Beagles, rabbits and the old days.

Do coyotes make good eating?

Only in the fat young stage.

Most hunters where I hunted went to the smaller Beagles, they ran slower which made hunting rabbits more fun.

The smaller ones are also easier prey for coyotes.

The larger beagles might hit a hot deer track and quickly be gone.

Some time back my fox hunting uncles had to turn to coyotes due to lack of foxes. Now that the old school coyote hunters with hounds are gone coyotes seem to be every where.

In the KS Deer season I saw coyotes everyday. Saw deer 3 times, on the next farm where I couldn't hunt.
 
In Europe, German shorthairs are required to hunt fur bearing animals too... beside hunting upland birds... they must also retrieve dead geese, ducks out of Alpine lakes & streams... hunt, run & bay stag, rabbit/hare.. plus kill any fox they come across...to be allowed to breed they must kill 2 vermin animals typically 2 fox or 2 cats in a pit... plus pass every conformation test/exam.. pass a hunting test, then pass the vermin test...

Many Americans go to Europe & buy a field champ there & when they get it here... find out it will hunt rabbits like a beagle, stag/deer too & bay like a coon dog while hunting both...

We'll never be able to explain our love for our dog & cat pets to those who've never hunted over good dogs, nor ever had a pet in their lives... when I've tried to explain it... you can just see a look of mystery/non-comprehension on their faces after I tried to explain the joy of listening to the music of good dogs... watching a fine bird dog work a field... a good retriever in action... or even watching a good housecat hunt & put paid to a mouse or mole....they just think we're nuts...Me, I know they have huge holes in their lives... forever un-filled.. because they've never had a pet...
 
I've heard of Americans buying versatile breed dogs to hunt birds only to find out that they will kill every cat in the neighborhood, including their own. German Wirehaired Pointers and Drahthaar are especially hard on cats.

My dog looks a lot like a Draht but about 60 lbs. I don't have any stray cats around my place. She's tried to kill the neighbor's cat several times.
 
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I always liked small hounds to rabbit hunt because they pushed the rabbit harder. The best 2 rabbit dogs I ever hunted with in my life didn't belong to me but I hunted one time with the man that owned them. They were grade Black&Tans. We jumped 13 rabbits and didn't fire a shot. They caught 12 before before the rabbit could make the first round. One got up beside a crowfoot fence and slipped under and the dogs had to hunt a hole. I kept standing at the fence and he made it under the fence again but they caught him before he could make another round. That was a once in a lifetime pair of dogs. Larry
 
I rabbit hunted with a guy in our sportsmans club who was somewhat of a low class, braggard type. Always hogging the cover to get the most shots and bragging about what a great shot he was.

I shot a rabbit, dressed it and put it in my game bag. This guy shot at a rabbit and swore he hit it since he never missed. We searched for a while and it was obvious he missed so I took my gutted rabbit and hid it under a log and called him over. I said I saw some hair so he got down on all fours and pulled the rabbit out proclaiming himself the best shot in the world and he knew he had hit this rabbit.

Then he looked at the rabbit kind of funny and I said "Lou, you are such a good shot you gutted him." He threw the rabbit at me and everyone had a big laugh.
 
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Twenty-plus years ago my son hunted a friend's farm one beautiful afternoon. No dogs. In two hours wew walked up a limit of rabbits each. I took another friend's son to the same place, same conditions, and never saw a rabbit. But we found the carcasses of half a dozen coyotes the farmer's son had trapped and skinned. Not a rabbit or a quail on the place for the next two years.

A hunting buddy of mine once took his father-in-law rabbit hunting, again without dogs. They came to the head of a big field that had been cut down to no more than an inch high. The older man said, "Let's hunt through here." My friend said, "Bob, there's no cover anywhere!" And Bob said, "Yeah, but look what a clear shot we'll have."
 
I rabbit hunted with a guy in our sportsmans club who was somewhat of a low class, braggard type. Always hogging the cover to get the most shots and bragging about what a great shot he was.

I shot a rabbit, dressed it and put it in my game bag. This guy shot at a rabbit and swore he hit it since he never missed. We searched for a while and it was obvious he missed so I took my gutted rabbit and hid it under a log and called him over. I said I saw some hair so he got down on all fours and pulled the rabbit out proclaiming himself the best shot in the world and he knew he had hit this rabbit.

Then he looked at the rabbit kind of funny and I said "Lou, you are such a good shot you gutted him." He threw the rabbit at me and everyone had a big laugh.


Reddog, it is possible that the slob, game hog, you mentioned was the squirrely uncle I mentioned above. He was an oops baby and spoiled beyond redemption. When Grandpa passed a hand written will was produced, the oldest bro got 400 acres, Squirrely son got 400 acres and the good uncle mentioned above got 40 after he negotiated in the drive way with ole squirrely. The oldest son, worked his tail off, took care of Grandma and Grandpa, He put in Grandpa corn, picked it, cut his wood, baled his hay and helped with the livestock while working the 400 he had been given and his day job as a carpenter. I never saw SQ throw a stick of wood in the stove. He hunted, fished, trapped and was less than an outstanding human. For those who have not guessed it the family did not have much to do with him, but he had beagles and hunted with his good bro and my bro and me when we would go.

You said it about your example, he did not miss, ditto my uncle.
Run over to get between you and the dogs, ditto.
Claim every rabbit, ditto.
I'm just sorry folks like these couldn't have been a prison wife or something to keep them home.

I'll start another thread on rabbit hunts, game hogs and tell how much fun it isn't..
 
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