do our best to get the word out.

It is at this point I tell Claude that I will take no more of his time and he needs to rest up; if he needs anything don’t hesitate to call me. I do however stay on the telephone with his wife Naomi. I tell her that I will be doing this question and interview for this column and would have liked to go more in depth with Claude about his line of dogs and what he has done for us tree dog enthusiast throughout the years but I thought it was best to let him rest.

Naomi: Claude loves to talk dogs, even when he was in the hospital he returned what mail he could, wrote his article, and gave the Doctor, Therapist and Nurses and education on what squirrel dogs were all about. (She chuckles)

Well that don’t surprise me at all I know Claude loves to talk dogs! (Ha-ha)

Naomi: Yes he does, squirrel dogs and this organization mean so much to him, God, Family and Squirrel dogs I would say in that order. He thoroughly enjoys meeting new folks and getting out there to events.

How long have you and Claude been married?

Naomi: It was 50 years last August; our family all got together and threw us a nice party. It was very nice, our family means so much to Claude and I.

That is a wonderful accomplishment, Congratulations!

Naomi: Thank you

Can I ask you how many dogs you still have there at the house?

Naomi: I believe we have nine dogs left here

Wow, are most of them out of Sycamore Snappy?

Naomi: Not all of them but I believe most of them are yes. We have one dog loaned out right now that is doing real well.

That is great, hopefully I will see you this upcoming weekend at Elnora and maybe if Claude is there and up to it, I can reconvene this interview. I hope all goes well with Claude’s back surgery. (Naomi goes on to explain what it is the doctors will be doing, and the prognosis is good. She hopes to be at the Round-Up as usual helping out and running the kitchen. She tells me that Claude is still on the go and he is still returning calls and letters every evening)

Well that about wraps things up for this month’s column. By the time you get this the 2005 Elnora Spring Round-Up will be behind us. Hopefully I can re-visit with Mr. Claude and go more in depth as to the dogs he hunts and opinions he may have for us in this sport. I have included some pictures with this article they are from the March 12 squirrel hunt held at the Johnson County Houndsmens club in Franklin Indiana. These pictures were taken during the youth bench show were all children that entered left with a ribbon medallion crested with a squirrel in the center. It was a great thing to see these children get involved and the smiles were priceless. Picture #1 is of Walker Dog “Cross Creek Jersey” and Megan Kennon with her father Jon. Picture #2 is of Treeing Cur “Watson’s Buck” and Jordan Watson and his father Andrew.

Until Next time, KEEP LOOKIN UP!

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