First rabbit hunt with my beagle pup

[Mo. Huntin]

I took my beagle out yesterday for the first time.  I worked with him this summer with a sock and rabbit scent.  He did good in my yard so off we went.  Took my car to save gas and like an idiot I let him ride in the seat with me.  

We made it 20 minutes in the car and he threw up in my seat what an idiot I am.  went too town to clean up my car and pick up my brother (he aggread I am an idiot.

Our hunt went down hill from there.  We did not see a rabbit and the dog just walked behind me most of the time he did however go out front once in a while and did smell the ground alot but not as aggresivly as at home.

I need someone with an experienced dog to run him with.

[hunter322]

dont give up , it takes a pup a while to put it all together. if you could live trap a rabbit or two and turn loose for him in a fairly open area that will help alot the initial sight chase will get him excited and then hopfully instinct will take over . good luck ,

[Mo. Huntin]

I hunted with some experienced dogs once and it was awesome. When we jumped a rabbit it just ran around in a reasonably small area I figured his home range.  If I trapped a rabbit and took it to another area will it still run in a small area or head for the hills I just don't want to loose my dog.

[hunter322]

well i really am unsure about that , ive only done this with a young dog i was trying to start so it didnt really matter if the rabbit ran to far as the dog couldnt track fast enough to get away from me . but since the dog will most likely be fairly slow at first and the rabbit is in unfamiliar territory they seem to try to hide as much as possible, the ones ive seen would run just far enough to get out of sight of the dog then stop like they are trying to figureout where they are .

[Red Beastmaster]

My beagle pup did the same thing. We just kept after it until one day she finally jumped a rabbit. It was like a light bulb went on!

 Now it's all business when we hit the woods. She has never been around another beagle.

I taught her something that might be useful to you guys. As a pup when she would approach me from behind I would always step to my left to make her pass on my right. I didn't want her to run into my nocked arrow pointing down my left side. Now she automatically runs around me to the right. It's a good thing because I don't always know she's coming.

Beagle's are way cool. Mine is sleeping on my bed right now.  

[Dave Bulla]

I've raised two beagles in my life and never hunted either one with another dog.  The first one used to trail me as a pup (I thought it was fun) then when we'd go hunting he always wanted to walk behind me.  One time I piced up a long branch about 12 feet long and carried it over my shoulder.  Every time he got behind me, that branch managed to whap him.  He didn't know why but he figured out that being behind me wasn't fun and never did it again.  

Like beastmaster said, once he jumps his first bunny, he'll get the urge to trail.  Likely he'll loose the rabbit in about 50 yards when they usually take a big 90 degree leap to left or right.  My second dog had real trouble figuring out that they don't just run in a straight line but once he did, we started putting bunnys in the freezer pretty regular.

I honestly am of the opinion that a dog that learns to hunt alone is a better hunter than one who hunts in a pack.  Or at least, becomes real good sooner.  A pup in a pack is often just along for the ride and barks his fool head off just because the others are doing it.  A pup who has nobody to rely on but himself will need to think and figure things out on his own.  If he has the natural drive that most beagles do, he just flat won't quit.

I've never seen a beagle worth a darn that you could call off of a track.  You usually have to get in front of them and physically pick them up or leash them and then you'll still have your hands full as they try to go back to the trail.

Dang, I sure do miss my beagle...

[Goose]

OK Red Beastmaster....GORH is coming up.  Bring the baby and join us!  

 http://gorh2009.homestead.com/

Looks like we will probably do the T-shirt thing from Apex again also.

Goose

[Gaff]

ok guys, i like this thread. i have been wanting a beagle for a while now, but i hear conflicting reports from people. my young daughter is 6 mos. old, and in the next year or so is when i will really get after lookin for a dog.
here is my question. can i geta beagle to rabbit hunt and be a house dog?? i have been told that i "need to keep the dogs nose wild" by keeping the dog outside in a coop. im not agenst it, but i want a dog that me and my daughter can play with, as well as get a few rabbits.
so any help would be much appreciated!

jamie

[Whip]

My buddy's beagle just died this past summer and we are sure going to miss her this winter.  
She was a great rabbit dog and always lived in the house.  Wonderful dog while inside, but her only problem was that she could NEVER be let outside without being on a lease unless you wanted to go rabbit hunting.  She never ran with other dogs either.  Like some of the others have said, it took her a bit at first, but once she figured out was on the other end of those smelly tracks it was like the light bulb went on and she never forgot.  

I'd love to get a beagle myself, but I don't know if I could deal with letting them in and out of the house all the time and having to be on a leash or chain constantly.

[Red Beastmaster]

Our dog is really good around people and children. I was amazed. She's the best house dog I've ever been around. We have a long lead tied to the back porch for letting her out to do her business. She is never left out without a leash, I use a shock collar while hunting. It works unless she's onto a rabbit or squirrel. I started her out with the collar as a pup. It sure trained her quick not to eat deer droppings.

The only down side to a beagle in the house is the shedding. It's all year too.

Goose, thanks for the invite but I'll have to pass. See you at one of the shoots next year!

[Peachey]

Get in the brush and try to jump one yourself then sick him on the trail. He'll figure it out, in the summer I used to take the pup and walk the field edges till I saw a rabbit then pick the dog up and walk towards the rabbit and make sure the dog saw it run off. Then sick him on it. It takes some time especially if you dont have an experienced dog for him to follow.

[Goose]

Bummer Dave...see you this summer!

It has taken 12 years but we can leave our beagle out without a leash.  She usually listens, but I still cannot even start to call her off a trail.  When the nose goes to the ground, the ears go shut!  Great around people, but like Dave said, they shed some.

Goose

[outbackbob48]

Box trap a rabbit an put it in a real junk cluttered garage where the rabbit can hide behind stuff an hop to next hiding spot, turn beagle loose in garage. They catch on real quick. If you need a real cluttered garage give me a ring, an I got lots of tame rabbits, Most beagles just need to be let go more often,can,t learn nothin on the end of chain or on the couch. Nobody wants to loose there hound, but you just have to let I,m go to be a good hunter. Good Luck Bob

[talkingcabbage]

Mo, I'm in Ottumwa Ia and have two adult beagles that I hunt with, as well as a couple pups that I'm trying to get rid of, but that's another topic.

Anyway, If you wanted to hook up sometime, call me or pm me.  (618) 303-7034.  It usually helps train a new pup if you can get him (or her) to see the rabbit first, then when they loose sight of it, they'll take the scent.

Joe

[talkingcabbage]

by the way, our beagles are inside dogs and can't stand the cold Iowa weather unless they're hunting.  Actually, every time I have to take one somewhere in my truck, they get excited cuz they think we're gonna get some bunnies!  Anyway, they are really great inside and awesome with kids.  Very gentle animals.  Just my .02

Joe

[Friends call me Pac]

I had two rabbit running machines.  Rowdy and Duke learned on their own to chase rabbits.  I just kept taking them out seperately until they each jumped their first rabbit.

Both were also house dogs but if it caused them to hunt less harder I sure couldn't tell it.

Duke died about 7 years ago and Rowdy had to be put down last year.  She was almost 15 and I cried like a baby at the vet's office.  Sure do miss them both.

[reddogge]

I know my lab didn't decide to get serious until 11 months old so maybe your beagle is a little young yet.  It takes time for them to get over the "puppies" and the light bulb to go off in their head.

[longbow1]

join a local beagle club. Clubs usually have a penned area w/ rabbits to run dogs off season. Plus, you can run your pup with experienced dogs.

[agd68]

One training tecnique I used to get my lab used to being out front in the feild was to follow him as a pup when he was sniffing around at what ever he was interested in.Then when we were in the feild if he started trailing me I just turned around til he was up front again point down the trail and told him hunt it up, he caught on. Depending on how old the pup is the woorld is a scary place and he feels safer behind you.I dont know how much experience you have at traing dogs , big thing is not to push them too far too fast. Work at their pace and make the training as fun and realistic as you can for them. As to using a rabbit in the open, you could tie it to a long cord so the dog can chase it around and not take off.

[Slasher]

That truck sick beagle I can relate to... My son got a treeing feist (aka squirrel dog) and I've been training him to blood trail...

He's a car sick machine... up front or in the kennel... he's never failed to get sick... But he got his first squirrell a week ago and he he's beginning to get it... a total diferent huntonce he hot a noseful of fur and real scent... that dog came alive...

Young dogs are young dogs... bond with em... try to let em know what you want, let em know you are pleased and they'll run themselves to death once they know what they're sposed to do...

Beagles were created to chase rabbitts... yours just needs lots of car time and to learn that chasing bunnies is what he was born to do... once he figures it out, you'll be in trouble!!!