Since unmemorable times, sable was and still remains one of symbols of Siberia, its jewel or “soft gold.” These words were used for a reason. Pelts of sable were highly valued in all times. Sable pelts were used to pay “yassak”. People of the north paid by sable skins just like Alaskans paid by gold sand. For Russian “zemleprokhodtsy” (scouts and frontiersmen), measures of success were not only lands and “yassak” peoples, but also the number of sable pelts collected during the trip. Native peoples of Siberia and, at a later time Russian promyshlenniks (frontiersmen and adventurers), invented numerous methods on how to obtain sable. These methods were constantly perfected and information about them was passed from one generation to another. As a result, several unique methods of hunting sable were developed. Hunting with Laika is one of the most perfect and unique means of sable hunting.
Sable hunting with Laika, besides being beautiful and thrilling, is very productive. In some regions a major part of sable skins are obtained using dogs. According to data of A.V. Geits, in Irkutsk Province, in 80th of XX Century, 60-90% of sable skins were obtained using Laikas (Instruction “Hunting Laika, 1985, Irkutsk).
Hunting qualities of Laikas were perfected over many centuries and, as a result, they achieved a very high efficiency. Some became truly virtuosos, capable of finding sable in its den by its several-days-old tracks.
I analyzed work of Laikas of different ages, sex, and in different game habitats and under different weather conditions. As a result, I found two major types of Laikas differing in the method of their work hunting sable.
The first type of Laika works on hot sable tracks, which have a scent and the second type of Laika picks old tracks, which have lost scent.
I call dogs using the first method “flyers.” When these Laikas find fresh tracks, they sharply change their movement. If the dog was trotting, he will switch to galloping and if it was galloping, it will switch to faster galloping. The dog starts a wide circle or makes an acute angle, or he will “fly” in all directions. Hunters would tell: “The dog starts cutting tracks.” In this context, “cutting’ is not exactly a correct word. This method is used by many intelligent animals, but the dog is simply looking for the strongest scented track and this is how he determines the exit track of the sable. Then, the dog starts an active chase and often makes shortcuts using scent or seeing loops made by the tracks, which the sable made trying to escape the dog. As a result of his method a “flyer” the sable is finally treed and does not have enough time to hide in his underground or above the ground den.
“Flyers” usually have a wide range of search, are very active and can work singly or in a pack of several dogs.
Laikas using the second method can be named “crawlers.” They also can chase sable using its fresh tracks, but they are also capable of chasing sable using its tracks visually without scent. As hunters say in such cases: “The dog is tracking “lunduk.” Lunduk means old, frozen tracks. This kind of Laikas are distinguished by a more balanced and slow temperament. Their owners often intentionally limit the search range of the dog by leading him on the leash behind a reindeer or a horse until they see sable tracks. If the hunter overlooked the place where the dogs were left, he may spent much time searching them later on.

Another characteristic trait is associated with the style used by a dog working singly or in a well-adjusted pair of dogs. The hustle of several dogs can result in trampling of sable tracks and, because old tracks have no scent, it would be difficult to unravel it. When a pair of Laikas, well adjusted to each other, work together, they watch each other, check every “lunduk” on the path of the hunter and, if one of the dogs finds one, the other joins the pursuit. One dog or several dogs can track the sable to its den, where it is resting (sometimes for several days in the row), or which he recently left, leaving fresh tracks. In the latter, case, dogs chase it further.
With a “crawler” sable are killed in their dens. Therefore, a hunter must have right equipment, such as a trap, a smoking materials, a good hook for pulling the sable out of the tree hole, etc.
Knowledge of the working style of Laikas on sable is very important for actual hunting and for pedigree work. The style of work of Laika is an inherited trait. Knowledge of this allows matching right mating pairs for obtaining offspring with a certain hunting style with high level of probability.
During hunting, knowledge of these peculiarities of hunting is important. The problem is when hunters, especially the beginners, often attempt to mate “flyer” with a “crawler.” This does not produce a good result.
Many times I saw how a “flyer” found old sable tracks and starts to use his tactics, resulting in trampling the sable’s tracks and, because they have no scent, he cannot find the sable. At the same time another dog, the “crawler,” follows the “flyer” with a hope that he does mean business, because he tries so hard. As a result of such teamwork, the hunter can give his dog a taiga style lesson with a stick. After that, he should take the “flyer” on the leash and send the “crawler” to the fresh, not trampled yet, sable tracks. He can go to drink some tea taking his time until his dog, without any interference, will sort out where the sable has gone.
In habitats with a high sable population and its concentrations in certain regions, hunting with “flyers” is more productive, because fresh tracks are frequent and the slow work of the “crawler” is less efficient. When sable population is sparse and fresh tracks are rare, a “crawler” is necessary.
Actually a “crawler” can work on any tracks. When the hunter finds tracks, he encourages his dog and under favorable conditions can guarantee a success. Besides, using “crawler” is quite efficient when weather is very frosty. At -25 to -30 degrees C, sable tracks are losing scent in 30-40 minutes. The sable may not be not very far, but “flyers” would be not able to detect it. A “crawler” would be exactly the right choice here. “Flyers” are easier to hunt with, especially for young hunters, who have little experience, because such a dog is heard often and the hunter can walk towards the barking. Often it takes a few hours to find “crawler.” This is particularly bad, if the dog does not bark at the den on the ground in a log and tries to extract the animal on his own. On this occasion there is only one choice: follow the dog’s tracks.
Therefore, I always have dogs with different styles of hunting and use them depending on actual conditions of hunting season.
When choosing a puppy , I also consider it important keep the hunting style in mind. A hunter, having Laikas with a certain hunting style, may pick a puppy with a different hunting style. As a result, the new puppy does not work in harmony with his older dogs. A “crawler” would get lost and not come to the barking of “flyers” because he is busy with unraveling old tracks. A “flyer” would trample old tracks, which the “crawler” would use. Some hunters, who are unaware about different hunting styles of Laikas, shoot the “unfit” dog. This is why in industrial hunting regions many very good promising dogs are killed.
Unfortunately, peculiarities of work of Laikas on sable are insufficiently described in our literature. During 18 years of work in Zhigalovsky District of Irkutsk Province, where 85% of sables is obtained with Laikas, I found that even some experienced hunters could not explain the hunting methods of their Laikas in detail. Therefore, I hope that my conclusions will help hunters correctly evaluate the sable hunting ability of their dogs.