# Where have all the rabbit hunters gone?



## Wifeshusband (Dec 6, 2020)

Maybe I missed you, but I haven't seen anything about anybody hunting rabbits anymore. When I was a boy it was almost as big as squirrel hunting.  Went a couple of times with a friend in high school who had a pack of beagles. (I'm partially deaf but I can still hear them two miles away.)
Quick shooting and lots of fun.
Maybe it's due to lack of dogs or a large place to hunt on. Dogs don't mind property lines.


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## Beagler282 (Dec 6, 2020)

Due to lack of land to hunt until deer season goes out. Some WMA's are getting run on pretty good right now until deer season ends. I'm waiting myself then turning the pack loose.


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## Liberty (Dec 6, 2020)

Coyotes have thinned them out a help in these parts. I hate to shoot the few that are left.


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## Arrow3 (Dec 6, 2020)

The extended deer seasons and loss of land have hurt the rabbit and other small game hunters.


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## Ruger#3 (Dec 6, 2020)

Small game, particularly rabbit hunting, is dying a slow death. With no big bucks to be made on equipment, no lobbyist to squeeze DNR the small game hunter is squeezed out. It’s tough to feed and train a pack for a few weeks hunting each year.


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## Hillbilly stalker (Dec 6, 2020)

It’s so hard to find places for them to hunt around here. People are so anti dog hunting and worried to death you will run a deer off, it’s hard to get permission to rabbit hunt. I really hate that. Thanks giving day rabbit hunts and listening to a pack of beagles used to be the norm. All the money is in deer hunting and that’s what makes the world go round. Maybe it will turn back around one day.


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## ky55 (Dec 6, 2020)

Hillbilly stalker said:


> It’s so hard to find places for them to hunt around here. People are so anti dog hunting and worried to death you will run a deer off, it’s hard to get permission to rabbit hunt. I really hate that. Thanks giving day rabbit hunts and listening to a pack of beagles used to be the norm. All the money is in deer hunting and that’s what makes the world go round. Maybe it will turn back around one day.


I think you hit the nail on the head. 
I don’t expect it will ever come back.


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## BeerThirty (Dec 6, 2020)

Used to love hunting rabbits. Stompin brush piles would produce lots of bunnies. Always wondered what it was like huntin them with dogs...


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## Ruger#3 (Dec 7, 2020)

BeerThirty said:


> Used to love hunting rabbits. Stompin brush piles would produce lots of bunnies. Always wondered what it was like huntin them with dogs...



I have hunted and raised beagles nearly all my life. Not having a hunting companion leaves a void at present.


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## Wifeshusband (Dec 7, 2020)

Liberty said:


> Coyotes have thinned them out a help in these parts. I hate to shoot the few that are left.


I suspect that has what has happened where I hunt. Lots of Yotes, few rabbits + as said, generally need bigger parcel to hunt rabbits + landowners reluctance to let pack of hounds roam property at will.  Sad, but I think the days of having a pack of beagles chasing rabbits is gone with the wind.


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## HDDyna06 (Dec 7, 2020)

We are seeing more rabbits this year on our leases after a successful year of trapping last year. Definitely would like to entertain someone with a pack of beagles to expand the recreational use of the lands we lease after the Holidays. SE Georgia, Long County.


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## Triple C (Dec 7, 2020)

Interesting thread.  There's a generation of hunters that never had the unique experience of small game hunting during the December break back when deer firearms season ended the 1st Saturday of December and opened back up for bonus week from December 26 - January 1st.  Small game hunters had most of December and then all of Jan and Feb to chase critters.  And in most cases back then, didn't have to worry about posted property.  Pretty much could hunt where your wanted.

Different times we live in today.


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## Mattval (Dec 7, 2020)

I would like to go rabbit hunt ing so bad!


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## Awehunt (Dec 7, 2020)

Unfortunately, unless running packs on private land or large enclosed running pens it is safer to wait for mid January.  I would be hesitant to turn my dogs out where they might run across a hunter for fear the hunter would shoot at my dogs. 

We do more listening to the rabbit race than trying to hunt the rabbit.


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## Rulo (Dec 7, 2020)

You can thank the avid deer hunting biologist/ DNR WRD employee (s) who gave us the 4 1/2 month long deer season for putting the nail in the coffin as far as killing off the rabbit hunters. 

The January 12th end date for deer season leaves one roughly 6 weeks to run dogs on private property.

Thanks WRD/DNR! Really smart insightful thinking went into that one!


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## bentleyboys02 (Dec 8, 2020)

I HAVE A BIG PACK , M ay be we can get up a Big Hunt sometime ,some where an let the roar begin .


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## Bowyer29 (Dec 9, 2020)

Rulo said:


> You can thank the avid deer hunting biologist/ DNR WRD employee (s) who gave us the 4 1/2 month long deer season for putting the nail in the coffin as far as killing off the rabbit hunters.
> 
> The January 12th end date for deer season leaves one roughly 6 weeks to run dogs on private property.
> 
> Thanks WRD/DNR! Really smart insightful thinking went into that one!


You can run them on private property the day season opens. 
What am I missing there?


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## clyde445 (Dec 9, 2020)

I've been told my grandfather hunted rabbits as a kid but he may have had a bit more pressure to put food on the table than I do. Either he didn't pass the info or my Dad wasn't interested because I never got the memo and Dad was never a hunter. Actually, no one in my family hunts. 

Over the past four years I've been trying to rabbit hunt Dawson Forest. I say trying because there's been no sightings and you can only learn so much from youtube and books. More like walking around with a gun for a long time. That was until the weekend after season opener this year. I flushed two and got a shot at one but missed. I kept trying and was able to flush one on 11/22 and he became stew a day later. A lot of suggestions I've read or have been told as to where to find rabbits in north Georgia simply have not been true in my experience. As a solo hunter I've found that doing the dog's job is a bit challenging but manageable. 

I don't like how the State ignores priority on small game and I understand loss of habitat, predators, etc aren't helping. On the other hand, complaining to DNR doesn't work. Big game is where the money is. I only spent $15 for my license and feel excited every time I hit the woods. What I'm trying to say is don't be put off by the lack of perceived interest. Keep wading into those thorns. Keep running your dogs if that's your thing. Just don't give up.



I don't deer hunt but as an aside I spotted this goofball before he spotted me while taking a break on 11/16. (center right)


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## Ruger#3 (Dec 9, 2020)

Bowyer29 said:


> You can run them on private property the day season opens.
> What am I missing there?



Prior to latest extension of the deer season lots of land owners and clubs would invite a rabbit hunter over for a hunt after deer season closed. This was often unpressured land with plenty of game. With the extension of the season that access moved to weeks later.


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## sasmojoe (Dec 9, 2020)

I have a lease in taliaferro county that has some big brier heads and and i’m Seeing some rabbits. I was hoping to get someone with a pack of beagles to meet up and see If we could kill a few after deer season.


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## nrh0011 (Dec 9, 2020)

I think the extended deer season and popularity of deer hunting has taken the biggest toll. The few rabbit hunters I know of are losing places to hunt every year. Like others have said it’s getting hard to justify keeping a pack year round. I still thoroughly enjoy going a few times a year.


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## Mack in N.C. (Dec 9, 2020)

We are up in North Carolina!!  I have 2 friends that each have a big pack.  We are getting ready to hit them hard after Christmas till the End of February.


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## clyde445 (Dec 10, 2020)

Flushed one today but missed. He did a half circle but I couldn't find him. My Brunswick stew ingredients are getting lonely.


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## trad bow (Dec 10, 2020)

The three WMA’s I bird hunt on are wrapped up everyday of the the week with multiple different beagle packs running. I don’t think it has fallen off in popularity, it’s just most diehard rabbit hunters don’t broadcast their activities. Same with most other types of hunting and fishing.


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## 308-MIKE (Dec 10, 2020)

clyde445 said:


> I've been told my grandfather hunted rabbits as a kid but he may have had a bit more pressure to put food on the table than I do. Either he didn't pass the info or my Dad wasn't interested because I never got the memo and Dad was never a hunter. Actually, no one in my family hunts.
> 
> Over the past four years I've been trying to rabbit hunt Dawson Forest. I say trying because there's been no sightings and you can only learn so much from youtube and books. More like walking around with a gun for a long time. That was until the weekend after season opener this year. I flushed two and got a shot at one but missed. I kept trying and was able to flush one on 11/22 and he became stew a day later. A lot of suggestions I've read or have been told as to where to find rabbits in north Georgia simply have not been true in my experience. As a solo hunter I've found that doing the dog's job is a bit challenging but manageable.
> 
> ...




I keep thinking it would be cool to have several guys in rabbit areas. Walk through thick stuff at, say a right angle. Have the gun walking maybe 20 yards to the right( or left angle with hunter to the left of the group), and and a few paces behind, see if any rabbits get flushed towards the gunman. Every so often switch "dogmen" and gunmen. If course, you'd need a strict rule,  no shooting to the left if you're on the right.
Just an idea that pops into my head once on awhile. It might work at a place like the dove fields at pine log.


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## antharper (Dec 10, 2020)

Not being a smart butt and I love any type of hunting , especially with a dog involved ! And I do agree rabbit and all small game hunting is not what I used to be . I had killed a few truck loads of small game when I was a kid before I ever thought about shooting a deer . But why isn’t there more small game leases ?


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## chrisn1818 (Dec 13, 2020)

I have 3 beagles. I run them every weekend at least once. I don’t usually shoot the rabbits just because there are not many left. I love the sport but now I just try to see the rabbit. Oh I carry a gun but it’s more for exercise ?. If I found a place that had a lot of rabbits I wouldn’t mind taking a few now and then but population seems pretty low to me.


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## Wifeshusband (Dec 14, 2020)

It's really sad. I know a few landowners down where I deer hunt who will allow folks to come in and take out some squirrels, and I even know of one landowner who allows deer hunters he doesn't know well hunt his property simply because they were polite and the deer were eating his wife's vegetables and flowers, but I don't know any landowners who will allow a pack of beagles running through their property.  It wasn't like that back in the 60's and 70's.  Guys used to run packs on Ft. Benning a lot back then, but I don't hear of anyone doing that on the military reservations anymore.


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## armystrong20 (Dec 15, 2020)

sasmojoe said:


> I have a lease in taliaferro county that has some big brier heads and and i’m Seeing some rabbits. I was hoping to get someone with a pack of beagles to meet up and see If we could kill a few after deer season.


I am not far from you maybe we could meet up one weekend and run


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## Rulo (Dec 15, 2020)

Bowyer29 said:


> You can run them on private property the day season opens.
> What am I missing there?



Mr Bowyer29,

Do you have a pack of beagles that you maintain all year and then run in season?

and one more thing.....

Do you own a piece of property that you and your friends and or family deer hunt on?


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## Throwback (Dec 16, 2020)

More of a land access issue than anything less IMO


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## Bowyer29 (Dec 16, 2020)

Rulo said:


> Mr Bowyer29,
> 
> Do you have a pack of beagles that you maintain all year and then run in season?
> 
> ...


Good morning sir.
No, I do not own beagles. My feist is enough for me. She is crazy and quirky, but she is ours and we love her.

I lease a very small piece to kill deer on, and I am blessed to have over 150 acres of family land, that is an operating cattle farm, to hunt as well. It has pasture, pines, and some of the nastiest, thickest privet, briers, sumac, etc., that I have ever seen. Quail, rabbits and deer thrive.


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## 4x4 (Dec 16, 2020)

Someone say rabbit hunting!? Belle is a juvenile redtail hen, first pic. Zip is an adult Harris's hawk, 2nd pic. Both are rabbit killers


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## Bowyer29 (Dec 16, 2020)

4x4 said:


> Someone say rabbit hunting!? Belle is a juvenile redtail hen, first pic. Zip is an adult Harris's hawk, 2nd pic. Both are rabbit killers
> View attachment 1055612View attachment 1055613


Now that is cool!


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## antharper (Dec 17, 2020)

4x4 said:


> Someone say rabbit hunting!? Belle is a juvenile redtail hen, first pic. Zip is an adult Harris's hawk, 2nd pic. Both are rabbit killers
> View attachment 1055612View attachment 1055613


Beautiful birds especially the Harris


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## johnq85 (Dec 22, 2020)

HDDyna06 said:


> We are seeing more rabbits this year on our leases after a successful year of trapping last year. Definitely would like to entertain someone with a pack of beagles to expand the recreational use of the lands we lease after the Holidays. SE Georgia, Long County.


Two years ago I trapped a property for a friend and caught several coyotes and a pile of grey fox. The following spring the land owner commented to me that he had seen a rabbit on his driveway and it was the first he had seen in years there. I didn't get back out on the property last year but the land owner told me he's been getting coyotes on the cameras again. I think the trapping of predators, especially coyotes really helps the small game populations.


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## NCHillbilly (Dec 22, 2020)

Bowyer29 said:


> You can run them on private property the day season opens.
> What am I missing there?


Because every square foot of land has somebody deer hunting on it, and the expert buck-killing man on the tv says that if somebody sets foot on it, all the big bucks will leave.

I miss my beagles. Had a lot of fine days out there running them.


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## greg_n_clayton (Dec 30, 2020)

NCHillbilly said:


> Because every square foot of land has somebody deer hunting on it, and the expert buck-killing man on the tv says that if somebody sets foot on it, all the big bucks will leave.
> 
> I miss my beagles. Had a lot of fine days out there running them.


You and me both know running the deer off is a crock ! That is the reason folks with dogs aren't allowed...even after the deer season in a lot of cases !


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## Fletch_W (Dec 30, 2020)

greg_n_clayton said:


> You and me both know running the deer off is a crock ! That is the reason folks with dogs aren't allowed...even after the deer season in a lot of cases !



We had beagles that ran loose most of the day where I grew up, always howling and chasing things, and there was no shortage of deer there. The only thing is that if you have a dumb beagle that hunts deer instead of rabbits, they'll chase them for a mile. I wouldn't want my deer getting harrassed by untrained beagles.


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## Hillbilly stalker (Dec 30, 2020)

Funny.....the deer dog running clubs around here return to the same 3-4 tracts every weekend and run deer every time. You can’t even run the deer off with dogs trained to chase deer, much less a pack of beagles or a tree dog that are broke off deer.   But you won’t get a deer hunter to believe that. Sad but true.


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## Fletch_W (Dec 30, 2020)

I don't doubt what you are saying at all. But it is a logical conclusion for someone who spends a lot of time and money to make his land as deer-friendly as possible, that if his property has dogs that occassionally harrass the deer, and his neighbor's land does not have dogs that occassionally harrass the deer, then the deer would prefer his neighbor's land. It doesn't have to be true, it just has to be logical.


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## across the river (Dec 30, 2020)

Hillbilly stalker said:


> Funny.....the deer dog running clubs around here return to the same 3-4 tracts every weekend and run deer every time. You can’t even run the deer off with dogs trained to chase deer, much less a pack of beagles or a tree dog that are broke off deer.   But you won’t get a deer hunter to believe that. Sad but true.



Why is always the deer hunter’s fault that the small game guys don’t have somewhere to hunt?  If 5 or 10 guys pitch in together to lease land to deer hunt, I don’t understand why they should feel any obligation to let someone rabbit hunt.  Same goes for a landowner. 

Why don’t 5, 10, or more of you guys get together and lease a place like the deer hunters do, and then you can hunt it anytime you want to for rabbit, squirrels, raccoons, released quail, whatever you want to. Heck you could have a lot more people on the lease because you would have different people hunting different stuff, some at night some during the day, etc.....  I just don’t get this mentally that people have that just because they have some dogs, someone owes them a spot to hunt.  Heck, you could even lease out the deer hunting rights as supplemental money under the conditions that they only hunt certain days, areas, etc.....    Since the dogs don’t impact them at all according to you,  there should be plenty of deer running around for them to hunt.


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## Hillbilly stalker (Dec 30, 2020)

across the river said:


> Why is always the deer hunter’s fault that the small game guys don’t have somewhere to hunt?  If 5 or 10 guys pitch in together to lease land to deer hunt, I don’t understand why they should feel any obligation to let someone rabbit hunt.  Same goes for a landowner.
> 
> Why don’t 5, 10, or more of you guys get together and lease a place like the deer hunters do, and then you can hunt it anytime you want to for rabbit, squirrels, raccoons, released quail, whatever you want to. Heck you could have a lot more people on the lease because you would have different people hunting different stuff, some at night some during the day, etc.....  I just don’t get this mentally that people have that just because they have some dogs, someone owes them a spot to hunt.  Heck, you could even lease out the deer hunting rights as supplemental money under the conditions that they only hunt certain days, areas, etc.....    Since the dogs don’t impact them at all according to you,  there should be plenty of deer running around for them to hunt.


Buddy...nobody owes me nothing and I never said they did.  Deer hunting is where the moneys at. There’s no way 3 or 4 or even 10 small game hunters can compete with Doctors, lawyers accountants and the high rollers for tracts of land and the huge amount of money they sink into it. There’s not that many small game hunters around anymore anyway. So many prople think that a deer is the only animal in the woods. Y’all lease up the land , greed kicks in and then people cry and whine if they see or hear a dog.If I wanted to hunt your land, I would come up and ask you....you say no, then that’s that and I’ll do my best to keep my dog away from it. You don’t like dog hunters....your prerogative. I have places to hunt, but it’s kinda sad that most beagle guys don’t. Change in habitat and this deer disease that infects peoples minds is the reason that the rabbit hunters are dwindling away. And that’s a crying shame to end a long standing tradition over a stinking deer. Most of the rabbit hunters I know are some heckuva good guys, and most are letting their packs die off with no desire to restock....
all because it’s so hard to find a place to hunt for a couple months. They feed and care for them 12 months out of the year. Can you name many if any pieces of state land that’s managed, planted, burnt or manipulated for rabbit hunters ? I can not. If the dogs ran all the deer off, those clubs would only be able to run once a year now wouldn’t they ?


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## greg_n_clayton (Dec 30, 2020)

Fletch_W said:


> We had beagles that ran loose most of the day where I grew up, always howling and chasing things, and there was no shortage of deer there. The only thing is that if you have a dumb beagle that hunts deer instead of rabbits, they'll chase them for a mile. I wouldn't want my deer getting harrassed by untrained beagles.


True !! That would be a exception. My skwerl dogs will run one 50-75 yes if they jump it up in front of em.


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## specialk (Dec 30, 2020)

Hillbilly stalker said:


> Most of the rabbit hunters I know are some heckuva good guys,  ?



90% of deer hunters just deer hunt.....90% of rabbit hunters deer hunt too.....i share deer leases with deer hunters, always have....i hunt when deer season is out...problem is the state opened up the december break then  added 2 weeks after xmas.....less for them to share with me now.....i deer hunt too and don't wont anybody or anything messing up my deer hunting either.....i get it....


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## chrisn1818 (Dec 30, 2020)

across the river said:


> Why is always the deer hunter’s fault that the small game guys don’t have somewhere to hunt?  If 5 or 10 guys pitch in together to lease land to deer hunt, I don’t understand why they should feel any obligation to let someone rabbit hunt.  Same goes for a landowner.
> 
> Why don’t 5, 10, or more of you guys get together and lease a place like the deer hunters do, and then you can hunt it anytime you want to for rabbit, squirrels, raccoons, released quail, whatever you want to. Heck you could have a lot more people on the lease because you would have different people hunting different stuff, some at night some during the day, etc.....  I just don’t get this mentally that people have that just because they have some dogs, someone owes them a spot to hunt.  Heck, you could even lease out the deer hunting rights as supplemental money under the conditions that they only hunt certain days, areas, etc.....    Since the dogs don’t impact them at all according to you,  there should be plenty of deer running around for them to hunt.


Not sure anyone blames the deer hunter. I would hope you would agree running rabbits in January and February shouldn’t have an effect on what the deer are doing in deer season ?‍. Feeling like you got a little hurt about the post. No one wants to rabbit hunt “your” land ??. But if you think anyone can afford $20/ac to rabbit hunt you must have more $$$ than brains.


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## Marsupial (Dec 30, 2020)

I own land in Wilkes county and would let a small group run their dogs for rabbits once or twice after deer season as long as me and kids can shoot too. We have plenty of rabbits.


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## chrisn1818 (Dec 30, 2020)

Marsupial said:


> I own land in Wilkes county and would let a small group run their dogs for rabbits once or twice after deer season as long as me and kids can shoot too. We have plenty of rabbits.


Man I wish it wasn’t such a ride. I have twin 7 year olds and they would love to have other kids to hunt/play with.


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## across the river (Dec 30, 2020)

chrisn1818 said:


> Not sure anyone blames the deer hunter. I would hope you would agree running rabbits in January and February shouldn’t have an effect on what the deer are doing in deer season ?‍. Feeling like you got a little hurt about the post. No one wants to rabbit hunt “your” land ??. But if you think anyone can afford $20/ac to rabbit hunt you must have more $$$ than brains.



I'm not hurt at all, but I'm not the one complaining about having a place to hunt either.  I just for the life of me don't understand why someone would get dogs if they had no where to hunt them.  I grew up quail and rabbit hunting, but haven't had a beagle  (had one basset hound too) or any bird dogs in many years.   Primarily because the land I have doesn't have any quail and few rabbits.   I have allowed a buddy to come put out flight pen birds, but I just can't get into it. I do deer hunt, but like a lot of people, it is primarily because that is what is available.  If quail were running everywhere and mallards dropped down through the pine trees, I may never pick up a bow or deer rifle again.  Since they don't, I hunt what I have to hunt, and go out of state where ducks and quail actually exist to hunt those. Personally, if I was going to go through the effort to have dogs, I would make sure I had somewhere to hunt them, rather than getting them and just complaining a lot about the DNR and the  greedy deer hunters.  As far as my comments regarding land, I still stand by it.  If 5 or 10 guys can come up with the money to lease a place to deer hunt, how could you not get a combination of guys that rabbit, squirrel, and coon hunt that could all pitch in together in the same way and have a place to hunt anytime they want.


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## Hillbilly stalker (Dec 30, 2020)

No ones complaing. A question was asked and answered. You might not like or agree with the answers...but it’s a fact.  Now surely you are not naive enough to think someone would raise and train a dog or pack and not have a place to hunt ?   There is less land to hunt every year, and even less good rabbit habitat. There was a time not so long ago when people were neighborly and would let you hunt their farm or lease after deer season was over. Very few will nowadays because of “their deer”. I applaud the ones who do, and I don’t even own a rabbit dog.


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## Wifeshusband (Dec 31, 2020)

Fletch_W said:


> We had beagles that ran loose most of the day where I grew up, always howling and chasing things, and there was no shortage of deer there. The only thing is that if you have a dumb beagle that hunts deer instead of rabbits, they'll chase them for a mile. I wouldn't want my deer getting harrassed by untrained beagles.


I believe that's one of the problems. The guy I hunted with in high school had a big pack, and invariably one of them would turn up missing, off on a deer. They would have to go back the next day and try to round the dog up. I recall they lost one.  I think that turns off some landowners.


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## shawnrice (Jan 1, 2021)

In the process at the moment selling out all my rabbit hunting stuff ..got a package deal going with a guy buying everything I own  ... I dont have anywhere to run anymore . I Hate it but thats what its come too


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## Hillbilly stalker (Jan 1, 2021)

shawnrice said:


> In the process at the moment selling out all my rabbit hunting stuff ..got a package deal going with a guy buying everything I own  ... I dont have anywhere to run anymore . I Hate it but thats what its come too


Man I hate that and I know you do too. One of the reasons I went with squirrel dogs is you can find squirrels just about anywhere. Even state land and WMA’s.


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## shawnrice (Jan 1, 2021)

Hillbilly stalker said:


> Man I hate that and I know you do too. One of the reasons I went with squirrel dogs is you can find squirrels just about anywhere. Even state land and WMA’s.


Yes Sir I hate doing it but its over around here ..
Sure going to miss running them....
On a side note there is a 50,000 acre DEER DOG  club 5 miles from my house I use to be a member of that wont allow me to run rabbit dogs ...Think I'm going to run the deer all off ..so there you have it ...just crazy folks thats crazy over a 80 lb Florida deer ...lol
WOW ...


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## bentleyboys02 (Jan 1, 2021)

That is not true .A friend of mine was told  ,by a deer hunter that he could hunt there land in late  DEC. That they were done for the year, so they went an ran rabbits all   afternoon .Loaded dogs up an called the guy an thanked him for letting them hunt ,told him they might wont to hunt some more for the big cut trees they saw  there.  Guy went over an checked his trial cams .Had one where the loaded dogs at 4.30 and the big deer walked out in same place at 5.15 same afternoon. guy goes in the next morning an kills the deer 140 .you tell me we run the deer off ,lol


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## Beagler282 (Jan 1, 2021)

shawnrice said:


> In the process at the moment selling out all my rabbit hunting stuff ..got a package deal going with a guy buying everything I own  ... I dont have anywhere to run anymore . I Hate it but thats what its come too


Shawn I hate to hear this knowing that you have worked hard to build a good pack. So sorry.


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## shawnrice (Jan 1, 2021)

Beagler282 said:


> Shawn I hate to hear this knowing that you have worked hard to build a good pack. So sorry.


Thanks Beagler282 ..its a bad feeling giving it all up .I just dont have many options left around here for running spots


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## Mack in N.C. (Jan 2, 2021)

Going on a Rabbit hunt in the morning....plenty of land here in NC to run rabbits on..
we are starting off on our club land(1st year we have had this lease.) then we are heading over to some public land.    2 guys bringing 2 packs.


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## chrislibby88 (Jan 2, 2021)

I jump shoot them. No dogs. I just make loops around my 15 acres and hit all the briar patches. My brother and I, and my two boys, and my flock of 5 domestic birds (they followed us gobbling every time we yelled or shot) kicked up 3 in an hour an a half yesterday afternoon. We went home with two. I try to get a handful of rabbits every year after after I’m done deer hunting.


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## Danuwoa (Jan 3, 2021)

People still rabbit hunt around here.


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## Doug B. (Jan 4, 2021)

Hillbilly stalker said:


> Buddy...nobody owes me nothing and I never said they did.  Deer hunting is where the moneys at. There’s no way 3 or 4 or even 10 small game hunters can compete with Doctors, lawyers accountants and the high rollers for tracts of land and the huge amount of money they sink into it. There’s not that many small game hunters around anymore anyway. So many prople think that a deer is the only animal in the woods. Y’all lease up the land , greed kicks in and then people cry and whine if they see or hear a dog.If I wanted to hunt your land, I would come up and ask you....you say no, then that’s that and I’ll do my best to keep my dog away from it. You don’t like dog hunters....your prerogative. I have places to hunt, but it’s kinda sad that most beagle guys don’t. Change in habitat and this deer disease that infects peoples minds is the reason that the rabbit hunters are dwindling away. And that’s a crying shame to end a long standing tradition over a stinking deer. Most of the rabbit hunters I know are some heckuva good guys, and most are letting their packs die off with no desire to restock....
> all because it’s so hard to find a place to hunt for a couple months. They feed and care for them 12 months out of the year. Can you name many if any pieces of state land that’s managed, planted, burnt or manipulated for rabbit hunters ? I can not. If the dogs ran all the deer off, those clubs would only be able to run once a year now wouldn’t they ?


I wish I could like this post 100 times.


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## Doug B. (Jan 4, 2021)

Hillbilly stalker said:


> No ones complaing. A question was asked and answered. You might not like or agree with the answers...but it’s a fact.  Now surely you are not naive enough to think someone would raise and train a dog or pack and not have a place to hunt ?   There is less land to hunt every year, and even less good rabbit habitat. There was a time not so long ago when people were neighborly and would let you hunt their farm or lease after deer season was over. Very few will nowadays because of “their deer”. I applaud the ones who do, and I don’t even own a rabbit dog.


And this one 100 times!


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## Theturtle (Jan 7, 2021)

Bowyer29 said:


> You can run them on private property the day season opens.
> What am I missing there?


He doesn’t have land to hunt on so he wants them to take half of our deer season so he can shoot a couple bunnies on public land


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## Bowyer29 (Jan 7, 2021)

Theturtle said:


> He doesn’t have land to hunt on so he wants them to take half of our deer season so he can shoot a couple bunnies on public land


Sure sounds that way to me.


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## Theturtle (Jan 7, 2021)

chrisn1818 said:


> Not sure anyone blames the deer hunter. I would hope you would agree running rabbits in January and February shouldn’t have an effect on what the deer are doing in deer season ?‍. Feeling like you got a little hurt about the post. No one wants to rabbit hunt “your” land ??. But if you think anyone can afford $20/ac to rabbit hunt you must have more $$$ than brains.


If sombody will pay to hunt deer why can’t you pay to hunt rabbits? Of rabbit hunting is such a time honored tradition if you don’t have the money or the land it’s not a deer hunters fault times are different I wouldn’t let strangers on my land if they paid me to much liability and things to be damaged or stolen


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## Ruger#3 (Jan 7, 2021)

This thread clarifies exactly why hunting numbers are dwindling.


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## Theturtle (Jan 7, 2021)

I’ve kicked up more rabbits this year walk hunting than any other on our farm.But nobody is going to let rabbit hunters blast at running rabbits on a cattle farm? and they don’t have to? if you want to have a place just for rabbits buy one and then you can control the property as you see fit and make it a perfect rabbit hunting playground. Because that’s what hunters do!


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## Theturtle (Jan 7, 2021)

Ruger#3 said:


> This thread clarifies exactly why hunting numbers are dwindling.


Because people feel so entitled to everything now that they should have access to somebody’s private property just because they asked ?


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## Doug B. (Jan 7, 2021)

Theturtle said:


> If sombody will pay to hunt deer why can’t you pay to hunt rabbits? Of rabbit hunting is such a time honored tradition if you don’t have the money or the land it’s not a deer hunters fault times are different I wouldn’t let strangers on my land if they paid me to much liability and things to be damaged or stolen





Theturtle said:


> Because people feel so entitled to everything now that they should have access to somebody’s private property just because they asked ?


See post #43.


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## across the river (Jan 7, 2021)

Doug B. said:


> See post #43.


I know a bunch of guys leasing land or in club that aren’t “doctors and
Lawyers”.  They save up money and join a club or pool there money and form one.   Explain this to me though. How is it greed if someone who leased the land doesn’t let the rabbit hunter hunt?  Would it not be greedy for the rabbit hunter, who hasn’t pitched in a dime, to expect to be allowed to hunt the place for no reason other than that asked to.


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## Doug B. (Jan 8, 2021)

across the river said:


> I know a bunch of guys leasing land or in club that aren’t “doctors and
> Lawyers”.  They save up money and join a club or pool there money and form one.   Explain this to me though. How is it greed if someone who leased the land doesn’t let the rabbit hunter hunt?  Would it not be greedy for the rabbit hunter, who hasn’t pitched in a dime, to expect to be allowed to hunt the place for no reason other than that asked to.


Nobody said it was greed to not let rabbit hunters run their dogs. What was said, the greedy deer hunters have caused the lease prices to go up.   It certainly hasn't been the small game hunters that caused that.  Can't please everybody I guess!?


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## Ruger#3 (Jan 8, 2021)

Theturtle said:


> Because people feel so entitled to everything now that they should have access to somebody’s private property just because they asked ?



No, they feel a responsibility  to start the next generation and continue a tradition. Their not so self centered as to push others out of opportunity even when they can.


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## across the river (Jan 8, 2021)

Doug B. said:


> Nobody said it was greed to not let rabbit hunters run their dogs. What was said, the greedy deer hunters have caused the lease prices to go up.   It certainly hasn't been the small game hunters that caused that.  Can't please everybody I guess!?



Small economics lesson here.  Supply and demand drives up lease prices.  There are far more people in Georgia (and Florida for that matter) than thee were 30 years ago, and less available land do to all the development to accommodate those people.  If a group of five or ten deer hunters get together and pay $1000 a piece to lease a place, and five rabbit hunters are only willing to pay $300 a piece for the same place, the land will be leased to the deer hunters.   That isn't greed, thats economics.  I would love to have a nice brand new truck, but I'm not willing to pay $50,000+ for one, so I drive what I have with 220,000 miles.   The dealership isn't being "greedy" for not selling it to me for $30,000, nor is my buddy that did pay9or financed) that much for his being greedy for not letting me borrow it when he isn't using it.


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## mallardsx2 (Jan 8, 2021)

With the lack of places to hunt rabbits in GA and the deer season being so terribly long and daunting, I would never recommend anyone buy beagles for rabbit hunting in this state. 

Coming from a guy who owned beagles for 30 years. 

I would recommend people buying squirrel dogs of whatever flavor they like.


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## Doug B. (Jan 8, 2021)

across the river said:


> Small economics lesson here.  Supply and demand drives up lease prices.  There are far more people in Georgia (and Florida for that matter) than thee were 30 years ago, and less available land do to all the development to accommodate those people.  If a group of five or ten deer hunters get together and pay $1000 a piece to lease a place, and five rabbit hunters are only willing to pay $300 a piece for the same place, the land will be leased to the deer hunters.   That isn't greed, thats economics.  I would love to have a nice brand new truck, but I'm not willing to pay $50,000+ for one, so I drive what I have with 220,000 miles.   The dealership isn't being "greedy" for not selling it to me for $30,000, nor is my buddy that did pay9or financed) that much for his being greedy for not letting me borrow it when he isn't using it.


Greed doesn't just apply to money!


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## across the river (Jan 8, 2021)

Doug B. said:


> Greed doesn't just apply to money!



So explain it to me.  You are the one who specifically said “greed” was “driving up lease prices” and complaining about people not letting rabbit hunters hunt.  The problem from the land owners perspective is often times no good deed goes unpunished.  You let someone coon hunt and they think that means they should go every night.  You let someone fish and they think if they are biting good then they should catch every fish they can and come back the next weekend to do it again.  Roads get rutted out, someone drives into your field, gates gets bent, etc.... and that is just what you get with family. Not saying everyone is like that, but a lot are.  I completely understand why people don’t allow random people, or even people they know to hunt their land.  It has nothing to do with greed. I also understand why people lease land to the higher bidder, all other things being equal.  I would doubt you’ve ever gone into work and told them they were paying you too much.  Again, please explain to me where the “greed” is.  The way I see it, the people who feel entitled to have a place to hunt, just because they have dogs are the “greedy” ones.


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## Doug B. (Jan 8, 2021)

across the river said:


> So explain it to me.  You are the one who specifically said “greed” was “driving up lease prices” and complaining about people not letting rabbit hunters hunt.  The problem from the land owners perspective is often times no good deed goes unpunished.  You let someone coon hunt and they think that means they should go every night.  You let someone fish and they think if they are biting good then they should catch every fish they can and come back the next weekend to do it again.  Roads get rutted out, someone drives into your field, gates gets bent, etc.... and that is just what you get with family. Not saying everyone is like that, but a lot are.  I completely understand why people don’t allow random people, or even people they know to hunt their land.  It has nothing to do with greed. I also understand why people lease land to the higher bidder, all other things being equal.  I would doubt you’ve ever gone into work and told them they were paying you too much.  Again, please explain to me where the “greed” is.  The way I see it, the people who feel entitled to have a place to hunt, just because they have dogs are the “greedy” ones.


See post #43.


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## Doug B. (Jan 8, 2021)

across the river said:


> So explain it to me.  You are the one who specifically said “greed” was “driving up lease prices” and complaining about people not letting rabbit hunters hunt.  The problem from the land owners perspective is often times no good deed goes unpunished.  You let someone coon hunt and they think that means they should go every night.  You let someone fish and they think if they are biting good then they should catch every fish they can and come back the next weekend to do it again.  Roads get rutted out, someone drives into your field, gates gets bent, etc.... and that is just what you get with family. Not saying everyone is like that, but a lot are.  I completely understand why people don’t allow random people, or even people they know to hunt their land.  It has nothing to do with greed. I also understand why people lease land to the higher bidder, all other things being equal.  I would doubt you’ve ever gone into work and told them they were paying you too much.  Again, please explain to me where the “greed” is.  The way I see it, the people who feel entitled to have a place to hunt, just because they have dogs are the “greedy” ones.


Dang dude hold up.  I ain't complaining about anything.  I also don't feel entitled to anything. Like has already been said, if I ask to hunt your property and you say no then that is that. We are still good.  
The op ask why nobody rabbit hunts.  Deer hunting is where the money is.  Years ago deer hunters and small game hunters alike hunted on timber company lands with no leases. Timber companies and private landowners started leasing their land.  There's nothing wrong with that. It's their land to do as they wish.   I've heard several cases of one group of deer hunters offering land owners more money to get a certain piece of property out from under somebody else that already has it leased.  Not greedy?  Then other landowners realized the price next door went up so they go up too.  Rabbit hunters could get together and lease some land to hunt on, but to get enough hunters to keep the lease from being too high per hunter would mean somebody ain't going to have room to hunt if they all show up Saturday morning with their dogs.  

There used to be a break from deer season in December.   That was for small game hunters.  When the deer hunters leased most available land the dog hunters started dropping out of rabbit hunting.  Nowhere to hunt.  Then the December break got taken away cause there wasn't as many small game hunters.  Then the deer season got extended cause deer hunters needed more time to kill their deer. Not greedy? That put the small game hunters with even less time to hunt so more and more are getting out of it.  I'm not bashing deer hunters, but there are a lot more deer hunters and that's where the money is.  

Again, I'm not complaining,  and I'm definitely not going to argue.  Can't please everybody I guess.


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## chrisn1818 (Jan 9, 2021)

All the places I used to hunt got leased by new groups. Apparently a group of beagles running once every 2 weeks runs deer off the property and they never come back ??‍. I didn’t realize deer knew where property lines were but apparently they do. I am with Doug B. I don’t call it greedy, I have offered to pay for a rabbit only membership after season is done. As far as tearing up peoples places. I offer to take the land owner along every time so they can get to know me and see what I am about. I love for the landowner to tag along so they can see my ethics. They see me pick up all my hulls. They see me pick up cans other people left and then hopefully I get invited back. I do not feel entitled to anything. Not sure where exactly you got that. Hope it wasn’t anything I posted.


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## mguthrie (Jan 21, 2021)

Wifeshusband said:


> I suspect that has what has happened where I hunt. Lots of Yotes, few rabbits + as said, generally need bigger parcel to hunt rabbits + landowners reluctance to let pack of hounds roam property at will.  Sad, but I think the days of having a pack of beagles chasing rabbits is gone with the wind.


We ran em Saturday. My buddy will be running every Saturday and some week days till the end of the season


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## twoheartedale (Jan 21, 2021)

We hunted all day Saturday with 16 head. Good times. Headed out this weekend ss well.  Got a bunch of them around screven co.


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## cotton top (Jan 23, 2021)

Ruger#3 said:


> I have hunted and raised beagles nearly all my life. Not having a hunting companion leaves a void at present.


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## cotton top (Jan 23, 2021)

Have ran beagles and hounds all my life, but had to quit.M old legs give out on me. Still love to hear my sons dogs though.


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## Mack in N.C. (Feb 7, 2021)

we hunted yesterday 1030am -2.................had 4 good runs.........killed 3 of 4. 
video out soon.............


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## ArmyTaco (Feb 10, 2021)

The issue with deer hunters are many houndsmen are willing to pay to play. I don't mind paying my dues and even waiting til after deer season to run my coondogs, but as soon as you join a hunting club to hunt it and they find out you are running a dog on it even outside of deer season everyone loses their minds. Add to the fact that just because a 2000 acre club is a large area, it doesn't mean 2000 acres of small game habitat. You'd think having a member willing to pay his part then not even be someone hunting those antlers everyone is obsessed with would be a positive thing. Your 6 man lease just essentially became 5. Plus you're no longer feeding 10 coons at every protein feeder. Someone brought up logic, but if that was used they'd realize there are entire areas of GA that are hammered with deer dogs all season long for years on end and those deer never leave. Logic would be showing them the study a university did on the effects of deer patterns before and after being ran by a DEER DOG and how that deer still lived right there. Logic is knowing the last thing I will have as a coon hunter is a dog that chases deer anyway. Logic would show deer have a home range and live on the same small area of land basically their entire lives as well. Thankfully I am blessed with a great friend who let's me hunt their large farm from end of deer season right up until bow season. I can go every night and last year I hunted as hard as ever all over that property. A property that they grew up running coondogs, squirrel dogs, and beagles on yet killed several walls full of trophy bucks. Even this year a 162" net buck was taken mere weeks after I stopped hunting it. Many deer hunters are the last to use logic when they want coons shot out but the members are too worried the dogs being in the woods 3-4 weekends between Jan and Feb 28 will run their deer off and ruin the upcoming season that is still 7-8 months away. That's a true story that came from here. They were sick of feeding dozens of coons and we came to agreement of not joining but just killing everything we treed for those 3-4 weekends. When the club president took it before the members, that is what the majority of them said. If that's logic then I guess everything else that is going on in this country these days is logical as well. Its fine because one day when all the small game hunters have been picked off because deer hunters don't think they matter, they'll find that target on them. Same way you eat an entire cow, one bite at a time. That's all I'm saying so don't even bother expecting any response from me later. I'm tired of playing chess with pigeons.


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## twoheartedale (Feb 10, 2021)

We killed 5 Sunday.


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## Beagle Stace (Feb 10, 2021)

Well said Army Taco you my friend define true  logic. I agree totally with you but I quit arguing with deer hunters also long ago. AS dedicated small game hunters it is not worth the wasted effort.


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## Tye (Feb 13, 2021)

As most of the houndsmen know, a place to train year round is becoming harder to find. Sadly, this has forced quite a few out of the sport. I am a beagler and keeping a place to run has become difficult, so recently myself and a few of my fellow beaglers managed to get a lease. Short of buying property, this was the only solution for guaranteeing a good place to run/train hounds. We are managing to maintain a good rabbit population, so we don't do any gun hunting at the lease but it does provide the year round opportunity to train and pleasure run. Sort of expensive, but all part of the sport these days.


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