Best Time of Year to Start Pups?

[beaglerun]

I have a pup that turned six months old last week. I would like to get him started, because he has been showing alot of interest. While taking him for walks in the evening, he has jumped and ran several rabbits. Back in February he ran several very easily. Over the past two weeks, he's been having a difficult time moving the line. It's like he can't smell them very well. I like the fact that he has slowed down alot (walkie-talkie) to stay with it. When he can't smell it, he makes very smale circles from the inside out to find the lost.

I don't like is the fact that he doesn't want to get in the thick stuff to hunt. Not that I cam blame him. He goes in there because I am training him to do so, but we haven't jumped a bunny in the briars yet. All of them have been up already or bedded up next to trees or under small patches of brush. I don't want him to develop a habit of just walking trails to find a rabbit or quitting because he couldn't get it figured out.

Tonight, and Wednesday he had a good run each. They must have been buck rabbits because they both got out of dodge. One ran back to the highway and crossed, and tonight one ran back up through the middle of a very conservative subdivision. Both times, I had to stop him for his safety. Man I hated doing that. All of the other runs have been very short. In fact the rabbits that I have seen have been running very small circles. Most of them less than half the size of a football field.

That got me to thinking; Is there a best time of year to start pups? If so; when is it, and why? I know that season's vary across the country; So please identify your location and climate so that we will better understand.

Thanks,

BeagleRun

[chapkosbeagles]

i like to start mine on the ice and snow in the cold monthes here in michigan. the ones that learn to run on that have been my best dogs if they can start on that they can run on anything

[beaglerun]

I'm surprised so far by the number of people who start their dogs in the spring. I was told by several more experience beaglers that around these parts (Low Country & Midlands of SC) you are better off waiting until the beginning of September. Between the rabbits having babies, the snakes, and the heat; a young dog might develop more bad habits than good.

I have also been told that the dogs who could move a line in the heat of summer, would make a better dog in the dead of winter. I started three last year about this same time and they turned out OK. By the time hunting season came in, most people couldn't believe that they were just a year old. Last week they looked sloppy. They were shining stars during the season, but here lately they have been running rough. I guess all seasons have their own advantages.

I just don't like the idea of laying a young dog up for a couple of months because of the weather. Last July and August was just a little too hot for me. I took the dogs out real early in the mornings, but even then it was very hot and humid. Snakes were everywhere! If I had a nickel for everyone I saw, I would've been able to ... Coyotes were a big problem last summer as well. I haven't seen many yet this spring and I hope it stays that way.

[bluemouse]

beaglerun, what part of cola do ya live in, I grew up on the east side of town near eastover, I am like you I try to start mine in early fall, last year I didn't run my older hounds because of the heat and also because the snakes are bad here. beaglerun if you ever run short of rabbits let me know and you can come down and hunt the club we got bo-ko rabbits.

[beaglerun]

Hey Bluemouse,

Thanks a million. I have to take you up on the offer. I was just laying down thinking of places I could run in. I am off this week and next. I live in the NE Side of Columbia off of Clemson Rd. Where are you in the lowcountry. I grew up in Jasper County, that's down near Beaufort and Savannah GA. I'll pm you with my info.

BeagleRun

[Newt]

It doesn't, IMO, make any difference what time of the year they start, the finished product is the same. I think it is easier to start one in the next few months prior to the heat of summer. As soon as the brush and briars green up the adult rabbits will be sitting out in the evening feeding. It's easy to take the pup for a walk, spot a rabbit, and entice the pup to walk on the hot line. Once the pup learns there are good smelling things to track he, if he has it in him, will begin to search and the fun begins. What the pup does after he starts depends on opportunity and genetics.

It's difficult to start a pup when the temp is high and the ground is dry. That is why I like to breed a bitch so she will whelp in the fall of the year. By spring, when scenting is optimum I can start the pups, choose the ones I want to keep and the rest will be well started and ready to sell when the season opens.

[chapkosbeagles]

i would say that a dog can run easer in the heat than on ice or snow do to in the summer all the vegitation holds a lot of sent so if your dog can run on the ice it will have a easy time in the dry heat but i live in michigan so it olny gets 105 heat index at the hotest point in ther summer other places get a lot hotter

[scootersjill]

i liketo start them fall and winter mainly due to large number of rattlers here in southern wv.

[kgsc68]

I like any of the colder months. I guess that the spring is good because the rabbits seem to come out of the woodworks although the young rabbits sometimes give the hounds a fit. This spring and summer I think that i may run my young hounds some at night around my place.

[Boomerx]

If I have my choice, I like starting them in the Winter, on fresh snow. (I'm from Ontario, Canada) If they run well on snow when they're still pups (5-7 months) I figure I'll have a decent snow hound when next Winter rolls around. Also, it's fun to watch and listen when Spring comes and the pups really get wound up with the fresh hot scent Springtime brings. Terry McBride

[Pike Ridge Beagles]

I like hunting pups for an hour behind the house in the summer, early mornings or an hour before dark. Scent is usually good and I like to put them on fresh wild rabbits grazing beside the woodlot.

[Nor' Easter]

I like the fall like Boomerx said, also the pups get a taste of a kill early and it really puts the hunt in them and the get to keep doing it all season long. I started one in Feb. - April here and it's icy & cold so it took alot longer and alot more effort crawling through the thickets etc. Then had to wait until Nov. to give the dog a taste of bagging a few. I think the dogs "hunt" doubled after that 1st. kill.

[Ky. Hunter]

I like starting my young dogs in the spring when there are a lot of young rabbits being born but they will get lucky and catch one every once and a while but when they do catch one they will really turn on after that and I run mine all summer weather permitting. Don't run when it gets too hot and dry except at night every once in a while.

[jogletree]

This is a very interesting and inforamative topic. We seem to have had the best success starting our pups right after season goes out in March. We generally keep about 15 running dogs, so if we try to start them in late summer or early fall, they end up sitting up for a while during rabbit season. Thats not good for them in my book. Once they get started on rabbit scent, we like to keep pouring it to them and a layoff like that can really set them back. There is two problems, however, that hamper our progress. Snakes and this dag blame Georgia heat. Luckily we have several spots near the house and a 7 acre pen to run them in during the early morning and evening hours to avoid as much heat as possible. With all that being said, it is still up to the female as to when her cycle comes in, which is not always when we like.

[Tony Jr]

I prefer spring time but really anytime during the year is good. It's got more to do with the pup and it's age then the time of year.