Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/23082
FrontGate LAND'S BEST FRIEND Don’t Be Fooled by the Small Packaging Feists are equal parts cast iron and nitroglycerin. –Henry Chappell WYMAN MEINZER like in appearance and temperament. Their lineage goes back to terrier breeds developed to hunt small vermin. Like other English traditions, these terriers made their way to the American colonies. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the smaller dogs were bred for increased hunting and scenting ability by crossing them with curs, beagles, and other scenthounds. Common types include the DenMark feist, the Mullins feist, O the Thornberg feist, and the treeing feist. Consistent with their terrier breeding, feists are fearless and alert but also companion- able and easy to train. Feists run 20 to 35 pounds and have short, low-maintenance coat. Ears may be erect or floppy; bobtails are traditional but not required. 18 TheLandReport | WINTER 2010 unce for ounce, feists might well be the toughest dogs on earth. They certainly have my vote as the most versatile. Feists are working-class in origin and terrier- Most feists are silent trailers who alert hunters with a clear, chopping bark. Although their treeing instinct and natural prey drive make them popular with squirrel and ‘coon hunters, feists also do well with light stock-herding work. Needless to say, they’re deadly on small vermin. Do: • Take your feist puppy for frequent walks in the woods as soon as it has completed a course of inoculations. • Join the National Cur and Feist Breeders Association 713 E. Sycamore St., Jasonville, IN 47438 (812) 665-3263. Don’t: • Introduce a pup to gunfire until it is hunting boldly and shows a strong interest in game. LANDREPORT.COM