Reflecting on old hounds.

jlboomer · Post by **jlboomer** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 7:37 pm

Had an old man call me today said he had a good old beagle that if i wanted her to come and get her. Well when i pulled up at his house he was sittin on the porch with an old beagle beside him and i heard one running off in a distant growed up field. He said thats her over there running she's been running hard all day. so we get to talking and i ask him why he called me well he said thats my last old running dog this other old beagle is my companion and he an't ever ran a rabbit. well he finally got this old dog called out of the brush and when she came out she was rough lookin as thin as a rail, limping and bloody as all get out. I could tell from looking at her that she had some age on her. he said he wasn't for sure but he knew she was between 8 and 10yrs old he raised her from some of his old gun dogs and one by one they where all gone but her and said he'd like to get her in the hands of someone that would hunt her and take care of her better then him. well i got her home doctored her up some and feed her good and got to thinking. Man this is what a beagle is all about so then it got me reflecting back on my granpas old dogs and some of the old dogs ive had. its funny seemed like the older they became the harder they hunted but just seemed that away to me being a kid and all at the time. but i can remmber trailing along throught the brush with those old dogs. Judy and molly. judy died at 14yrs old and we ran her till the day she died. molly lived to be 16 but was hit by a car at 12 and never did run anymore. i could go on and on about some good old beagles ive ran with but i want. all i can say is when i see an old grey faced hound it touches my heart exspecially when there still out there running a rabbit. seems weve moved away from just those good old non fancy rabbit dogs. sure i have some fair dogs that can run a rabbit but those old grade gundogs will always set the bar for anything i raise. im hoping to get lucky enough to get to breed this old female to one of mollys grandpups i have here. well sorry for this being so long guys just wanted to do some reflecting.

MIKE · Post by **MIKE** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 8:20 pm

HEY BOOMER, NO PROBLEM. I KNOW THE FEELING WELL.
MIKE

ringtail · Post by **ringtail** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 8:37 pm

BOOMER,,,,,,,glad you shared the storie with us i really enjoyed it,,,,,,,,,thats what makes rabbit hunting is the old dogs and the stories behind them,,,,,,,,,,i use to know an old man when i was a kid that kept a journal after every mornings run,,,,,,,and i remember thumbing through it but at that age didnt under stand skirting and checks ,,,,,,,but againg enjoyed your story,,,,,,,,,,,

j.catt

ringtail · Post by **ringtail** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:12 pm

hey boomer,,,,,,,i seen where you were looking for a coon hound pup for a young kid,,,,,,i have a nice 7 month old english male,,,,,,,get ahold of me if its for a kid,,,,,,,

jeff catt,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,812-254-3797,,,,,,,

jumpmaster · Post by **jumpmaster** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 12:49 am

I am the same way, when I think back on some of the dogs we had when I was a kid, I allways remember the great runs, and tend to forget about the not so great. I am always trying to compare what I have now, with those long gone hounds. Are they better or worse? I dont know, I do know that I love to keep tryin to find one that stacks up to my memories.

dan grimes · Post by **dan grimes** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 1:59 pm

That's what it's all about-------Old dogs and children and watermellon wine! Dan

jlboomer · Post by **jlboomer** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 6:10 pm

thanks guys for reading. im glad you all took something from it. yea them old beagles can touch your heart. Ringtail id like to get that pup for that boy but where kinda to far apart. im hoping i can find him one if not im gonna give him a beagle pup and convert him to a rabbit hunter lol. thanks again guys for reading and all the nice comments.

ringtail · Post by **ringtail** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 8:42 pm

no problem

bullboy · Post by **bullboy** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 8:57 pm

i agree with all of you i could write a book about this special little bitch that started this obsession it bring tears to my eyes thinking about her i hope my young sons have the same memories she was good but not as good as many in my kennel now but it just seem to mean more back then before all the ribbons when i retire i just may write a few articles about her and what she really did to affect me minus killing a pile of bunnies over her the good old days no worries just running and gunning take care bullboy

thornie · Post by **thornie** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 3:46 am

Boomer good story. I have one also.
One day my daughter came home and said, Dad Wayne is going to sell old Sadie again, and if I had the money I'd buy her. Well we went up and bought Sadie for $100.00. Before we bought her Wayne had sold her to his brother and he hunted her then he came back to Wayne and traded her back plus $75 to boot. This happened 5 times, between the two brothers, so Sadie made one brother $375 for exchanging dogs. We have Sadie at my daughters and she and another dog our are pup trainers. Best $100.00 we ever spent.

sav · Post by **sav** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 9:21 am

Dan Grimes, just the mention of Tom T brings back memories of youth. Great song great post, you guys are gonna make me cry

jlboomer · Post by **jlboomer** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 7:04 pm

thanks thornie good story to. You know the more i think about it the best dog ive ever owned i gave $30 for and ive bought many for $75 and $100 that you could kill tons of rabbits with. now giving $200 to $300 for pups. wasn't but about 10yrs ago i was buying those cheap dogs. where did those days go lol.

BBOARDING3 · Post by **BBOARDING3** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 7:21 pm

Well the best dog I ever had was a stray. My dad found her at a gas station and brought her home. After we started her my day pick up a whole litter of pups for like $50-75. I dont think I have ever seen a dog so happy to go hunting. Once the pups got trained Thats was the great pack. I never knew anything of the terms or that you should have all the same speed of dogs( we had a fast dog and a slow dog in this pack and I thought it was a good combo). all I knew was I injoyed going to the fields with my dad and dogs. I did not even care if we killed a rabbit. We had alot of beagles come and go but Gal was there from the start. we had her till we let the dogs run one day and none of them made it back. My pup is my first AKC and the first one i have ever trained myself so hopefully he will be a good one. I know he will never replace the ol days tho

Windkist · Post by **Windkist** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 7:33 pm

Wonderful stories! Thanks to all for sharing! keep em coming ;-)

Leah

MIKE · Post by **MIKE** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:53 am

THE BEST GUN DOG I EVER HAD I PAID $35.00 FOR. HE WAS A GRADE 15 INCH MALE & HE GOT THE JOB DONE. WHEN HE OPENED HE WOULD MAKE YOU THROW YOUR HAT ON THE GROUND & ROOT FOR THE RABBIT.
HIS VOICE WOULD RATTLE THE LEAVES ON THE TREES & HE WAS A JUMP DOG DELUX & A REAL TRAIL HOUND. NO TRASH. THIS WAS IN THE EARLY 60'S BUT THE LONGER I REMEMBER HIM THE BETTER HE GETS
& HE WAS REAL GOOD TO START WITH.
MIKE