The American Beagler Forum

Who on here would still consider themselves a rabbit hunter first before a trialer.Is opening day your anticipated start of gunning and you leave the truck with the desire to limit out ?Tomorrow is Ohio's opening day and it feels like christmas eve when I was a kid.When I go hunting with the desire to fill my bag I dont care how strong the dog looks "exploding out of the check" just show me the rabbit.I don't care how fast he is on the line just dont dare lose it.I dont care how many were jumped as much as how many were circled to the gun.I dont care that I have no business hunting tomorrow with all that is on my plate but just want to help my 10 year old nephew draw first blood and maybe get hooked for life.

I am a rabbit hunter and can't wait every year till opening day. I train and run dogs during the off season just to prepare for gun season.

Their is one thing for sure and that's YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GOT TILL RABBIT SEASON....

Those dogs that can do it under the gun are the best IMO

Hare hunter only- I have never shot a cottontail I dont attempt to limit out every time in the woods but not afraid to shoot a couple, I have attended trials in the past (many years ago) and they do not promote (at least in my opinion) the best gundogs. Kurt

Well, I have never trialed so I consider myself to be just a plain old rabbit hunter. I have yet to shoot a daily limit, or a season limit, and I don't know if I want to eat that many,lol. I'm happy with some good running, but I do shoot some bunnies as well.

hare hunter here.Never been to a trial but would like to check them out. I also am planning a cottontail/jack rabbit hunt in december a couple hours south of here.

I enjoy the running as much as the hunting. I have attended trials in the past, but don't see myself being much of a trialer. I went to one this year to help handle hounds, but I would rather just be out running dogs and harvesting a few rabbits. I don't eat but a couple meals worth a year, but if I am with someone that really likes to eat them, I will help fill the freezer.

Emery

Never been to a trial, hunt snowshoe hare only. I'd give cottontail a go if we had any but we don't so thats that.

I just want to hear the hounds run a good rabbit and have good fellowship. Harvesting rabbits is secondary.

Uh, excuse me for being ignorant here, but HARVESTING rabbits?? You harvest a crop, you KILL rabbits....are we afraid of saying what we are really doing now???


Tony

I am a Beagler first. I like running year round. The fellowship and going different places to run is what I like the best about hunting season. I shot a limit of 5 Bluetails and Cottontails one day last year. The shooting is not as important as the hound work to me. I would rather see the guests or hosts shoot more than me. We shoot only after a loop and killed about 80 rabbits last year mostly hunting on Saturdays. I have got two more weeks to wait.
I go to trials to have some off season fun,meet beaglers and watch some good dogs.

I consider my self a HUNTER first and foremost and will hunt anything made out of meat in season,but rabbit hunting and turkey hunting are my favorites,deer and squirrel are alright too and I kinda like to hear a good tree dog blow the top out of a tree,with a coon or two in it,but I own and feed beagles and beagles only,that should tell you something. Personally I'm not into trialing but have some friends who love it and if they like it thats good enough for me,Denny

Bluegrass, I am a hunter ed instructor and we use the word "harvest" and there's nothing wrong with it. We aren't trying to avoid using the word "kill" nor are we trying to be politically correct. The words 'harvest game' are used to stress the fact that these animals were put here for our use AND that there isn't an unlimited supply, so we must use them wisely. You plant and harvest the same thing on the same ground long enough and you wear it out. You harvest enough game of one kind from the same area too much and the same thing happens. Harvest is a conservation term, not a term of political correctness, which more often than not disgusts me unless it is a term that condemns bigotry and racism and also just happens to be politically correct at the same time. Calm down a little, there's enough to be controversial about that we don't need to be so quick to snap at a fellow hunter/conservationist.

well been rabbit hunting sence i was 9yrs old and love it used to back in the day it was all about brag rights and who could kill the most rabbits my record is 169 in one season but that was running some of the best hounds ive ever owned 5days a week for 3 months straight. Now i like to go new places and meed new people its more about the dogs there my hunting buddys and friends and i just love working with them now days i want kill anymore then ill eat wich is about 20 a season but i give alot to some elderly people and stuff like that ive only been to two trials and that was about 10yrs ago wouldn't mind to try again sometime but kinda got a bad taste left in my mouth but not all trials are bad i know theres good honist clubs out there. so i guess im just an plan ol rabbit hunter.

Gee Ramey, apparently I struck some kind of nerve when I suggested that we just say kill instead of harvest...while I applaud you for being a hunters ed instructor I do not have to agree with you that harvest is what we do. You are correct about not having an unending supply of game and I too agree that we must use it wisely. However we are NOT harvesting a rabbit, deer, pheasant, quail, etc...we are hunting, therefore KILLING if we desire. Semantics at best if you want, but for the record I wasnt snapping at anyone, just curious why everyone seems to be using harvesting to mean killing...they don't have the same meaning at all, unless you mean that crops are ALIVE the same way a rabbit is...


Tony

Tony, ok for us to agree to disagree about this one. I'm sure not a tree hugger by any means! It's much more important that we remain united on the fact that killing animals within the limits of reasonable laws is a way of life worth defending, and avoid dividing ourselves over the small stuff. No, it didn't hit a nerve, it's just that I have used the term 'harvest" for anything that pretty much is going on my table because of my efforts and not from a trip to the Wal-mart. Too many people believe that the steaks and chops they get are born and raised in those styrofoam trays with the plastic wrap, and are in denial that something has to die for them to eat. I killed a squirrel with my 9-year old son and 5-year old daughter the other day and brought it to the house and fried it for them (made gravy and biscuits too) mostly to show them that lesson. Good hunting to you this season, kill what you can eat, eat what you kill. (See, I'm not at all hung up on terminology)