Chased some bunnies today

["J"]

Good too hear Brock.... Keeps me posted on how it goes....

Spent three hours in a snow shower chasing bunnies the whole time.... The pups kicked one out as soon as we entered he field and it was off too the races lol.... I swear it was the same rabbit the whole time hahaha.... Didn't see it for the first hour as it was snowing so bad it was hard too see...... Caught a glimpse at him a couple of times and he was a little fella.... Almost had too shoot him too get the pups off of him and too the truck.....

Saw a ton of deer sign but I have a deal with the farmer.... Rabbits yes, deer no.... Too many guys now hunt it for deer and as long as no trucks are there when I pull in I'm good too go.... Although he said if during gun season I don't see any trucks I can do a stalk if I see any lol....

Gotta say I'm pleased the way the pups are working together and after last year I was very close too calling it quits..... All three are behaving and I haven't carried a leash on me since I had them out the first time together..... They're coming along great and couldn't be happier.....

 

[CJD3]

Great to hear J !
I'm very happy for you. Enjoy the moment each time!

 

[cotty16]

That's awesome J! Can't wait to see them go in person.

 

["J"]

Great to hear J !
I'm very happy for you. Enjoy the moment each time!

When are we doing a hunt Jim???

Mike I'm doing a countdown buddy lol....

 

[CJD3]

When are we doing a hunt Jim???

Mike I'm doing a countdown buddy lol....

I need about 2 more weeks before I can set a date my friend.
Can't wait !

 

[Ohiosam]

Those dogs are going to need longer legs tomorrow J lol

 

["J"]

Those dogs are going to need longer legs tomorrow J lol

Yeah, looks like it's tracking deer time more so the. Chasing bunnies in the morning.... We'll see how it goes tonight.... With all this snow I'm not sure how it would go in the morning, especially with low around 18 tonight....

Might wait a couple of hours for the frost too wear off..... If we don't find the deer tonight then it'll be deer lookin in the morning...

 

[bluedog]

Thoroughly enjoying reading all the beagle running rabbit tales. Thanks to all! I haven't had my dogs out since last Saturday. Just picked them up from the boarding kennel tonight after being gone a few days. Going to let them run rabbits in the pasture tomorrow and then hopefully Sunday too since they won't get out all of deer gun week.

 

[GoetsTalon]

Yeah i remember last year waiting for gun week to end. It seemed like it was a month long waiting to get back out for rabbits lol!!!

 

["J"]

Hopefully the majority of the snow melts off next week and after gun season we can resume the addiction lol.... But when the average snow depth is at the top of their shoulders that's my breaking point where I won't subject them too the workout....

Bluedog you're in a area where you get more snow then most what's your experience running them in the deeper stuff.... I usually don't see the bunny traffic in the deeper stuff too make it worth the trip other than getting them a heck of a cardio workout for the both of us..... Luckily we don't get the accumulations a lot.....

 

[dante322]

bring the dogs this way J. no snow here at all.

 

["J"]

How's the bunny population over there Dave? You think Adam, Steve and you could get a day together too run some?

 

[dante322]

There are a few around, The hawks put a hurtin on them for a few years, but i havent seen as many of those lately, coyotes are a problem though. cant speak for adam or steve, but personally, my deer season is a wash, so i dont have much else to do.

 

[bluedog]

Hopefully the majority of the snow melts off next week and after gun season we can resume the addiction lol.... But when the average snow depth is at the top of their shoulders that's my breaking point where I won't subject them too the workout....

Bluedog you're in a area where you get more snow then most what's your experience running them in the deeper stuff.... I usually don't see the bunny traffic in the deeper stuff too make it worth the trip other than getting them a heck of a cardio workout for the both of us..... Luckily we don't get the accumulations a lot.....

Yeah, deeper snow become problematic. Powdery fresh snow is doable. 1-3 inches is the best. If we have a decent melt and then it refreezes, SOMETIMES that is ok as the rabbits will run on top of the crust. The biggest issue is that once the snow gets deep and is like that for awhile, the rabbits have such well developed tunnels under the snow that they don't even need to break the surface. The dogs will try tracking them from on top but they can't do it very well. Sometimes they will dig through the snow but not often. I do run them in deep snow a lot though. I really don't have much choice if I want to get them some exercise. The more they do it, the better they get at it. Last year I had a rabbit plowing through the deep snow and it zigged when it should have zagged and literally ran into the side of one of the dogs. That dog was so surprised it didn't know what to do, but the other two pounced into the fray and killed the rabbit.

A few of my favorite snow pictures:

Shoulder high snow. There are two dogs in the picture. It's hard to see the second dog because his head is behind the butt end of the first dog.

The beagle looking toward the camera had just been underneath that brush pile covered in snow and her head just broke through the surface. I've got a few of these type pictures.

At the end of a day of hunting, we got back to the house as dusk was settling in. I set a rabbit I had shot on top of our milkhouse ledge and went to get a knife to skin it. This one just shows how much snow we had at the time.

And probably my favorite snow picture of the dogs, these two were on a fresh track and baying at it with their heads buried in the powdery snow. I could barely hear them. LOL!

 

[cotty16]

Great pics!

 

["J"]

Great pictures and insight Bluedog..... I love the pictures of them burying their heads looking for that scent lol...

 

[GoetsTalon]

Awesome pics!!! I have been doing more chasing than killing lol!!! Going out today then its a seven day rest.

 

[bluedog]

Well I got the dogs out for about 2 1/2 hours today. They had a couple good runs. I didn't carry a gun. There will be plenty of time for that. Just wanted to get them some exercise before their 7 day lay off. My beagles are house dogs. They will probably be good for about 2 days after running them yesterday and today. Let me just say that it is going to be a VERY long week trying to keep two mischievous hounds entertained. LOL!!!!!

 

[CJD3]

I really enjoyed the post and photo's Bluedog. :smiley_bril:

 

["J"]

Well I got the dogs out for about 2 1/2 hours today. They had a couple good runs. I didn't carry a gun. There will be plenty of time for that. Just wanted to get them some exercise before their 7 day lay off. My beagles are house dogs. They will probably be good for about 2 days after running them yesterday and today. Let me just say that it is going to be a VERY long week trying to keep two mischievous hounds entertained. LOL!!!!!

Great minds think a like lol.... Was out all morning, they had about 2 good runs and 2 they struggled with... Had the O/U with me and could of dropped two of them but like you Bluedog there's lots of time and actually I'd probably pass on this property too try and get the numbers back up.....

We still have about 4-6" on he ground and it's really wet heavy snow.....

I always bring a gun with me as with the coyotes around I never want too be in a situation where I need and not have lol....

They had lots of exercise and were in the box right after they ate while I cleaned their run..... That should tide them over until after gun season.....