"J"'s Rabbit season
- Thread starter "J"
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One thing I did see Friday and Saturday was we jumped deer, Friday we got within 30 yards and Sarah came running back too me and I thought what's going on as she was moving.... Looked up and saw the tail.... Just let me see what I believed would be the way they would handle jumping them.... Saturday they were running for 10-15 in a bottom and a small doe or BB busted out of there, can't believe the deer allowed them too get that close for that long.... Either way they paid no mind too either.... One thing that's always a worry with me is they take off after one... Luckily I've only had one that would, and it was way before I had the training collars.... He didn't stay long... Another reason I have only had female beagles for the last 20+ years.... My experience with male beagles hasn't been a pleasant experience....
Rastus
Junior Member
Always enjoy your posts J. I hunted my young dog with her Mom and a littermate 2 Saturday's ago. Pretty good day. Probably ran 8 or so. We weren't shooting - pretty warm and we had so many ticks on us during deer season, we didn't want to carry the rabbits around. The youngsters have come along in the last year. Knocking on wood...but they really listened well. My biggest fear came true last Sunday when a coyote caught my old girl. I don't know how she got away but I think she's gonna make it if she avoids infection. She got a broken tibia and was chewed up pretty good. Spent the night at the vets but was begging food as soon as she got home. She's probably going to spend the rest of the winter getting spoiled rotten. I need to find some time to hunt coyotes. Everybody does! Will be heading over to Harrison County on Saturday for another tropical hunt with the pups.
Sorry too hear about the yote issue.... That's always been in the back of my mind but have been lucky so far.... I always have the gun with just for that reason.... I'm carrying a pair of side cutters as well in case one of them find a snare as well....
As far as tics and rabbits? I've always field dressed them when I've shot them, peal the hide, head and legs then gutt them right there.... Only thing that goes in the plastic bag is a stripped down hairless rabbit..... No more bring ping fleas or tics into my game vest.... I can stop one down in about a minute to minute and a half.... Then all I do is wash it and quarter it out when I get home or if I'm not too tired I'll just debone as well....
How many dogs you have altogether???
Rastus
Junior Member
I have 2 - both females 12 years and 20 months. I hunt mostly with a friend that has 6 brothers and sisters (2 litters) of my young dog. My wife does a good job making sure they get to run during the week near the house but I don't think I have enough free time to do justice to any more dogs of my own. We hunted near Germano last Saturday with 4 dogs. Had a great day. 6 or 8 rabbits up with long runs with tight packs on all the chases. We only shot one and that was because it looked like it was heading to cross the road after a couple times around. My old girl isn't doing so well though. She isn't eating much and can't seem to keep it down when she does.
Sorry too hear about your older beagle, it sucks that we can't have them in our lives longer then we do....
Took the girls out Sunday with my buddy Mike and were out for 3 hours, 2.5 hours on two runs and dropped the first one flying by just so the girls remembered why we were doing this lol.... That run lasted an hour and a half and we had about a dozen chances at shots as they kept coming by.....
Second run lasted about an hour and they were in a thicker area with a swamp a red brush thicket and bordered by train tracks too the north and ag field too the south.... We had a lot of train traffic Sunday and 3 trains went by on that run and was hard too hear where they were at any given time when the trains were going by.... The rabbit got by both of us a time or two lol.... It finally found safe refuge in a hole along the hillside leading too the tracks.... They were a wet muddy mess when they were finished with that one lol.... Took them too a switch grass area of the farm and ran them around in here and it's almost like I ran them thru a car wash lol.... Well maybe not that clean but most of the black was off of them lol.... One trip thru the creek and good as new.... They were running on all cylinders Sunday and got lots of treats when they were back in the kennel.... Was going too go out this morning but life got in the way..... Hoping too get out in the morning, with these cold temps I'm hoping we can get some decent runs....
Rastus
Junior Member
I planned on meeting the boys in Carroll Co. on Saturday. Got up early and chickened out after going outside. The day sweetened up by afternoon so had a short run out behind the house. We did get together Sunday as planned. Absolutely beautiful day. We hunted 4 young dogs. Starting at 9:00 it was tough for them for awhile in the powdery snow but in a good way. In places where the sun hit there was enough scent for them to really hammer, running with their noses up and in high gear. When the chase would lead down in a deep hollow or on the shady side of the hill they had to slow way down and stick their noses in the tracks, and for the most part they did that. Last year they would have been spread out in 4 different directions looking for another hot track. They have shown a lot of progress from last year. The day just got better as it went on. The last rabbit was some kind of crazy making a couple wide circles on the farm we were hunting before he bailed across a township road, 200 yds of open hayfield and took the pack away through the woods well out of hearing. We were standing on the road with thumbs on the buttons, doubting our dogs, speculating that maybe somehow they decided to jump on a deer when they faintly started coming back into hearing range. I shot that rabbit at 4:45. It was the only one we killed. Didn't want to but we were afraid they would be running after dark if we didn't.
I still get a little gun shy every now and then when one of those rabbits decide too try for the next county before turning.... I've got faith in my dogs too not chase deer, but there's always that one time lol....
Heading south tomorrow with a couple of too members for some rabbit hunting.... Kaiser invited us down too his area and Bonemonger is riding down with me, should be a good day although the weather maybe turning too crap later in the afternoon.... We'll play it by ear on the weather front so as we don't have a bad drive home.....
Zach said there's lots of rabbit sign so it should be a good day.... I'll try too take some pictures lol.... I always have good intentions but fail miserably lol
Heading south tomorrow with a couple of too members for some rabbit hunting.... Kaiser invited us down too his area and Bonemonger is riding down with me, should be a good day although the weather maybe turning too crap later in the afternoon.... We'll play it by ear on the weather front so as we don't have a bad drive home.....
Zach said there's lots of rabbit sign so it should be a good day.... I'll try too take some pictures lol.... I always have good intentions but fail miserably lol
Spent the day with Kaiser, Bonemonger (Bob) and Zachs neighbor Randy.... Hit a big property that we ended up walking between 5-6 miles.... Had four runs that each lasted about an hour a piece and ended up with 3 rabbits for the day.... The girls as well as the hunters got one hell of a workout lol....
The ladies got some good runs in even if the rabbits didn't follow the script lol.... The first run lasted an hour and they brought it around at least three times and it fell too Bob.... He was sporting the SxS 20 ga....
Second run the rabbit decided it didn't want too come back too the area it was jumped and took a long circle that wouldn't come within a 100 yards from where it was jumped.... It came in between Randy and I and we had too give it a pass although I took a long shot when it was behind us striking a tree lol... 0/1 with the trusty O/U .410.... It went down into a bottom near some ponds and popped back out of a thicket, Zach got into position but not before it saw us and spun around and went back the way it came.... Only too be cutoff by the beagles who jumped it back too Zach who dropped it with his all purpose Winchester duck/rabbit/ and whatever he wants too shoot with it 12 ga..... lol
#3 took off and we never saw it and it went straight out and never returned close enough for a shot... By this time the senior Katie was spent and very little left so we were pretty much done, I had too carry Katie up the last hill we came up as she was done....
On the way back too the truck we jumped another out of a tree line and Zach made a good shot on it and it didn't take Sarah and Candy long too find it.... I don't think Katie would of made that one....
So we had a long day with some decent results.... All in all it was a nice day in the field and had fun talking with everyone involved....
At the end of the day Zachs wife (Jen) made a pot of chili which really hit the spot after the morning we had lol....
Gotta say it was a little sad watching Katie struggle on the hills down there, I had debated on taking her and after talking with a buddy of mine I made the decision on taking her, but it really did her in and Zach and I took turns carrying her back too the truck as she wouldn't have made it in a timely fashion.... I'll just stick too running her closer too home on flatter land which suits her much better....
Looks like retirement may be sooner than later.... Or I'll just have too run her by herself more so than a pack.....
The ladies got some good runs in even if the rabbits didn't follow the script lol.... The first run lasted an hour and they brought it around at least three times and it fell too Bob.... He was sporting the SxS 20 ga....
Second run the rabbit decided it didn't want too come back too the area it was jumped and took a long circle that wouldn't come within a 100 yards from where it was jumped.... It came in between Randy and I and we had too give it a pass although I took a long shot when it was behind us striking a tree lol... 0/1 with the trusty O/U .410.... It went down into a bottom near some ponds and popped back out of a thicket, Zach got into position but not before it saw us and spun around and went back the way it came.... Only too be cutoff by the beagles who jumped it back too Zach who dropped it with his all purpose Winchester duck/rabbit/ and whatever he wants too shoot with it 12 ga..... lol
#3 took off and we never saw it and it went straight out and never returned close enough for a shot... By this time the senior Katie was spent and very little left so we were pretty much done, I had too carry Katie up the last hill we came up as she was done....
On the way back too the truck we jumped another out of a tree line and Zach made a good shot on it and it didn't take Sarah and Candy long too find it.... I don't think Katie would of made that one....
So we had a long day with some decent results.... All in all it was a nice day in the field and had fun talking with everyone involved....
At the end of the day Zachs wife (Jen) made a pot of chili which really hit the spot after the morning we had lol....
Gotta say it was a little sad watching Katie struggle on the hills down there, I had debated on taking her and after talking with a buddy of mine I made the decision on taking her, but it really did her in and Zach and I took turns carrying her back too the truck as she wouldn't have made it in a timely fashion.... I'll just stick too running her closer too home on flatter land which suits her much better....
Looks like retirement may be sooner than later.... Or I'll just have too run her by herself more so than a pack.....
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It was a good day, but I'm sore sitting on the couch drinking a cold one lol.... The ladies were dragging heading too the kennel, although they were eating and drinking plenty of water when I left lol... They'll be sleeping good tonight as will I lol.... Might head out mid morning for a short hunt just too keep them limbered up..... Well and me as well lol
Sounds fun!
Sure is sad to read about Katie though. Hate when they wear down like that. They have the spirit and the heart... Tugs at the heart strings. That's for sure.
Sure is sad to read about Katie though. Hate when they wear down like that. They have the spirit and the heart... Tugs at the heart strings. That's for sure.
Ohiosam
*Supporting Member*
Just catching up on your season J, sounds like you have had a good time,nice that the girls don't chase those deer also.
I've only had one do that after all these years... It was years ago and was one of the most frustrating dogs I'd ever had.... It was before we ran collars and I was a lot faster lol.... Tried everything short of shooting his ass, nothing worked.... So he went up for sale as a pet for a kid, actually gave him away too a family.... Later heard he got out and was on the run for a week or so and got run over.... Chasing deer....
Sorry to hear about Miss Katie. LOVE watching a mature dog run and look spry like a pup. Then we have moments like these where they show their age. Glad you are enjoying the season J.
On another thought: Ever wonder if Katie thinks "Dang. J is dragging ass lately. I better keep him close to home on flat ground next time." lmao
On another thought: Ever wonder if Katie thinks "Dang. J is dragging ass lately. I better keep him close to home on flat ground next time." lmao
Oh I've had my moments as well lol....
Had a couple of hours free too kill yesterday and went up and picked the girls up and took them for some stretching as I figured we both needed it lol.... Two easy to navigate relatively flat ground that holds some bunnies....
First spot was a blank, nothing jumped at all which isn't unheard of at this place but is on the rare side lol....
Second place is a small 10 acre tract but have a neighboring property that has close too 50 acres that I have permission as well, had 2 good runs that lasted close too a half hour each and both ended with the rabbits ducking into holes.... Good short session for the ladies and they weren't dragging (especially Katie) at the end....
The first rabbit ran within 10' of me, stopped looked around, then looked up and took off like a scalded cat lmao.... Ran into a fence row and into a thicket than out the other side.... Ran across a small pasture.... The girls went into the fence row and out pops another rabbit lol.... The first one dropped the dime on the second one lol.... I still counted it as a single lol.....
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