Good luck we hunted NLP this weekend and there was only about 2' of snow Saturday and by Sunday there was almost 12'' then it rained Sun which made the top layer of snow a crust that the hares could run on but the dogs broke through. Needless to say it wasn't the best scenting and it weared the dogs out by days end, and I run full 15'' hounds. If you stay in the thicker cedar swamps there is a little less snow and the crust isn't so bad.
How are the rabbit numbers in the UP this year, The NLP seems to be down from last year. Atleast they weren't in the spots that we normally find them.
Michigan Hares
Moderators: Pike Ridge Beagles, Aaron Bartlett
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patsmichbeagler
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2007 2:40 pm
- Location: lapeer mi
We hunted the lovells and Grayling area. We used to have some decent spots in the area but this year the hares weren't where we usually found them, and the areas that we did find them were to thick to hunt, and because the scenting was poor the hounds couldn't put enough pressure on them to get them to come out of the thick stuff.
You might want to take snowshoes if you hae them.
You might want to take snowshoes if you hae them.
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patsmichbeagler
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2007 2:40 pm
- Location: lapeer mi
birmi1nr,
We hunt south of there I haven't been up there yet this season but my buddy went up the weekend before gun deer season and got a couple but we hunt the real thick stuff and you don't see alot but run them all day. I hope to get up there soon and I will let evryone know how it went good luck this season .
We hunt south of there I haven't been up there yet this season but my buddy went up the weekend before gun deer season and got a couple but we hunt the real thick stuff and you don't see alot but run them all day. I hope to get up there soon and I will let evryone know how it went good luck this season .
HUNTING WITH BEAGLES A WAY OF LIFE, MY WAY ANYWAYS
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patsmichbeagler
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2007 2:40 pm
- Location: lapeer mi
Im not telling where my spots are just an area and there are plenty of spots for everyone if you are true hunter and not just a shooter. But we don't want to get into that. And there is alot of area between were birmi1nr said he hunts and alot of area between his area and were we hunt.
HUNTING WITH BEAGLES A WAY OF LIFE, MY WAY ANYWAYS
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Hare Hunter
- Posts: 302
- Joined: Sun Jul 28, 2002 8:10 am
- Location: Newberry Michigan
There is plenty of area up there that I don't think that anyone is going to find all my spots based of the general location that I gave. If I started to notice hunters closing in on one of my honey holes then I would be a little more tight lipped, but for now I am fine with sharing some info with other hunters, and maybe learning about some new areas to try in the process.
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Jay Schrader
- Posts: 220
- Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:55 am
I think most of us have had a bad experience of a couple "hunters" finding one of our honey holes and going there over and over shooting everything that moves. I had a good spot in northern lower MI last winter that two local boys went to repeatedly and harvested alot of hares. The spot has not been the same since. Hopefully there will be enough snow this year to keep those guys out. If you remember last January there was alot of bare ground & white hares. Some guys absolutely slaughtered the hare last winter.
I agree that there is enough hunting land for everyone if everyone used a little common sense. The problem is that there is so many "hunters" that could care less if they ruin a spot. They will just drive around looking for other hunters and then move in on their spots. How many of us have had a hunter come in a spot where we are running hounds and shoot the rabbit from in front of our dogs? I'm sure lots of us have had bad experiences.
I believe that 90% of the guys in the woods are ethical & courteous to each other. Like anything else it's the 10% that only care about themselves that ruin it.
That being said I think most guys have learned not to go to the resturant or bar and brag how good your hunting was. I won't leave rabbits sitting in plain site on the tailgate or dog box for anyone driving by to see. If anyone stops and asks me "How's the hunting?" I tend to say something making it sound worse than it really is. It's too bad that it has to be that way but it is. Time is a precious to all of us. When we find a good spot we like to know we can return to it and not have to find another. I think most guys understand that when a buddy takes you to one of his spots that you ask permission if you can come back. And you never harvest game from a buddy's spot unless you are sure that he/she is ok with that. I think most of us learned the hard way that it's wise to get to know a guy first before taking him to a honey hole. When you find a good spot, you probably want to protect it.
I agree that there is enough hunting land for everyone if everyone used a little common sense. The problem is that there is so many "hunters" that could care less if they ruin a spot. They will just drive around looking for other hunters and then move in on their spots. How many of us have had a hunter come in a spot where we are running hounds and shoot the rabbit from in front of our dogs? I'm sure lots of us have had bad experiences.
I believe that 90% of the guys in the woods are ethical & courteous to each other. Like anything else it's the 10% that only care about themselves that ruin it.
That being said I think most guys have learned not to go to the resturant or bar and brag how good your hunting was. I won't leave rabbits sitting in plain site on the tailgate or dog box for anyone driving by to see. If anyone stops and asks me "How's the hunting?" I tend to say something making it sound worse than it really is. It's too bad that it has to be that way but it is. Time is a precious to all of us. When we find a good spot we like to know we can return to it and not have to find another. I think most guys understand that when a buddy takes you to one of his spots that you ask permission if you can come back. And you never harvest game from a buddy's spot unless you are sure that he/she is ok with that. I think most of us learned the hard way that it's wise to get to know a guy first before taking him to a honey hole. When you find a good spot, you probably want to protect it.
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patsmichbeagler
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2007 2:40 pm
- Location: lapeer mi
I totally agree Jay I would never tell anyone my honey holes just fior the fact that I want a few rabbits left. One of my favorite spots is so thick that you can't possibly shoot all the rabbits. But I surely wont tell anyone where it is because I don't want anyone to try. It is a shame that we have to be that way. But where I live the private land is getting harder and harder to get on or is just disappearing. And if you find a spot that does hold some rabbits you have to be closed lipped about it or some shooter will come in and blow the place up. As for hares I would rather hunt the thickest spots and one get one or two shots off that includes hits and misses and have my dogs run all day and be able to do that everytime I head up north. Just remember this " Ethics means to do the right thing no matter what the rules or laws say".
HUNTING WITH BEAGLES A WAY OF LIFE, MY WAY ANYWAYS
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jt&z's dad
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 10:13 pm
- Location: Otisville,Michigan
Jay you hit the nail on the head
I also run and hunt that area. Altough I usually only get there once or twice a year there is plenty of area to run. Noting wrong with killing a few hare just don't kill more than one or two from the same general location in a year. I have learned my lesson from my youth. If I want to shoot usually I hunt cotton tails, if I wanna run then I head north and let them turbo charged nitrous injected hares give my hounds a good race and hopefully get a few shots off at some partridge if I'm lucky. I have killed plenty of hare and cottontails in my day and for eatin hands down the cotton tail is better than hare.
Again nothing wrong with shooting hare, just make sure you leave some for seed and don't over hunt one area. Michigan has plenty of land and hare country, you just need to spead out and hopefully you can find 7 or 8 different honey holes.
As for the 10%'ers, unfortunatley we are stuck with them. I always try to look and see if anyone is in the general area before dropping hounds and try and do the same as Jay about not leaving obvious clues to how good an area actually is. No gut piles and fur close to where the truck is and no rabbits in plain view while tailgating and what not.
Pat I also run the thick and nasty stuff. Most guys won't venture into that type of cover and if they do the shooting is difficult, however like I said I learned in my younger days where there is a will there is a way. I am sure most of us have seen the 8 to 10 man army of hunters spread out and waiting for mr hare. Good luck to you all this season and hope your hounds have plenty of great runs this year.... Jim
"I've had good hounds and bad hounds but my best hound never ran a dead rabbit." Arnold Welch
Again nothing wrong with shooting hare, just make sure you leave some for seed and don't over hunt one area. Michigan has plenty of land and hare country, you just need to spead out and hopefully you can find 7 or 8 different honey holes.
As for the 10%'ers, unfortunatley we are stuck with them. I always try to look and see if anyone is in the general area before dropping hounds and try and do the same as Jay about not leaving obvious clues to how good an area actually is. No gut piles and fur close to where the truck is and no rabbits in plain view while tailgating and what not.
Pat I also run the thick and nasty stuff. Most guys won't venture into that type of cover and if they do the shooting is difficult, however like I said I learned in my younger days where there is a will there is a way. I am sure most of us have seen the 8 to 10 man army of hunters spread out and waiting for mr hare. Good luck to you all this season and hope your hounds have plenty of great runs this year.... Jim
"I've had good hounds and bad hounds but my best hound never ran a dead rabbit." Arnold Welch
"Beagling is like wrestling, leave your excuses with your mommy" TallPaul 2008
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patsmichbeagler
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2007 2:40 pm
- Location: lapeer mi
Arnold I agree totally as I have posted many times I have two boys that are of hunting age and one that will be in feb. I just got back into rabbit hunting last season and my oldest just shot his first rabbit this last weekend he has shot a few deer and the excitment in his voice and actions when he got this rabbit was just awesome my 11 yr old has had a couple of shots and he will get one soon I'm sure. I don't even care if I load my gun just being out there with the boys and the dogs is priceless good luck to you and run em hard
HUNTING WITH BEAGLES A WAY OF LIFE, MY WAY ANYWAYS