Where have all the rabbit hunters gone?

Doug B.

Senior Member
Buddy...nobody owes me nothing and I never said they did. Deer hunting is where the moneys at. There’s no way 3 or 4 or even 10 small game hunters can compete with Doctors, lawyers accountants and the high rollers for tracts of land and the huge amount of money they sink into it. There’s not that many small game hunters around anymore anyway. So many prople think that a deer is the only animal in the woods. Y’all lease up the land , greed kicks in and then people cry and whine if they see or hear a dog.If I wanted to hunt your land, I would come up and ask you....you say no, then that’s that and I’ll do my best to keep my dog away from it. You don’t like dog hunters....your prerogative. I have places to hunt, but it’s kinda sad that most beagle guys don’t. Change in habitat and this deer disease that infects peoples minds is the reason that the rabbit hunters are dwindling away. And that’s a crying shame to end a long standing tradition over a stinking deer. Most of the rabbit hunters I know are some heckuva good guys, and most are letting their packs die off with no desire to restock....
all because it’s so hard to find a place to hunt for a couple months. They feed and care for them 12 months out of the year. Can you name many if any pieces of state land that’s managed, planted, burnt or manipulated for rabbit hunters ? I can not. If the dogs ran all the deer off, those clubs would only be able to run once a year now wouldn’t they ?
I wish I could like this post 100 times.
 

Doug B.

Senior Member
No ones complaing. A question was asked and answered. You might not like or agree with the answers...but it’s a fact. Now surely you are not naive enough to think someone would raise and train a dog or pack and not have a place to hunt ? There is less land to hunt every year, and even less good rabbit habitat. There was a time not so long ago when people were neighborly and would let you hunt their farm or lease after deer season was over. Very few will nowadays because of “their deer”. I applaud the ones who do, and I don’t even own a rabbit dog.
And this one 100 times!
 

Theturtle

BANNED
Not sure anyone blames the deer hunter. I would hope you would agree running rabbits in January and February shouldn’t have an effect on what the deer are doing in deer season ?‍♂️. Feeling like you got a little hurt about the post. No one wants to rabbit hunt “your” land ??. But if you think anyone can afford $20/ac to rabbit hunt you must have more $$$ than brains.
If sombody will pay to hunt deer why can’t you pay to hunt rabbits? Of rabbit hunting is such a time honored tradition if you don’t have the money or the land it’s not a deer hunters fault times are different I wouldn’t let strangers on my land if they paid me to much liability and things to be damaged or stolen
 

Ruger#3

RAMBLIN ADMIN
Staff member
This thread clarifies exactly why hunting numbers are dwindling.
 

Theturtle

BANNED
I’ve kicked up more rabbits this year walk hunting than any other on our farm.But nobody is going to let rabbit hunters blast at running rabbits on a cattle farm? and they don’t have to? if you want to have a place just for rabbits buy one and then you can control the property as you see fit and make it a perfect rabbit hunting playground. Because that’s what hunters do!
 

Doug B.

Senior Member
If sombody will pay to hunt deer why can’t you pay to hunt rabbits? Of rabbit hunting is such a time honored tradition if you don’t have the money or the land it’s not a deer hunters fault times are different I wouldn’t let strangers on my land if they paid me to much liability and things to be damaged or stolen
Because people feel so entitled to everything now that they should have access to somebody’s private property just because they asked ?
See post #43.
 

across the river

Senior Member
See post #43.
I know a bunch of guys leasing land or in club that aren’t “doctors and
Lawyers”. They save up money and join a club or pool there money and form one. Explain this to me though. How is it greed if someone who leased the land doesn’t let the rabbit hunter hunt? Would it not be greedy for the rabbit hunter, who hasn’t pitched in a dime, to expect to be allowed to hunt the place for no reason other than that asked to.
 

Doug B.

Senior Member
I know a bunch of guys leasing land or in club that aren’t “doctors and
Lawyers”. They save up money and join a club or pool there money and form one. Explain this to me though. How is it greed if someone who leased the land doesn’t let the rabbit hunter hunt? Would it not be greedy for the rabbit hunter, who hasn’t pitched in a dime, to expect to be allowed to hunt the place for no reason other than that asked to.
Nobody said it was greed to not let rabbit hunters run their dogs. What was said, the greedy deer hunters have caused the lease prices to go up. It certainly hasn't been the small game hunters that caused that. Can't please everybody I guess!?
 

Ruger#3

RAMBLIN ADMIN
Staff member
Because people feel so entitled to everything now that they should have access to somebody’s private property just because they asked ?

No, they feel a responsibility to start the next generation and continue a tradition. Their not so self centered as to push others out of opportunity even when they can.
 

across the river

Senior Member
Nobody said it was greed to not let rabbit hunters run their dogs. What was said, the greedy deer hunters have caused the lease prices to go up. It certainly hasn't been the small game hunters that caused that. Can't please everybody I guess!?

Small economics lesson here. Supply and demand drives up lease prices. There are far more people in Georgia (and Florida for that matter) than thee were 30 years ago, and less available land do to all the development to accommodate those people. If a group of five or ten deer hunters get together and pay $1000 a piece to lease a place, and five rabbit hunters are only willing to pay $300 a piece for the same place, the land will be leased to the deer hunters. That isn't greed, thats economics. I would love to have a nice brand new truck, but I'm not willing to pay $50,000+ for one, so I drive what I have with 220,000 miles. The dealership isn't being "greedy" for not selling it to me for $30,000, nor is my buddy that did pay9or financed) that much for his being greedy for not letting me borrow it when he isn't using it.
 
With the lack of places to hunt rabbits in GA and the deer season being so terribly long and daunting, I would never recommend anyone buy beagles for rabbit hunting in this state.

Coming from a guy who owned beagles for 30 years.

I would recommend people buying squirrel dogs of whatever flavor they like.
 

Doug B.

Senior Member
Small economics lesson here. Supply and demand drives up lease prices. There are far more people in Georgia (and Florida for that matter) than thee were 30 years ago, and less available land do to all the development to accommodate those people. If a group of five or ten deer hunters get together and pay $1000 a piece to lease a place, and five rabbit hunters are only willing to pay $300 a piece for the same place, the land will be leased to the deer hunters. That isn't greed, thats economics. I would love to have a nice brand new truck, but I'm not willing to pay $50,000+ for one, so I drive what I have with 220,000 miles. The dealership isn't being "greedy" for not selling it to me for $30,000, nor is my buddy that did pay9or financed) that much for his being greedy for not letting me borrow it when he isn't using it.
Greed doesn't just apply to money!
 

across the river

Senior Member
Greed doesn't just apply to money!

So explain it to me. You are the one who specifically said “greed” was “driving up lease prices” and complaining about people not letting rabbit hunters hunt. The problem from the land owners perspective is often times no good deed goes unpunished. You let someone coon hunt and they think that means they should go every night. You let someone fish and they think if they are biting good then they should catch every fish they can and come back the next weekend to do it again. Roads get rutted out, someone drives into your field, gates gets bent, etc.... and that is just what you get with family. Not saying everyone is like that, but a lot are. I completely understand why people don’t allow random people, or even people they know to hunt their land. It has nothing to do with greed. I also understand why people lease land to the higher bidder, all other things being equal. I would doubt you’ve ever gone into work and told them they were paying you too much. Again, please explain to me where the “greed” is. The way I see it, the people who feel entitled to have a place to hunt, just because they have dogs are the “greedy” ones.
 
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Doug B.

Senior Member
So explain it to me. You are the one who specifically said “greed” was “driving up lease prices” and complaining about people not letting rabbit hunters hunt. The problem from the land owners perspective is often times no good deed goes unpunished. You let someone coon hunt and they think that means they should go every night. You let someone fish and they think if they are biting good then they should catch every fish they can and come back the next weekend to do it again. Roads get rutted out, someone drives into your field, gates gets bent, etc.... and that is just what you get with family. Not saying everyone is like that, but a lot are. I completely understand why people don’t allow random people, or even people they know to hunt their land. It has nothing to do with greed. I also understand why people lease land to the higher bidder, all other things being equal. I would doubt you’ve ever gone into work and told them they were paying you too much. Again, please explain to me where the “greed” is. The way I see it, the people who feel entitled to have a place to hunt, just because they have dogs are the “greedy” ones.
See post #43.
 

Doug B.

Senior Member
So explain it to me. You are the one who specifically said “greed” was “driving up lease prices” and complaining about people not letting rabbit hunters hunt. The problem from the land owners perspective is often times no good deed goes unpunished. You let someone coon hunt and they think that means they should go every night. You let someone fish and they think if they are biting good then they should catch every fish they can and come back the next weekend to do it again. Roads get rutted out, someone drives into your field, gates gets bent, etc.... and that is just what you get with family. Not saying everyone is like that, but a lot are. I completely understand why people don’t allow random people, or even people they know to hunt their land. It has nothing to do with greed. I also understand why people lease land to the higher bidder, all other things being equal. I would doubt you’ve ever gone into work and told them they were paying you too much. Again, please explain to me where the “greed” is. The way I see it, the people who feel entitled to have a place to hunt, just because they have dogs are the “greedy” ones.
Dang dude hold up. I ain't complaining about anything. I also don't feel entitled to anything. Like has already been said, if I ask to hunt your property and you say no then that is that. We are still good.
The op ask why nobody rabbit hunts. Deer hunting is where the money is. Years ago deer hunters and small game hunters alike hunted on timber company lands with no leases. Timber companies and private landowners started leasing their land. There's nothing wrong with that. It's their land to do as they wish. I've heard several cases of one group of deer hunters offering land owners more money to get a certain piece of property out from under somebody else that already has it leased. Not greedy? Then other landowners realized the price next door went up so they go up too. Rabbit hunters could get together and lease some land to hunt on, but to get enough hunters to keep the lease from being too high per hunter would mean somebody ain't going to have room to hunt if they all show up Saturday morning with their dogs.

There used to be a break from deer season in December. That was for small game hunters. When the deer hunters leased most available land the dog hunters started dropping out of rabbit hunting. Nowhere to hunt. Then the December break got taken away cause there wasn't as many small game hunters. Then the deer season got extended cause deer hunters needed more time to kill their deer. Not greedy? That put the small game hunters with even less time to hunt so more and more are getting out of it. I'm not bashing deer hunters, but there are a lot more deer hunters and that's where the money is.

Again, I'm not complaining, and I'm definitely not going to argue. Can't please everybody I guess.
 

chrisn1818

Senior Member
All the places I used to hunt got leased by new groups. Apparently a group of beagles running once every 2 weeks runs deer off the property and they never come back ??‍♂️. I didn’t realize deer knew where property lines were but apparently they do. I am with Doug B. I don’t call it greedy, I have offered to pay for a rabbit only membership after season is done. As far as tearing up peoples places. I offer to take the land owner along every time so they can get to know me and see what I am about. I love for the landowner to tag along so they can see my ethics. They see me pick up all my hulls. They see me pick up cans other people left and then hopefully I get invited back. I do not feel entitled to anything. Not sure where exactly you got that. Hope it wasn’t anything I posted.
 

mguthrie

**# 1 Fan**OHIO STATE**
I suspect that has what has happened where I hunt. Lots of Yotes, few rabbits + as said, generally need bigger parcel to hunt rabbits + landowners reluctance to let pack of hounds roam property at will. Sad, but I think the days of having a pack of beagles chasing rabbits is gone with the wind.
We ran em Saturday. My buddy will be running every Saturday and some week days till the end of the season
 
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