Found Plott Hound

In mid-August a skin-and-bones-thin Plott hound began roaming the Novelty section of Penhook. The stray hound was skittish, and—while he liked to rest under our green oak—I couldn't get closer than about 20 feet before he'd take off.

 I figured that maybe he'd been running something and wouldn't quit until he was far from home. Or maybe he went on a journey in search of a lady dog. I felt so sorry for him that I started leaving food under the tree. (My policy: Never let a hungry animal go hungry.)

He started putting on weight and let me get closer and closer. Eventually I could touch him. He was a very clean dog (ears were clean, no fleas, only a few recently-acquired ticks which I removed).

He's a nice-looking hound, obviously well-bred, and must belong to someone. He's good with cats, is respectful around a horse, and has no interest in getting involved with the cows across the road. He followed my husband's tractor down the road a few days ago and happily hunted while my husband bush-hogged the trails at the farm. In fact, he returned here before my husband did.

True to his Plott nature, the hound does hunt at night, and he "treed" something in the grape arbor the other night. (I didn't go out to check just what.)

He is, however, difficult to keep penned-up. While he goes willingly into our kennel, where Maggie and Harley get along fine with him, he will not stay in the kennel. Apparently he can escape from a 5-foot high chain-link fence. [Update: he can unlatch the gate.]

He is too large and active a dog for an elderly couple, so we can't keep him. Plus, I think he must have an owner somewhere. But who, and where? It's possible he could have travelled a long distance.

Do you know this Plott? Can you help him reunite with his owner? If so, leave a comment.
(Or give us a call. We're the only Mushko in the Franklin County phonebook)

~