2 again today, think I got a jumpdog. (pic and question)

mur the bear · Post by **mur the bear** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 9:22 am

With a young dog that is slow on the checks on bad snow and cold conditions.The scent can dissipate quickly.
The dog must cold track so to speak to re jump the hare at times.Some times the hare will sit pretty tight when this occurs.Thus the tight mouth.
You and your buddies may be rejumping the hare when you move toward the dog causing the dog to bolt on the hot track.
For his age and experience sounds like he is doing fine.
Having another dog in the bush not involved in the chase can cause some erratic behavior from the hare as well.A lot longer runs and more hard checks.

rimfirematt · Post by **rimfirematt** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 10:52 am

There are quite a bit of hare in my area. I would not say Tons though. Where I hunt the Hares are just limited in where they can be. ive mainly been hunting this river where it has lots of forks. These hares are living in the islands between the forks and they definitley like to be in the thick alders.

On that note, I know he doesnt switch rabbits through the chase. I have seen lots of rabbits run by me and I know wich one he is chasing. This surprised me as I didnt think dogs could tell the difference in wich rabbit they are chasing. But He can and sticks with the one rabbit till its gone. One time my buddy shot a rabbit and picked it up before the dog got there. Well the beagle dinked around for awhile and didnt get anything up. I told my buddy to show him that dead hare. As soon as he did the beagle got on another rabbit. SO I think he was trying to still find that one rabbit. Now it is a rule that no one pick up the rabbit till the dog sees it.

New York Hillbilly · Post by **New York Hillbilly** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 12:51 pm

Rimfirematt,
Sounds like you find your hares where we do too. Mostly in the alder swamps and down around wet spots this time of year as they come out of the hardwoods. Just a question about your weather up there. What is it REALLY like? I worked with a lady who lived in Kodiak for 16 years with her husband and family. She had returned here to let her kids finish high school in a bigger school as opposed to a "village" school there. She and her family loved Kodiak but felt the kids were somehow missing out. After about 2 years here she hated it so bad she wanted to return to Kodiak. She said our winters here in upstate N.Y. were far snowier and colder than Kodiak. She gave the kids the option to stay here and finish school, living with grandparents or to return to Alaska. One older boy stayed here (found a girlfriend) and the rest wanted to go back. The only hitch was the village people (not the flaky music group

) were a bit upset because they left in the first place. She had been a medical person there but could only work as an aid in N.Y. and her husband a Missionary. They were allowed to retun but had to agree to return initially to a place called Chignic (sp?).

She said it was really nothing but an out cropping of rock that stuck out into the ocean

and home to seagulls mostly. They figured they could get back in good graces eventually and be allowed to again live in Kodiak. I have never heard from them again and often wondered if they survived or were washed away off that rock.

So lets here it! Everyone thinks of city when they here of N.Y and that is not anything close to true. I can send pictures of what the boonies are really like where I live. How about where you live? Is it really the Igloo living nightmare we all think of or more like she told me, a woodland utopia with better weather than here. If it is livable weather and has less cold miserable weather.......can they use an excellent R.N. up there? I can help you fellas figure out beagles and would fit right in with the weight requirements.

Peace,
NYH

DRamey · Post by **DRamey** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 2:32 pm

Matt, that hound is too ugly, too tall, never be a good hound. I have an idea. Send him to me and I will put him out of your misery! Just send him to me and forget you ever owned him. Yep, that's what you need to do. I'll do him proper for you! !!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, that is one fine looking hound you have there. I know that everyone is offering you encouraging suggestions, and there are some very good ones from some very good houndsmen. My personal take on this is that you have a fine dog with great potential and is already showing what he can do. Hang on to him and he will do you proud! Run him this springtime and he will REALLY show you what he's got. Buuuuttt, if you insist, I'll take him off'n yer hands, feed being so expensive and all!

swing · Post by **swing** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 5:18 pm

DRamey, I got first dibs on that dog, go play somewhere else.

merv · Post by **merv** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 5:59 pm

Rimfire i'd be real proud of that dog. A couple of hare in 2-3 hours is great for a young dog. One thing you have to do is stand still when your dog is running. With him being young the hare will get out in front and stop and listen. You and your buds could very well be turning the hare. Also I wouldnt run my young just started dog with an unstarted dog. Just my opinion. I dont think he needs those type of distractions at this stage in the game. Like someone else said run him with a good check hound that stays in close, but you need to really solo him. Ive seen some older dogs get blown up from to much pressure and believe me you dont want that to happen. Good Luck MERV

rimfirematt · Post by **rimfirematt** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 8:30 pm

Thanks for the encouragment guys. I really didnt start this post cause I was dissapointed in him or thought he was lacking. I was trying to suggest that maybe he will turn into a jump dog. And as I said before I have no clue what I am talking about (and Im not being sarcastic, I mean it.)

I think this dog is gonna be a real good one. Besides he is making me have fun, and that is what I bought him for. So already I am happy with him. My Dads freind, that knows about beagles, told my dad he was real impressed with Mac.

NYH, Alaska is Huge as I am sure you know. The weather here is different all across the state. Just depends how far north or south you go. There is igloo nightmare villages, and there is large city where the weather is mild.

I live in Anchorage Wich is about the same latitude as New york, New hampshire ect. Our weather is probably comparable to yours. Kodiak is South of me, about the same lat as Seattle and its weather is comparable.

Now if you go up north (fairbanks and farther) the weather is ghastly cold with temps in the -20 to -40 range almost everyday for 5 months. On the flipside fairbanks also can get to be 90 degrees almost everyday for 3 months. Drastic temp difference huh?

Anchorage is just right for the most part. Winter is usually mild with a few 0 degree days thrown in for awhile, usually january, we get about 5 feet of snow average usually. Summers the temp is about 60 to 80 degree range.

Coolest thing about alaska I think is the constant sun in the summer. You can litteraly run dogs at midnight! Oh and no closed season on hares either

There are tons of jobs for Rn's up here. They are one of the hottest jobs going right now. The newspaper always has tons of ads in it for RN's usually at 25-30 dollars an hour. wich with that wage you can live pretty decent.

New York Hillbilly · Post by **New York Hillbilly** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 12:32 am

rimfirematt,
Thanks for the info....real interesting stuff. Sounds like fun running hounds at night in the LIGHT. I run them at night now and bump into trees when I need to round them up!

I like the idea of the gentler, warmer Alaska with lots of hare and no closed season. Hum.......maybe my next trip I take will have to be a little longer. Perhaps even a short traveling nurse assignment is in order.

Good running,
NYH