Author: Jacob Dodson
Originally published in Full Cry, March / April 2026
I have been an avid hunter since middle school, and I have always loved squirrel hunting on my parents’ land. That is where this story begins. It was a blustery, cold day in mid-January 2022. My brother-in-law, cousin, and I were walking my parents’ property in search of squirrels. This was our third attempt in the past month, and we hadn’t had any luck. As another unsuccessful day came to an end, we left cold and defeated.
That same night, while watching TV, I stumbled onto something that would change my hunting forever—a video by MeatEater featuring squirrel hunting in the Ozarks with Clay Newcomb and his little dogs called Mountain Feists. As I watched, I was amazed. I thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen. When the episode ended, I looked over at my wife and said we should get a squirrel dog. In that moment, I was hooked.
The next day, I messaged my hunting party, told them what I had seen, and stated that I would own a squirrel dog. The search was on. I dove headfirst into all things squirrel dogs. I scoured the internet and found people like Clayton Stark, who runs his own YouTube channel. I also discovered podcasts such as Tree Talkin’ Time, Houndsman XP, and Double U. These resources gave me valuable insight into dog hunting and helped me settle on the breed I wanted—the Mountain Cur.
About four months into my search, I saw a Facebook post for a three-month-old Mountain Cur pup. I must have looked at that post 50 times that day, but I didn’t make a move. That night, after talking with my wife, I was kicking myself for not reaching out. She told me to contact the owner the next day. When I did, I was surprised to learn the pup was still available. We drove three hours the very next day to pick him up.
After all the research, waiting, and excitement, I finally had my very own squirrel dog. I named him Flint. I had been working on a black powder flintlock during my research phase, which inspired the name. Once Flint was home and settled in, it was time to begin training. Obedience and recall came first, and he did very well with both. As he grew older, I slowly introduced him to squirrel training. The more we worked together, the sharper he became.
Before I knew it, squirrel season had arrived. On October 20, 2022, Flint treed his very first squirrel on my parents’ land. It’s hard to describe the feeling, but the joy in that moment was surreal. All the work and training had paid off. I was watching my dog do what he loved.
One of my favorite hunts with Flint took place on an early, cold January morning. This hunt was special because it was our first-ever public land hunt. The WMA we chose overlooks the Rapidan River in Fauquier County, Virginia. The morning started slowly, with little activity, but I remained optimistic. After covering about two miles, I decided to head back toward the truck and try a new spot.
On the way back, I felt slightly discouraged, but I quickly reminded myself that being in a new place with my young dog gaining experience still made it a perfect morning. My focus shifted from hunting to navigating the steep terrain when I suddenly heard Flint barking intensely. My head snapped up, and my heart began to race. I went from carefully picking my way through the woods to running as fast as I could toward that tree.
When I arrived, I looked up and saw the squirrel sitting at the very top of a big red oak. I could hardly believe it. It was real. Thanks to Flint, I harvested my first-ever public land squirrel. I was incredibly proud of my boy.
Since then, Flint has become the kind of pleasure dog every hunter hopes for—steady, eager, and happiest in the woods. He leads many of our hunts now and brings joy to all of us. Along the way, I realized he gave me more than just a better way to hunt squirrels. What once felt like frustration became the start of something I never expected. Every time Flint opens up in the woods, I’m reminded that the best parts of hunting often find you when you’re not looking for them.
