Drummond Island

[Charles Philpot]

When is the best time to go Drummond Island and the best place to stay?

[chapkosbeagles]

december

[JCM]

From my experience, I would go to the U.P., not Drummond Island. There are just as many hare, and a lot more places to run (check out the Hiawatha National Forest). Any time from July 15 - November 15 is great. I haven't tried it in December or later into winter (no desire to learn to use snow shoes). Just be sure you don't go during deer season.

[moonshinekennel]

We are going to Up and run hiwathia national forest first week of oct. I'll post how we do.

Dale

[bucks better beagles]

The best time to go to Drummond is the middle to end of October. This is after the start of deer bow season (Oct.1) and before the beginning of deer gun season (Nov. 15). It is also still comfortable enough temperature and snow wise to be enjoyable. There are a lot of deer hunters up there now so it is best to give them a little time to do their thing. In addition, the big rabs are white or turning white so it makes it more fun to watch them. I never kill more than one (and that is with a pistol) so the chases are better also.

Bob-Michigan

[S.R.Patch]

My cousin just got married (oh the price of love), so have a open spot in the truck if you want to buddy-up and go together end of Oct.

[Anderson Upland Beagles]

We are going to Up and run hiwathia national forest first week of oct. I'll post how we do.

Dale

cant wait to see

[moonshinekennel]

I hear of some local guys going to Drummond last week had some running but killed only one rabbit. This is second hand info..
Dale

[SUNRISE10]

We are going last week of Oct.

[S.R.Patch]

The hare population has been going down and the deer population has exploded.
If your not into killing a bunch of hare, this is the time to go, Big runs and few splits. I take a couple of old field trialers along that just like to hear hounds run and they're so happy you'd think they were in their right mind...
They still talk about the trip to Wis. and the last day we ran one from 9am till 2pm then caught up the hounds and came home, yud've thought they had both killed their limit...

[Spruce Ridge Beagler]

I like going to the U.P. and Drummond but killing a hare is the last thing on my mind. They don't reproduce like cottontail and on top of that they taste like crap. When my son or other young ones tag along we don't mind them shooting a hare or two. For me it's all about the music and seeing if your hounds have the skill and endurance to pound the same hare for hour after hour several days in a row !
As far as the best time to go it's anytime you get a chance to get away from work.

[Swampman]

IMO, thats what it's all about, the MUSIC!
My wife thinks I'm crazy when I tell her that the hounds running is music to my ears.

Swamp

[bucks better beagles]

Man, you folks are talking my language, There are still plenty of hare that can be killed on Drummond but why? Kill one or two and let the rest run. I started hunting up there some 45 years ago before anybody knew about the place. It was slap full of hare but we did not kill them just to see them fall. The race and the test of your dogs is what counts.

If you will indulge me, the following is a true story:

Go 350 miles up north,
Cross the water that's in between:
You'll be on the roughest little island,
That a man has ever seen.

It's called the 'Jewel of the Huron',
But to me its just a place,
To pack your gun and beagle
And have a rabbit race.

It's earth is damp and hostile,
Its covered with granite stone.
It' woods are silent beyond belief,
It's dark and overgrown.

The Snowshoe Hare is King up there,
And with every stride it takes,
Your heart either rises high and floats,
Or falls to the ground and breaks.

For Drummond will take both man and dog,
And put them to the test,
And in the end, the survivors, will be the very best.

In late October 3 men went north,
And ten dogs did as well,
On the second day, as I am here to tell,
One by one they fell.

The day was sunny, cool and mild,
The big rabbits were on the run.
But the dogs were tired and falling back.
It was not a lot of fun.

But out in the cedars near the beaver felled trees,
We could hear the trembling leaves,
And two little dogs a gettin' it on,
As they circled the beaver's pond.

Again and again they would bring it in,
And again they would take it out.
I thought to myself as I lay in the sun...
"This is what it is all about".

Now on Drummond Island, late in the day,
The rabbits always win,
Try as hard as you want for as long as you want,
But there are just too many of them.

We gave it our best and passed the test,
But finally we called them in.
Two little dogs, side by side:
Oh, we were so proud of them.

The big dog's name was Crowder,
He was the best there would ever be.
The little dog's name was Mighty Mite,
Man was she ever a sight to see.

She was low and broad,
And her hair nearly touched the ground,
I swear to God in all my life,
I never saw such a hound.

I even laughed upon first sight,
I held my belly and hopped.
But on Drummond Island on the second day,
All the laughing stopped.

We were on our way out when I looked at her,
And thought how wrong I had been.

I had judged a book by its cover
And I had been fooled again.

I said to myself as we skirted the bay,
"No words can judge this day".
"But I can judge this Mighty Mite hound
By the things she had done today".

I couldn't judge her by the length of her tail,
or by the size of her feet.
She can't be measured by the bark she has
or by the company she keeps.

I judge her solely by one factor,
and on this, you must agree.
Because her ears and spots don't matter at all,
nor does her pedigree.

I'll judge her by the size of her heart,
The spirit counts the most.
For in the end, when all is done,
on this alone we'll boast.

So by this standard, this Mighty Mite dog,
registers really high,
There is no doubt, this is all it's about
for she'll run until she dies.

Fifty years I have been in this business,
and I still make mistakes.
But if YOU doubt the words I say...
One trip to Drummond is all it takes.

[Spruce Ridge Beagler]

Thats an awsome story Buck !! I was completely indulged !! What a way with words you have !!
The only thing you left out is what happened to the other eight ???
That sounds like a time when men were men and Dawgs were DAWGS !
Thanks for sharing your story,
Dave

[bucks better beagles]

Thanks Dave, the rules were simple then and also quite rigidly enforced when it came to the other eight. We trained dogs all year for the Drummond adventure. You also never took all your dogs up there. One or two had to be left behind for seed stock.

Now, if anyone reads this who disagrees with our hunting style, please give me some room here. This way of hunting is not for everyone. We would turn loose at daylight and pick-up anything that was still on the ground around darkness. Then the ones we would pick-up were turned loose the next morning. Our goal was to see who was toughest and in our minds, the best.

We loved our dogs as much as anyone but there was no place for weakness back in those days. They had to hunt, they had to be fast, and they could never, ever quit until we decided to pick them up.