About the UKC Cur-Feist Program

Performance Events tailored for the Cur and Feist breeds are based upon treeing game. The Cur / Feist Program actually offers three different performance events for evaluating these hard working tree dogs. The most popular of the events offered is the licensed Squirrel Hunt. At a typical licensed squirrel hunt, three dogs are randomly drawn into a group (called a cast) to hunt against each other. Dogs are hunted for two hours using a points system where the handler and dog teams are credited for treeing the most wild game and making the fewest mistakes in the process. Dogs are hunted on wild, free ranging game outside of enclosures and no game is taken during these events. In much the same fashion, licensed Nite Hunts, another UKC licensed Cur / Feist event, test a dog’s ability to tree wild raccoons. Four dog casts participate in the licensed Nite Hunts. The final event available to Cur / Feist enthusiasts and their dogs are the licensed Treeing Contests. A live raccoon, or if prohibited by law, a substitute is placed up in a tree in a cage of the type that a dog cannot make contact with the animal nor can the animal hurt itself. A dog’s treeing ability is judged based on the number of times he barks at the game while staying inside of a marked, but not fenced, area. Though UKC recognizes but five breeds of Curs and Feists, all UKC registered breeds (excluding coonhounds) are eligible to participate in licensed Cur / Feist events. Dogs compete for championship points and permanent UKC titles.