[beagles R therapy]

Any thoughts out there about the "need" to kill a rabbit now and then for the sake of the dogs? I live in an area where the rabbit population is down and available hunting ground is limited (compared to 20-25 years ago). I have been reluctant to do more than run the dogs (no gunning involved) for those reasons. Was wondering about thoughts on needing to reward the dogs on occasion? I would appreciate any input.

 

[marshall dillon]

IMO they get there reward getting out the pen and smelling the track and running it . Most of mine don’t pay a dead rabbit any attention and just start hunting again after one is killed . I have run 3 days already this week and left the gun at home everyday .

 

[Gpen08]

We don't have a lot of good places to hunt either. Therefore we only kill about 6 to 10 rabbits a year. The rabbits that we shoot are normally shot over young dogs. I dont think older dogs need it. They know what the end result of a chase is. I will say that if the older dogs are pounding one around and around then on occasion we will harvest it. Its more about the running than gunning for us

 

[Marshall Rowley]

Same here Marshall Dillon..my dogs dont care too much about a dead rabbit...but they sure like one movin...I'm one of those who just enjoy the chase and if the fur runs in front of me and their right behind...I'm a happy fella

 

[cltyus1]

I think it fires a young dog up to touch what he’s been chasing

But besides that I don’t feel the need to kill em often


I’ll kill 15-20 a year

 

[Huntsman]

Better to save your rabbits for running and repopulating. When our Ohio rabbit populations noticeably dropped about 20 years ago, we reduced our harvest and eventually stopped gunning altogether. I don’t see any difference in the way my hounds run today. The pack does occasionally catch one.

 

[Hippy]

I believe that Killing Rabbits is PART of training for young dogs -I like most find Rabbits & Bigfoot in the same places. I use a T/C 14" 410 they R pretty safe in front of me

JIm

 

[Marshman]

I feel like I need it more than the dogs sometimes... I often forget how much fun it is to shoot a well run bunny. We run the dogs daily and by "we" I mean my 8 and 9 year old daughters and I. 20 years ago I shot limits on a regular basis, now it's hard too. My goal for this season is 1 rabbit a week, that's 20 tasty critters and plenty of action for my ladies. Most of all I want my girls have fun!

 

[TJRANGER]

I agree with City and Hippy about firing up and training young dogs. I try to kill 1 each time out. If population is good we shoot a few more. Try to save shots for kiddos tho. I try to take my grandkids as much as possible and also youth around our community.

 

[Circle4p]

We try to kill more in February where we hunt the deer leases. But the one spot we really gun is covered up. The best place we run. And they want us to shoot them. They eat up there gardens. Love running there

 

[duke1]

I agree with most of what was said also. I don't have many places to run/hunt. A lot of guys near me hunt marshes/swamps/islands that will repopulate every year and the sole goal is to limit out. My cousin just got a nice boat so Lord Willing, I'll get on some of those islands next season.

 

[jake hunter]

I like to kill one so my dogs know what they are supposed to be running because sometimes they get confused an run deer or coyote

 

[marshall dillon]

I was happy today a snipe got up right in front of my young dog and he ignored it . He ain’t the best dog , but he has all day hunt and is getting better at 18 months old . He has been running really good this week . I have had a couple of over 3 hour runs with him and another dog this week on 1 rabbit .

 

[singlebarrel]

I cant even get my young dogs to pay attention to a dead rabbit. I really don’t know if it helps or not.

 

[Ken's Kennels]

We shoot a few or try to. We're rabbit hunting. The places we hunt are very thick so it's not a walk in the park. I think it reinforces as some.have said young dogs.

 

[JMS Ky Kennels]

My 2.5 year old hound will chew a dead rabbit my young dogs could care less. You bought have to scream it that it’s dead! Lol
And then they could care less and go back after it.

 

[Foxxy]

I will and have shot a rabbit for my young dogs. If I have a good running rabbit I will never shoot it because it runs so well. That way its my training rabbit providing an education my dogs. JMO

 

[beagles R therapy]

Thanks for all the input/thoughts on gunning. Have not done any gunning all season, despite running several times a week. I love to hear and see the chase evolve, and that's 'therapy" for me. Appreciate all your thoughts.

 

[Huntsman]

By all means, if you harvest any type of game, do it because you or someone will eat it. Killing one “just for the hounds” may not be the best reason. Not too long ago, men hunted rabbits to put food on the dinner table, but most of us don’t need to hunt to eat today.

Many years ago a bunch of hare hunters on Beaver Island in Michigan got a bad name for themselves with the locals because they were killing hare and just leaving piles of them where they parked. Let’s all have more respect than that for the rabbits we love to chase.

 

[cltyus1]

My young boy was definitely interested