C’mere deer!

[Ed Kennell 39,479]

11 hours ago, adsm08 said:

@Ed Kennellyou will have to give me some tips to get my two morons into shape.

 

I had one staring right at a rabbit and not know what to do about it back in November.

Like Don noted above, the instinct to track and hunt is primarily genetic in the hound breeds.   All my beagles were offspring of hunting dogs and 90% were good hunters.

Some had no desire to hunt and became great indoor lap dogs. 

I did introduce all the pups to the scent and sight of rabbits early by using a roll cage. 

I made my own from two 12"dia. plywood ends with swivels and handles that I could use to roll the live rabbit around the yard with the pup following.  Where I worked there were plenty of rabbits that I live trapped and used for training pups.

 

After they were accustomed to and enjoying following the rolling rabbit,  I left them in the pen and rolled a trail leaving the cage within their  sight.

 

The next step was to start the rolled trail within thier sight but then dissappearing behind a building requiring them to actually use the scent to find the rabbit.

 

Next step was to release the rabbit within their sight

 

Some would trail slowly by track scent not moving from a track until they knew where the next track was.

 

Some would trail faster by body scent sometimes being 5-10 feet downwind from the ground track.

 

I could ID each one in a pack of five by their distinct voices.  The bark, bawl, bay, howl, chop, and whine.

 

 

 

[adsm08 2,291]

5 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

Like Don noted above, the instinct to track and hunt is primarily genetic in the hound breeds.   All my beagles were offspring of hunting dogs and 90% were good hunters.

Some had no desire to hunt and became great indoor lap dogs. 

I did introduce all the pups to the scent and sight of rabbits early by using a roll cage. 

I made my own from two 12"dia. plywood ends with swivels and handles that I could use to roll the live rabbit around the yard with the pup following.  Where I worked there were plenty of rabbits that I live trapped and used for training pups.

 

After they were accustomed to and enjoying following the rolling rabbit,  I left them in the pen and rolled a trail leaving the cage within their  sight.

 

The next step was to start the rolled trail within thier sight but then dissappearing behind a building requiring them to actually use the scent to find the rabbit.

 

Next step was to release the rabbit within their sight

 

Some would trail slowly by track scent not moving from a track until they knew where the next track was.

 

Some would trail faster by body scent sometimes being 5-10 feet downwind from the ground track.

 

I could ID each one in a pack of five by their distinct voices.  The bark, bawl, bay, howl, chop, and whine.

 

 

 

 

The older of my two seems to have the idea, but he is a flight risk in the field. I think he gets scent-locked on deer, because I have had to chase him down over a track of several miles before.

 

The younger one, I fear I may have missed the prime age to train him last summer while I was laid up and unable to do anything that wasn't 100% necessary.

 

If the weather holds tomorrow I may take them down to rabbit-row at the farm and kick the brush for them, just to see if we can kick one up.