WOW! Southern said it best!!!! I couldn't agree more.
This may surprize some, but I'm a hunter first and foremost. I trial for an excuse to run my hounds during the off season. For me to run rabbits it is a drive of at least a 1/2 hour and up to 2 hours if I want alot of rabbits. So trialing is just a little furthur. OK, maybe alot furthur.
Five years ago, I was rabbit hunting with a Brittnay that would point rabbits, and run and open on them for a while and an old grade bitch out of my life time hound. WE killed a few rabbits, not many. It was UGLY! My 12 year old son told me we needed some more beagles because he wanted to rabbit hunt. I had no contacts. The old man that bought every rabbit dog for sale in Maryland and sold me his culls, was gone. My father that took me to trials in the 50s during the Walky Talky era and quit the AKC because of it, was gone. So I bought some hounds off the Internet. That was stupid!!!!!!!!!! At least I had a hound that I could now go to a trial with. That's where I met some great people, I now call friends and learned about AKC hounds. For 35 years my family and I only had grade dogs. Over 25 years ago, I bought my first grade pups, prior to that I ran my dad's dogs. Beginner's luck, one was killed on the road, one became a very complete hound, naturally deer proof, nothing wrong, and one became that very special hound, an outrageous jump dog, super quick. If she left the briar patch go find another because there weren't any rabbits in that one. I breed and train now, looking for a replacement for that little jump dog. I haven't seen one yet that would compare. Still looking!!!!!!!!!!!!
what do you like best?
Moderators: Pike Ridge Beagles, Aaron Bartlett
I just like anything to do with hounds. The one thing in life I could not conquer--ever. Your on top of the world with best pack of hounds you ever had and bam it all falls apart. You start all over and watch young hounds and in your mind compare them to the other you have had along the way. Did I advance or fall back. I can catch fish about ever time out. I can cut bullet holes with a rifle,but with hounds I find you must stay on your toes to have good hounds. Lots of guys are easy pleased with what they have at the time,I think they enjoy hunting hounds, but they change their standard to what they have at the time. I enjoy a good race , but always listening for a mistake.
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- Posts: 122
- Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2003 11:18 am
- Location: MORGANTON, NC
GROWING UP IT WAS JUST ABOUT BEING WITH MY DAD, GRANDDAD, AND THEIR FRIENDS---QUALITY TIME!!! AND I LOVED THE DOGS.
AS I GOT OLDER, IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE KILLING OF THE RABBITS, WHEN I WAS FINALLY ALLOWED TO CARRY A GUN, AND THE FEELING OF BEING ONE OF THE BOYS (MEN). AND LISTENING TO ALL THE STORIES, LIES, JOKES, AND OTHER TALES THAT ARE ONLY TOLD BY THE OLD TIMERS IN THE WOODS. AND I STILL LOVED THE DOGS.
THEN AS THEY ALL BEGAN TO FAD OUT, IT BECAME ABOUT LEARNIG TO RAISE MY OWN PACK, AND THE WORK IT TOOK TO MAKE A MEAT HOUND. BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT PUTTING MEAT IN THE FREEZER. AND I STILL LOVED THE DOGS--NOW MY VERY OWN!!
THEN I BEGAN TO REALIZE WHY MY DAD USED TO TAPE THE RACES, AND RE-LISTEN TO THEM-----AS IT BECAME ABOUT THE PACK AND THE SOUND OF THE MUSIC THEY MADE--IN 4-PART HARMONY. AND NOT AS MUCH ABOUT THE KILL, OR THE FREEZEER ANYMORE. AND WHAT IT TOOK TO MAKE THAT SWEETER EACH TIME.
THEN CAME TRIALING---AND IT BECAME ABOUT MEETING GOOD FOLKS AND GOING PLACES THAT I'D NEVER BEEN BEFORE. AND MAY BE WOULD NEVER HAVE GONE. AND THEN IT STARTED TO KEEP ME VERY HUMBLE----BECAUSE YOU THINK THAT YOU HAVE GOOD DOGS-- THEN YOU GO AND SEE SOME GOOD DOGS AND IT HUMBLES YOU!!! AND THAT LETS YOU KNOW THAT YOU STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO AND A LOT TO LEARN. SO IT RE-KINDLES THE FIRE A LITTLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS GREAT SPORT-- THAT WE ARE BLESSED TO BE APART OF!!!!!!
JAMES DAVIS
YELLOW MT. KENNELS
AS I GOT OLDER, IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE KILLING OF THE RABBITS, WHEN I WAS FINALLY ALLOWED TO CARRY A GUN, AND THE FEELING OF BEING ONE OF THE BOYS (MEN). AND LISTENING TO ALL THE STORIES, LIES, JOKES, AND OTHER TALES THAT ARE ONLY TOLD BY THE OLD TIMERS IN THE WOODS. AND I STILL LOVED THE DOGS.
THEN AS THEY ALL BEGAN TO FAD OUT, IT BECAME ABOUT LEARNIG TO RAISE MY OWN PACK, AND THE WORK IT TOOK TO MAKE A MEAT HOUND. BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT PUTTING MEAT IN THE FREEZER. AND I STILL LOVED THE DOGS--NOW MY VERY OWN!!
THEN I BEGAN TO REALIZE WHY MY DAD USED TO TAPE THE RACES, AND RE-LISTEN TO THEM-----AS IT BECAME ABOUT THE PACK AND THE SOUND OF THE MUSIC THEY MADE--IN 4-PART HARMONY. AND NOT AS MUCH ABOUT THE KILL, OR THE FREEZEER ANYMORE. AND WHAT IT TOOK TO MAKE THAT SWEETER EACH TIME.
THEN CAME TRIALING---AND IT BECAME ABOUT MEETING GOOD FOLKS AND GOING PLACES THAT I'D NEVER BEEN BEFORE. AND MAY BE WOULD NEVER HAVE GONE. AND THEN IT STARTED TO KEEP ME VERY HUMBLE----BECAUSE YOU THINK THAT YOU HAVE GOOD DOGS-- THEN YOU GO AND SEE SOME GOOD DOGS AND IT HUMBLES YOU!!! AND THAT LETS YOU KNOW THAT YOU STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO AND A LOT TO LEARN. SO IT RE-KINDLES THE FIRE A LITTLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS GREAT SPORT-- THAT WE ARE BLESSED TO BE APART OF!!!!!!
JAMES DAVIS
YELLOW MT. KENNELS
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- Posts: 122
- Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2003 11:18 am
- Location: MORGANTON, NC
I enjoyed Rabbit hunting with Dad and Grand Paw. Now I love the Chase more than ever,the Hounds give every thing they have in them to bring the Rabbit to the gun,and its Music to my ears. I Trial to see other Hounds run and try to improve on my pack. Its a Blast to get with friends a listen to the Hounds on a great chase,I hope my son enjoys it like my Dad and His dad and I enjoy it.
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.
Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote. "Benjamin Franklin" 1759
Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote. "Benjamin Franklin" 1759
For me it's all about the chase. Listening to a pack of loud screaming hounds running a rabbit, not just following it but doing their best to catch it. The kind of race that gives you goose bumps, no over running and no lost rabbits. Just a long, fast, steady race. Slow is boring, I need excitement.
I kill a few rabbits every year but I always hate to pull the trigger because I know that will end the race. I realy enjoy getting together with other houndsmen and running dogs. I hate competition, it always seems to bring out the worst in people. Some of the worst public behavior I have ever seen has been during coonhound competition events. When I'm running dogs I want to relax and have fun.
I love any kind of hunting with hounds but one of the things that makes rabbit hunting my favorite is the kind of places I get to do it in. Most of the places where I hunt hare are pretty wild, the scenery sometimes almost makes you forget about the dogs. I have always felt more at home in the woods with a dog than in town around a bunch of people.

I kill a few rabbits every year but I always hate to pull the trigger because I know that will end the race. I realy enjoy getting together with other houndsmen and running dogs. I hate competition, it always seems to bring out the worst in people. Some of the worst public behavior I have ever seen has been during coonhound competition events. When I'm running dogs I want to relax and have fun.
I love any kind of hunting with hounds but one of the things that makes rabbit hunting my favorite is the kind of places I get to do it in. Most of the places where I hunt hare are pretty wild, the scenery sometimes almost makes you forget about the dogs. I have always felt more at home in the woods with a dog than in town around a bunch of people.