Crank's Chronicles

[ericwaddle3]

Her is a pic from our Thanksgiving day hunt. Little late I know, lol. Day started off super slow. Went to a location we did great at last year, but due to some excessive bush hogging we never found a rabbit there. Drove a couple miles down the road to try out a different spot and jumped 10, bagged 9. Can't wait till I can get Pepper back out there once her pups are weaned!

[ericwaddle3]

Friday David and I got together and ran Crank and Katie while he took his pup Trixie out too. Jumped two rabbits pretty quickly but they both took refuge in holes after some short chases. Katie jumped the third and after a quick circle I dispatched it as it came bolting towards me. After Crank ran up on it, I was trying to get Katie's attention to show it to her and she jumped another rabbit right off the bat. After a nice long circle I missed twice as it came back around but luckily David was backing me up and bagged it for his first of the day. David jumped the next one under a small thorn tree out in the open. This rabbit was holding in hardly any cover at all! After a good run through the woods David bagged it as it was creeping towards him making for number 3 of the day. Took awhile before Crank jumped the next one but when he did the race was on. I caught glimpses of it on both circles and missed once before it decided to sit right beside David in some honeysuckle, allowing for an easy head shot. We were both were outta shells so we headed for the truck. When we were almost to it Crank jumped another and boy did this one run. Through the woods, around the pond, down the fence row, across the cut bean field to the cane patch, back across the field and across the road, down that fence row and then crossing the road once more to were it was jumped. David and I stood around the truck shooting the breeze as the rabbit made the same exact circle again. About halfway through his third pass though he set a little to tight and got right up in front of Crank. He quickly put about 50yards on him, but Crank dug down deep and ran him down across the field making for number 5 and an excellent way to end the hunt. What a way to introduce someone knew to the sport of beagles!





Watched my little girl's Ava gymnastics class so today got off to a late start. Took her puppy Rosie with us today to get her introduced to the big world outside the kennel and backyard. Things started out quick with Crank jumping the first one. Rosie went right in there with them and followed the whole time. After I shot the rabbit and let her mouth on it and play around, but it wasn't but a few minutes and Crank jumped another. Rosie again took off to run beside Crank and Katie which really impressed me. I bagged this one on its return trip to were is was jumped and I had my second rabbit in just about 25 minutes. This place was loaded down with rabbits. Crank jumped a third just as he stopped to take a drink out of a puddle. This one ran big, and after about a 20 minute chase I shot what I thought was the rabbit. Only to hear the dogs take off in the other direction. Turns out the one I shot was one that had just been trying to get out of the way, lol. Rosie was still sticking right there with them. She never opened up and only had here nose down smelling part of the time, but she never once tried hanging out with me. Decided I better end the day on a good note and keep her first training session quick before she lost interest so I finally dispatched the rabbit they were actually running this time. She was excited to see it a growled at it as I shook it at her playfully. Hoping that this time next year she will be running neck to neck with ol Crank

[ericwaddle3]

This was the last weekend of rabbit season in IL. Saturday my dad, uncle Richie, and myself loaded up Crank, Katie, Rosie and head to a spot we call Big Ridge. Crank jumped the first rabbit and boy did they get a work out on this guy. Ran up the huge hill, back down into an enormous cane patch, across and old dirt road, back through the cane and once again up the hill. It was a good 40 minute chase and Crank and Katie ran the entire time with maybe only 2 or three checks lasting over five seconds. I bagged the bunny has he began his second decent down the hill. He wasn't the longest run time wishe, but prolly biggest running rabbit he had all year! Katie got a second up shortly after. It ran down about a two hundred yard long patch of serecia. I knew it only had two choices, cut across to the cane patch or head up the hill to the adjacent cover. As he bolted up hill I let the 870 do the talking and had number two in the bag. Crank got a third up and after two tuff circles along the lake I bagged what I thought was the rabbit. Only to hear the dogs veer off the other direction when they got close to the edge. The rabbit they were running came out in front of Richie and we had two more rabbits down within just a couple of minutes for each other. I jumped two right together a bit later and put the dogs on it. They struggled with this one a bit as it kept crossing a low spot that held a couple inches of water and the ice was giving them some fits. Dad finally bagged it as it made a dash for a cluster of small cedars. We worked them in the direction the other rabbit headed and it wasn't long before Katie's hustle paid off and she got it up and going. They really stroked on this one but it stuck to some heavy cover on only allowed fleeting glances. After the fourth time around I moved into the cover and watched the only small opening in it under an autumn olive. This moved paid off as the next time around the rabbit paused for just a second as he crept underneath he branches allowing for shot. We ended the day with a total of six rabbits and some got to enjoy some good running and watch some dandy hound work.




Today the temp hovered around 16 degrees all day, making for some cold hands, but it was well worth it. Started the day hunting the edge of a small woodlot. Took awhile for them to get a chase started but Crank finally got one going and after a big check free loop I shot the rabbit just a couple feet from where he got up. Listening to the dogs echo through the woods on this cold morning was really something. I jumped and second and after a short chase I bagged as it came out and ran along the edge of the cut corn field. We'd covered most of the thick cover so decided to move to small spot behind a seasonal bbq shack. Wasn't a very big spot but it was loaded with rabbits. Katie got one up just minutes after being unloaded and as they ran through the briars and honeysuckle rabbits were going everywhere. It was hard to get a shot off because you never knew were to look as they were darting all over! I shot the one they were running eventually as it was creeping through some saplings. Crank picked up another line directly after I shot the first one and ran it across a cut corn field to a small patch honeysuckle growing around a powerline. Well the rabbit only had one place to go and as the dogs entered that small bit of cover the rabbit came running right back to me making rabbit number 4 for the day. As we headed back to the truck Crank jumped another and after a really quick circle I caught him headed to the powerline were the previous had went. My mark was off on the first shot but a quick follow up allowed me to end the season on a successful note.


We ended the season with a total of 80 rabbits harvested which I"m extremely happy with. Started it off with Crank and Pepper, but after Pepper was laid up with pups Katie came on board and really contributed. While Crank is definitely the lead dog in my pack I"m proud of all three of my dogs, and can't wait till next year when my daughter's dog Rosie Posie (RP) joins the pack. Plan on taking Crank to a few more UKC trials in the coming months and possibly a couple AKC Midwest ones. Hope to see you guys out there!!

[Show Me Kennels]

Great stories Eric! Im really thankful that Ol Crank daddy went to such a good family and to an avid sportsman like yourself. Glad he's done what he's done for you guys. Even tho I own his daddy I will definitely be using him in my breedings in the future. Crank is a rabbit dog that comes from a family of rabbit dogs! Crank has done proved himself under the gun for sure .Good luck with him in the upcoming trials!

[ericwaddle3]

http://vid251.photobucket.com/albums/gg ... 2cpd5m.mp4

After picking up a win last weekend at a Performance Pack trial, decided to solo Crank one last time this year before sending him off to be conditioned and trialed in the Mid-West this fall. He didn't disappoint. First rabbit stayed up for about thirty minutes before taking refuge underneath the old house place. The second wasn't as lucky. After about a 40 minute run he had lengthy breakdown. Or at least I thought so. After a few minutes of silence he came pushing through the cover to retrieve the rabbit he had caught! Gave him some water and let him run one more before leashing him off of it and calling it a day. By 8:30 it was close to 90 degrees with an insane humidity level and he'd just about had a enough. Let him ride up front with me to the Tractor Supply store and go in so the cashier could give him is treat. Gonna miss the ol joker for the next few months.

[ericwaddle3]

Christmas Eve Crank and I took a break from the festivities for a few hours. He jumped the first one in a honeysuckle patch and after two quick circles the 870 spoke and the race was over. I had inadvertently jumped another rabbit while the first chase was taking place. I worked Crank in the area the second rabbit went and it didn't take long before he had it up and running. This was a big running rabbit who took to a patch of woods that had been clear cut a few years ago. After about 40 minutes of making some large circles he finally decided to bolt for new cover, but didn't quite make it as we added number two to the pouch. Took a long time to get #3 up and after a botched shot he took to a hole in a narrow but long strip off weeds. This weed patch was loaded with rabbits. Crank got number 4 up and after a quick circle I shot what I thought was the rabbit he was running. Turned out it was one who just didn't like all the commotion going on and decided to try and sneak outta there. Two more circles down and across the weed patch finally resulted in a quick shot opportunity as he came out to run down the cut bean field to try and put some distance between him and Crank. We had our limit for the day but one the way out we jumped another. With a couple hours to spare before Christmas Eve dinner I allowed another 30 minute chase before handling him and heading home for the day.






First hunt of the New Year. Holed 3 and had 3 take to a large doze pile that the dogs couldn't push them out of but still bagged 10 for the day.

[Westridge Beagles]

Always enjoy keeping up with Crank! Looks like you guys have had some nice hunts. Keep the pics & stories coming.

[ericwaddle3]

This year has came to end, and I can only hope it will be as fun and successful as 2016. Crank had a successful year trialing, placing in 14 of 17 Midwest trials with 4 wins and winning one of the two Performance Pack trials he was entered in. Have been gun hunting him the past few weeks and he is still the anchor of the pack, although his little sister isn't too far behind. He currently has a sore pad so haven't been getting him out as much as I'd like, but planning on laying him up soon and letting it heal completely up.

[Welshman]

Really enjoy the stories and pictures keep them coming. Good luck in 2017!