Rabbit hunt

[wvmntnhick]

I've not been rabbit hunting with decent dogs in years. Until last Saturday that is. It's been a long time and didn't realize how much I'd missed it. My gun dealer from back home brought his son and a friend along with 3 beagles and we had a blast. I'd seen plenty of rabbits back in the spring and summer and was even jumping a few into the fall but it appeared as if the numbers had dwindled. Natural illness and predation I'm assuming but I kept my fingers crossed a and hoped for the best. Talked with the guys before hand and told them we'd have a few farms to hit but I couldn't make any promises about how productive they'd be. They jumped the first rabbit about 15-20 minutes into the hunt and it took about 15 minutes for it to circle back. When it did, it came by me at 12' going about as slow as molasses. I whiffed on it 4 times with the 11-87 20 ga and felt like a fool. The guy that killed it swore that I'd clipped it and it was crippled but I had my doubts. My mistake though as I'd forgotten to swap the full choke from squirrel season for the modified choke I'd need for fast moving (or so I expected) fragile critters. Little while later we jumped another and the same guy killed it. Five mi Utes later they were on another and a member of the party missed it. Listening to the dogs work it I could tell it was going to come back into the thick stuff behind us (trying to get back to the original jump location) so I moved down the hill for a more open shot. As it came by doing Mach III, the first shot was just a bit behind and when it cleared the cedar next load caught it mainly in the head area. 20 minutes later the chase was in again and my gun dealer smoked it after about a 40 minute run. The last rabbit on that farm found a good place to get away and we were in the truck headed to the next location.

Farm 2 produced 2 rabbits very quickly, one of which was shot by my good hunting buddy down here and the other by myself. David shot his right off the jump and made for a short run. The next rabbit had everyone questioning what was going on right up until Ray (gun guy) and myself saw it running the fence line 200 yards ahead of the dogs. Dave and I went to the corner where the rabbit crossed through waiting for its return since the others had taken up post in the opposite corner. David and I were just standing there talking when we noticed the dogs were coming back. I jokingly said to him that as far ahead of the dogs that the rabbit had been earlier it should be rounding the corner any time now. Turns out, I was right. No more had the joke been said, it busted out in front of me and the shot connected. We ran one more but it found a way to get by us somehow so we loaded up for farm number 3.

Farm 3 produced a rabbit but it literally took 1.5 hours. The rabbit ran 2 circles and crossed by the shooters twice before getting busted. Couldn't believe the dogs stayed on it that long and that they were able to even get it out of the brush as thick as it was.

Farm 4 resulted in one chase with no shots. All in all we chased 10-11 rabbits and killed 7. I think my next dog will be a beagle instead of another squirrel dog.

[BowBendr]

That's good stuff right there. I bet it was a blast, had quite a few chases...not a bad day at all !

[NCbowjunkie]

Been a while since I have heard dogs on the trail of a wise old cotton tail my self, I used to work 3rd shift and some winter mornings when getting home from work a older guy would turn his dogs loose on land in front of my house, I would join in on the hunt. He has now pasted and houses are now where we used to hunt. I had so much fun when it snowed and I would grab my recurve bow and a double handful of flu flu arrows. Walk the land and track them in the snow to a brush pile then kick around till one busted out and fling an arrow at them, always missed more than hit but came home feeling good.


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[wvmntnhick]

Been a while since I have heard dogs on the trail of a wise old cotton tail my self, I used to work 3rd shift and some winter mornings when getting home from work a older guy would turn his dogs loose on land in front of my house, I would join in on the hunt. He has now pasted and houses are now where we used to hunt. I had so much fun when it snowed and I would grab my recurve bow and a double handful of flu flu arrows. Walk the land and track them in the snow to a brush pile then kick around till one busted out and fling an arrow at them, always missed more than hit but came home feeling good.


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That's about how I used to do it myself but I'd grab a 22 instead. Generally they'd just run a bit and stop to look back or loop back into the same briar patch. It'd take some waiting sometimes for them to offer a good shot but it could be had if properly planned. Also very similar to how I've hunted grouse in the past when the dog wasn't available. Follow tracks to a brush pile and search it over real good. Kick it a time or two and shoot when they flushed. Tons of fun.

[MISSISSIPPI Double beard]

That brings back some old memories. Yall got plenty enough for rabbit stew.

[chadly]

When I moved to MI there were no pheasants to chase so rabbit filled its place.  You've brought back many memories.  the first time I went a buddy brought over a very old dog.  I climbed in one of my deer stands and I watched the old beagle bark and follow the that rabbit in circles.  He was really old and way behind the rabbit but stuck with it.  I was amazed at his ability to follow a scent so far behind.  We killed several rabbits behind that old dog day. They were actually rather good to eat.  From there I hunted behind many other beagles younger and faster.  Lots of fun.  Thanks so much for the memories.  Post a picture  if you can. 

[SteelerFan]

 

I started hunting at the end of the pheasant era, and so the springers became pets and we started chasing bunnies with a beagle. We were lucky to have a GREAT dog. Excellent nose, smart, and would listen (as well as a beagle can).

When a rabbit would hole up, she'd instantly come back looking for us. She wouldn't mess with deer, but a fox was her Achilles. Man I hated those straight line running reds when I had to catch her! She was so much fun to hunt - the standing rule was "no shots fired, unless the dog was barking!"

Good times for sure!

[wvmntnhick]

When I moved to MI there were no pheasants to chase so rabbit filled its place.  You've brought back many memories.  the first time I went a buddy brought over a very old dog.  I climbed in one of my deer stands and I watched the old beagle bark and follow the that rabbit in circles.  He was really old and way behind the rabbit but stuck with it.  I was amazed at his ability to follow a scent so far behind.  We killed several rabbits behind that old dog day. They were actually rather good to eat.  From there I hunted behind many other beagles younger and faster.  Lots of fun.  Thanks so much for the memories.  Post a picture  if you can.

No pics. The fellas were in a hurry to get back home so we let them get at it. They had nearly 2 hours to get back and it wasn't worth the hassle of digging them back out of the storage box. I, seriously looking into a beagle though. That'd be a blast on snow days for sure.

[Bowguy]

I used to have a good bunch of dogs. Now I'm down to 1 old dog. Miss the packs, gets in your blood. Great story

[Rzrbac]

I let a guy hunt my farm last year. I drove down there and just sat in the truck drinking coffee and listening to his dogs. My buddy used to have beagles and he would bring them down to run rabbits. My place is loaded with rabbits, more swampers than cottontails.  I like to hear them dogs run!

[grayfox]

Great story!  Brings back a lot of memories of years ago when I had a pack of beagles.  My last one died in the late 90's. She was a few months shy of 18 years old. Sure do miss them days.