The American Beagler Forum

I am just introducing myself to the site. My name is Josh. I am from North-Central KY. I have rabbit hunted for several years, but never owned a beagle. I hunt everything. Primarily I am a coonhunter. I grew up coonhunting all my life. I competition hunt in PKC. So, I am no stranger to training hounds. I have never been to a Beagle field trial and know nothing about them, but it would definitely be something I am interested in. I have really only hunted with old grade dogs my whole life, but some pretty decent little dogs. I have a pretty good grasp on what I like in a rabbit dog, but don't know what it takes to make a good competition dog. I have a few questions about the terminology that I have read on here that I have never heard used before. First of all, What do you mean by line control? What is a "Good check dog"? What about a dog that runs a "clean line"? Finally, what is a check area? These questions may sound stupid, but I just really have never been around what I would call serious Beaglers. Thanks in advance, guys.

hey josh,

welcome. This is a good buch of people on this site. I have learned a lot from just reading and asking questions. I am on my first set of beagles so I will let the pros answer your questions. I am proof that you can teach an old dog new tricks. Now me and my hounds are going to go use some of those tricks.Gene

Thanks, I'm getting ready to head out shortly myself.

KYHUNTER79, I DON'T TRIAL EITHER, BUT WELCOME ABOARD ANYWAY.
ONE THING I CAN TELL YOU, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THOSE OL GRADE DOGS. LOL
MIKE

Welcome,
I live in Eastern Ky myself about 20 minutes from Morehead. Give me a call we can talk hounds anytime. There are a couple trials in about a month or so close by if you would want to go check them out. Coon are tearing our corn fields up..if ya got som good hounds that can do it give me a call. I wouldn't mind going a nite or two.
Brad

bradadkins wrote:Welcome,
I live in Eastern Ky myself about 20 minutes from Morehead. Give me a call we can talk hounds anytime. There are a couple trials in about a month or so close by if you would want to go check them out. Coon are tearing our corn fields up..if ya got som good hounds that can do it give me a call. I wouldn't mind going a nite or two.
Brad

Thanks for the offer! Mapquest says you are about a 4 hour drive from me, but I don't go over by Harlan to ride 4wheelers every now and then, so maybe I can take you up on that sometime.

Thanks for the welcome, guys.

Josh,
Go to "American Rabbit Hound Association" on the internet. Click on one of the formats such as: Progressive Pack etc. Click on the rules etc. and scan for running rules and it will tell you alot about your questions. This is just one example on how to find answers for your questions. There are other associations that also have rules that will help you. Wayne

KYHunter79 wrote:I am just introducing myself to the site. My name is Josh. I am from North-Central KY. I have rabbit hunted for several years, but never owned a beagle. I hunt everything. Primarily I am a coonhunter. I grew up coonhunting all my life. I competition hunt in PKC. So, I am no stranger to training hounds. I have never been to a Beagle field trial and know nothing about them, but it would definitely be something I am interested in. I have really only hunted with old grade dogs my whole life, but some pretty decent little dogs. I have a pretty good grasp on what I like in a rabbit dog, but don't know what it takes to make a good competition dog. I have a few questions about the terminology that I have read on here that I have never heard used before. First of all, What do you mean by line control? What is a "Good check dog"? What about a dog that runs a "clean line"? Finally, what is a check area? These questions may sound stupid, but I just really have never been around what I would call serious Beaglers. Thanks in advance, guys.

Kyhunter79. Welcome to the board. There is nothing wrong in asking questions. My Grandpap, use to say all the time. A question is Dumb, when you don't ask it.

1. Line Control means when a dog stays on the same line that the Rabbit has just ran. What that means is the dog is not trying to run wide of the other dogs just to get to the front.

2. A good Check dog is a dog that can find a Rabbit and get it running again after a lose. In arha little pack that's where you can score a lot of points.

3. Check Area. Is probably the most Disputed Question in Field Trailing. I'll give a quick answer than I'll expland. A Check area is where a dog works an area after losing the Rabbit. Now it matters what kind of format that you want to run in. Some dogs work a Check area around where they lost the Rabbit. Then you will see some dogs That will go to the next State to find another Rabbit, instead of working the area where they lost the Rabbit that they where chasing. I don't Trail much any more 2 reasons the first I like to hunt more than I do Trailing. and second I just became a Grandpap myself. That little Girl Stole my heart, the first Second I Laid eyes on her. I just want to watch her grow up, then I'll get back into Trailing again. I hope this helps. There is a lot of people on this board that can give you better answers than I did. Good Luck and God Bless.

Catfish:

Thanks, Catfish. That helped out a lot.