The American Beagler Forum

We are taking a couple of cottontail hounds hare hunting should I run them on hare before hand to adjust or do they usually find the transition easy? Any comments welcome.

If you run in areas like we have in Michigan, you better make sure they are in real good shape, and be prepared for them to go out of hearing on any race...That is one of the hard things for me to get used to as the cottontails here usually stay within hearing. Tony

I have hounds that had never smelled a hare until I threw them into a Large Pack trial. No problem with running hare, big problem with out of condition. Get them into condition! It is hard to do running on cottontail but condition them the best you can. As far as running out of hearing, that's not a problem unless they are not deer broke, because the hare chase will resemble a deer chase, and if they are not deer broke then you will not know when to panic

It is much easier for a hound to go from cottontail to hare than it is the other way around. Dogs that run hare all the time and then get put on cottontail have a hard time figuring out the twists and turns a rabbit makes. I agree about the conditioning of your dogs. They will put on alot of miles on one hare. You will swear they are running a fox. Nothing better than a real good hare race!!!!!!!!!!!

I had some friends up last weekend that have some nice cottontail dogs, they run 4 or 5 times a week on cottontail, it was warm for up here and their dogs couldn't run for more than about 1 1/2 hours as they were not used to the constant non stop running. Get your dogs in the best shape you can and enjoy! Hare

I agree with Hare, this is were your hounds desire and conformation will tell on it'self.
You are doing a great thing for yourself, to ask and see where your hounds bottom is. Some will do fine 1, 2 and maybe 3 days in a row of all day hare hunting, but stay the week and see who hangs in there. Your hounds will be no better than what you ask or require of them .
Hope you have a great hunt...Patch

The hounds are in good shape and probably won't get worked too bad as the boys are 9&11 and might want to do other things like fish as well we are staying on a lake I certainly am anxious.Thanks for the advice I will get them out often before the trip.

I ran two experienced dogs today, it was 74 degrees and very humid, these are dogs that are not fat and run 4 to 5 times a week, after about 4 hours they were struggling to keep the hare going. They are in shape and run hare all the time, heat and humidity took it's toll. They must be in good shape to run hare. Have fun and let us know how they did. Hare