The American Beagler Forum

I remember growing up with grade dogs, and didn't even know what a set of dog papers were, or even looked like.

I remember never having e-collars, or that they even made such a thing.

I remember how we decided which male to breed to which female. We always picked the best male, and the best female.

I remember thinking, all you had to do to have a good rabbit dog, was to take it out and give it the opportunity to hunt and learn. It seems like all the pups made rabbit dogs. I can't remember having to cull any.

I remember when the dogs were running a rabbit and broke down, it was either in the hole, or just got shot. I didn't know what a check was, and the dogs didn't seem to either.
( and no these dogs weren't slow or mouthy either)

I remember some days were better than others, but can't remember any real bad days, where we had nothing. It seems we could at least find 1 or 2.

Just remembering some of the old grade dogs and how times have changed.

Now I own papered dogs, and put an e-collar on every dog, even the broke ones.
(just in case)

I remember when three of us went hunting on opening day jumped and circled 12 rabbits killed 11 of them caught dogs off the last one it was getting dark. Now if I jump 5or6 rabbits and kill one I feel like I had A good day. Its not the dogs so much. They still circle the rabbits but that darn gun just don`t do its job any more.[LOL] Thats what happens I guess when you turn 73.

Bart, my hunting partner and I are always remembering back to our old coonhounds and often talk about how much better those ole grade dogs were and how we just had more successful hunts with them than with these newer, papered dogs. That is until one day I was going through some ole papers and stuff and found an old record book where I had kept up with all our hunts back then for over a year.As I was reading through some of those hunts those old dogs we had back then suddenly didn't look near as good as what we had remembered them to be LOL. I took that record book out and let my partner read it and for some reason we no longer talk about how good those ole dogs were back then.LOL. The only thing I can say about those ecollars is I WISH I HAD HAD MINE WAY BACK THEN!! LOL.

I got rid of some dandys because of deer problems through the years. I wish I could have some of those deer runners back

Oh wait i do still have some never mind.

It's called "dead dog syndrome"
The fond memories are always at the forefront of our minds! And most try to forget the bad memories.
No reason to remember all the bad stuff! Those fond memories get us through tough days! So hang on to them!!!!! Nothing wrong with that!
Unless ofcourse you like a reality check now and then!

I Rember When I was Growing Up We allways Had a old grade beagle around. Allway was able to run all day every day with the same dog. They all ways run loose on the farm. Hunt rabbits all day and possum hunt with them at night. Never seem to have a problem with off game during the day nor had a problem handling with them. They hunted With you could jump a rabbit on there own. what would happen today if you just turned a beagle loose. let it learn to run on its own. Have the biggest piece of trash you ever seen.

i remember having dogs that would jump and run a rabbit for days. only thing i had to do was drop the tail gate and take 2 boxes of shells. alot of shooting then. even had one that if a rabbit went into a hole it wasnt a problem, he would dig is way in after him.. no rabbit was safe! lol

I remember giving $10.00 for the first beagle I ever bought, and 35.00 bucks for best one I've ever owned.

I dont think the old hounds of our past were any better, I just think we were much younger and didn't really care as much as today. I used to go hunting just to have some fun. As long as my hounds circled the rabbit i was happy. How they got it done didn't really matter to me. I think we analyse to much these days, just go out and have fun like you were a kid again. Just might release some stress. and bring back those hounds of yesterday.

I have to agree with Adam. My Dad and I always talk about how the longer they are gone, the better they get.


Swamp

Makes me remember when jumping a deer almost never happened. know they are more than rabbits. remember when we could just hunt one farm after another. know with the five acre tracts and the antis living out it the country it is almost impossible to find decent places to hunt. remember when there were alot of good bean crops, know they are subdivisions. Man KNow Im depressed.......

I remember the second beagle of my childhood, a rescue from the pound. She hunted behind my Dad but knew the days of the week- Friday night we arrived, Sunday night we left. She lived in the basement and travelled in the trunk. She wasn't allowed in the house, never mind the bed. But I told her plenty of tales and walked miles in the bush with her. She didn't get shot hunting by my Dad like our first beagle did- Suzie hunted in front. Pogo did get shot behind the barn when her life was ready to be finished. I remember my Dad crying about Pogo and we cried along too. But she was old and needed to go. I learned that lesson well and my first dog as an adult went quickly and gently, suffering only a little. Beagles, love 'em whether in memory or at my feet today. Carolyn

I remember when I had friends that didn't whine about yesterday, but got out and made memories for tomarrow. I remember my first bite of Act II Keddle corn, Oh wait I forgot I haven't tried it yet! LOL!

All in fun, I love you guys!

Miners had been feeding a stray beagle at the mine where my grandfather worked, he finally brought him home and named him buster. Myself and my father, grandfather and brothers shot many a rabbit in front of that old stray named buster. Although my grandfather and buster are long gone from this world the memories of those hunts and times still burn bright in my mind. A love affair formed some 40 years ago between me and a beagle hound running a rabbit, because of my granddad and a old stray named buster. Im sure he wasnt the fastest, the smartest, or ran the best line control but to me he is the reason im still running them today. Id almost bet there is a story of a old dog behind most of us. Just goes to show there is a lot more to the hunt than the kill!

Chance wrote:Just goes to show there is a lot more to the hunt than the kill!

100% TRUE