Rabbit Hunting (starting out)

I've been thinking pretty hard about getting a couple of beagles and getting into rabbit hunting. I don't know jack about rabbit hunting. I just need some basic pointers to get me in the right direction. Are two beagles enough? Will one do? How do you keep/break them from running deer? What should I look for in a good rabbit dog? Any advice will help tremendously! Thanks in advance!

mototayota, Glad to hear you're wanting to get started rabbit hunting. To answer you're questions, yes one or two dogs is fine to hunt with. My advice to you is don't buy the first dogs you see. Go hunting with someone who's got dogs and been hunting for a while. Watch and ask lots of questions. As for as the deer running I have very little problem with this. It starts with the type of dogs you hunt. Then using e-collars to make sure they never start running deer or any off game. I've had dogs most of my 52 years. This is a year round hobby for me. So be prepared to spend lots of time with your dogs, you got to love it. If I can help pm me. Also I have hunted in your area and would be willing to bring my dogs and hunt with you if you have a place to hunt.

-There's more to rabbit dogs than hunting them three months out of the year. I like to take mine out and let them run during the summer. Keeps em in shape and tuned up. I hate to see rabbit dogs penned up nine months out of the year and let out only when rabbit season opens.

-You can kill rabbits with two dogs but I like to hear a good race. The more beagles, the prettier the race !!!!! I like about a five-six dog pack myself.

-Deer can be a problem with rabbit dogs. Lots of beagles will leave the county after a deer and nothing is as aggravating as trying to rabbit hunt with deer hounds. Some folks suggest buying puppies out of deer proof dogs. I don't know if that's a sure bet that you won't get a deer hound though. Shock collars are a must until they are trash broke imo.

-I suggest buying from someone who'll let you watch them run or give you time to try them out. I'm going look at two tomorrow. Me and the seller are taking them out for a run tomorrow morning.

-One more thing with rabbit dogs, you usually get what you pay for. If you're buying a $100 trained rabbit dog then that's exactly what you'll usually get.

Jody Hawk said:

-One more thing with rabbit dogs, you usually get what you pay for. If you're buying a $100 trained rabbit dog then that's exactly what you'll usually get.

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YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!!! Just because it's a beagle, don't mean it'll run a rabbit!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~you always invited to go~~~~~~>

I have been at it for about 60 years now, and it gets, better all the time! I once loved to deer hunt and fish, but if you going to have top notch, hounds it is an every day thing, and don't have time to do either any more.

I devote full time to my Kennels, and do lot so breeding training, and gun hunting. I ran my blood line in competition field trials for about 10 years back in the 1990's Lots of fun and meet some real good folks, due to my age, had to stop the trails.

You are welcome to go with me on a gun hunt anytime, except on Sundays, I do not hunt on the Lords Day. Good Luck in your search, for some hounds. I would go watch some differand bloodlines in the field, as they are all differant type of beagles, from slow to extra fast, some hunt well and some let you do the hunting. Some run rabbits other run anything that come through the woods?

If I can be of any help please send me and e-mail.
Yours In sports,
Daddy Rabbit Kennels~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Royston, Ga.~~~~~>?

Getting Started Beagling!

I am the one you asked about the woodcock and I am the opposite of you. I still have my six beagles and run/hunt them year round since I am married but no kids. I guess I am lucky being able to spend as much time as I do with my hounds. I am training my first bird dog and I can tell you that if you have trained and hunted bird dogs with success, rabbit dogs will come alot easier. Rabbits are alot easier to find compared to birds and you don't have to do as much organizing and planning. Easier to control range on beagles. Feel free to ask questions. Also, beaglers are alot easier to get to know and share advice. I love my beagles and will always have a few but I am enjoying my brittany. I had a nice solid point on a covey of birds today while training and it was great. Going birding tomorrow and beagling Sat. Life is good. Alot of great beaglers on here and also www.rabbithuntingonline.com Good Luck.

joedog, you give me a hard time when i ask a couple of question's? really if you get the chance to go with joedag this man no's his dog's, he will shot straight and help alot. i met him one day and we still talk about every other day. he is my question man? good luck

IMO The main thing if you are getting started is to get a couple dogs that are deer proof. (Thats the most important thing) After that you want them to be as good as possible, but as long as they will run rabbits you can work out the kinks and eventually grow a pack that is good for you. You really are going to need to spend some time in the woods to figure out the hunting style of dogs that you want and what dogs are going do that. This is simply my oppinion, but if I was starting again I would buy 2 good older dogs that won't mess with trash and one pup that is from very good blood lines. This will get you out there and you can start to figure out what you want then as you go you can get rid of some or get some more until you get the pack of dogs that you really want. From what I hear it takes a few years to get an awesome pack of hounds build. Good luck, and if you need any help just let us know. There are a lot of folks on here that will be glad to help!

helping out

First let me say good deal glad to hear you wenting to rabbit hunt . I say fine some one who has a real good pack of rabbit hound , I said rabbit hound not beagles that your a big diffents go tag along on a hunt for a time are two ask a lot of questions watch the hounds work you can get a lot out of watch a good pack of hounds .hope I help you a little bit good luck on your rabbit hunting my GOD bless see in woods Little Rabbit <><

buy you three good rabbit running beagles from someone and take them out hunt them in the thickets jump a rabbit and then when they circle it back kill it sounds easy right lol no. ok if you get some dogs and they run deer and rabbits go find you some fresh deer tracks and put the deer slaying dogs on it let them run it until they get about 25-35 yard away then turn that shock collar tramsiter on high and burn them up the hole way back to the truck a i promise it will be a long time before they run a deer again lol it really works i tyred it.