|
|
Article: Rabbit, Hare & Hound.(using beagle and basset hounds for hunting rabbits)
- Article from:
- New York State Conservationist
- Article date:
- December 1, 2000
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2000 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
The sound of my beagles baying in full pursuit of a cottontail brings back memories of my very first rabbit hunt. It was nearly 30 years ago; I was with my father. We hunted with our basset, a dog like the beagle bred to follow the scent left by a rabbit as it runs through the brush. The day ended with my first missed rabbit; there would be others, but successful days afield also lay ahead.
Although bassets like mine make good rabbit dogs, they are fairly unusual in New York, where the most common rabbit hound is the beagle. Faster than a basset, beagles are a pleasure to hear when trailing a rabbit-nose to the ground, using their keen sense of smell to trace ...