The American Beagler Forum

I was wondering how a bell is used to cheat at a beagle trial and I cant seem to figure out how this would interfear with the huntin'. I can think of several plus marks for but no good ones for the not list..1)Would help keep track of dogs to determine the point of the loss so the cast can find the correct hole vacinity. That would help right.2)when a dog gets trapped under brush piles or buildin'. Will and can your dog bark back to ya if trapped or its collar caught up?3)Can easier find the dog in the brush that keeps openin' and none of the handlers seem to want to call their false jumpdog.4)Helps a nonhunting judge keep better eyes on the dogs in the casts behavior in the field that he's never run with.5)Would help single out the ruff runnin' dogs that desturb the rest faster.6)Help identify the dogs positions and help stop slick handlers from calling the wrong dog for their advantage. Still cant see how it would be used to cheat? If it would draw a blister away from my feet to go to a sound of a bell from a searchin' dog then so be it. That be cheatin myself, by myself? If I use a bell then I wouldn't mind the disadvantage, right? Then take it, you'll need it. I feel that we cauld produce better trial dogs and take the sour out of the mouths of people that say that UKC format is unfair or they get slick handled.

Don't know. You can run a tracking or shocking collar on them as long as you don't take the Transmitter or Reciver. Some hounds know if they have the collar on they better handle,collar wise. Whats the difference,I don't know how a bell would control a hound. Go figure.

I have friends in Tennessee (Willow Springs Kennel) that runs bells on his dogs.

They always jump more rabbits and win more trophies than mine do.

I'm convinced it has to be the BELLS and an advantage there somewhere!

I have always believed that bells got rabbits moving ahead of the dogs while I was hunting. The results were alot of tracks to cut.


Not sure of everything else

john i got bells to and he still beats me more than i beat him

You must have the wrong kinda bells red.........

Todd
I have judged for several years , i dont really care for bells but you bring up some good points . I dont like them cuz it draws my attention to that dog , but that can be good as well as bad . I dont see where they are that big of a problem though its a ukc thing maybe i dont understand . Who ever implmented this rule may have been slick handled before and wants no edge towards competition .

SO ONE NEG. POINT WOULD BE THAT IT MIGHT MAKE THE BUNNIES MOVE OUT FROM IN FRONT OF THE DOGS... WELL IF THEY DO THIER JOB AND CONTINUE TO SEARCH FOR A BUNNY ONE OF THE DOGS WILL FIND THE TRACK AND HARK IN. LETS LOOK FOR A MINUTE HERE. IF THATS THE CASE, I WENT TO A BEAGLE HUNT AND WAS GUIDED TO A BUNNYLESS SPOT AND NO DOG IN THE CAST (EVEN MINE) COULDN,T FIND ONE..BUT AGAIN THE HCKED ONE UP EITHER. I REALLY DONT THINK THAT A BELL WOULD HAVE HELPED PRODUCE ANY EITHER. I RUN BELLS EVERY TIME I GO OUT, PROBABLY FOR SAFTEY BUT I DO USE 'EM TO TRAIN ALSO. I CAN SEE WHERE THE DOGS ARE AND IF THEY ARE IN THE THICK COVER NOT JUST WALKIN' THREW AND COMEIN' OUT THE FAR SIDE WERE I CANT SEE. CAN SEE ALOT ON HOW THEY CAN HELP OUT BUT.

The reason a bell can't be use is because it is a "locating" device. It lets you know where your dog is at all times and that does give you an advantage when striking in.

so.......are you not supposed to know where your dog is in ukc.

I would consider revisiting that rule, and consider the safety of the dog.

Looks like the man dealing the cards just dealt your hand todd.

I think it makes the hound hard to hear when you call for the hound.

So a bell will tell you were your dog is at all times and that will give you a strike advantage.. OK lets look at this point then.. 1) it is hard to hear the bell on a still day past 35 yards away. so if the dogbell is able to be heard then you still wouldn't know when your dog is gonna hit a track. 2)it would make it alot harder for a slick handler to claim a false strike from someone else's dog AT THE END OF THE HUNTS WHEN THE SLICK HANDLERS CALL OTHER'S DOGS to get their wins. The true handler of the dog can call the cheat and will be able to prove who's dog is struck in truely by lookin' at the dog. Then the right (best) dog would be credited and not the 'popular dog'.3)Would help make calls for ruff runners and make it easier for a nonhunting judge to judge dogs he hasn't run with. I still cant see how it is such a disadvantage. UKC would produce better dogs not the same ol' scorecard holdin' handlers that knows the tricks to get their dogs a win. I'm serious on helpin' put a foot down on slick handlers this post isn't to stir up trouble. A better and faster way to catch 'em is with a bell.

You can't use a bell for the same reason you can't use a tracker. Non-handling dogs!!! Rule 6t states any person caught using any device to control or locate dog during hunt will be scratched. And I've also seen rule 6h come into play where if nonhandling dog had a bell it would not have been scratched. This is why we can't run with bells.