Driver hunts hard, jumps rabbits, explodes out of the check area, and is the type of hound that will literally kill himself to get at the rabbit. He is a rabbit’s worst nightmare!  He can run the front with composure and power, but more often is seen gutting a high energy pack from the second or third spot.  He is certainly not perfect, but is a workhorse with all-day stamina that gets the job done in the field and under the gun. He was very easily broken of deer, and he hasn’t had an e-collar on in the field since he was a puppy. He also retrieves rabbits, as did his dam.

Driver is 3 1/2 yrs. old (d.o.b. 8/1/09), is AKC registered and is approx. 14 1/4″ tall. He has a coarse, deep mouth that stands out in any pack.  He has already been bred a handful of times and has pups doing well in TN, GA, New Hampshire, KY and VA.

Here are a few clips of Driver in the field thrown together to give you an idea of his mouth, speed and ability in the field.

post and video by Peter

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Once the rabbit is up and running their work has just begun.  Their job is to pursue the rabbit and not lose the track.  They drive the rabbit until the chase is ended by the hunter’s gun or the rabbit is forced to take refuge due to exhaustion or fear of being caught.  Sometimes the chase is short and other times it can last well over an hour.

They pursue the rabbit with all that is within them.  To say they have a total disregard for their own bodies would be a understatment.  They take a beating from the rough terrain, sharp briars, rocks and barbed wire fences.  All rabbit dogs have scars.  It is not uncommon after a hunt for me to have to doctor up several of the dogs.

Drive, Jack, Fancy and Maggie eager to start the hunt.

Here are a couple of pictures of Jack after a long day in the briars.  As you can tell he is exhausted, battered and spent.  Jack exemplifies what I’ve heard athletic coaches say many times, “leave nothing on the field!”  Jack, along with his pack mates demonstrate “true grit” every time the tailgate drops.

Maggie, the oldest and most experienced dog in the pack, does not show any signs of slowing down at eight years old.

Having bred, raised and trained beagles for about fourteen years, I am convinced this kind of drive and desire is not something that can be taught.  Rather, it is the result of careful breeding.  There are many factors I consider when planning a future breeding, but the at the top of the list is the goal of producing pups with true grit!

pictures courtesy of Justin Kuhler, post by Peter

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While we certainly prefer for one of the hunters to shoot the rabbit, the little hounds have done their job equally well if the rabbit is driven to seek refuge and go underground.  In this case the dogs will often “show” us the hole or rock pile where the track ended.

This video shows the beagles being successful in driving the rabbit to the gun and to the ground.  We were fortunate to shoot 15 rabbits over one-and-half days of hunting, and the dogs put another 7 rabbits in the ground.  Only, two or three rabbits were able to escape by simply loosing or out smarting the pack.

post, picture and video by Peter

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The rabbit dogs pictured above from left to right: Maggie, Fancy, Driver and Crockett.

by Peter

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Usually rabbit hunting is fast paced with plenty of action… but occasionally, due to harsh weather or poor scenting conditions the hunt becomes more about endurance and making the most of the few chances presented.  This was one of those hunts.  Only two real races and the rabbits were holding tight.  Once the rabbits were up, they did not run in predictable patterns but opted to resort to trickery over running big.

Amy hung in there and ended up with a well-earned rabbit!

post and video by Peter

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Maggie is not a flashy hound but she is as solid a gun-dog as I have ever hunted over.  She works hard, makes few mistakes and is level-headed.  Maggie is the measuring stick by which we evaluate all the other hounds we have owned.  Fancy is quite the opposite.  She is feisty and aggressive.  At times she errs on being over aggressive or too competitive, but she makes up for it with her non-stop drive to find a rabbit.  Together they make an awesome pair of rabbit dogs.

Pictured below, my nephew enjoys showing off the first rabbit of the morning.  Maggie is in the middle and Fancy is on the right.

We take pride in the fact that both Maggie and Fancy were bred, born, raised and trained here, by us.  We love that both are as good as or even better than their sire and dam.  As breeders, our goal is to always to improve the breed.  If a breeder is not constantly producing dogs as good as or better than the sire and dam then you should look elsewhere for your puppy.

Out of all the dogs in the pack, we consider Maggie to be the top dog.  Going on 8 years old, she may be past her prime physically, but there is no substitute for experience.  There is no telling how many rabbits we have killed in front of Maggie.  She is not the fastest or strongest hound in the pack, but she is smart, doesn’t make many mistakes and consistently works hard every time the tail gate drops.  One of the things I most appreciate about Maggie is her unwillingness to quit.  At the end of a long hunt when the other dogs start dragging a bit, Maggie still has to be run down and caught because she is not ready to go home.

Pictured below, Maggie is tough!  A couple of years ago she went missing on a hunting trip.  I left the dogs with the other hunters and went looking for her.  I found her hanging upside down with her back leg caught in a fence.  You can see the visible scar in the picture.  I carried her back to the truck and called my veterinarian.  He said there was nothing I could do but watch it and see if she would lose her foot due to blood loss.  I doctored the cut to prevent infection and anxiously watched to see if it would heal.  I am so thankful that she didn’t have any permanent damage.  Watching her run rabbits today, you would never guess she nearly lost a leg.

It is evident that Maggie holds a place of respect among the other beagles.  You can see it both in the kennel and in the field.  The other dogs trust her and follow her leadership.  In the Southern woods, filled with deer, coyotes and foxes Maggie is completely “trash free” and trustworthy.  If young dogs bark on a track that doesn’t sound right, I look to Maggie to see what she thinks of the track.  If it is anything but a rabbit she will come back and tell on the young dogs.

While we have a number of really quality rabbit dogs in our kennel, we consider Maggie and Fancy to be the core and build the pack around them.

by Peter

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At six months old, Lightning still has some growing to do, but he is plenty strong enough to tackle thick briars and get after a rabbit.

We really enjoy training beagle pups.  We use the term “starting a pup” to mean introducing a pup to rabbits.  They will instinctively use their nose to track the rabbit and once they start tracking and barking on the track, we refer that as a “started pup.”  We are currently working with two pups, Lightning and his litter-mate sister.  Typically, we prefer to work with just one pup at a time – as they often end up playing and distracting each other.  So far these pups have been all business.

The key to working with young beagles is patience – you can’t get in a hurry!  At this stage it’s most effective to focus on  positively reinforcing their good actions – praise them every time they do they do something right…like getting in the briars to hunt.  They are not even sure yet what they are hunting for but its a step in the right direction!

I prefer to start my pups in the wild (versus a starting pen).  I leave a hedgerow of briars and brush near the kennel for the purpose of training pups.  I keep the hedgerow fairly narrow with mowed lanes on each side so the pups are more likely to have sight chases.  Pups typically progress from sight chasing a rabbit to using their nose to track the rabbit scent.

These pups don’t mind getting in the thick stuff to look for Mr. Rabbit!  That’s a good sign.

These pups have not yet “started” but we do not expect it will take long.  A few more trips to the hedgerow and I think they will start scent tracking rabbits.  It will not be until next season that these pups will join the pack in the field for a hunt.  For now, we will continue to give them plenty of opportunities to practice chasing rabbits at home.

pictures and post by Peter

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Traits I look for in a Rabbit Gun

Gauge – one of the great things about rabbit hunting is that you can hunt with just about any shotgun in your closet or gun safe at home.  I have hunted rabbits with everything from a single shot .410 to a semi-automatic 12-gauge.  I only rabbit hunt over dogs so I will rule out .22 rifles.  They certainly have their place for stalk and jump rabbit hunters, but they are too dangerous when dogs and other hunters are involved.

The goal in choosing any hunting gun is to match the gauge or caliber of the gun to the game animal and terrain you will be hunting.  In my opinion the 20-gauge matches up very well for cottontail, snowshoe hare and swamp rabbits.  Additionally, the shells are readily available and priced affordably.

The .410 is a great choice for young hunters and those looking for a bit more of a challenge (and don’t mind missing a few shots).  The 12-gauge, used by many is certainly a fine rabbit gun, but I would speculate for most it would not be their first choice.  However, the 12-gauge should not be regarded as “too much gun.”  When shooting low brass field load there is really not much difference between the 20-gauge, 16-gauge and 12-gauge.  The next time you are buying shells compare the amount of lead and velocity statistics on each box and you will see they are fairly comparable.

Any shotgun will work, but if I were buying a new rabbit gun I would pick a 20-gauge.

Lightweight – rabbit hunts often mean spending the better part of the day in the field on your feet carrying a gun.  I want a light gun that is enjoyable to carry for hours at a time.  I often have  my hands full as I manage the hounds – the last thing I want is a heavy shotgun adding to the load.

Compact – not only do I want a light shotgun, I want one that is compact and able to be shot quickly – not bulky and slow to the shoulder.  Barrels in the 22″ – 26″ range are preferred, 28″ and longer barrels are better suited for hunting other game.

Workhorse – leave your pretty, shiny shotguns in the display cabinet.  When rabbit hunting I often find myself in the middle of thickets and briars and don’t want to worry about putting a scratch on my gun.

Adjustable Chokes – with the exception of the .410, which should stay with a full choke, I want to be able to change chokes to match the terrain I’m hunting.

Action – single shots have certainly been responsible for adding many rabbits to the game bag, but I personally prefer to have a follow-up shot!  Pumps and auto loaders are fine choices, but I like the ease and speed of loading and unloading double barrels.  I typically leave my gun unloaded until a rabbit is jumped and running.  Throughout the hunt, I unload and reload my gun numerous times.  I also like double barrels because I am able to use two different chokes – one barrel set-up for close range shots and one for extended range.

My rabbit gun of choice is a side-by-side 20-gauge with adjustable chokes.  It is light and compact with 24″ barrels.  I typically, have one barrel with a I.C. choke for closer shots and a Mod. choke in the other barrel to extend my range.  I typically shoot low brass #6 shot shells and occasionally use a high brass shell in my Mod. barrel if I am hunting an area with  long shot opportunities.  I prefer the side-by-side to the over-and-under because they are typically lighter and more compact…and I just like the look and feel of a “granny gun.”

If you only have one shotgun, and it’s bulky, heavy and has a fixed choke, take it and don’t feel bad about using it!  The main thing is that you get out in the field, enjoy yourself and be safe!  My grandfather exclusively used this single shot 12-gauge with a 30″ barrel!  It wouldn’t be my first choice for a small game gun, but he knew how to shoot it and he was able to keep his game bag filled!

 pictures and post by Peter

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Rabbit hunting is a great way to introduce young kids to the world of hunting.  There is typically plenty of action and excitement to keep their attention.  They enjoy the dogs, teamwork, excitement and fun that defines a rabbit hunt.  I have found that beagles barking on a hot rabbit track make the hunt easier for kids to follow and understand.  There are moments to focus and be quiet as they anticipate the rabbit crossing followed by opportunities to talk, walk around and have fun!

Tips for a Successful Rabbit Hunt with Kids

Safety is always the number one consideration when hunting – even more so when kids are involved.  Make sure they have on blaze orange and that all hunters take extra precaution to make sure clear and safe shots are taken.

Make the hunting trip enjoyable.  We pause here to celebrate a rabbit and the boys listen to Uncle Daniel give an account of the kill.

Stop and get the kids a snack and a cold drink at the local market.  Bojangle’s biscuits start our hunt off right!

Involve the kids in the hunt.  They will enjoy their experience more if you include them at whatever level they are ready to participate.
A couple of my nephews lead the beagles in the field.

The kids are not quite ready to carry shotguns so we took several breaks during the morning to let them shoot their air rifles at Coke cans.  Again, the goal of the hunt is make the experience fun and enjoyable for the kids!  Uncle Tim goes over the basics.

Wrap the hunt up before the kids lose interest.  Young hunters do not have the patience and endurance of a seasoned hunter.  It’s better to end the hunt early leaving them wanting more, than to drag it on too long and end with them being tired and bored.

Make sure you take some kids hunting this winter.  If you don’t have kids, grand kids or nieces / nephews of your own, invite a dad and his kids to join you in the field.  We bet you will enjoy the experience as much as they do!

 post and pictures by Peter

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The shooting lanes are bush-hogged; our chaps are on and we are ready to go!  This year, we have several solid packs of dogs with a couple up and coming young hounds looking to make their place in the pack.

Check out  highlights from the 2011 season and get a taste of what’s ahead!  There will be a lot of good dog work, fast shooting, bells ringing, beagles barking, radio talking, rabbits running, hounds in hot pursuit, and shotguns firing.  The hunts are fun and the action is guaranteed!

Join us in this year’s chase.  

Clips from last year’s rabbit season. 

post by Sunshine, pictures by Ryan McLemore

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I reflect over several milestones in Whitey’s training.

Started Running
Whitey started running with little effort (“started running” for those unfamiliar with the term is when a beagle starts using their nose to track.  Often they progress from sight chasing rabbits to using their nose to track.)  I remember well the afternoon he started running – my little boy and I had Whitey out of the kennel and were looking to put him on a rabbit.  Having already had 3 or 4 sight chases under his belt, I walked Whitey over to a rabbit I had seen on the edge of a cut hay-field.  He soon spotted the rabbit and took off after it running it into the nearby treeline.  We watched as Whitey paused for moment looking into the brush where the rabbit had disappeared.  Thinking he might once again turn and come running back to me, I watched as he suddenly put his nose to the ground and dove headlong into the treeline giving plenty of mouth as he scent tracked his first rabbit!  He ran the rabbit only about 75 yards, but I couldn’t have been more proud…and excited!

Jump & Circle Solo
Another milestone for a young beagle is the first time they jump and circle a rabbit running solo – completely on their own.  Depending on the time of year and the amount of opportunities I have given a young dog, I fully expect them to be able to jump and circle their own rabbit before they are a year old.  Whitey reached this milestone at about 9 months old.  I ran him solo quite a bit as a puppy and by the time he was a year old, he was able to push rabbits around the farm by himself with ease.

Run with a Pack
The next accomplishment for Whitey was to run in a pack with 3 or 4 hard-hitting, experienced hounds.  Often I find that a young hound gets frustrated running with experienced and strong dogs.  I first dropped Whitey on the ground with a big male named Crockett.  After about an hour of watching and listening I was convinced Whitey was able to hold his own.  I then added two more big males, Jack and Driver to the pack and the intensity and drive of the race increased.  Whitey continued to stay in the races and handled the pressure well.  Some young dogs advance through this step without missing a beat.  Others do not handle the pressure and competition very well and either get discouraged and quit the race, or are overwhelmed and “crack up.”  I have seen first hand a few young dogs start acting crazy when they couldn’t handle the pressure of an experienced pack.

First Rabbit
Evaluating a hound under the gun is always the true test of their ability.  Just last week Ike and I took to the field with a pack of six hounds including Whitey.  The goal was simple – get Whitey his first rabbit!  We worked the hounds through a dry pond filled with briars.  Soon after entering the pond, Ike starting whooping as he kicked up a rabbit.  Captain Jack was the first dog to hit the track and soon all the dogs had piled on the line.  Listening to six hounds on a hot track is always an awesome sound!  The rabbit ran up a hill for about 200 yards and we split up to take stands as we heard the pack turn and start back in our direction.

I thought for sure, I was in the right spot as the dogs approached, but at the last second they veered and headed for Ike.  A few moments later I heard Ike’s shotgun but he came across the radio saying he had missed the streaking rabbit.  As the pack went into their first check, we set up again and waited.  It wasn’t long before Maggie sorted things out and the race was back underway.  After another big circle without getting a shot opportunity, Ike and I ended up standing together expecting the rabbit to be pushed through a neck of woods between a field and the river.  As the pack grew louder heading in our direction, I could pick out Whitey’s voice and knew it wouldn’t be long before we had his first rabbit.  The rabbit suddenly appeared slipping through the woods and this time Ike dispatched him with ease.

The pack was not more than 10 seconds behind the rabbit and we ran to meet Whitey at the dead rabbit.  We spent quite a bit of time praising Whitey and letting him mouth the rabbit and pull fur.  He was excited!  I am confident that this is only the first of many, many rabbits Whitey will drive to the gun during his career!

post by Peter, pictures by Peter & Ike Elgard

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This week we have started leash breaking Lightning.  Leash breaking is simply the process of getting a young dog use to being on a leash.  Often, the first few times a leash is put on a dog they will fight, pull and flop all over the place.  It’s a little like bronco busting on a much smaller scale!

During this training the dog will not only get used to having a leash on, but more importantly will learn submit to the handler.  Lightning is learning to go where the handler takes him.  He stops when the handler stops and he walks when the handler starts walking.

Often, you will see a defiant dog take the leash in their mouth and try to direct the handler.  It’s important to establish in this early training that the handler is the master, and is in charge, no questions asked.  If a dog is allowed to think they are in charge they will not be a very enjoyable hunting companion in the field or a pet around the house.

Here you see Lightning’s first experience on a leash.  The kids take turns holding the leash and speaking calmly but firmly to him.  It won’t be long until having a leash on is no big deal for Lightning and then he will be one step closer to joining the pack in the field!

Tips for Training a Pup

-Make your training sessions short – puppies, like kids have short attention spans.  It is much better to have six short 10-minute sessions than one hour-long session.

-Reinforce positive behavior with praise and affection.

-It is best to work with one puppy at a time, as they are easily distracted.

by Peter, pictures by Sunshine

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Whitey is a pleasure in the kennel and demonstrates a strong desire to work hard in the field.  He excels in the areas of hunt and track running.   Even at a young age, this hound is getting his share of strikes and checks when running with older more seasoned dogs.

Whitey, started scent trailing after only three sight chases.  At a year old, he is now able to jump his own rabbit and circle it with ease while running solo.  I have kept in touch with the owners of his litter mates and all are progressing nicely.  This is a breeding we will repeat!

The true test for Whitey will be the upcoming gun season.  No hound can be fully evaluated until he has joined the pack in the field under the gun.  We look forward to shooting the first rabbits in front of Whitey this winter!

by Peter, picture by Sunshine

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Lightning truly is the pick of the litter.  It is interesting how often the kids’ favorite and my pick of the litter are the same.  Lightning was the first to venture out of the dog house, first to eat dog food, and first to go out the kennel door and enter the brush.  He already demonstrates focus, boldness, intelligence and an eagerness to please – all the characteristics I look for in a young pup.

Our kids have a way of naming puppies as soon as they are born.  Sometimes the names stick and sometimes they don’t.  They named this little guy ‘Lightning’ for the white bolt running down his back.  The name has stuck and we think it fits him well as he shows signs of one day being a powerful force in the field!  It won’t be long until we have pictures of the first rabbits bagged in front of this hound!

by Peter, pictures by Sunshine

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I never grow tired of watching a good dog work – whether it be bird dogs, hounds or retrievers.  These labs are duck dogs first and foremost –  hunting out of duck blinds and making retrieves in frigid water is what they live for!  However, in early September they adapt well to sown wheat fields and making retrieves in warmer conditions.  A good lab will not only add to the enjoyment of a dove shoot, but also to the success as they recover crippled birds and those difficult to find in thick cover.

by Peter, pictures by Ryan McLemore

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