Questions about starting pens.

[pgmrdan]

I keep seeing posts about starting pens. I've never seen one.

What is a starting pen, how do you make one, and how do you use it?

Thanks,
Dan

[tom summers]

Well a starting pen is used to start young pups. It can vary in size from 1/2 ac. to 10 ac or more if wanted. You use it by keeping rabbits in it so that the young pups learn to take line by scent. You do not want to over use it because a pup can learn to run around and try to sight chase and not trail by scent. They are built by fencing in a desired area with wire that can retain a rabbit yet tall enough the pups cannot jump out. the more cover it has in it the better , this will limit the amount of sight chases. Once they are scent trailing good take them out and run in the wild or a larger pen. This is a brief desciption of what they are and how they are used.
Tom

[SilverZuk]

It is a fenced area stocked with rabbits. Usually domestic breeds of rabbits.
Most people have brush piles in them.
I have seen them range from 1/2 acre to over 5 acres.
Most people will refer to a starting pen as a small pen and a running pen as a large pen.

They are great for getting a pup started. As soon as the pup starts using its nose, eyes, and mouth and getting close to catching rabbits it is time for it to leave and never come back. You can ruin dogs by running the in starting pens/running pens too much. Signs a dog has been in a running pen too much are; dog will start to hunt more with its eyes, run paths around brush/obstacles, and quit on tough checks to look for a different rabbit because there are so many in the pen.

[SilverZuk]

Well a starting pen is...

Dangit, you beat me to it

[pgmrdan]

Since I have fields and timber where I regularly see wild rabbits is there any reason to use a starting pen instead of taking her out on my land?

[SilverZuk]

Nope.
The reason for a starting pen is to get a pup behind as many rabbits as possible in a short amount of time.
It lets them see the rabbit, then chase it.
They eventually figure out "Hey when I see one of those things I also smell it. If I follow the smell I see it again."
They will start to open at one point.

It is a nice way to start dogs because they can see more rabbits in an afternoon than they may in a year in the wild.

You don't have to have a starting pen at all, but it is nice to have access to one when starting pups.

[Moore Beagles]

One big advantage to a starting pen, Is you get to run your pup in a controlled setting, without the fear of losing them, or them running off game like deer or foxes. They get plenty of steady work and they get the idea Rabbits, rabbits ,and more rabbits, and then you praise the heck out of them!!

[ANTHONY KERR]

Good answers. I have some pups at a starter right now. He has a half acre starting pen in the middle of a 35 acre running pen. The starting pen has pallets and cover that the rabbits can hide under temporarily. Once they start to track they graduate to the big running pen. I like this method because he can show them alot of rabbits in a short period of time. Even the big pen is nice because there are only rabbits in there and they can run all night. No fear of off game, cars, theives, or predators.

[mo. beagler]

I would like to know how much it cost him to fence in 35 acres? sounds like a big chunk.

[tom summers]

I fenced 5 acres this year total of 1800 ft of fence T post every 15 ft and a wood post every 5th T post 3 strands of hi-tensile around it 1 12ft gate & 2 pedestrian gates did all the work myself and my son. Right at $3000.00