Stateland ?? (info on these state areas?)

[golden acres]

I run state land mostly after dark and during the offseason I am fortunate to have access to a 1 mile square of mostly blueberries and my wife's grandmothers home.

[bucks better beagles]

Like Dave G. says, I have had several dogs get caught in traps but have never lost one yet. I did have a buddy lose one to an illegal coniber. This time of year, I hit the woods about an hour before dark and run till I am tired. These april rabs will definitely take you for a ride.

[Cooz's Beagles]

Ok so the off season is overwith and I just bought a gps tracking system for my dogs and I'm ready to go to some stateland to run. I plan on making a trip this month but am still yet a little nervous.

Can anyone tell me a little about these places, (those who run dogs in southern part of michigan's state land) all these places are with in 2 hours or less of me, the closest one fifteen minutes from my house. I'm not looking to 'hunt' but to have more places to run and train my hounds. Any info would be appreciated.

Waterloo rec area

Yankee Springs rec area

Fort Custer rec area

Gourdneck state game

Fulton State Game

thanks!

Cooz's Beagles
Cooz's Just Snoopin Around
Lone Pine Cooz's Nicci

Coming Soon:
Lone Pine Cooz's Swampin' Sammi

[barryc]

Ok so the off season is overwith and I just bought a gps tracking system for my dogs and I'm ready to go to some stateland to run. I plan on making a trip this month but am still yet a little nervous.

Can anyone tell me a little about these places, (those who run dogs in southern part of michigan's state land) all these places are with in 2 hours or less of me, the closest one fifteen minutes from my house. I'm not looking to 'hunt' but to have more places to run and train my hounds. Any info would be appreciated.

Waterloo rec area

Yankee Springs rec area

Fort Custer rec area

Gourdneck state game

Fulton State Game

thanks!

Cooz's Beagles
Cooz's Just Snoopin Around
Lone Pine Cooz's Nicci

Coming Soon:
Lone Pine Cooz's Swampin' Sammi

Which one are you 15 minutes from?

[Cooz's Beagles]

barryc I am 10 or 15 minutes from Fulton State Game, half hour from Fort Custer.

Cooz

[bucks better beagles]

There are 20000 acres in Waterloo alone and right across street from it is Pinckney which is has many more thousands of acres. I guess i don't understand your question. What is the fear you are expressing? You just pull up and turn loose. There are huge areas and rabbits will run and run hard. I run in them every night. If you want to meet up, I will show you what to do. Problem is, if you run with me, you must agree not to return and kill rabbits in the spots I show you. Too many people do that and I end up with no rabbits in my honey holes;

[19rabbit52]

Hello all. I've been lurking on here for quite awhile and thought I would comment on this subject. I've rabbit hunted with beagles for over 45 years. I've hunted southern Michigan game areas for over 30. There are pockets of rabbits but you have to find them. I don't kill alot on state land , run there alot and shoot rabbits later on private ground. I also trap. Most trappers on state ground are water trapping and won't catch dogs. Even if a dog is caught, any legally set trap (on state land) will not harm your dog. I even caught a hen pheasant last year and turned her loose unharmed. Lack of rabbits is what got me to trapping. Trappers are a hunters friend. And last, I don't know if they still do but in on swamp in Waterloo there was always guys running beagles every Sat. night during the summer and fall. Don't know if they still do or not. Randy

[Cooz's Beagles]

There are 20000 acres in Waterloo alone and right across street from it is Pinckney which is has many more thousands of acres. I guess i don't understand your question. What is the fear you are expressing? You just pull up and turn loose. There are huge areas and rabbits will run and run hard. I run in them every night. If you want to meet up, I will show you what to do. Problem is, if you run with me, you must agree not to return and kill rabbits in the spots I show you. Too many people do that and I end up with no rabbits in my honey holes;

thanks bucks better beagles, I've only been into beagles for a short time and I guess if I'm going to run dogs I need to stop worring so much and get out there! I think I will take a trip to waterloo, and no I will probably never shoot a rabbit on stateland. I understand your concern. I have private areas I hunt with a friend, I really just am looking for places to run my hounds.

thanks 19rabbit52 you really put me at ease with the whole trap thing. :-)

Cooz's Beagles
Cooz's Just Snoopin Around
Lone Pine Cooz's Nicci

Coming Soon
Lone Pine Cooz's Swampin' Sammi

[bucks better beagles]

19rabbit52: thanks for commenting. Those guys you heard on Waterloo, probably were me and my friends. Almost all of them are dead now but I still give them a whirl as much as I can (every night).

[steve w]

I run Fulton and Gourdneck and there's rabbits there, never had much luck finding good cover or rabbits at Fort Custer.Maybe things have changed it has been a while and since I was there. Yankee Springs is good if you stay more in the game area than the recreation area.You see a white Ford truck with a three hole box stop if you see me or listen for the dogs and find me I'll help you out best I can.

[birmi1nr]

Both Fulton & Gourdneck SGA'a offer decent running early in the year. Yankee Springs has some decent spots if you spend some time out their trying different areas. Fort Custer isn't even worth your time.