▁of ▁sm ell , ▁they ▁make ▁excellent ▁hunting / track ing ▁dogs . ▁If ▁allowed , ▁they ▁will ▁tree ▁almost ▁any ▁animal ▁smaller ▁than ▁them . ▁Bl uet icks ▁are ▁generally ▁easier ▁to ▁handle ▁in ▁the ▁field ▁than ▁some ▁other ▁co on h ounds . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁Bl uet ick ▁Co on h ound , ▁which ▁origin ated ▁in ▁Louisiana , ▁was ▁developed ▁from ▁the ▁Ble u ▁de ▁G asc ogne ▁h ound ▁of ▁south west ▁France , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁English ▁Fox h ound , ▁the ▁cur ▁dog , ▁the ▁American ▁Fox h ound , ▁and ▁the ▁Black ▁And ▁Tan ▁Virginia ▁Fox h ound . ▁ ▁Origin ally , ▁Bl uet ick ▁Co on h ounds ▁were ▁registered ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kenn el ▁Club ▁under ▁the ▁English ▁Fox h ound ▁and ▁Co on h ound , ▁but ▁were ▁recognized ▁by ▁the ▁club ▁as ▁a ▁separate ▁bre ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁ ▁Bl uet ick ▁Co on h ounds ▁are ▁also ▁recognized ▁by ▁the ▁Australian ▁National ▁Kenn el ▁Council ▁and ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Kenn el ▁Club . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁the ▁bre ed ▁was ▁accepted ▁by ▁the ▁American ▁Kenn el ▁Club ▁and ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁they ▁became ▁el ig ible ▁to ▁comp ete ▁in ▁A K C ▁co on h ound ▁events . ▁The ▁American ▁Blue ▁Gas con ▁H ound ▁is ▁a ▁subgroup ▁of ▁Bl uet ick ▁Co on h ounds ▁that ▁is ▁larger , ▁heav ier