Beagling Courtsey

[Fulton]

Was out hunting some Public Land the other day and on three different occasions we had our hunt interrupted ! We got there early and got to the spot where we were going to hunt and got ready to turn the dogs loose when two different groups drove past both going in different directions from us. We went ahead and turned the dogs out and started hunting. We had been hunting maybe 30mins when I noticed that we had some different dogs in the race, it wasn't just a minute before the guy came into us hooping and hollering for his dogs. We had to stop everything so this guy could catch his dogs and go, we saw the same guy about 2hrs later when his dogs were back with us again. Same thing happened with another guy the same day who had about 8 dogs out and was hunting by himself, I ended up telling this guy he should just go ahead and stay with us cause there was no way he was going to control all those dogs by himself.

Both of the guys had come back pretty close to where we had parked and turned out right on top of us. I will go out of my way not to do that to someone who is already hunting a spot and turned his dogs out.

Does anyone else have to deal with this on a regular basis !!!!!

[Hare Hawk]

I've been running beagles in some fashion for 15 years now and I don't think that I have ever once came upon another beagler in the woods. That being said I certainly wouldn't want to get in the way of someone elses hunting. It would be nice if there were a few other houndsman in my area. But I can go to any of the public hunting grounds in my area and just about guaranty that know one has hunted it for rabbits all year.

[klrconcrete]

I would never turn in on someone else, nor do I want anyone doing this to me- its annoying. I think you will be amazed at how many people dont really see what the problem is, and these same people dont really know what courtesy is. Kurt Robinson

[Eva's Beagles]

That is a problem I have when running on state land. Just last Sunday we were running in the same spot for 3 1/2 hours, the last rabbit ran for 50 minutes, then we heard a shot. When we got over there I asked them why they would turn in on us. He said they didn't hear our dogs, they must have been running silent, but yet they shot the rabbit in front of them. We leashed up our dogs and left. Not much else you can do. Brian.

[mybeagles]

In my area, most everyone knows eachother. Most of them are field trialers that just all dump their dogs in one place and sit in the road and gossip like house wives. I avoid these areas like the plague. They run 7 days a week and have deer chases about 3 times a week. Sometimes over 50 dogs on the ground. Most often when someone comes up on me they will ask if they can drop their hounds. Awful hard to say no on federal land, but I have on occation.

I have had guys drive by and go cut loose on the other side of a 1/2 mile section where the dogs will obviously hark into mine that are running one. Then when the dogs push the hare out on the road or trail, shoot the rabbit my dogs are running (now with thiers in the pack). I was real upset the first time this happened, but after some thought, realized that anyone that clueless is not worth arguing with. You just police up your dogs and move. Most guys like this dont have dogs that can even circle a rabbit and they are just happy to kill one.

Ive found some swamps tucked off the beaten path that few if any know of, and I seldom get company. Hunting public land is what it is. You cant tell anyone to get off. If they want to drop, they can drop. Shaming someone thats clueless doesnt have the desired effect.


Mybeagles

[bluegrass]

We had two guys pull up just as we let our hounds out, they were already running one and the guy just parked and started getting his dogs ready...I asked the dirtbag what he thought he was doing, he said, "same as you, Im goin huntin.."

I not so politely told him where he should stick it, how rude I thought it was for a guy to turn out right on top of someone else and a few other choice things that I cannot print. He said, "Well, it's state land, isnt it?" I agreed that it was, but also pointed out that there was TONS of it around us, he didnt have to turn out right there. He said " Well, we'll just go down the two track about a half mile and then turn out". I had to laugh, because everyone that hunts this particular parcel of land knows that every beagle there winds up at that autumn olive thicket he was referring to. Besides, it wasnt half a mile and was still within earshot of the hounds. When I warned him about his dogs packing up with mine, and how displeased I would be with it he accused me of hunter harassment and actually wound up calling the Sheriff's dept...they never came to find us though (hounds were pounding all day, so we werent hiding) but the gall of this guy who considered himself a beagler to try and turn out on us like that is incredible...I will NOT turn out on someone on purpose. It has happened by accident to a fella that actually walked back from the main road and I didnt know he was there, but if I see or hear that a group of guys has beagles on the ground, I will either find different land ( out of earshot of the beagles) or I will go back home and try another day.


Tony

[S.R.Patch]

I would never get upset over a rabbit or hare.
What I have come to learn is, sound does not carry well up from the bottoms(low ground), and snow(on the trees) is a great insulator of sound.
My buddy had a hound that would go to any hound or hounds it heard running, no matter how far. He spent more time off on the mine grounds hunting for that hound than he did hunting rabbit...
Marra had a video clip of 12 hounds running, that's how we became friends. What great fun we had together! They are a wonderful family.
I say, courtesy can run both ways...

[bluegrass]

Sure Charles...IF that fella would have said something like, "hey guys, do you mind if we run here too" or "could we turn out WITH you?" it might have been different. But to try and turn out without giving a guy a choice about it is just plain rude.




Tony

[Tim H]

This isn't directed at any individual but rather at the beagling community. I kinda see this as an opportunity to set the example of what beaglers should be like. You have the opportunity to run dogs with someone and maybe have a positive influence on them rather than getting mad, maybe you should make a friend.

If you hunt on public land you should expect to run into the public and act as you should in public. Look at it this way, you don't own the land you're on and it is a blessing to get to hunt on it and enjoy it. Isn't it kinda selfish to want to keep someone else from enjoying it with you? I can see if you need the rabbits for food, but if you're just hunting cause you enjoy it then why let anything upset you.

If you don't want to hunt with someone else you always have the option to say, "This is a great spot, why don't you let me gather my dogs up and get out of your way so you can enjoy the running like I have."

As Patch said courtesy runs both ways.

[S.R.Patch]

I know Tony, I was typing the same time as you. Every time this topic starts, everyone's got a bad experience to share and it begins to sounds like the whole WORLD is full of rude illiterates, no doubt every place has some, but our attitudes as Sportsmen must always take the higher ground. They are for themselves...we, are for the beagle fraternity and the sport as a whole...
I have never been able to tell without first talking, whether a mixing of packs was deliberate or accidental...or whether my buddies silver truck looks the same as yours.
Heard there are four stages to becoming a hunter/sportsman, "first...you get hooked on the notion...then, you want to kill as many as you can(note, some never get past this stage), next stage...you want to hunt for trophy(note, many never get past this stage) and finally, last stage...you live to improve sport and enlist other good stewards for it's continuation so they may have some bit of sanity in their lives also."
Happy hunting, relish the good...

[Newt]

Patch that may have been your best post ever.

A few years ago a couple of new dedicated beaglers asked me to go hunting with them on the first day of the season. We were out well before daylight, pulled up to their chosen spot, WMA, and there were two vehicles parked. We drove on to their next selected WMA. We didn't know the area well so we parked on the side of the road and walked across some woodland onto the WMA. As soon as we arrived we could hear dogs running in every direction. There were hunters on top of every hill. We turned loose and immediately one of my young bitches ran to the best sounding pack. A few minutes later one of my buddies dogs attempted to run a deer and he stopped that with tri-tronics. We hung around listening to different hounds run and talking to different hunters until about noon then I decided that I better find my hound. I walked about a quarter mile in the direction of a running pack, soon found my bitch, and leashed her. As I was talking to one of the hunters another came up and tried to buy my bitch. He said that she ran great with his pack. Even though it wasn't a good hunting experience, we didn't kill any rabbits. It was a memorable day and I learned not to visit a local WMA on opening day.
I'm retired, I can go out any day. I would rather the folks who work during the week enjoy the weekends.

[bluegrass]

I still say its extremely rude and thoughtless to just turn out on someone else without either being invited or at the VERY LEAST asking if a fella would mind joining dogs. I dont think that common courtesy needs to be done away with in the name of "making a friend" or "improving the sport".



Tony

[Tim H]

What I'm saying is being rude to someone because they were rude doesn't shed a good light on either of the parties. It's kinda like saying some guy came into my house to have dinner with my family and while at the table he farted and didn't say excuse me, so I farted and didn't say excuse me so that he would learn to have better manners. Now your kids are having dinner with their friends and farting at every dinner table in the neighborhood and everyone thinks you just have the rudest kids and you can't figure out why.

Again, if you're on public land, the public may be there and join you on that land. They may not behave the way you would like and you may even consider them rude but rather than following their bad example, why don't you set a good example.

[bluegrass]

So lets see...IF you are running on public land Tim I suppose its OK with you that everyone that has a deer hound puts down with you...I just have a different opinion about it. I am particular about who I run with and what dogs I will let run with mine...even though its STATE LAND. I understand about not returning rudeness with rudeness, but why does it suddenly become rude to tell a guy that is TURNING OUT ON YOU that you dont appreciate it? Maybe I should just offer to clean any rabbits he kills over my hounds for him also, huh???


Nah, I think I will just stick to MY rule about hunting with whom I WANT TO RUN WITH. Public or private land, I can still control that much of hunting

BTW, not to be rude, but how does it set a good example to let someone turn their hounds out with yours without being asked? To me it sets a bad example for new beaglers getting into the sport. Lets see, this guy didnt get mad that I turned out on him, I can turn out on anyone and maybe his good hounds will help my deer hounds see the light and start running rabbits....I DONT THINK SO.



Tony

[Tim H]

IF you are running on public land Tim I suppose its OK with you that everyone that has a deer hound puts down with you

Wouldn't bother me one bit. Mine don't run deer and if they would decide to go, it would be an opportunity to reinforce their tritronics training.

but why does it suddenly become rude to tell a guy that is TURNING OUT ON YOU that you dont appreciate it?

I'm just guessing from your posts that it's not likely you would be polite in how you told him.

Maybe I should just offer to clean any rabbits he kills over my hounds for him also, huh???

If you did, I bet he would be more likely to listen to any advice you might have for him.

how does it set a good example to let someone turn their hounds out with yours without being asked?

In the process of both of you enjoying good running, you have an opportunity to share some of your vast beagling experience with them and include some well thought out comments on when you would or wouldn't turn your dogs out.

Lets see, this guy didnt get mad that I turned out on him,

I guess you think getting mad and calling him a will persuade him to not turn his dogs out because he wouldn't want to offend all the wonderful beaglers he's met that day?

Maybe I'm wrong and your way of dealing with it is the best way but I chose not to give anyone else the power to make me mad when I'm out enjoying hunting with my beagles and my kids. I'd rather give up my hunting spot then give up my self control.