The American Beagler Forum

Is there anybody on this board that runs their hounds with the expectation that they will kill their hare?
Are there any hounds out there that are able to do this, on a regular basis?

English,

In my state we don't have hare but cottontails and marsh rabbits. In the spring and late winter the buck cottontail rabbit runs big. When gun hunting I run 7-15 hard driving, fast, hounds. If the cottontail feels like running and doesn't go to hole, he will get caught or shot. Somedays both. The end result is, if I don't get there quickly he'll get eaten.

I have an aquaintence that stopped me from running on his farm because my pack catching on average one mature cottontail a week. Don't get me wrong, everything has to be in synch in order to catch that rabbit. First, he must feel like running and not go to hole. Second, Pressure! The rabbit must be pushed hard at all times, with very few to very short breakdowns.

Unlike most hunters I know, I feed my dogs an occasional rabbit, especially if they've been pushing hard and I get the kill. After that I pity the next rabbit they run.

Yes, "Pressure busts pipes" "Speed Kills" "Hard and Fast" that's the only way to run!!!

BJK

BJK:
I'd like to talk with you about your hounds. Can you send me a PM?

I generally run a pack of 8 couple, but seldom make a kill. We have only cottontail in Ohio, and they will usually find a hole before being killed by the hounds. The hounds do manage to run down a few each year, however. Our best running is from February through July when the rabbits are breeding. Some runs are about as exciting as I could stand.

My dog has only ever caught one rabbit and that was this year at the UKC Nationals.....but to my knowledge that is the only rabbit he has caught. But a buddy of mine (Xdawg) used to have a 13" grade male the could falt out fly and I have seen him catch his fair share....I may be wrong here but I think Rock caught 5 rabbits last year....

My dog has only ever caught one rabbit and that was this year at the UKC Nationals.....but to my knowledge that is the only rabbit he has caught. But a buddy of mine (Xdawg) used to have a 13" grade male the could flat out fly and I have seen him catch his fair share....I may be wrong here but I think Rock caught 5 rabbits last year....

My dogs catch one once in awhile.
But the deal is beagles are bred to be track dogs not catch dogs. Most of the time when a rabbit is caught is because it was run enough that when it set up the mucsles locked up and when a dog rejumped it it could not run, so it is caught.

I had female a few years ago that would catch several rabbits, so when I got in the brush to watch and see how she was catching the rabbits I found out she was cheating, she would leave the pack and cut the rabbit off while the rest of the pack was running the track.I did not keep her because I go to hear the dogs run the rabbit not to have a dog quit the race and cheat.

I know a fellow that runs a fairly slow medium type pack of hounds and many, many times he has had to break up the race or bottom line he won't have no rabbits to run because those little slow medium beagles will catch them all. Every once in awhile they will catch one and very shortly afterwards the rabbit will be stiff as a board. He has actually reached down and picked up a rabbit they were running and the rabbit died in his hands. That's enough. Wayne

Most folks don't understand that a medium speed pack that has almost no checks will run a rabbit down quicker than a fast pack that has long checks. Of course if you run fifteen dogs and all are intent on catching the rabbit they should herd him in quickly.

I AM LIKE JOE P I DON'T CARE ANYTHING ABOUT CATCHING RABBITS WITH MY DOGS I WANT HEAR A RACE. THAT WHY I FEED THEM. MY BEAGLES CAUGHT ONE THIS YEAR JUST RUN HER DOWN AND THEY ARE MEDIUM SPEED DOGS. KEEP EM RUNNING

Joe, if my Savannah reads that thing about cheating Me and Mrs Crew Chief have had it!!!! Shes into all that slashing and cutting stuff too!!!! She does what ever it takes to get the lead and it makes us laugh like crazy some times out there!!!! Man we love her to death,, can you guys and gals tell???? She's our Pride and Joy for real.... She was our first to start and she has brought our whole pack along for the ride!!!!!

Crew Chief

Crew Chief, if that dog makes you(and Mrs. crew chief) happy that is all that matters.That is why their are different styles of dogs, different people like different things.
Personally I prefer medium to upper medium with line control and a little cold nosed.But thats just me.

Wilkerson

I know what you mean.....I've picked a many rabbits up with my hands in front of the dogs to save its life.....

I like my pack to LOCK ON AND NOT LET UP!!!!!!!!

I must agree with Joe a good solid upper med. speed with good line controll and a good loud mouth.Now if I had a pack like that i could sit and listen to them all day and nite