The American Beagler Forum

I kept a "rabbit log" this year and found that we ended up shooting more rabbits this year then any other in the past four seasons. We do not have a ton of rabbits to shoot but we have been getting more each year over the past four years. Here are some of the stats from our hunting season. These stats are only from when we went hunting and do not include any jump or run numbers from my running only spot. "Rabbits ran" means the rabbit at least ran a significant distance and did not just jump in a near by hole, or loose the dogs at the first or second turn. "Rabbits shot at" means just that, if I shot at it and someone else in our group that day shot at it that is only one rabbit shot at. Shots taken is a bit of a guess but if it took a hunter 3 shots to kill the rabbit then that was 3 shots taken. I also included shots if the rabbit was not killed.

Rabbits jumped=71,rabbits ran=58 (for 81%). Rabbits shot at=35, rabbits killed=26 (for a kill percentage of 74%-definately room for imporvement there). Shots taken 62 (for a shot percentage of 41%). Most rabbits shot by individual for the season=Me 10. Most in one day=4 my son Alex. Hunter that had the most fun this season=me.
Here are few of my favorite picks from the season.

Our season starts with a trip to the Island...

Then its deer hunting until January. After that its back to rabbits until March.


A future rabbit slayer for sure


Our spot on public land produce a few rabbits each time out this year.


And we managed to shoot some.




I also had some great hunts but for various reasons did not pictures. For example me and Ben and Al spent one day with Reddog1 and Swampman runnin and gunnin cotton tails but I forgot my camera

We will have to do that again guys so I can get it documented.

It turned out to be a good and safe season

thanks for looking

nice pics! enjoyed seeing the snow....wish we would have gotten a little down here in TN this past winter.
-Peter

nice pics and it sounds like the hounds made you happy

well done, i like the stats!

Yes. The hounds had a good season. The times they did not run rabbits was when the conditions were tough or the rabbits did not run. I remember one weekend we had a wet snow on Friday night and then cold and wind Sat. and Sun. The dogs did manage to get a few rabbits up but you could follow the tracks right to another hole. The one day we noticed several tracks coming out of a hole and going right back to the same one. Even the rabbits did not want to be out in that weather. Other days the dogs just did not seem to have it for reasons unknown. We also had a few days that the cotton tail chases seemed like hare chases. The dogs were realy flying. Already looking forward to next season.

Steve,
I am already counting the days until October 1st when me and the hounds hit the Island. I'm going to try and do the whole month this year. (if the wife lets me) and we will have to hit the new spot again once or twice. I have been going there at least once a week just to run but I do take a gun and shoot every now and again to make the owner think I'm shooting rabbits 11 days until the running season is over and I am going to run every chance I get until then.


reddog