Has the peak interest in beagling passed

[TallPaul]

Topics on this board and others, have slowed. Do you think the interest in beagling has slowed also or is it just my perception. Seems like there was a greater interest 4,5 years ago. Topics were about the past great beagles, and everyone had the best breed litter for sale.
Just a thought.

[bluerunner43]

I think there are a lot less people hunting with beagles than there use to be. When I was a kid everybody had a beagle we used them for whatever we were hunting for bird hunting, rabbit hunting, heck I use to take my beagle coon hunting when I was a kid. I don't hardly know anybody anymore that has beagles. I see a lot of people with them as pets but not as hunting dogs. But I'm not complaining don't have to compete with other people for the good spots.

[Salzer mtn]

I think we just have discussed everything about beagles and hunting that can be thought of. People in my area just don't have the places to hunt any more like they used to did. I guess they have started doing other things.

[Alabama John]

Most the old rabbit hunters and beagle men are DEAD!

[dave g]

i dont think it has anything to do with less people hunting beagles. i feel with me at least, there are just more important things on my mind than beagles and hunting. there are so many people that have had to downsize kennels because of lay offs and high gas prices and the cost of living sky rocketing, so what they have is to put meat on the table and not try to make the next world beater. i notice this time of the year also is a time here in michigan we usually have to deal with deep snow and non running cottontails so it gets a little slower. luckily we have a heat wave coming through now and i will be able to get my car back to my running spot

later, dave

[steve w]

I think your obsevations are pretty close to the mark Tall Paul, I been reading the beagle forums since Beagles Unlimitted and while the subject matter can still be quite good the lulls seem more often. Perhaps it is the fact that we have dicussed all there is but I also believe the participation in our sport it self is on the decline. I just got my latest edition of Michigan Outdoor News and they had an article about the decline of rabbit hunting and the numbers were pretty sobering, we are a dying breed.In my case a few years ago it seemed someone was always calling to go hunting nowadays the calls are few, I think it is just a sign of the times and what is ahead.I hope I'm lucky enough to go to my grave still chasing beagles and hope a few more people take the oppurtunity to do it with me but the truth of it is I won't hold my breath on it happening.

[mjd]

ive lost interest for a number of reasons over the years,not many places to hunt anymore due to getting bull dozed,new owners etc,busy with kids and grand kids,fuel prices,health issues,life changes etc

[littlewoody]

You can say the same about deer hunting. Everyone is cutting back I remember going up north on 20 dollars there and back.

[Ron Conroe]

beagleing well never die. there will always rabbit hunting as long as there is rabbits. if you are a true houndsmen, you well never get out of it. the hounds are sweet music to the ear.

[bluerunner43]

Its been said many times on this board that people don't have places to hunt anymore. Well I to have lost places to hunt but finding new places to hunt is easy, that is after the deer seasons are over. All you have to do is go ask people. There are lots of land owners that hate rabbits they get in their gardens eat their bushes and ect. I have had people walk up to me at gas stations when they see the dog box in my truck and ask what I'm huntin I tell them rabbits and they tell me they have them on their property and I can come shoot them all. This has happened quite a few times. All you have to do is go drive around and look for places and go ask the land owner, offer to take them with you most will decline the offer and give you permission. Sure you will get people that won't let anybody on their property but many will. I have never had a problem finding a place to rabbit hunt, just have to ask. Just my opinion.

[Mo. Beagler 5000]

I actively try to get young people involved in the sport. I bring my dogs to school, show them pics of the rabbits I harvest, take the responsible ones hunting, every Monday we discuss the results of a trial if I went to one.. etc But Clearly the sport is in decline because numbers don't lie...

I think its the economy, availability of hunting land, different overall interest in life and a host of other things..

I started beagling only 5 or 6 years ago because I said I hate beagles cause they have no purpose and sit there all day... He said they were meant to hunt rabbits so i bought one and started learning, (Sometimes I don't know how I didn't quit)

I wonder how big the sport would be if we all got one person a year to become beaglers by inviting people out, donating a pup, passing out flyers for the local club, sending stories in the the conservation departments etc... I would rather have my kids one da in the woods with a gun then on the streets with a gun imo....

[chapkosbeagles]

I wonder how big the sport would be if we all got one person a year to become beaglers by inviting people out, donating a pup, passing out flyers for the local club, sending stories in the the conservation departments etc... I would rather have my kids one da in the woods with a gun then on the streets with a gun imo....

i have gave severl nice rabbit dogs to my little brothers buddys and taken them to the woods. i have also gave them pups. it just seems like they get into it but lose intrest fast. they are into chasing girls and playing video games. i gave away 2 real nice 13 inch rabbit dogs because they were too small and i see them sitting on the chain. he took them out 3 time all gun season. all he dose is sit on the xbox live.

some of the other i have gave away they lost or say they were stolen.

although out of the dozen dogs i have gave away to youngsters in our area there is a small percentage that are sticking with it. there is a lot to compete with these days with all the video games,computers,ext

[10ACbeagles]

I was raised on rabbit hunting,went out for first time at 4 years old,shot first 12 gauge at 5(still have scar on my lip to prove it!)My Grandad,dad and uncles use to keep some fine hounds as did our friends.My oldest cousin got me into deer huntin and I quit beagling after our patch dog Amy got sold Few years back I was at a New Years day breakfast at the fox hunters club down the road and something about all the dog boxes and hounds runnin brought back tons of memories.I got a pup off a friend few days later and havent regretted gettin back into it(although I did regret that pup)Sold all my deer stands and deer rifles except the old 30-30.I never killed a giant buck in my life so maybe thats why I didnt get hooked on deer huntin but to this day I cant see why I was so into sittin in a stand not movin and being quiet as opposed to droppin the tailgate and makin some noise with the pack!Seems everyone I talk to when they hear I have beagles say "i use to love it but..." and is usually followed by how they deer hunt.Around here I dont think its as much to do with health/cost of living as it is people just forgot how darn fun it is.I dont care if I ever see or kill another deer but the thought of not running my dogs is to much to even think about.Beagling without a doubt saved/changed my life when I got back into it cause I was into no good for a while but nothing is worth the risk of not gettin to run the dogs.A great man by the name of Jimmy Jarrell gave me the dogs I have now,hes 80+years old been beagling for 50+years and still goin strong I only hope Im that lucky to be doing it at that age and if I'm even luckier my nephews and nieces will be around to take over the bloodline and keep it alive.

[Dave Swiger]

I think for all of the reasons mention here, rabbit and all hunting is on the decline. Back when I was a kid the first day of squirrel season was as big as the first day of deer season. Now you hardly see anyone in the woods on that day. My oldest son is a rabbit hunter and my youngest has just caught the fever. The future is in our youth.

Dave

[Fleetwood]

Nice post 10AC. Guys, it's as simple as this...take a look at The Outdoor Channel, Versus, Sporting Channel or any of the other ones. What is overwhelmingly marketed to the masses? We all know the anwser to that one. Now I like to shoot a couple deer every year for the freezer, but the continual commercialization of deer hunting and the absolute shameless obsession with antlers is what's ruining the rabbit hunting/beagling contingent. Kids go straight from learning how to shoot to trying to be the next Michael Waddell. Kid's simply don't hunt rabbits and squirrels like they used to...they go straight to deer and turkeys. I would argue that the reason for this is the over commercialization. Just take a couple of hours and watch one of these channels...it about makes me sick, and I'm only 30 years old! This is simply my opinion but one I feel pretty strongly about.