Cold weather hunting

[pa beagler]

Have not really had any really cold weather so far this year to hunt in. It is coming though, calling for lows in the single digits and highs in the teens for the next couple of days. Just wondering how many brave the elements and hit the woods? If so how much success (good running) can be expected. I know there is a few trials schedualed for the weekend how many of you trialers just stay home on days like this as well.

[Matt Wilson]

I stayed home from a trial today wasnt going to drive 2 hours to freeze my butt off. I work outside all day and get cold enough. There plenty of days to hunt or attend trials to freeze. I will probly take a couple of pups out for a hour or so this afternoon if it gets above 10. The wind chill here is below 0. The dogs dont mind the cold but I do.

[Bunnyblaster]

And in most cases the rabbits aren't out and about and the running tends to suck in this kind of weather too. I know everyone says to get them out as much as you can but I think this weekend is just one of those times when it will be better to just stay home.

[Brian Westra]

I just came in from running. Man, it was cold. That wind was a killer but I did have my pup open for the first time. That warmed me up:).

[huntin' bootsy]

I go whenever I can as long as it's above zero. I usually won't go if its really windy. It's harder for the dogs, but it seems like they don't have to be to far away to be out of hearing when it's windy. My dogs are a little slower when it's cold,but I think if they run decent when it's cold, they'll do really well when it warms up. Of course, at least with my hounds, some days I think it should be good running weather and they seem to think it's not.

[klrconcrete]

Just rolled in from running it was 4 above when I left- 6 when I got home first hound didnt look all that good I gave her and hour and she looked like crap so I picked her up and put down a younger female who has only been started for about 4 months, she did a better job than the older female all in all, it wasnt head high running but she kept the hare moving until I froze out and called it quits. Kurt Robinson

[Sandy Valley]

Went out today with 2 seasoned hounds and 2 pups. The running wasn't too great and the rabbits were sitting tight. They did end up circling one a few times but it was slow going.
Heading back out tomorrow morning, it's supposed to be even colder but maybe the running will be better-you never know.

[Glomski]

Took a couple land owners that let me and our club run on their property hunting today and IT WAS COLD!!!!! The dogs managed to jump alot of rabbits and brought many around to them. They ended up shooting 5 and missed alot more. Rabbits were sitting tight and gave for a dozen or more sight chases. We all had a great time. They had never been rabbit hunting with beagles before. They want to go again. I am kinda glad they only shot 5 being one of our running spots...LOL .....They left plenty for seed...

I have been in the house all afternoon and still cold...

[Tallasan]

About the same as everyone else, We went, was 3 when we put the hounds down and got to a high of 15. Rabbits were definately sitting tight, and the hounds were haveing a real rough time running them ...we jumped 5 and they managed to circle 3.


-Tim

[PLATEAUBEAGLER]

Me, my son, and Clouset went today with 5 of my hounds and 2 of his, 5 was season hounds 2 were pups. It was none stop action, we ran for 6 hrs at 3 differnt spots and done really good, the bunnies was every where, and the hounds was put through the worse conditions, even ran them in a swamp bottom that was like a pond and they keep the races going none stop. It was 27 this morn and droped all day and wind was bad, don't know what chill factor was but i bet it was in the teens or single diggits.
Best day of running we have had in a while.Oh last weekend was good to.

[pa beagler]

Well I went out this morning, my buddies backed out on me. Think he is getting soft. Been thinking of going to a trial in Hubbard, Oh tommorrow so I figured I would go out and see what my hound could do in this weather. I have had him out in this type of weather before but the running has been average at best. Today was no different. He jumped two. The first ran about 100 yrd right to a hole. The second, he ran for 20 to 30 minutes, but the running was tough. He ran it across some shallow swamp areas that were frozen solid. Kind of like running on ice. We only braved it for about a hour and a half. I think I will pass on the trial tommorrow, it is only going to get colder. Like someone said earlier alot more days and trials.

[flash]

we were out at 9:00 untill 1:30 in southeastern ohio . we only jumped six rabbits four of which only run 100 yards before going to a hole . one of the rabbits ran pretty fair the other one was just hit and miss

[Dave C]

I went hunting this morning and took three dogs.The first rabbit they jumped went straight to the hole.The second rabbit they circled back and I killed it.They ran the last rabbit three circles in a field of chest high briars but it ended up going to the hole.The temps dropped as the morning went on.

[Jane]

I remember taking a real good hound out last winter to "test" it to see if it could get a rabbit going in -22 with -33 windchill (Canadian temps) in woods along the coast so we could catch her easily to see if she had the nose for it. We dressed for the cold, it took her about 20 minutes after we walked in. She did not have any problem ! It was well worth getting dressed for the extreme temperatures and a joy to see this female go. We ran her for about a 45 minutes then called her in. I don't know who was crazier here but running hounds is a blast!

[TC]

8 degrees here this morn...........
me n mine are stayin in where its warm