A few days ago, we were walking in the woods, and crossed some people who were ferreting (put a ferret in a rabbit hole to drive it out and into a net). Voodoo was running off-leash and when we just passed them, a rabbit came out and jumped over the net. We were about 20 meters away from it, and Voodoo immedeately turned around to chase it. He caught it before it could run 30 meter further. The guys with the ferret were quit impressed with that. One of them had 2 lurchers at home, and said my little basenji was maybe even quicker then them. They invited me to come along with them for a few more rabbit holes, to see if Voodoo could catch it again if they were not using nets. So we did. We tried 3 more holes, scared 3 rabbits out of them and Voodoo caught 2 of them before they could escape. The 3rd one managed to dive into another nearby hole. Voodoo killed them all within seconds, only problem was taking the rabbits from him cause I didn't had anything in my pockets to trade them for. We took one home and he got a nice piece of it in the evening. :)

It was a lot of fun and very exiting. So much, that I'm thinking the whole time now of getting a ferret myself and make that our new hobby. He seems really good in it and seems to love doing it (but how could he not love doing some chasing?).

Someone else here who does something simular with their basenji?

I don't go hunting with mine but they are excellent at catching rabbits, and the occasional chipmunk and bird, in our yard.

I used to walk my past Basenjis in these large fields and they would catch Rabbits and Pheasant. Now the state owns the land and it's closed off to any off leash.

There was atime when my Basenjis hunted but we now have a law preventing this. This law also applies if your dog is seen hunting on its own.

Tucker is all about stalking the squirrel in our yard. So far he has only rolled him…..but one day I am looking forward to him finally catching it. I thought that being around the acreage that they would catch mice, but so far they haven't caught one.....

Rabbits seem to be nice game for a Basenji. Think they are a bit to slow to catch a hare, or they have to tire him out. And rabbits or nice game. Ready to cook without having to hang them first, and also good food for the dogs. So I'm still thinking of buying a ferret (or 2 ;)) and go hunting on a regular base.

@Patty, did you go out then in purpose of hunting, and if so, were you hunting specific types of game? Or did you just let them chase whatever they wanted to chase at walks? We have similar rules over here, but there are exeptions to them. Private ground, pest control, hunting season with ferreting license…

@krunzer: Voodoo kills (and eats) several mouse, lemmings, rats...) allmost daily. If he isn't hungry anymore, he just catches them and plays with them, without killing them (placing a paw on them, letting them run away again, catching them again..), wich I don't allow him to do. If he starts doing that, fun is over and back into the house for him.

I have always wondered if Basenjis would be good at squirrel hunting! My dogs will tree the squirrels to the point where some of them want to climb the tree.

Jennifer

I know he goes absolutely nuts when he sees the squirrels. It was way too funny when he rolled it. I don't think that squirrel has been back to our bird feeder.

My guy loves to chase squirrels. So far has had no luck catching one, however, and I am just as glad. It can get messy if they only injure the animal, plus squirrels can bite! As can groundhogs and various other small game. Perry's favourite quarry is crows. He does love to chase them, and sometimes they cooperate by flying low enough to keep him interested…..

I have a bird feeder on one side of the house and the squirrels eat what ever black sunflower seeds that drop from the Finch. Buddy does the stealth walk and peaks around the corner then bolts out and chases them. He gets like 1/2" from the catch. They barely make it up the fence.

@eeeefarm:

My guy loves to chase squirrels. So far has had no luck catching one, however, and I am just as glad. It can get messy if they only injure the animal, plus squirrels can bite! As can groundhogs and various other small game.

Not to be a buzzkill, but It could get quite scary letting the basenjis actually catch wild game - sometimes they carry diseases, including rabies in the case of squirrels and other small animals.

@Shaye's:

@eeeefarm:

My guy loves to chase squirrels. So far has had no luck catching one, however, and I am just as glad. It can get messy if they only injure the animal, plus squirrels can bite! As can groundhogs and various other small game.

Not to be a buzzkill, but It could get quite scary letting the basenjis actually catch wild game - sometimes they carry diseases, including rabies in the case of squirrels and other small animals.

In Ontario the only rabies we have had to deal with lately is Bat rabies…..that said, one of my girls got into it with a groundhog many years ago. I actually killed the groundhog myself, with a shovel.......so I could send it off to be tested for rabies. My girl got a nip on the head, and although she was current on her rabies shots I needed to know if I should quarantine her.....didn't want to take a chance if the groundhog was rabid.

I looked online and the same thing as eeeeefarm. We have cases of Bat's with rabies looks to be approximately 1-2 a year on the government site. There haven't been any confirmed cases in larger animals since 1957 I think I saw. Now if I could only get them to case the blue jays away….

If you lived closer I could bring mine over. They love to chase birds and I have one girl who has caught them but that was a few years ago. I think the birds have learned their lesson as I hardly see any now!

Jennifer

LOL!! I just want him to chase away the blue jays. They come and eat all the food out of my bird feeder so the little birds (chickadees and nuthatches) dont have anything to eat. The squirrel also feeds at the bird feeder and he is quite enthralled with that.

Having had a few basenjis and only used them for hunting one thing I never let them do is chase as once you allow this it is hard to stop. Mine are used when whistling foxes or howling for wild dogs as they always see hear or smell the fox before me . I also use him for finding sambar deer and blood tracking the same way I use my gun dogs .