Not ready yet, but looking to buy one maybe two bluetick puppies later this year.
Anybody know a breader?

Considering black and tan and also walker, but leaning more on bluetick...

Hightower,
Get ahold of Danimal8876.
He has a Bluetic that needs a new home.Plus he knows a few breeders

http://www.hoosierhunting.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_profile;u=00001806

What kind of blue tick? English? I know a few breeders down here that sales english red tick and blueticks. Both guys have nite champs and grand nite champs. they are well known.

Hightower,

I would get a dog that would tree a coon on a consistent basis no matter what breed first. Starting out with pups can be a loong road of disappointment. A straight coon treeing dog will be much more pleasurable for someone just starting out than trying to raise and train a pup, let alone two.

After you get a good idea of what a coon dog is and the traits you desire, it is much easier to select a breed or specific line that will meet your demands.

I used to be an avid Bluetick handler but have pretty much lost contact with the current big guns in the Bluetick line. I do know a couple of big names to contact if you're looking for top notch blood lines. Ed Mead is arguably one the best blutick breeders in history (my own opinion). I believe he won the Purina Points world championship I believe 2 years ago and placed very high last with another dog. You can find info on him on the internet by searching his name and/or Purina coonhunting points championship.

Another contact would be man around Ft. Wayne by the name of Ron Wiegmann. He used to exclusively hunt high powered Blueticks but actually won one of the world hunts a few years ago with a Walker. If you would like information to contact him- send me a PM.

Ironically I am also looking at getting back into coon hunting myself (after a 15 yr hiatus). If I dig up any information from either one of these gentlemen regarding available pups I will post it for you.

I have to agree with Wes Coffman, if you want to train a pup- it would not run two pups together for training. I learned this the hard way in my younger days. They are too eager to learn- including bad habits from other dogs. I, on the other hand am not an expert, but I treed a few coon when I was younger.

Thanks a million guys, very good info.
I am not yet ready to recieve a dog, no place to put it yet, and it will be a while before I am, so I have to pass on the offers I have had for free dogs.

The main reason I am going to get the dog, or dogs, is for family pet. My grandfather and great grand father bred blueticks and walkers, as well as beagles, and I have always loved coon hounds. I live in the sticks and love to hear them bark. Their size and looks are perfect for my taste. And they can help keep the varmints out of my garden. I just need to do some fencing before I get them, cause I know they roam, and I do not want them getting on the road, or shot on adjascent farms.

Might get two - one for me and one for my 2-1/2 year old son.

Thanks again, I'll get a hold of those you guys recommend!