9/29/2012 - Lowell, VT - Opening Day

Date of hunt: 9/29/2012
Location: Lowell, VT
Weather: Wet/Rainy
Temperature: 53 (Start) 53 (End)
Dogs of mine: Flander's Ridic
# of Rabbits Ran: 2
# of Rabbits Shot: 1
Distance ran by Ridic: 14.2 miles

Opening day of 2012-2013 rabbit season started off wet. It was raining at home when I left but I was hopeful, the radar only showed precipitation at home and I would drive out of it as we traveled Northeast. I was wrong. When Logan and I showed up in Lowell it was sprinkling, and had been raining all night. The woods were wet, and they weren't drying out. Ridic was excited and was running through the woods looking for a rabbit, but still wanting to know where I was at all times. Typical puppy! Ridic turned 1 back in August and had only ran one hare prior to today. He ran the last one really well and I was hopeful for a good run today. We searched some new area with hopes of finding some new honey holes and to find Ridics first hare. We searched high and low and the rain continued to come down and even pick up at times. We gave up on the new ground and started hitting the old honey holes. By 10 o'clock we were worn out, and Ridic was losing interest. I was getting frustrated with his lack of interest and having not found a hare, I needed to call it quits. I could see that I had lost patience and as a puppy it wasn't his fault. We made our way back up to the truck and stopped by to talk with Bruce and Sue at their camp for a couple of minutes. My plan was to pack up and head home, I had had enough. I called home to check in and was convinced by my wife to stay out, it was only opening day. The rain had stopped and after some lunch and some more conversation we had some new found energy. 

We once again decided to try some new area. We searched some old honey holes on the way down to the new ground, still nothing. We crossed the power line and found some thick balsam patches. We made our way through them, nothing. Logan pointed towards a blow down and Ridic followed his command and went into it. He started yipping a little then was hot on a hare out the back side of the downed tree. He took the hare on a fast short circle around Logan and I. We saw the hare, but no shot was available. We quickly set up in new locations as he was coming back toward the blow down and we were hoping to spot the hare on his next circle. The hare decided to take Ridic deep. They went almost out of hearing before the hare turned to come back. Ridic struggled on the turn, but picked it up after a short check and started bringing it back to us. The hare came back to the blown down tree and I thought he was going to turn and go deep again. Logan and I were still setup on the original short circle. Ridic was close and I thought for sure the hare had turned and headed back out for another deep run. There was no way that my pup was pushing that fast and staying that close to this hare. The hare popped out of the back side of the blow down and headed right at me. I waited for it to stop running and took a shot at about 20 yards. Logan came in quickly and got their just as Ridic came in. Ridic was finally able to taste what he was chasing! The hare gave a couple of kicks as Ridic approached but a quick bite by Ridic and it was finished. He kept licking and biting at the hare and couldn't get enough. We toyed with him and kept him excited during pictures and he was wound up! 

We were pumped and wanted to find another one. There was no having to get Ridic interested, he was looking everywhere he could to get one going. We searched for a while with nothing new and decided to head towards the truck to make it home for some warm dinner. We took the long way through the woods instead of the easy walking trail, deep down we were hoping to get another one going. Ridic found the next hare on his own and took it up towards some familiar running ground that we had ran in a lot last year. He checked on the turn, but searched hard to pick it up again. I gave him ten minutes, but also knew we were fighting the clock. It was time to be on the road to make it for dinner, but wouldn't two hare on Ridic's fist hunting trip be something! I had to call him in. It took some coaxing but I finally got him to break from the search and he came in. 

As we drove home we looked back at the roller coaster of emotions and conditions. After all we went through we came out on top! We were extremely excited with the outcome of the day, and the potential I see in Ridic. Time will tell what Ridic will be for a hound!