Circle That Rabbit?

[rabbitearl]

You know I had a trial about two months ago and within 2 hr of picking up dogs and just left 4 down.They still could not circle the rabbit.So I told everybody pick up there dogs and go home.No winner today.It seem like they were OK with that.I told them up frount that if they cannot stay at the check and run the rabbit, there would not be a winner.Now the ? is.Don t you think in all trials the dog has to at least circle the rabbit?

You know I went hunting with a guy maybe around 5 years ago.They were young and they wanted me to see there dogs the worst.They were killing 15 to 25 rabbits everytime they went out.Well I could tell on the jump what kind of dogs they had.Everbody took off but me cause I wanted the dogs bring it back.That rabbit never had a chance.They cut him off befor he could come back.When they all took off like they done,it told me they didnot believe in there dogs to bring it back.So another ?.Are there hunter or trialer out there that really don t know what a dog circle an rabbit is?I mean I used to rabbit hunt and when I kill the rabbit.Would not see a dog coming on the trail of the rabbit most of the time.Sure and glad I kill him.It took me along time before I had dogs that I could trust to circle the rabbit.

[walkerdogman85]

My dad and I always wait for it to circle before we shoot! Heck 9 times out of 10 we don't even carry a gun we just run them I try and shoot a few to eat but that's all!

[Bull_357]

In my opinion anyone that is killing 15-25 rabbits every time they go out hunting 1. has a massive amount of rabbits in their area and 2. they have to be jump shooting or shooting them before they circle. You just physically don't have the time to jump 25 rabbits and let them truly circle back to the gun in the amount of time you can hunt in a day. Yes with a bunch of guys you can increase your odds of killing it on the very first circle, but it is still almost impossible to kill that many in one day. You have to figure at least 25% will hole and on bad days many more then 25% so you have to jump 30-35+ rabbits to even have a hope of killing 25 in a day. Most of the guys that you truly see let rabbits circle and aren't there just to stack up numbers will kill between 1 and 6 a day hunting with a small group of guys if your hunting with a bunch of guys or the legal amount like some states such as I have here in PA then the numbers will increase to probably double that 6-12 on a great day. Here in PA we just do not have the rabbits and it wouldn't be legal to kill 25 in a day anyway, but I sure would like to see someone truly jump that many rabbits with just the HOUNDS, and then let each one circle at least one time before a shot is fired and kill 25.

[Jon Shea]

Agree 100% Bull 357, I'll take guys out first thing they want to do is move in on the dogs when they start a bunny. I like them to chase them awhile, esp. the first of the day. Let em earn their feed.

[Full Throttle]

Rabbit hunting has been in my family Since the 1930s. My grandfathers grandfather started Beagling in our family and it has been a family tradition ever since. Ever since I can remember we would get up every Thanksgiving morning and every Christmas morning and all the men in the family would go rabbit hunting. I remember the first time I ever went and my grandfather telling me the rabbit was jumped right here so stay here and let the dogs do their work it will come right back to where it was jumped,And within a couple minutes There it was. Of coarse I missed it and my grandfather made the shot. As I grew older I started getting my own Beagle's And my grandfather would go out in the field with me and He would only let me take one dog. If that dog did not circle a rabbit by himself I can remember him Telling me that dog is no count it must go, And there it went I think a lot of trouble today is there are lots of people getting into beagling because it's fun and they are interested in the sport ,But have no experience with beagle's So they see a dog run a track half A$$ed and Think they have a rabbit dog.

[Bull_357]

I just love watching some of t he videos the guys post they have 10 dogs on the ground 5 standing around doing jack and three chasing the other two doing all the work. If you get rid of the 8 not doing anything your feed bill will go way down and you will kill just as many rabbits. Unless its a really young puppy it better not be just chilli g while the other dogs are running like I see in tons of videos on the net. If it is then what the heck is the purpose of it?

[BAR-NONE]

Ha, I'm to lazy to run after the dogs chasing just to try and shoot a rabbit. If they don't circle it back to the gun it doesn't get shot (or shot at). This its my first season hunting with and running beagles or any dogs for that matter. At first I used to chase them cause all I wanted was the rabbit. Now a days there's none of that I caught on pretty quickly that this sport is more about the quality of hounds then the quantity of rabbits

[littlewoody]

I have only been able to hunt state land . I been out maybe six time my hound jump two rabbits . I told my wife if the dog circle them back to us ill shoot . Well I never did shoot. jump shooting is for kids just starting out or for guy that rabbit hunt with no hounds.

[rabbitearl]

VERY TRUE BULL.i VE BEEN THERE AND DONE IT.A LOT OF RABBITS KILL WERE THE DOGS NOT RUNNING.YALL THE ? WAS.DO YOU THINK THE DOGS HAVE TO CIRCLE THE RABBIT IN A TRIAL BEFORE PLACE 1 TWO 5.AS FAR AS THEM KILLING RABBITS.ITS THERE DOGS THERE PLACE TO HUNT AND WITHIN THE LAW.I DON T SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH IT.IF THEY WANT TO SHOOT ONE BEFORE THE DOGS CIRCLE IT THATS THEM.BUT NOT ME.

[Rabbitridgerunner]

Great thread right here. I couldn't agree more Bull. I'm glad to see that there are some hunters on here that still appreciate a dog circling a rabbit and don't shoot 30 rabbits each time they go out. Thanks guys!

[NC rabbit hunter]

They should circle him and with control and authority. Alot of packs are good at jumping and chasing but when it comes to controlling the rabbit they blow up!!!! Bring me the rabbit,thats why I feed you!!!!!!

[jerwane]

I rarely shoot anymore, but when I do the dogs must bring it back at least one and probably twice. As far as trials, isn't it the intent of the trial to improve the breed? And the purpose of the hound is to bring game BACK to the gun. If a dog can't do that, then it's not doing as intended and therefore no winner. And who would want to pass on the genes of a hound that can't circle a rabbit. That wouldn't improve the breed but put it in decline. Thanks for letting me add my two cents. Jerwane

[Bunnyblaster]

I agree with letting the dogs circle the rabbit before the kill.............in my younger years I didn't used to though.

As far as for trials I agree they should be able to circle a rabbit but then you get into those days when you can't find a rabbit let alone one that will stay up and run a circle for you. And with some of the casts in different formats being fairly short I can see where it would be hard to tell everyone they lost simply because the rabbits didn't want to run that particular day. Just like the bay de noc thread says........they run no matter what, not weather permitting. The tough part is you put together an hunt and people come from miles upon miles away but you just never know how the running is gonna be that particular day. Then you get those that run in an enclosure which I'm assuming is at least partially to help guarantee some running because they keep it stocked with rabbits and then I hear guys complain about running dogs in a pen and how it's not the same as the wild which is at least partially true I'm sure.

My long winded point here is you're just never going to please everybody because we're dealing with lots of things we can't control so consistency is gonna be inconsistent at best.

[gun runner]

I guess it depends on the place where you are hunting,i run my dogs year round no matter what the temps are.I know they can bring the rabbit back to me most of the time.But on some frams the rabbits like to hole up quick,or bad secnting days wind blowing 30 plus i will help the dogs out and move up on the rabbit not jump shooting.So i guess it depends on were you are hunting and what kind of conditions there are in.JMO

[Richard]

Me and all who I hunt with NEVER shoot on the jump. We allow our hounds to circle at least one time before we try to shoot the rabbit and I like to wait for the rabbit to circle back to me and I don't run after the pack as some guys do.