The American Beagler Forum

How many guys dogs are catching rabbits. I hear the term run to catch a lot on here but wonder how many guys are catching consistently. what conditions?

For me personally,in good weather, i would guess one out of every 30 races ends with a caught rabbit, running 6 dogs.(brush rabbits)

If i run with a another guy and we have 10 dogs down i would say more like every 15-20 races.

with snowshoes i might catch one or 2 a year. and they seem to be sub adults and a few inches of snow.

I used to have a female gundog, she would catch em in snow and bring them to me. Some guys said theirs been digging baby ones out of the nest. I had a male dog that wasn't fast but he would slip up on em and catch them

If your dogs are right, from May til october, I'm upset if they don't catch a rabbit. Keep in mind I don't have time to rabbit hunt in the winter so my dogs are not the best "all weather" dogs. Best pack I had was 3 years ago, it was 13 of them. Several mornings in July and August I caught 2 rabbits each time out. One morning I caught 3. I'm sure y'all will call b.s. but you are welcome to come watch. Btw I'm not bragging because I can't catch a rabbit nowadays unless I pair up with a friend. I got some good ones, but I'm missing that special one....

I don't want mine to catch any. rabbits too scarce around here. lol

[quote="dave404"Some guys said theirs been digging baby ones out of the nest. [/quote]

Impossible! Old Timers on this board swore that baby rabbits and pregnant does have no scent.

i never did have a pack of beagles that ran one down unless there was something wrong with the rabbit like shot at and hit. I reckon. When they would lose one. I just say.Lost rabbit. Now on the other hand. I ve seen some that when they lost a rabbit,they would say.They catch another one. Not saying there s dogs or packs out there that cannot do it. I ve talk to some that runs in my pens say they had to catch the dogs off the rabbit. They could tell the rabbit setting down a lot. then that's running him a good hr.

Had a begler stop at the produce stand one time and he was telling me how good his dogs were. I don t know how many rabbit them 5 dogs catch last hunting season.Man they can jump one and have him catch in 10 min. I told him I would not have them dogs. He said WHY? I am not carring a gun around in hunting season to watch dog after one rabbit after another one catching rabbits,when I am wanted to shoot rabbits. That's whats fun.Running one about 20 min and then here that BOON,I ve got him. Then theres nothing better when you here that BOON( hes going your way.)

i have to say that it seems to "take that special one" some times. i would catch one now and then, but never considered it to be consistent, once i got a real head up running dog, with the right conditions, i seem to catch every couple times out, hes not always the dog to catch, but he makes the rest a step faster over all i guess. because if hes at home, i dont normally catch unless i run with my hunting partner.

heres a clip from last week, i just got a camera to start filming, we caught 2 rabbits that day(one on film) 5 minutes in you can see a dog of mine bringing a rabbit he caught, hes not a fast dog, but will catch when ran with my fast dogs. will run tomorrow and hopefully have a few more catches to show Monday.

if i had dogs that didnt retrieve that would be a problem, but most of mine are pretty good about bringing them to me, except one or two dogs...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP_v6BDiSp8

The only time my dogs catch rabbits is when they are sick or have been hit after being shot at...

Had a hot race going once that suddenly stopped. I knew the rabbit was caught. My lead dog came out with a rabbit that had 100 ticks on it.

Our dogs catch a few around home, but when we go to Indiana they catch them a lot. Rabbits were caught in 2 of Zebs 3 casts . it has something to do with the scenting I guess.

Plott enjoyed your vid !! J.p.

mike crabtree wrote:Our dogs catch a few around home, but when we go to Indiana they catch them a lot. Rabbits were caught in 2 of Zebs 3 casts . it has something to do with the scenting I guess.

When we take the dogs out, it is not our goal to catch rabbits; would rather hear 30 to 45 minute races. However, Johnny and I do not like dogs that do not have the desire to catch and cannot catch a rabbit when scenting is good. Can't wait Mike to run one of those Zeb pups. Bobby

My dogs catches rabbits but I'm not saying that they catch them all the time but they get their share of rabbits like me on Facebook( Derrick Sherall)

This is how I view the term " run to catch style ." The running style of a hound that is pursing its game with the speed, drive, and intention to catch it for supper. Lol! That doesn't mean they catch every rabbit they jump and run. Mine catch a few every so often but not all the time. I think a lot depends on the terrain , the way hounds are performing, and the rabbit itself. I've watched hounds pound a rabbit for way over hour and you think silly rabbit, you better find refuge or your going be lunch. Had hounds run some for so long, the rabbit will lock up stiff.

Depending on which of my dogs catch one, some will chomp it down and couple will bring them back to me. Especially a lil ninja female of mine. She actually caught a baby rabbit other day and she brung it to me. I took it from her and set him loose.

This is how I view the term " run to catch style ." The running style of a hound that is pursing its game with the speed, drive, and intention to catch it for supper. Lol! That doesn't mean they catch every rabbit they jump and run. Mine catch a few every so often but not all the time. I think a lot depends on the terrain , the way hounds are performing, and the rabbit itself. I've watched hounds pound a rabbit for way over hour and you think silly rabbit, you better find refuge or your going be lunch. Had hounds run some for so long, the rabbit will lock up stiff.

Depending on which of my dogs catch one, some will chomp it down and couple will bring them back to me. Especially a lil ninja female of mine. She actually caught a baby rabbit other day and she brung it to me. I took it from her and set him loose.