The American Beagler Forum

What would you do or what do you do??

Would you rather get a blood line of your choice from a successful trialer or a hardcore hunter???

What would you rather do, trial or shoot bunnies??

No wrong answers!! Just curious!

I'd rather get mine from a hunter than a successful trialer. Because a gun is always in my hand during rabbit season. I got three boxes of Remington 20 guage #6 in my truck still waiting to be used.

From a hunter. I don't have anything against trial dogs, but the very limited exposure I've had at trials, the dogs that were supposed to be medium speed were speed demons in my book. I thought my dog were medium, but they may be walkie talkie dogs when other people see them run. I say run what you like because you're the one that has to feed them. Good running.

From a trialer. In my honest opinion, if a dog is good you should be able to gun hunt it or trial it and it should be called a rabbit dog instead of a gun dog or a trial dog. There shouldn't be any difference made.

If there is a difference then you may wish to rethink your breeding plan.

I would prefer a hound that does both, hunt/trial. At least if a dog is being trialed then everyone can watch it run, in various conditions. If the owner puts the hound on the trial circuit then everyone can see what type of hound it is for themselves and don't have to take the owner or owners buddy's word for it. I've heard alot of good old boys talk about how good their hounds are. But compared to what? Anyone can talk about how good their hound is as long as they don't have to put the dogs on the ground and prove it. Like Ky.Hunter said, shouldn't be a difference between the the hunting hound and the field trial hound, but anyone that trials knows sometimes their are a big difference. Trial dogs can and do look good sometimes(in some conditions) but rabbit dogs normally look good most of the time (in many different conditions).

Keep them running, Good luck in trials and or hunting,
Earl Rice

In my view, and my practice, the hunting hound and trial hound are one in the same.

Mtnway said it all!!!!!! My opinion is the same, if we are trying to improve the breed, trials should be the test of a hunting hound. Id stay clear of buying from anyone who says they have dogs bred for one or the other.

When you Trial you are competing against another dog. When you are hunting you are competing against a rabbit.
When you go to a trial if everyone brings the worst dog in their kennel, sombody is still going to bring home a first place trophy. Take those same dogs rabbit hunting, some of them probably wouldn't come home.

Newt wrote:When you Trial you are competing against another dog. When you are hunting you are competing against a rabbit.
When you go to a trial if everyone brings the worst dog in their kennel, sombody is still going to bring home a first place trophy. Take those same dogs rabbit hunting, some of them probably wouldn't come home.

I like that!!!! Dog vs Rabbit!! That is what is should be about!!

If I ever took a hound to a trial that I was not proud of the way he ran a rabbit I would just close up shop, hang up the lead and raise pickachikineeses or something! Just remeber that even if you don't think the dog you are against is a rabbit hound... odds are he suits his owner just fine.

Some hunting dogs can be trialed and some trial dogs can be hunted with.
Many dogs brought to trials are owned by a happy owner that hunts with the dog.
A lot depends on the trial format.

Best to look at a dog hunt or run and pick out the one that most fits the trial rules for winning in a particular format and take ot to that type of trial.

A lot of those that win at trials are not good to hunt with. You can do it, but it'll mess your other dogs up.

I feel that many field trial hounds are bred to run just long enough to win a trial and I believe that conformation in many cases is ignored. I want a hound that is built well and can run all day, day after day for as many years as possible.

If a dog suits me under the gun he will do ok in the trials.

This post leads to a very strict generalization.......

Ive run into "die hard" hunters in the woods on a number of occation that own nothing but a kennel full of fools. There are also some trialers that own a bunch of fools.

On average I think the trial guys run their dogs more and put more efforts into improving their kennel. Many hunters only run during hunting season. Dogs just sit in the kennel and get fat and stupid the other 9 months of the year.

I think there are guys that are die hard hunters in the winter that trial during the off season. I would put myself in that category.

You asked if I would rather hunt or trial and my answer is neither.......I run dogs year around, I seldom carry a gun, and I dont attend very many trials. I just run and evaluate dogs.

As to what one I would breed too?......it would depend on the idividual dog. If a field trialer owned a dog I liked, I would breed to it. If a hunter owned a dog I liked, I would breed to it. The field trial dogs get more exposure, so Im sure they get bred to more.

There are likely some awsome dogs sitting in some old guys back yard that never get discovered and therefore never get bred........

Mybeagles

I mixed hunting dog with FC trial dog with my last litter. We'll see how they end up soon enough.

to answer your question which would I rather do you already know the answer = shoot bunnies.

and i've bought from both rabbit hunters and field trialers. both have made great rabbit dogs for me.