For those of us who would rather pursue fin or fur than sit indoors and stare at screens of various sizes, this is a tough time of year. There is too much ice to launch a boat but not enough to ice fish. Almost all New York hunting seasons are now closed, and this depressing grey weather makes my daily sunbathing out of the question. Thankfully, cottontail rabbit season is one that remains open. Cottontail season is the longest of all New York hunting seasons, stretching from October 1 through the end of February.
Now that the deer hunters are out of the woods, rabbit hunters can get out there with their beagles without worrying about their dogs or themselves getting shot by a deer hunter. This is a sad statement, but true. I don’t mean to paint all the deer gun hunters as numbskulls, but the one percent that are is enough to keep every rabbit hunter I know well out of the field until the orange army is back on the couch.
Cottontails can be hunted by kicking brush piles, hoping to flush one out for a quick shot, or you can pursue them with beagles. Both methods can be successful, but the anticipation of a howling beagle heading your way in hot purist of his nemesis, that wascally wabbit, is hard to beat.
The fun begins when a beagle jumps a rabbit, usually in thick cover. The dog will start howling as it sight-chases the bunny. The beagle will soon lose visual of the rabbit, but its nose will allow it to stay on the trail, barking with excitement as it does. As a hunter, your job is to get close to the spot where the dog first jumped the rabbit and wait silently. If the beagle keeps up the chase without losing the scent, the rabbit will circle back to the jump site, not wanting to leave its home range. In most cases, the bunny will be moving slowly as it hops and listens for the hounds on its track. The rabbit will usually be a good 50 yards ahead of the pursuing dog, so if you stay quiet and watch closely for the returning bunny, you should get an easy shot.
All that being said, hunting with these charming little hounds can be a rollercoaster ride. Don’t get me wrong, beagles have friendly, happy personalities, but don’t be fooled. Those innocent-looking little dogs are a species of hound, and hound dogs hunt for themselves. Unlike bird dogs that hunt for their owners, a hound could care less if you are with him or not. Once they strike a hot scent, they’re gone. They are genetically forced to follow the track at all costs. I believe that a beagle on a hot rabbit track would follow the scent off a cliff if that’s where the rabbit went.
The biggest concern for any beagler is the chance their dog or dogs will run a deer rather than a rabbit. This usually happens when you take a young, excited beagle to a spot with few rabbits and many deer. It’s just a matter of time before the dog jumps a deer, and most can’t resist chasing this big brown animal that is leaving all this scent. This can be a major problem because deer don’t circle back as a rabbit does. They will run straight away from the howling hound, crossing roads and fences without a thought. This usually leads to losing your dog or, even worse, having it hit by a car.
I have had both happen to my beagles over the years.
Over the last decade, there have been huge breakthroughs for anybody that hunts with hounds, be it beagles, coon, fox, or coyote dog, with the advent of GPS tracking collars. With these collars, you will know exactly where your dog is at all times. Similar to the GPS in your car, these handheld units will show you where your dog is on a screen displaying a downloaded map of your location.
If you are interested in owning a beagle and don’t know of anyone to ask for advice, there is the Pioneer Beagle Club in LeRoy at 1710 Flint Hill Road. Their clubhouse is located just outside of Mumford, across from the Genesee Country Village and Museum. They have 100 acres of fenced-in running ground. Club members can put you on the right track towards acquiring a beagle, be it a trained dog or a puppy.
If you make the jump into the world of beagling, hang on to your orange hat. You’ll be in for a heck of a roller coaster ride, but like a roller coaster ride, when it is over, you will be smiling and yelling, “Let’s go again!”
