Have hunted with a bunch of curs and cur/hound crosses (by hound I mean traditional breeds like Black and Tan or red bone etc...).
Ended up buying a Kemmer Mountain Cur. She was a great dog. Ended up moving and gave her away to my FILs work buddy whose kid needed a raccoon dog. She was a great dog.
Here is what you get typically
A dog with a decent hunting nose that is smarter than most scent hounds, that ranges closer than most hounds, looks more like a small lab, great prey drive, easier to train than most hounds but harder than bird dogs to train, great with kids, hardy with stamina, coat is basically a Labrador coat.
All in all a great all around dog.
Next dog will probably be a small black mouth cur (Ladner style), small KMC, or another Vizsla.
OP you’re back east where the sizes are perfect IMHO for squirrel hunting and there are some great breeders. Just don’t get a massive one that has been bred fur hunting hogs unless you’re ok with the size. I like to put them on the back of the wheeler when I can and the bigger dogs make it harder