Now, I know everyone has seen the movie "Old Yeller".  I know most of ya got all teary eyed.. . But, did you know that in the book, the story was about a Yellow Mountain Cur?  When Disney was making the movie, they decided to use the more recognizable Retriever.   I myself grew up hunting with Redbones, Blue Ticks, Walkers, etc.  And, to be honest the word "cur" to me meant nothing more than a mut.  Boy, have I learned differently over the past couple of years, thanks to my dear friends the McCorkles and J'Mac Kennels.  I now own a beautiful "Yeller Cur" and she is the best dog I have ever owned.  

What justifies "best", you may ask. Is it looks? Is it how good a hunter? Or, how smart they are? Maybe it's how good a companion do they make? Well, this pup is all of the above and I will never have another kind a dog again. 

Let me tell you a short story before going into the history of these wonderful dogs. The litter mate to my dog, Jazz, was 5 months old. The owner of the dog also had an adult Blue Tick hound. The owner was having problems with coyotes raiding his chickens. Well, to make a long story short, he had the pup loose on his property and the coyotes came in there killing chickens. The Blue tick and the cur pup went to the commotion. He told me that about the time he came, the Blue tick was hauling ass back to the house with a coyote dead on his heels. The boy managed to shoot that coyote but didn’t kill it. He said that the cur pup (at 5 months old, mind you) turned and fought the coyote that was after her. He said that he started running towards her, but it was too late -- another coyote had jumped in and they killed her before he could get to them. He killed the coyote that fought her and he said that he was sure he fatally wounded the other one. 

He told Justin McCorkle at J'Mac Kennels that he would never have another kind of dog than a cur and he would never buy another one.

from anyone but J'Mac Kennels. He said that a dog that will lay down its life for you at 5 months old is something that he had never, ever seen in his entire life. That made me feel really good, although I was saddened by the pup getting killed. So, he already has one booked out of J'Mack's next litter.

I have never seen a more loyal, good natured hunting dog in my life. As for hunting ability, these pups almost train themselves.  They are natural tree dogs and don't require much guidance.  

Now, for a bit of history. Mountain Curs are the pioneer dogs of the Southern Mountains. It has been said by many old timers that without Mountain Curs, the Southern Mountains could not have been settled by the pioneers. These Cur dogs were highly valued by early pioneers. . . They guarded the family from danger and hunted animals for the family's food. When moving from place to place, baskets were slung across the backs of pack animals and the puppies rode. If no pack animals were available, members of the family carried the valuable puppies. 

 

Curs came mostly from Europe along with their owners, who came to America seeking new homes. Curs were bred with Native American Dogs to get the Original Mountain Cur we know today. It had been established through family history and research that Spanish Explorers brought the brindle, bob-tailed Curs to the South. Hernando De Soto brought the brindle Curs to drive the hogs and provide protection against wild animals, while he explored the South and discovered the Mississippi River. Hunters and settlers found the brindles when they came south.

The colors of Mountain Curs of early days (brindle, yellow, black and blue) are still dominant today. Some have white markings. Different strains were known by their owners' names such as: Arline, York and Ledbetter. The York name refers to WWI war hero Alvin York. York is credited by many for helping to re-introduce the breed. All these dogs have the same general traits, such as strong treeing instinct on all game, being courageous fighters and having high intelligence.

The Mountain Cur today is still a varmint dog! He will hunt whatever game his master wants.He is also a guard dog, farm dog and family protector. This dog is put down and ridiculed by some uninformed people because of the word "Cur". In Mountain Cur the word "Cur" is used idiomatically and has NO meaning of "low" or worthless".

Until World War II, the Mountain Cur was still an economic asset to mountain people. Many a boy bought overalls and shoes, maybe coffee and sugar with money from furs caught by Mountain Curs. Then came the war and jobs. The old pioneer dogs were scarce by the late 1940's.

However, all mountain men did not forget the Mountain Cur.

J Mac’s Jinx treed (Jazz’s Daddy)
Information from OMCBA ( http://www.omcba.com )  & J’Mac Kennels ( http://www.jmackennels )