The American Beagler Forum

ok this weekend is the weekend me and 2 buddies are headed north to drummonds island Is there any advice from people that has been there before on where to start because we have no clue?? also just in case our dogs don't/can't run hare is there any public hunting land south of there not far from I75 that we may be able to chase some regular rabbits?? anybody else going to be there sunday thru thursday?

BYB, I can sympathize with your situation, as we are in the same boat as far as being ignorant of where to start out hunting...Over half the island is state owned, and hunting is permitted on all the state land. I don't think you will have any trouble getting into some hare there, and after making the trip from Corbin this morning to Grand Rapids, I think I can safely say you don't want to drive all the way to Drummond only to leave and look for some cottontails to run...stay on the island and let your dogs work, they will suprise you I think....Good luck, and leave some for us, as we are headed up on Thursday, the day you are leaving.... Tony

Any of the locals will be willing to help you. Once you get on the island, stop at the bait shop and get a map, buy anything else you need there and he will be glad to point you to the hare woods.
Don't mess with the fields like cottontail, the hare will be along the woods in the juniper shrub.
Hare will not cross the fields, if they change woods, it will be where the woods come closest together.
Hounds that range out and hunt are best for the hare, you can hunt them with close hunting hounds but, you'll do ALOT more walking.
Snowmobile trails and log roads are good to hunt along as the cutover edge holds alot of hare.
Be out to start at daylight and start catching up about a hour before dark. This gives time to make sure all hounds are in and you have time to stake out the hounds for feeding and clean the hare before dark.
Give your best cook a break from feeding hounds and cleaning hare, he can start supper while you do the job and when your done, you'll be glad you did as supper will be waiting on you and believe me, you'll be ready to eat...lol
Compass/GPS is good to keep you straight on directions, walkie/talkies are good to keep in touch and know who has what hounds or if someone gets hurt. Mag light, fire starter, water and candy bar are always in the game bag.
As said, hunt the woods, not the fields...
Have fun an save some for us ...Patch

Bow season is in full swing here in Mich, be courteous to the other hunters as well. Patch has about said it all....

Good luck and let us know how you did.

Emery

My husband and father-in-law were up there all last week. It was their 6th trip to the island, and the 1st year I wasn't able to tag along unfortunately. They said the hare were everywhere, so you should have some great running! Don't worry, your hounds won't have trouble on hare, but they might have an adjustment period when ran on cottontail again. Make sure you have e-collars all charged up, and if possible tracking collars, hare will run out of hearing quite often. We've never run into deer hunters while running up there, actually the guys said that this year they only saw one or two at all. You're more likely to see bird hunters or other hare hunters.
Have fun!

Snow is in the forcast. Have fun. Like bluegrass said leave some for us.

One other thing that might be helpful... The island is known as "the Rock" and that's just what it is...
Can be very hard on hounds feet...ToughCoat...hint/hint
Nearest vet is 60 mile inland...take 1st aid-kit for hounds...hint/hint
The rock is very hard to drive a stakeout into...Best to take Eye bolts to screw into scrub trees, then, snap gangchain to eye bolts, with drop leads on gangchain spaced apart so hounds won't tangle together...hint/hint
If you see a long mound of dirt, it most likely has waterline or sewer burried under it so, they don't want you driving stakeouts into it...

thanks for all the info we will need it no doubt, we plan on keeping the dogs on a trailer not a dog trailer but a cattle trailer lol. I planed this trip thinking we would be in and out before any snow hits but thats not looking to good right now.
BG is your dad still planning on coming up?

Snow will be mini problem, not much accumalation this time of year, however expect heavy frost and wind. Tracking collars are recommended as the hare can go long distances and there is always the possibilty of a switch or split. Ran one yesterday that was going out of hearing for 10 or 15 minutes at a time, he finally came out on a dirt road and ran straight down it for at least a 1/4 mile. That slowed them down some. LOL. Have fun. Patch gave you some good advice, vets are far away and you have to account for the boat schedule. Hare

oh yea if anybody lives in the area and wants to come and hunt with us in the morning or evening you are more than welcome to.

BYB, my dad is sitting here in Michigan right now watching it snow...I went down to get him this past weekend, he doesn't like the long drives by himself anymore, getting a little old for it, you know... Tony

just out of curiosity what else can I shoot on a small game license?

woodcock, ruffed grouse(lots of them), squirrel.

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it would be a shame to drive 750 miles just to whip some sensitive deer hunters ass for shooting my dog lol. I hope we have no deer problems but every dog we have will be wearing a collar. man am I getting excited we leave tonite.