Rabbit dog questions

[browning204]

I thought I would ask a couple stupid questions here since you guys might have some knowledge on the subject.

A Post on NHW&W prompted me to ponder something. When running rabbit dogs (beagels) How does the shooter not shoot the dog? I know it happens sometimes but does the dog know to stay a distance behind the rabbit?

I assume the dog will find both hare and rabbits? Does the dog need to be in a rabbit infested area to kick them out or will it search until it finds one?

It is something that I always wanted to try but really know nothing about.

Thanks for any info.

[alscalls]

If you work your dog enough you will get to know his or her habbits. Just dont shoot dogs.....shoot rabbits keep it simple.
Mostly a good dog will know what to do but it has a lot to do with how you train with him. Study that and work em without the gun and you will get there. NOTE: You and the dog/dogs are training togeather not just the dog.

[Bills Custom Calls]

A good beagle will hunt till it kicks up a rabbit,as a hunter you need to just stay close to where the rabbit was
kicked up.The rabbit will run a big circle,if the dog runs the track slow the rabbit won't hole up,and come right back to ya,and there will be your shot.

If you happen to kick up a rabbit and don't get a shot then put your dog on the track and let the dog bring him back around.

Just so ya know this
Sometimes when a rabbit is kicked up they seem to be able to hide there scent and won't leave anyting for a dog to track for a few yards so you may need to take the dogs on out from the actual spot wher the rabbit was kicked up.

I used to hunt beagles and there is nothing like hearing a dog on a good hot trail.
You should try it I tink you would really enjoy it

[browning204]

We have a guy on the NH forum that runs dogs for a job, he invited us up to try it out at a discounted rate. I might do it depending on $ and the kids.

I just wouldn't want to shoot someones dog.

On a side note. My Grand father had a rabbit beagel way back in the day in Michigan. I guess it was a real good dog because everyone wanted to hunt with it. One day he let his friend borrow the dog and something happened and the dog got washed over a dam. 

[Bopeye]

That guy in NH wouldn't go by the name of Chris would he? Does he run rabbithunting online.com?  If so, I have been a moderator on his board in the coyote hunting section for several years. He's a pretty good guy. I only go to the forum about once a week now since I gave up beagling a few years back.

To answer a few of your questions. Never shoot the rabbit when the dogs first jump him. The dogs are very close and shooting a dog is very possible. Let the rabbit do a full circle before shooting.

Most beagles can't run fast enough to catch the cottontail or in your case possibly will be a snowshoe hare. However there are some Little Pack dogs that can really scoot which is what I use to hunt. Occasionally they will get close to the rabbit or even catch it, so just keep track of where the dogs happen to be. If you shoot a beagler's dog, you probably aren't gonna be friends anymore. 

Trialing dogs have ruined beagling in the "jumping rabbits" department. They put too much emphasis now on the dog getting the "checks", which has led a lot of breeders to breed the hunt out of their dog in the name of claiming the checks quicker.
A guy that is running a hunting lodge won't have these dogs though. He'll know if he can't get the rabbit up, he won't have a race. Different kind of dog than competition dogs, but in my opinion they are better.

Best things you can do is listen to the man who owns the dogs.

1. Never shoot a rabbit when the dogs first jump him.
2. Listen to the man who owns the dogs.
3. Enjoy listening to the hounds on the chase. It's a beautiful racket once you learn to enjoy it. 

Have fun. 

[nastygunz]

Pretty much what everyone has said, we used to run huge packs of beagles hunting them VT/NH snowshoe hare. The dogs will fan out just like wolves on the hunt and dig through every brush pile, log, whatever, all you will see is white tipped tails a-wagging. When they jump a bunny as stated they will circle it and run it back pretty close to where it got jumped and depending on the dogs and the cover, bare ground or little snow compared to deeper snow, the dogs are usually well behind the bunny, the majority of countless snowshoes ive shot were either hopping along slowly just enough to stay ahead of the dogs, or way ahead and they will sit and watch the back trail giving you a stationary target. And then some will be haulin hare through the woods. Its good to set up on a powerline or logging road or open area to try and catch the hare out in the open crossing especially as snowshoes are almost always found in softwoods with good close ground cover. We would walk out back with shotguns to loose the hounds and man theyd see those shotguns and go nuts knowing they were going hunting. A beagle is right up there imho when it comes to dogs. The guy your talkin bout Browning, youll be hunting snowshoe hare, bout the funnest hunting I can think of, if you go once, I bet youlll be buying a couple beagle pups before the next Spring!
And if you do we have a camp where I grew up right beside 2500 acres of prime wild life management snowshoe hare country 

[nastygunz]

Its also not unusual to have the dogs jump a snowshoe, then while running it jump several more,so you might have several dogs running different bunnies and have multiple hare trying to sneak by you ahead of the dogs. We had a little tiny redbone hound named Annie who we would run coon with at night then snowshoes in the winter she was some damned dog!

[alscalls]

the last beagle I had "Buddy" Got killed by a turkey..........no kidding........a Turkey

[browning204]

Thanks for all the info guys. I learned alot.

Nasty: I already have a springer spaniel. Good companion pet and a good hunter, I mean he can be anywhere in the house and find the couch no problemo!!

Alscalls: How? Did the Turkey just beat him up and stab him with talons?

[alscalls]

He chased the turkey and I yelled at him he paused and the turkey turned and wham beat on him for about ten seconds and when the turkey finaly flew Ol Bud had a mouth full of feathers and Bleeding bad from his neck.........Spurred him I guess I did not make it 50 ft with him in my arms and gone........not much I could do. Bud was still walking and seemed happy bed he bled out before I could help him.

[browning204]

Sorry to hear that 

[Bopeye]

Browning, ya never did say if you were dealing with a guy named Chris. 

[browning204]

I don't know his name yet, he runs a Rabbit hunting camp outta Berlin NH called Shoot-a-hare.


http://www.shootahare.com/