going to ground

[Shady Grove Beagles]

When I moved to Tennessee 21 years ago all the hare hunting beaglers in New Hampshire said " cottontails, 100 yard run and down a hole"!
Well I've been very pleased to say that I found that's just not true. I've had many, many outstanding cottontail chases where the beagles drove them like they were looking at em and they never took a hole. Especially this time of year where some of the buck rabbits will run more like a hare than your usual cottontail.
So I have no explanation for what happened today or over the past couple of weeks.Jumped and ran 4 rabbits this morning with the dogs pushing em in good shape.Rabbits would make one circle or run about 10 minutes and all 4 of them took a hole. This past Friday I put 3 in a hole after longer runs.A week before that my friend Brian and I had several good hard runs and the dogs put everyone of them in holes?????

[Budd]

Is it because of the time of year where scenting conditions are at their peak, your dogs are having less checks thus putting more pressure on the rabbit. Do you currently have the best dogs you have ever owned and they are hitting their prime?

[dismalswampbeagles]

My guess would be, you are starting to have predators move in and/or your cover is sparce and they feel the pressure of not being able to hide. Either one will do it for sure.


Dismal Swamp Beagles

[Hare Chaser]

Could it be does with young and they are heading back to them?

[Shady Grove Beagles]

Budd-- I think that you are probably right in that the conditions have been just right for high scenting and some flat out hard running. Don't know if the hounds I am keeping now are the best I've ever had,but they can put the pressure on and keep them running.
Dismalswampbeagles-- Don't think it's predator related although it could be.I'm running on several different locations with them hitting holes and the cover is real good with lots of places for refuge.Plus predators are every where i run and have been right along.
Harechaser-- Guess it could be but on the other hand I find rabbits around here usually nest in the fields and not necessarily in holes in the ground?????

[likeemfast]

I know when my wife was pregnant she didn't want to run much.

[HBmudbug]

if they went in a hole here they would drown

[steve w]

If you were a buck rabbit right now do you think you'd feel like being chased for hours by some dogs after all that breeding the last month And if your a doe all fat and ready to drop little ones i doubt you'd run much more than to a hole too Take it for what it's worth. Not much LOL