Run to Catch

[Buckeye Bob]

Dogs that work fast checks are the ones that usually keep the most consistent pressure on a rabbit.

Better yet, dogs that run check free put the most pressure on a rabbit. I've seen em caught on the jump, from squating too long,doubling back into a straggler or swinger and best of all get hard and stiff from just flat out being run to death.

[rabbitearl]

I have catch rabbits that I know somethimg was wroung with the rabbit.Over night in the rabbit box he die.Not saying that yalls dogs cannot catch one but how do you know it want a sick rabbit to start off with or maybe run allnight by coy,cats, or foxes the thing never did get any rest.My dogs are like Joey, catch one when its been shot or catch one in its bed maybe once a year.Some of yall make it sound easy.

[Bunnyblaster]

It is earl...........it's just that guys like us don't have good enough dogs.

[Hood Swamp]

Whats the chances that the last rabbits I caught where the sick ones, or had been chased all night by some predator? Not very likely.

What makes me say that it is unlikely is the fact that I use to hardly ever catch a rabbit. I could run him 3 hours or more and never catch him. The dogs I have now are just better than the ones I owned in the past. DESIRE to overtake

[T LEE]

Hood Swamp , You have a PM

[bluemouse]

I do not doubt that you guys hounds catch some rabbits. You turn a PACK of hounds loose on a rabbit and they pursue the game like they did thousands of years ago to catch food. Question have any of you guys ever see the act of the hound catch the rabbit. Did the rabbit sit down during a check and the hounds fanned out to search and the rabbit gets up and runs into a waiting hound or do they run it down from behind. What type of terrain do you run in? Could this be a factor. I will give an open invitation to any who would like to come and run here in the briars and water to see if your hounds can catch a rabbit. If they catch one I will take my hat off to you and wear a dress on my next hunt. All I can promise is good food, lots of rabbits, plenty of laughter,oh some bleeding so bring your own band-aids. Don't be shy step right up!

[Bunnyblaster]

You'll probably get very few if any takers bluemouse..............it means they'll have to put their money where their mouth is. Of course saying that may coax someone your direction.

I had a dog catch 2 rabbits a year or so ago and I know for a fact both were squatted and just plain stayed squatted for too long. The only other time I've seen a rabbit get caught is from what joeyman said or if they ran it so hard for so long that it stiffened up........otherwise dog vs rabbit full out sorry it don't happen...........or at least not very often. I've never seen or heard of a dog just plain running down a rabbit.

[rabbitearl]

Let me know bluemouse I want to see it too.An old man told me 20 years ago.There not many beagles that in a 10 field if you give the rabbit time to start they want catch the rabbit before it hits the woods.Hey,I ve got a 10 ac rabbit pen,bring me some dogs that can catch one in 2 hr and I will come on here and tell everybody you got some outstanding dogs if they do.If you can t come cause of two far,Show me on video.I would love to see these rabbit dogs.

[Rabbithoundjb]

Folks your not going to catch rabbits down at Dave's (bluemouse) unless the rabbit does something dumb. Too many dozier trenches, too much water, too thick with brier laps, and so on. I been down there the last 2 years and I have fast dogs and we have had some real good running most of the time. Dave has some real nice dogs also, they actually run a little cleaner rabbit then mine do most of the time, maybe a step slower but they put plenty of pressure on the rabbit.

Now if you looking for a good group of folks, good food,good rabbit population and a large time, make the trip they are all good people. I am looking forward to this years trip.

[Alabama John]

Dogs that catch rabbits are not that common, most beagle lines are not bred for it. Most are bred to run heads down and run a close line. Gives the rabbit too much time to pull tricks and rest while the dogs straighten out the check. If you want a pack that can do it that is not too hard to come by either. Never seen a fast dog cold trail so that is question number one. Put the word out that you want the dog from anyones pack that is pulling their pack hard and messing up by dominating their races. Most folks will give it up as its easier to let it go than to try to get more like it. In my opinion it is their best dog, but I like fast, heads up dogs.

Many caught here and run down from behind. I have walked out in a cotton field many times and picked one up and held it out of harms way and turned it loose in a briar patch after the dogs were running in another direction. Always if running with other beaglers make a show out of it for the new folks around saying I think I'll go catch one myself when actually I see it coming at a distance all stiffened up. Got to get to it fast or the dogs will get it.

Ought to see their eyes and hear the retelling of it to other beaglers. This is supposed to be fun, don't take it too seriously!

[Hood Swamp]

My dogs may never catch another rabbit, but it does happen. They are NOT fast, they are heads down line control hounds.

Bluecreek Bear, Einstien, Popeye, and Hokie Hi breeding. They do not swing, hook, skirt, or act crazy in any way. They just love to run rabbits.

I certainly didn't expect disbelief from this board, thats for sure! Your disbelief only reafirms my confidence in my little pack of beagles.

I'm 30 years old and have been running beagles since I was 15. I use to go out and buy dogs here and buy dogs there and was never satisfied with what I had. I'll probably never be satisfied, but since I started breeding my own dogs (for good all-around rabbit dogs) I am much more pleased and enjoy rabbit hunting a whole lot more than I did in the past. Good day!!

[scootersjill]

mine must be run to try and catch bless their little hearts aint havin much luck. gonna have to use the 870.

[Newt]

I do not doubt that you guys hounds catch some rabbits. You turn a PACK of hounds loose on a rabbit and they pursue the game like they did thousands of years ago to catch food. Question have any of you guys ever see the act of the hound catch the rabbit. Did the rabbit sit down during a check and the hounds fanned out to search and the rabbit gets up and runs into a waiting hound or do they run it down from behind. What type of terrain do you run in? Could this be a factor. I will give an open invitation to any who would like to come and run here in the briars and water to see if your hounds can catch a rabbit. If they catch one I will take my hat off to you and wear a dress on my next hunt. All I can promise is good food, lots of rabbits, plenty of laughter,oh some bleeding so bring your own band-aids. Don't be shy step right up!

The last rabbit that my two hounds ran down was in a bean field next to a strip of woods. One of the hounds was a bitch by FC Bucks Branch Kalagha out of an Applachia Mountain Jay bitch. The other was a male, grandson of Sudduths Mississippi Homer out of Break O Days Brandi (Gay/ Wingates Brandon bred). They ran the rabbit for over an hour with short checks. Eventually the rabbit began to periodically squat and they would jump him again. The rabbit came by me, went into the woods, and squatted. They jumped him and back into the bean field. I could tell that the barks were becoming more excited and then I heard him squeal. I waded out in the bean field and found him. He was stiff as a poker.

When I was a kid, my older brother kept a few foxhounds which we used to rabbit hunt. They could run one down with sheer speed as was mentioned by poster who run "run to catch" beagles. I started out running faster, "hit and miss beagles" and don't remember ever running one down. I just never owned one good enough, too many checks and the rabbit would recuperate while the dogs were searching. Once my buddy and I started putting more emphasis on breeding for better check work, the hounds will run them down or the rabbit will hole.

[bluemouse]

Where you at Rabbitearl , I got a little ticked female that could give one a run for its money don't know if she could catch it though. Dude no one said your hounds have not caught rabbits but I said I would wear a dress if they catch one here, YOU are in NC right its not that far this way come on down.

[rabbitearl]

Bluemouse I don t have dogs that catch one.I said I m like you love to see it.Yes I m in NC. 15 miles off of 95 between dunn and clinton.90 percent of the guys that comes to run there dogs are having problem keeping one going.And everytime there just pups.Don t look like pups to me.I will keep in touch and may get to see you.There are some that has a good jump dog and the other dogs may be running the path and she jumps one and run right to there mounth.I have seen that,And seen a few that will start setting were he been run so long.I love to see dogs at my pens that all 6 stay on the rabbit than 6 running everywere.Them 6 running everywere the rabbit better be careful.