Magazine?? Which One??

[Tri-Power]

Hey Bev:
I just registered on the website and so far like what i see. Looks like folks know their dogs and i was wanting a Magazine on beagles and/or rabbit hunting but haven't seen any so i don't know which one to get. I would like to see something on Rabbit hunting and a little on trialing . Stuff like the do's and don'ts of training. You have several magazines that you publish but don't know which to subscribe to. Do you have any back issues that you could send me as a trial issue?? Maybe some of you guys have an old issue you no longer want. Anything would be helpful. Thank you

Tri-Power aka Bill Stone in West Plains, Mo.

[Emery]

I subscribe to The American Beagler (Bev's magazine) and also The Rabbit Hunter. Bev's mag has medical advice in it from Doc S., along with an interesting thread from the online world, plus an article or two from various hunters from across the nation. I think there are some do's and don'ts in there as well. There are also field trial results for those who want to keep up on that sort of thing.

The Rabbit Hunter has a lot more stories in it from hunters across the nation. One particular series called The Houndsman that is an ongoing month to month article. (The main reason I re-subscribe to that magazine), some lineage/history on a particular animal by Rev. Parks, and some field trial information.

There is only so much room in a magazine, and I wish that Bev would include more hunting stories in her mag, she has her own format which works well. I will continue to get both.

There is the SPO magazine, but I don't subscribe to that.

Hope this helps,
Emery

[Bev]

Thanks for the kind words, Emery. I'd like to point out that word-for-word, The American Beagler carries as much if not more than some of the other magazines in respect to reading material. Since I layout my own magazine, I tend to notice when others use large fonts and double spacing to fill up a page. Most of my articles are typeset in smaller font and single spaced, so what would be 10 pages in my magazine would probably be 16-20 pages in another. I feel like folks will get their money's worth in TAB's articles and hunting stories as well as a good overview of the different registries' trialing activities (including Canada) and all of the UKC printing. I cram as much in as possible each month and try to ensure that the articles and stories are fresh. The color pages in the center are a nice break, too.

Tri Power, call me biased, but if you want mostly rabbit hunting, breeding, beagle health care and training - and an overview on trialing, The American Beagler is the first choice.

The Rabbit Hunter has always carried plenty of good hunting stories and The Houndsman saga is a favorite among many, but count on a minimum of 40 pages being trial results and information, mostly ARHA. If you can live with that, then it would certainly be a good second choice.

Better Beagling is an excellent magazine to keep abreast of the activities of the northeast AKC Large Pack and SPO circuit, has it's fair share of stud ads and some articles, but I would consider it a regional magazine for the most part.

Same with SPO Magazine - it covers primarily the more conservative SPO trials and stud hounds and also has some articles.

Hounds and Hunting still carries quite a bit of the traditional brace trialing stuff and some conservative SPO. It's very heavy in stud ads.

This is just my own assessment of the magazines out there. I take them all except for Hounds and Hunting. I'd take several if I were you. One can never get enough reading about beagles and rabbit hunting. None of them are expensive - the cost of one pizza and you can have a magazine coming to your door each month.

[Ed]

Got to add something here. Hounds and Hunting magazine used to use an advertiser who was involved with the PETA folks. I dropped them real fast. I stick with magazines that tend to agree with and run articles of the hunters and trialers. PETA will get the best of us sooner or later, no need in hurrying up the process. Got to go with TAB and Better Beagling, and I also read Rabbit Hunter. Thanks

[DarrinG]

Here is my humble and honest opinions of beagling magazines out there (in order of my preferences):

1) The American Beagler

I find myself awaiting the arrival of TAB more than the rest each month. TAB has a good variety of articles, hunting stories, vet articles, trialing articles, product reviews, etc. My only drawback to TAB is I wish it were 200 pages or more each month with more hunting stories!

2) The Rabbit Hunter

TRH has a fair variety, has some great reading for hunting stories, but lately the quantity (not quality) of hunting stories has been sliding downhill. They carry the ARHA trialing results and while I scan through the results each month, I would much rather read a good hunting tale or pup training article.

3) Small Pack Option Magazine

While I am a relatively new subscriber to SPOMag, I have read several back-issues. They carry a few stories, stud ads, AKC SPO trial ads, etc. Mosly about SPO trialing.

4) Hounds & Hunting

Last month I dropped my subscription to H&H. Very, very few hunting stories. First half of H&H is nothing but Brace(walkie-talkie) beagles and their trialing format. Second half of H&H is SPO trialing info. Full of Brace & SPO stud ads, trial ads and trial results. While not a "bad" magazine, the Brace stuff is a real turn-off to anyone who runs/hunts anything but Brace, and while the title says Hounds & HUNTING, it has very little to do with "hunting". Should be titled "Hounds & AKC Trialing".

I do not receive Better Beagling. I understand BB is mostly AKC trialing for the northern states and covers most dogs from hare breeding. Someone correct me if I am wrong on BB.

[Tri-Power]

DarrinG:
I think i will take your recommendation and get TAB. I'd like to see a copy/back issue but after all it's just the price of a pizza. No big deal, i think i will get a sub for my buddy while im at it. Once i sign up how long does it take to get the mag??

Thanks guys and gals and oh...Bev, The sooner the better. I just broke the news to the wife today that I own beagles.

Tri-Power aka Bill Stone in West Plains, Mo.

[Bev]

LOL! Tri Power, e-mail me your address asap and I will get you in the March mailing. You can follow-up with payment, but we need to get you in the system now. There are subscription forms you can print on the website. Thanks for subscribing!

[Beagleman973]

I also get most if not all of the magazines that was mentioned. I would recommend also getting the Small Pack Option magazine. There are a lot of hunting articles as well as medical and training articles, plus trial articles if that is your thing.

I used to really like the Rabbit Hunter, but with the new ownership change, it contains less and less, and many of the better writers, like the Reverend Parks, no longer appear in it. Will probably quit subscribing to it.

Hounds and Hunting has few articles, but has lots of trial results and is a good way to see what hounds are producing winners if you plan a breeding to a stud.

Bev's magazine has some interesting features on kennels and how folks got involved in beagling, but at least in my opinion, caters more to a different format than does the R.H. or H and H.

All of them offer some good features, but my top two would probably be American Beagler and the Small Pack Option.

[TomMN]

I like Better Beagling but it only takes me about a half hour to read everything I want to read in it. The Rabbit Hunter has a little more to read, I like the Houndsman series. I used to get SPO but didn't care much for it. The American Beagler is by far the best in my opinion.
Bev, you got UKC, Butch and Bob Huffman, if you could just get the Houndsman series we wouldn't need any other magazine!

[cooper]

I wish Bob Huffman would write a book. But reading his articles in the TAB is the next best thing!!!!!!!!!! Tom Gross

[FallsCreekKennels]

Mabe it's just me,but it seems like the rabbit hunter has gone down hill since Gerald sold it. I would still highly reccomend it,the houndsman is a great artical. I'm not getting American Beagler...yet.
fergus