fresh snow

[timber tramp]

WE just got back from maine had good runing most of the time. We got fresh snow one day and the dog had trouble runing i think it was becaus the snow kept falling in the track and the lead dog would bury the track with fresh snow. Any of you guys have the same trouble. they did fine the next day.

[Steve C.]

I find that the dogs usually do best with fresh snow falling so that older tracks are covered and only the freshest tracks are visible. Some of our best running takes place during moderate snowfalls.

[Dennis Cooke]

Steve,
I had what was I think was my best run of the season yesterday on old snow with hard icy crust. The hounds pounded the hide off those old hare. I could not believe how well they ran, the hare were flying it was quite a challange to shoot them, I saw 6 hare before I had got a chance to shoot at one. I emptied the old auto 5 three times and got 2 out of 3 hare. I am usually a fair shot but these hare were running full out through swampy alders which really made it hard to get a clear shot. We had a blast got six hare and ran for 5 hours, my Leroy male and his two 14 month old sons hammered for the whole time, the only time they slowed down was to work the hare through the thickets and then the race was on again. This hunt really made the season, with only one weekend left till the end all I can only hope for a run close to this and I would be happy.

Keep them running
Thunder

[Steve C.]

Dennis, no matter how long we play at this game we still can only guess at how the dogs will do when we turn them out. We've had a rough season here- rain and high winds early on, then several feet of deep powder that the dogs could only try to keep their heads above, then no new snow for two weeks and bitter cold. We had a good hard rain last week and now a crust a man can stand on out in the open but miserable going in the woods. I've seen some great days on crust too but the all the other factors need to be right; barometer rising or falling, humidity, etc. Still, the good dogs seem to be able to get it done most times out while the others need "their" conditions. Glad you had a good hunt and I hope to do the same tomorrow. We still have 6 weeks left if you'd like to come down. Lots of hare.

[Hare Hunter]

My hunting buddy and I ran Saturday during a fairly hard snow storm, it was the very best running I had all winter, we love fresh snow no matter what the temp. is, just makes it a lot of fun, we went over 2 weeks with no new snow (unheard of up here in Feb.) and the running was tuff. Hare

[timber tramp]

Doint get me wrong we like fresh snow to, but we had about 10 in. of powder and the dog would run as best they could. The snow would fall in the track after the first dog ran through it, it made it tough on the dogs comeing from behind. By the way are camp is on rt. 192 in Wesley not to far from cheeryfield how mutch snow do you have in the woods now.

[Steve C.]

Heck, Timber- you're right in the neighborhood! Last week we had a good soaking rain that settled all that powder snow and froze up again so a man can walk on it in most places. Last night we had about 6" of light fluffy snow and I'll be hitting the woods tomorrow. Good running is here again, but as always, that can change quickly. It's been a tough season so far. Look me up when you're coming down again. Are you in Bob Hedberg's camp?

[timber tramp]

Hey steve c. how you doing. that the camp i hunt out of been going up there for over 20 years. Had some good times up there if you know bob funny i never met you. Iknow alot people up there maybe you no ernie hedburg i have know him since before little ernie was just a dream. Ilost two good dog over that way about 10 or 12 years ago. they never turned up i think some one wanted them more than me. MY e-mail is steve.pollen@comcast.net My home tel.# is 508-528-0173. steve.

p.s. I am going to have hip replacement surgerery on feb 28 so that will put me out of action for the rest of this season. please send me some mail and tell me about the hunting GOOD LUCK

[Steve C.]

Steve, my kennel is about 4 miles south of Ernie's place on Rt 193- just past the Sunrise Beagle Club headed south. It's been one of the tougher seasons we've had in a number of years but I've been running every chance I get with mixed results. Yesterday was 20 below when I left the house and the wind picked up through the day, but still managed to shoot 3 hare ahead of the hounds. It wasn't great running but these two hounds that I ran had their best performance of the year considering the conditions. Snow was blowing from the trees and it stayed cold all day. The running was stop and go all day but there were times they put some heat on him for a half circle or so. They finally seemed to figure out how to gear down in the tough places and still move up on the hare when they could. Neither hound will ever be considered great, but I was proud of them yesterday. I believe most hounds would have struggled under these conditions. Sorry to hear about your surgery but hopefully you'll be good as new for next season. I hunted with Bob a few times but we always seemed to have more dogs in the woods than I liked (too many splits) so I generally hunt closer to home. Bob's a heck of a good guy though. Sorry to hear about your losing your dogs. Could the coyotes have gotten your hounds? You can't GIVE a beagle away around here so I'm surprised someone might steal them. Lots of dogs are lost to coyotes around here every year. I run hounds year 'round here so if you come down again, look me up.

[Dennis Cooke]

Merlin,
I went out with my 13" bitch Maggie and her daughter Boomer, it was -10 C and and windy they ran for 5 hours shot 4 hare and missed 4 more. The hounds pounded the entire day but went on a couple long old runs, the buck hare tend to head for the next county during Feb. Tracking collars payed for themselves, soon as the hounds were a few hundred yards away you could not hear them because of the wind. I picked the hounds up and called it a day on they way back to the truck 3 deer walked out in front of me, I had noticed their fresh tracks throughout the day but they seemed to just stay outside where the hounds were running.

Thunder
http://www.rockyridgebeagles.com

[Steve C.]

Dennis, good to hear you had another good day. Looks like running is improving here too and I hope March makes up for some of the tough days we've had earlier this month. The full moon has gone by and the worst of the bitter cold appears to be behind us. Still a month of hunting left. Happy hunting!

[fasttrackpa]

Steve C, I am coming up your way with some guys from PA the 19th-27th of March, I am wondering if maybe you hunt with these fellows. I have heard them mention a Steve from Cherryfield. I am coming with Stan B and Elwood Mc and a couple of other guys from our club. It will be my first trip North for hare and I hope to get the chance to run with you. Do you run bells or anything to discourage the coyotes?
Andy Purnell

[Steve C.]

Andy, you're in for a treat! Stan and Elwood and some of the others have been coming down for quite a few years now. While not every day is great, over the course of the week, you'll have some great action. Those guys always have good hounds, and they're serious hunters and a lot of fun to hang around with. I'm taking some vacation time to get out with the gang so it will be good to meet you. I know last year some hounds were killed or injured by coyotes- it's a reality we have to deal with here. I've never found anything to discourage the coyotes, short of lead. I just make sure I stay in contact with the hounds. Bells do not help. Elwood and I always go with the hounds and we seldom have any problems. I try to hunt those places that don't have coyotes around. If there are deer in the area, there will be coyotes. Avoid the deer, and you'll probably avoid the coyotes. These attacks are not common, but you have to keep them in mind. It's snowing hard at this moment- should have another foot by the end of the day, so plan to have snowshoes. You may not need them, but chances are you will. Bring a compass; we hunt some big country at times. The guys generally shoot about 50 hare for the week, so don't forget the ammo! I guarantee you'll have a good time and you'll eat well too!