Rabbit Beagles

Post Reply
User avatar
Hammer
Participant
Participant
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2016 10:51 am

Rabbit Beagles

Post by Hammer »

Hello everyone.
Do any of you hunt rabbits with beagles?
I'm looking into getting one or two or finding someone to hunt with.
Thanks,
Mike
User avatar
Out4trout
Gold Participant
Gold Participant
Posts: 1746
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 5:38 pm
Location: Eastern Ontario

Re: Rabbit Beagles

Post by Out4trout »

We run beagles on deer, have a group of 4 at the farm. They are all offspring from a friend's house pet beagle, while the father is a friend's deer dog.

A few years ago, we brought my buddy's house pet beagle along on a snowshoe hare hunt. Mostly just to give her some exercise. She really didn't hunt before that. Once in the bush, she ran over fresh hare tracks without any notice. Then, I shot a hare, and she came over to shake it and sniff. In 10 minutes she was tonguing on a trail, and we nailed two more hares in short order. It's incredible how fast they learn what the intended quarry is.

Short answer, we still use her for hare hunting. Its awesome hearing the dog tongue on a hare trail... more fun to hunt with a dog for sure! Moving ghost targets, white on white, they always double back in the circle while the hound is heading away. Get a hound, they make a great companion for the hunt!
User avatar
Hammer
Participant
Participant
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2016 10:51 am

Re: Rabbit Beagles

Post by Hammer »

I've hunted over hounds 2 or 3 time now and it's awesome. Lots of action and I just love the sound of a hound in the bush. Some deer guys say no way will they let their deer dog run a rabbit and vice versa. I've heard the house pet vs kennel dog thing too, which may or may not be true, I'm not sold on either yet. I do know that when I get a beagle it will more then likely be in the house. Keep me in mind if you know someone who has too many dogs or is having a litter.
Mike, A.K.A Hammer
User avatar
Out4trout
Gold Participant
Gold Participant
Posts: 1746
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 5:38 pm
Location: Eastern Ontario

Re: Rabbit Beagles

Post by Out4trout »

Agree 100% - our deer hounds are dedicated to that purpose. Hunting rabbits with them would ruin them. I have a pet beagle (my daughter's dog) in the house that runs both deer and rabbits, I am in the process of trying to break the deer habit in her by taking her squirrel hunting.

We have sold several hounds from the farm over the years that chased rabbit and coon instead of deer.
I will let you know if I hear of a rabbit dog.
User avatar
Hammer
Participant
Participant
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2016 10:51 am

Re: Rabbit Beagles

Post by Hammer »

Thank you
User avatar
swampsinger
Participant
Participant
Posts: 72
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 12:38 pm

Re: Rabbit Beagles

Post by swampsinger »

I do a lot of snowshoe hare hunting, actually I spend more time hunting with the beagles than anything else. I've kept a kennel of purebred CKC reg. Beagles for over twenty years, and the pedigree on my hounds goes back over a hundred years, all bred for snowshoe hare hunting. They all carry the kennel prefix Swampsing'n hence the online alias. I got more involved because I quit Moose hunting after they started the lottery BS. The local season runs from mid sept to the end of march. An hour and a half north the season runs from sept 1st to june 15th with no bag limit. During the off season, I compete in Field Trials that take place all over eastern Canada and the north eastern states. This makes for a year round outdoor activity. I'm just finished with a couple of litters there all gone. I do have a three mature hounds that I will let go to the right places, one especially will be the hunting dog of a life time for someone.

If anyone wants to see the beagles on a training run or go for a hunt later in the year send me a pm.
Post Reply