Date of hunt: 2/20/2011
Location: Milton, VT
Weather: Sunny/Cold
Temperature: 10 °F (Start) 16°F (End)
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
# of Rabbits Ran: 1
# of Rabbits Shot: 0
I had another opportunity to get out for a hunt this afternoon. I decided to try out the farm again to see if I could find another hare. Hopefully I didn't shoot the last one last weekend. The warm weather this past week had melted a lot of snow and then refroze. It was hard and grainy with about a 1/16 of an inch of loose powdery snow on top. This was just enough to see tracks on the snow. Inside the softwoods there was still about 2 feet of snow, but the snowshoes were staying on top very easily. Every now and then as I got close to some small balsams or blown down trees I would sink through up to my knees or further.
It took about an hour of walking and circling to find the first track, but it was old. I kept the dogs in the area and Snickers got the start. Bailey rushed in and joined her and they took off together on a straight line to the east. The hare made its first turn towards the south and Bailey missed it. She checked, but the Garmin confirmed that she was working her check and making cirlces around where she lost out. This is a confirmation of the improvement Bailey has made over the years as she used to be so scent hungry that if she lost out on the rabbit she was running she would just run off and look for any scent at all, and not the one she just lost. She would pick up on the scent and run it and then check, run it some more than check. Bailey was the only one barking, and I was beginning to worry a bit about where Snickers was. There are a lot of coyote tracks around the area and I was hoping nothing had happened to her. The interstate was about a half a mile from me but the GPS was confirming that Bailey didn't go near it, and I was hoping that Snickers stuck close to Bailey as she ran. As I waited on top of a snow covered ball of roots from a downed tree Bailey kept working closer. Her checks became more frequent and longer. I was getting very cold and impatient. Every time Bailey would open up another adrenaline rush would keep me waiting and looking, but nothing appeared. After a really long check I called in the dogs and headed back toward the truck.
The number of rabbit tracks in the area where I was standing is a good sign of the number of hare in the area. As my Grandfather always said "a hare can track up a swamp in a night" I am cautiously optimistic about the number of hare in the area. On the way back to the truck I found three more thickets of low growth balsams with a lot of tracks. Bailey and Snickers opened up once but never found the hot line. On the last covey of tracks Bailey opened up a again but didn't find the line there either. The scent conditions were really tough today, but I felt the day was successful as I know that there are plenty of hare in the area, and that Bailey has definitely improved over the years. I feel confident now that I have a good hound and look forward to even better hunts in the future.
Once we got home I looked over Snickers and Bailey and found that the rough snow tore up Bailey's feet pretty good. I applied some topical antibiotic cream to her toes and a cut on her lower leg to help the healing. They enjoyed their treat of warm Alpo and retired to their dog house.
Garmin Astro stats: 5.50mi, 2.10mph, 2hrs 8min.
The video below is the Google Earth Tour of the hunt. The track is downloaded from the Garmin Astro DC40 collar on Bailey's neck. It isn't the complete hunt, but an interesting view of the hunt.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
2/13/2011 - Milton, VT
Date of hunt: 2/13/2011
Location: Milton, VT
Weather: Overcast/Windy
Temperature: 26 °F (Start) 26°F (End)
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
# of Rabbits Ran: 1
# of Rabbits Shot: 1
I had been wanting to ask my past employer for permission to hunt on his farm, and had the opportunity this morning when I saw him at church. He was more than willing to allow me to hunt, but I was unsure what the land held for rabbits. My father-in-law used to hunt this land as a child and remembers shooting Snowshoe Hare out there. Times have changed and I was unsure what I would find, if anything. I arrived at John's house around 1, and he was in the yard splitting firewood. We talked for a bit, and I explained how rabbit hunting with dogs worked and he was quite interested. I told him the general area I wanted to hunt based upon my Google satellite image reviews. He quickly told me the lay of the land and I started my trek across the fields towards what I hoped would be a rabbit filled swamp. The snow was about 30" deep and the snowshoes were only sinking about 4 inches, not bad. The wind was gusting and was cold. After the long walk across the first field I started into some softwoods. The first batch of woods quickly opened back up to the powerline right of way without sign of a single rabbit. The softwoods were full of tall, older growth and didn't look like suitable cover for a hare, if there were any. I kept trudging through the snow and was beginning to wonder if I was just out for a cardio workout, or an actual run on a rabbit.
Bailey opened up a couple of times, but I could not find sign of any tracks in the snow. I think she was barking on partridge scent as I caught movement of a partridge being chased by a crow through the limbs of the trees. I continued on towards the birds and saw the crow take off with a partridge in its feet, but quickly dropped it. The bird was still alive, but expired shortly after I got up to it. After walking away from it I wondered if the crow would be back for its meal.
The rolling terrain was brutal on the body as I was starting to get quite tired and wondering how far I should venture before turning back. I came to the edge of a long sloping hill and looked down. The cover at the bottom looked very promising, but I knew that if I walked down, I would have to walk back up. I was out there to hunt and started down the hill. The dogs beat me down to the bottom and Bailey opened up right off. From where I was I was starting to see rabbit tracks and was really certain that they were hare tracks and not cottontail! The chase was on. Both Snickers and Bailey were barking together which was good, that meant that the dogs were staying on top of the snow well and the lead dog wasn't snowplowing the track away as it trudged along. The rabbit took them out and back quite quickly. I was trying out my new Garmin Astro and was keeping tabs of where Bailey was on the GPS in comparison to where I could hear them, just for fun. I was about 90% sure that I was going to see a white rabbit running towards me when I would finally get a chance to see it. The first swing back to me brought the rabbit by me without a sighting about 40 yards out. I saw the dogs come through and they took off on their swing again. I repositioned and readied. The dogs checked a couple of times but kept pressing on. The next swing back to me brought them by yet another 40 yards out, again without a sighting. I respositioned once more and readied again. The dogs were coming right at me and then did a U turn right back out. I couldn't figure out what happened, I was standing really still for a really long time, I shouldn't had bumped it. The dogs didn't fall for the rabbit's trick and kept pressing on. The rabbit did yet another U turn right back to me as the dogs proved they could keep up and kept charging on. Then there was movement. A white Snowshoe Hare was coming my way! I shot once with my new (to me) 20 gauge shotgun and the hare stumbled but kept on. I shot again through some thick brush and the hare didn't come out the other side. I was ready for another shot if I needed to, but it wasn't needed. The hare was down and the dogs were coming closer. Bailey was in the lead but I saw her miss a turn. Snickers kept on the trail and she missed a turn but Bailey kept on and took the lead again and was the first to the hare. She nibbled at its feet for a second and kept on in search for more scent. Snickers didn't have any interest in the hare and just kept looking for more scent as well. I gathered up the hare and the dogs and headed in the direction of the truck. I thought the trek into the woods was tough, but soon realized that I was now up against a long upward walk back to the truck. The dogs were hard to keep by my side as they wanted to run some more. I will save them for another day.
I will have to see if the Astro has a keypad lock option as I lost all of the data from todays hunt during the walk back to the truck. The "start new hunt" option was selected and the tracks from today's hunt were lost. I would have liked to have watched the run on Google Earth, but will have to wait for next time.
Location: Milton, VT
Weather: Overcast/Windy
Temperature: 26 °F (Start) 26°F (End)
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
# of Rabbits Ran: 1
# of Rabbits Shot: 1
I had been wanting to ask my past employer for permission to hunt on his farm, and had the opportunity this morning when I saw him at church. He was more than willing to allow me to hunt, but I was unsure what the land held for rabbits. My father-in-law used to hunt this land as a child and remembers shooting Snowshoe Hare out there. Times have changed and I was unsure what I would find, if anything. I arrived at John's house around 1, and he was in the yard splitting firewood. We talked for a bit, and I explained how rabbit hunting with dogs worked and he was quite interested. I told him the general area I wanted to hunt based upon my Google satellite image reviews. He quickly told me the lay of the land and I started my trek across the fields towards what I hoped would be a rabbit filled swamp. The snow was about 30" deep and the snowshoes were only sinking about 4 inches, not bad. The wind was gusting and was cold. After the long walk across the first field I started into some softwoods. The first batch of woods quickly opened back up to the powerline right of way without sign of a single rabbit. The softwoods were full of tall, older growth and didn't look like suitable cover for a hare, if there were any. I kept trudging through the snow and was beginning to wonder if I was just out for a cardio workout, or an actual run on a rabbit.
Bailey opened up a couple of times, but I could not find sign of any tracks in the snow. I think she was barking on partridge scent as I caught movement of a partridge being chased by a crow through the limbs of the trees. I continued on towards the birds and saw the crow take off with a partridge in its feet, but quickly dropped it. The bird was still alive, but expired shortly after I got up to it. After walking away from it I wondered if the crow would be back for its meal.
The rolling terrain was brutal on the body as I was starting to get quite tired and wondering how far I should venture before turning back. I came to the edge of a long sloping hill and looked down. The cover at the bottom looked very promising, but I knew that if I walked down, I would have to walk back up. I was out there to hunt and started down the hill. The dogs beat me down to the bottom and Bailey opened up right off. From where I was I was starting to see rabbit tracks and was really certain that they were hare tracks and not cottontail! The chase was on. Both Snickers and Bailey were barking together which was good, that meant that the dogs were staying on top of the snow well and the lead dog wasn't snowplowing the track away as it trudged along. The rabbit took them out and back quite quickly. I was trying out my new Garmin Astro and was keeping tabs of where Bailey was on the GPS in comparison to where I could hear them, just for fun. I was about 90% sure that I was going to see a white rabbit running towards me when I would finally get a chance to see it. The first swing back to me brought the rabbit by me without a sighting about 40 yards out. I saw the dogs come through and they took off on their swing again. I repositioned and readied. The dogs checked a couple of times but kept pressing on. The next swing back to me brought them by yet another 40 yards out, again without a sighting. I respositioned once more and readied again. The dogs were coming right at me and then did a U turn right back out. I couldn't figure out what happened, I was standing really still for a really long time, I shouldn't had bumped it. The dogs didn't fall for the rabbit's trick and kept pressing on. The rabbit did yet another U turn right back to me as the dogs proved they could keep up and kept charging on. Then there was movement. A white Snowshoe Hare was coming my way! I shot once with my new (to me) 20 gauge shotgun and the hare stumbled but kept on. I shot again through some thick brush and the hare didn't come out the other side. I was ready for another shot if I needed to, but it wasn't needed. The hare was down and the dogs were coming closer. Bailey was in the lead but I saw her miss a turn. Snickers kept on the trail and she missed a turn but Bailey kept on and took the lead again and was the first to the hare. She nibbled at its feet for a second and kept on in search for more scent. Snickers didn't have any interest in the hare and just kept looking for more scent as well. I gathered up the hare and the dogs and headed in the direction of the truck. I thought the trek into the woods was tough, but soon realized that I was now up against a long upward walk back to the truck. The dogs were hard to keep by my side as they wanted to run some more. I will save them for another day.
I will have to see if the Astro has a keypad lock option as I lost all of the data from todays hunt during the walk back to the truck. The "start new hunt" option was selected and the tracks from today's hunt were lost. I would have liked to have watched the run on Google Earth, but will have to wait for next time.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
1/1/2011 - Lowell, VT
Date of hunt: 1/1/2011
Location: Lowell, VT
Weather: Warm/Cloudy
Temperature: 38 °F (Start) 41°F (End)
Companions: Allen Cushing, Logan Abell, Carter Abell
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
# of Rabbits Ran: 2
# of Rabbits Shot: 1
It has been a long time since I got out rabbit hunting with the dogs. Once Vermont's deer season starts the time in the woods rabbit hunting is practically non-existent. My spots that I rabbit hunt in are deer hunting spots for others. I would have to drive about 2 1/2 hours to get to a spot secluded enough to comfortably run the dogs. My wife surprised me yesterday and told me that she just called her Dad and he was all set to go hunting with me today. I guess that means I was going rabbit hunting, no complaints there! I took my 5 year old son Carter and my 12 year old brother Logan along as well. It was a bit of a scramble this morning with the new year and new hunting licenses required. I tried to work this all out yesterday, but the state will not sell hunting licenses for 2011 when it is still 2010. What a waste of time!
It was about 8:15 when we let the dogs loose. The warm temperatures and the fast melting snow would prove to be tough running conditions. It was a comfortable temperature to be out hunting in, but the 3" of snow was slushy and wet and disappearing quick. Bailey and Snickers worked a track for a bit before they both opened up and the race was on. They ran solid up past the spot where Allen and I missed the hare in October and out in towards the alders. The dogs kept on it, made the turn and were coming back before losing out. They managed to get the track again, but quickly lost it again. They checked many times while trying to run it and the run started to get stale. I let them work for a while before radioing Allen to find out what he wanted to do. After about an hour of letting them work and check we decided it would be best to try a new place and find a different hare. We started walking a logging road when I noticed a track that looked reasonably fresh. One more step and the white hare busted out of the brush and away from me. I gave the "I just saw a rabbit" call and Bailey came flying in from a long way out and was barking the entire way with excitement. Snickers came in pretty quick as well, I think she is starting to figure out what that call means as well. The scent was probably light on the wet snow and it took Bailey a minute to calm down enough to work a bit harder to find the track. Once they found it both Bailey and Snickers ran the track really hard and fast for about 3/4 of a circle. The way they were heading would surely push the hare by Allen and if he didn't get a glimpse it should come right back down to Logan, Carter and I. They checked. This check felt like eternity. It was a solid 5 minutes before Allen radioed me. He told me that he saw the hare cross the logging road just before the dogs stopped barking and that he had set up in a new spot to catch the hare come out of the back side of the softwoods it was in. I quickly made my way to Allen to find where the hare crossed to call in the dogs and get them going again. As soon as I got to Allen the dogs started on the track again and were coming fast. They quickly crossed over the logging road where Allen saw the hare cross and were coming towards us fast. The hare held up tight before busting out of the softwoods and into to the logging road. Allen shot and the hare took another bound off the road into another softwood patch. This patch was only about 20 yards long and another logging road would provide for another good shot. Allen and I were waiting for the hare to jump out again. Nothing. I decided to try and help bump the rabbit out to Allen by doing a quick drive. The dogs were coming out on the logging road at the same time I made it to where the hare crossed. The dogs followed the track in and found the hare lying about 10 feet into the woods. I picked it up, let the dogs play with it for a minute and then brought it back down to Allen. Logan and Carter joined us from their spots and we took pictures. Carter was extremely excited and was talking a mile a minute. He had plans all set to get home and help clean it, cook it and eat it.
We tried for one more, but never got anything going on the wide swing back up to the truck. Carter insisted on carrying the rabbit up the entire way to the truck, and we helped him by using my gun sling as a rope to hang the rabbit over his shoulder. He was so excited. Both dogs ran well, and Snickers did a little better actually looking for a rabbit instead of just looking for Bailey all the time. Although the weather was great for Carter, and he didn't get cold, it was really hard for the dogs. Hopefully next time will be better, although today turned out to be good day anyways. The ride home was full of excited talk about the hunt, but too much excitement for Carter as he fell asleep within the first 10 minutes of the ride home. Once home, he wouldn't get out of his wool hunting pants until we cleaned the rabbit. You would have thought I gave him the world when I let him use a hunting knife to help me clean it. He can't wait to tell his uncles tomorrow about it. Take a kid hunting, it makes quite an impression on them!!
Location: Lowell, VT
Weather: Warm/Cloudy
Temperature: 38 °F (Start) 41°F (End)
Companions: Allen Cushing, Logan Abell, Carter Abell
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
# of Rabbits Ran: 2
# of Rabbits Shot: 1
It has been a long time since I got out rabbit hunting with the dogs. Once Vermont's deer season starts the time in the woods rabbit hunting is practically non-existent. My spots that I rabbit hunt in are deer hunting spots for others. I would have to drive about 2 1/2 hours to get to a spot secluded enough to comfortably run the dogs. My wife surprised me yesterday and told me that she just called her Dad and he was all set to go hunting with me today. I guess that means I was going rabbit hunting, no complaints there! I took my 5 year old son Carter and my 12 year old brother Logan along as well. It was a bit of a scramble this morning with the new year and new hunting licenses required. I tried to work this all out yesterday, but the state will not sell hunting licenses for 2011 when it is still 2010. What a waste of time!
It was about 8:15 when we let the dogs loose. The warm temperatures and the fast melting snow would prove to be tough running conditions. It was a comfortable temperature to be out hunting in, but the 3" of snow was slushy and wet and disappearing quick. Bailey and Snickers worked a track for a bit before they both opened up and the race was on. They ran solid up past the spot where Allen and I missed the hare in October and out in towards the alders. The dogs kept on it, made the turn and were coming back before losing out. They managed to get the track again, but quickly lost it again. They checked many times while trying to run it and the run started to get stale. I let them work for a while before radioing Allen to find out what he wanted to do. After about an hour of letting them work and check we decided it would be best to try a new place and find a different hare. We started walking a logging road when I noticed a track that looked reasonably fresh. One more step and the white hare busted out of the brush and away from me. I gave the "I just saw a rabbit" call and Bailey came flying in from a long way out and was barking the entire way with excitement. Snickers came in pretty quick as well, I think she is starting to figure out what that call means as well. The scent was probably light on the wet snow and it took Bailey a minute to calm down enough to work a bit harder to find the track. Once they found it both Bailey and Snickers ran the track really hard and fast for about 3/4 of a circle. The way they were heading would surely push the hare by Allen and if he didn't get a glimpse it should come right back down to Logan, Carter and I. They checked. This check felt like eternity. It was a solid 5 minutes before Allen radioed me. He told me that he saw the hare cross the logging road just before the dogs stopped barking and that he had set up in a new spot to catch the hare come out of the back side of the softwoods it was in. I quickly made my way to Allen to find where the hare crossed to call in the dogs and get them going again. As soon as I got to Allen the dogs started on the track again and were coming fast. They quickly crossed over the logging road where Allen saw the hare cross and were coming towards us fast. The hare held up tight before busting out of the softwoods and into to the logging road. Allen shot and the hare took another bound off the road into another softwood patch. This patch was only about 20 yards long and another logging road would provide for another good shot. Allen and I were waiting for the hare to jump out again. Nothing. I decided to try and help bump the rabbit out to Allen by doing a quick drive. The dogs were coming out on the logging road at the same time I made it to where the hare crossed. The dogs followed the track in and found the hare lying about 10 feet into the woods. I picked it up, let the dogs play with it for a minute and then brought it back down to Allen. Logan and Carter joined us from their spots and we took pictures. Carter was extremely excited and was talking a mile a minute. He had plans all set to get home and help clean it, cook it and eat it.
We tried for one more, but never got anything going on the wide swing back up to the truck. Carter insisted on carrying the rabbit up the entire way to the truck, and we helped him by using my gun sling as a rope to hang the rabbit over his shoulder. He was so excited. Both dogs ran well, and Snickers did a little better actually looking for a rabbit instead of just looking for Bailey all the time. Although the weather was great for Carter, and he didn't get cold, it was really hard for the dogs. Hopefully next time will be better, although today turned out to be good day anyways. The ride home was full of excited talk about the hunt, but too much excitement for Carter as he fell asleep within the first 10 minutes of the ride home. Once home, he wouldn't get out of his wool hunting pants until we cleaned the rabbit. You would have thought I gave him the world when I let him use a hunting knife to help me clean it. He can't wait to tell his uncles tomorrow about it. Take a kid hunting, it makes quite an impression on them!!
Friday, November 5, 2010
11/3/2010 - Lowell, VT
Date of hunt: 11/3/2010
Location: Lowell, VT
Weather: Sunny/Frosty
Temperature: 22 °F (Start) 44°F (End)
Companions: Greg Abell
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey
Other dogs: Katy, Ginger, Chloe
# of Rabbits Ran: 5
# of Rabbits Shot: 1
My son Braydon was born on Saturday, October 30th. Everyone is healthy and doing well! I took a week and a half off from work to be home with the family. The timing lined up with my Uncle Greg's trip up to Vermont from Virginia for his annual hare hunt. He came up on Saturday and is staying at our family camp in Island Pond for the week. The plan was made to spend a morning on a hunt with him, but meet halfway in Lowell instead of a 2 hour drive for me up to Island Pond.
It was the heaviest frost of the year so far when I left Milton. It was 27 degrees at my house, and 22 degrees in Lowell where Uncle Greg was waiting. I pulled into the log landing at 7 am, with hopes that I wouldn't be wasting my Uncle's time by having him wake up early and drive and hour. I had printed out an aerial photo of the hunting ground and did a quick review with him to help him better understand the lay of the land. I geared up Bailey and headed down into the lower clearcut, where Logan and I had hunted a few weeks ago. Uncle Greg's dogs worked together and Bailey did her thing on her own. Bailey got the start, the same hare that Logan and I ran a few weeks before. She was alone and took it down by the stump where Allen, Beau, Logan, Carter and I had stood last month, and then out into the alders. Uncle Greg brought his dogs down to where Bailey was running. When we got there Bailey checked for the first time. A full loop by herself, I think we turned the hare when we got down in there. Katy started barking on old scent, which pulled Bailey off from her check to pack up with her. Katy has a really good nose, but will bark on really old scent, which throws the other dogs off. I suggested working into the softwoods where the hare was heading before Bailey lost it. We fanned out as we walked inside the softwood canopy and Uncle Greg bumped the hare. The hare bounded towards me, and then out into the alders again. I gave the "Weee Weeee" call and Bailey came in with a full out excited bark as she got on the trail that I was pointing to. She knows what it means when I give that call! All four dogs packed up and took the trail deep into the alders. Uncle Greg and I headed into the alders to an island of tall pines that provided a better chance of a shot if one would present itself. The dogs brought the hare down to us but just out of sight. They kept on it as the hare ran out and then turned back towards us. The dogs were getting closer and then the hare sprinted into softwoods about 10 yards from us. I waited to shoot knowing that a 10 yard sprinting shot from right to left was hard, but when I did shoot with the .410 it was behind it. I pumped and pulled the trigger again, click, a bad shell. The last shot was in desperation as it scooted under a log. Missed. The dogs kept on the trail and again followed the hare as it brought them out and back towards us again. This time it went above us without showing itself. As they brought the hare out the dogs split into two's. Bailey and Katy switched up and Ginger and Chloe were bringing the hare back to us. Bailey and Katy were taking a hare up towards the NC camp, and Ginger and Chloe were almost back to us when they checked and lost out. After waiting to see if Ginger and Chloe would pick up the check we picked up and headed up to Bailey and Katy. They ran the hare up along the side of the NC camp and were on their way back down to us when they checked. Katy kept barking on some older feeder trails, and Bailey would check in with her but the trails were to old for her to bark on.
We worked the dogs down along the side of the logging road with little luck. As we were heading out to make our way back in the direction of the truck Bailey began to bark on a feeder trail. I let her work since this was her first time barking in over a half hour. The other dogs joined in on the search. I hopped up onto a log with an overlook of the area that the dogs were working. The hare bounded out of the thick stuff, across the open softwoods and into the thicker softwoods. The dogs took off on the trail and were running well. They made the turn but checked when they were closing in on Uncle Greg and I. We waited for quite a while with hopes that they would pick it up again. We helped the dogs work the woods in the general direction that we believed the hare went. Chloe, Uncle Greg's 1 year old, picked up the scent first and the other dogs quickly packed. The hare bounded out of the thicker cover and presented a good shot. I hit the hare in the rear end and Katy quickly got on it and finished it. She picked up the hare and carried it back to him as he called her in. Uncle Greg's dogs played around with the hare for a bit before we put it in the game pouch, Bailey just kept looking for more scent.
We worked our way back through the pine island and towards the clear cut to get to the logging road that led back up to the truck. On the way back Bailey picked up a hot scent between the pine island and the clear cut. I had Ginger and Chloe with me as well, but they didn't pack. Ginger did go over to where Bailey started and she begand to run the line with Chloe packing up with her. Ginger and Chloe were running about 80 yards behind Bailey. Katy joined in the run with Ginger and Chloe as Bailey was still leading by a long ways and bringing the hare back to me. I caught a movement and readied, it was Ginger. She came back and found me, was shivering and tired. She must had turned the hare and Bailey missed the check. I got a phone call from home about 5 minutes into the check and my wife needed help with the kids at home. We gathered up the dogs and headed back up to the truck. We briefly talked and then hit the road. Overall a good hunt.
Location: Lowell, VT
Weather: Sunny/Frosty
Temperature: 22 °F (Start) 44°F (End)
Companions: Greg Abell
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey
Other dogs: Katy, Ginger, Chloe
# of Rabbits Ran: 5
# of Rabbits Shot: 1
My son Braydon was born on Saturday, October 30th. Everyone is healthy and doing well! I took a week and a half off from work to be home with the family. The timing lined up with my Uncle Greg's trip up to Vermont from Virginia for his annual hare hunt. He came up on Saturday and is staying at our family camp in Island Pond for the week. The plan was made to spend a morning on a hunt with him, but meet halfway in Lowell instead of a 2 hour drive for me up to Island Pond.
It was the heaviest frost of the year so far when I left Milton. It was 27 degrees at my house, and 22 degrees in Lowell where Uncle Greg was waiting. I pulled into the log landing at 7 am, with hopes that I wouldn't be wasting my Uncle's time by having him wake up early and drive and hour. I had printed out an aerial photo of the hunting ground and did a quick review with him to help him better understand the lay of the land. I geared up Bailey and headed down into the lower clearcut, where Logan and I had hunted a few weeks ago. Uncle Greg's dogs worked together and Bailey did her thing on her own. Bailey got the start, the same hare that Logan and I ran a few weeks before. She was alone and took it down by the stump where Allen, Beau, Logan, Carter and I had stood last month, and then out into the alders. Uncle Greg brought his dogs down to where Bailey was running. When we got there Bailey checked for the first time. A full loop by herself, I think we turned the hare when we got down in there. Katy started barking on old scent, which pulled Bailey off from her check to pack up with her. Katy has a really good nose, but will bark on really old scent, which throws the other dogs off. I suggested working into the softwoods where the hare was heading before Bailey lost it. We fanned out as we walked inside the softwood canopy and Uncle Greg bumped the hare. The hare bounded towards me, and then out into the alders again. I gave the "Weee Weeee" call and Bailey came in with a full out excited bark as she got on the trail that I was pointing to. She knows what it means when I give that call! All four dogs packed up and took the trail deep into the alders. Uncle Greg and I headed into the alders to an island of tall pines that provided a better chance of a shot if one would present itself. The dogs brought the hare down to us but just out of sight. They kept on it as the hare ran out and then turned back towards us. The dogs were getting closer and then the hare sprinted into softwoods about 10 yards from us. I waited to shoot knowing that a 10 yard sprinting shot from right to left was hard, but when I did shoot with the .410 it was behind it. I pumped and pulled the trigger again, click, a bad shell. The last shot was in desperation as it scooted under a log. Missed. The dogs kept on the trail and again followed the hare as it brought them out and back towards us again. This time it went above us without showing itself. As they brought the hare out the dogs split into two's. Bailey and Katy switched up and Ginger and Chloe were bringing the hare back to us. Bailey and Katy were taking a hare up towards the NC camp, and Ginger and Chloe were almost back to us when they checked and lost out. After waiting to see if Ginger and Chloe would pick up the check we picked up and headed up to Bailey and Katy. They ran the hare up along the side of the NC camp and were on their way back down to us when they checked. Katy kept barking on some older feeder trails, and Bailey would check in with her but the trails were to old for her to bark on.
We worked the dogs down along the side of the logging road with little luck. As we were heading out to make our way back in the direction of the truck Bailey began to bark on a feeder trail. I let her work since this was her first time barking in over a half hour. The other dogs joined in on the search. I hopped up onto a log with an overlook of the area that the dogs were working. The hare bounded out of the thick stuff, across the open softwoods and into the thicker softwoods. The dogs took off on the trail and were running well. They made the turn but checked when they were closing in on Uncle Greg and I. We waited for quite a while with hopes that they would pick it up again. We helped the dogs work the woods in the general direction that we believed the hare went. Chloe, Uncle Greg's 1 year old, picked up the scent first and the other dogs quickly packed. The hare bounded out of the thicker cover and presented a good shot. I hit the hare in the rear end and Katy quickly got on it and finished it. She picked up the hare and carried it back to him as he called her in. Uncle Greg's dogs played around with the hare for a bit before we put it in the game pouch, Bailey just kept looking for more scent.
We worked our way back through the pine island and towards the clear cut to get to the logging road that led back up to the truck. On the way back Bailey picked up a hot scent between the pine island and the clear cut. I had Ginger and Chloe with me as well, but they didn't pack. Ginger did go over to where Bailey started and she begand to run the line with Chloe packing up with her. Ginger and Chloe were running about 80 yards behind Bailey. Katy joined in the run with Ginger and Chloe as Bailey was still leading by a long ways and bringing the hare back to me. I caught a movement and readied, it was Ginger. She came back and found me, was shivering and tired. She must had turned the hare and Bailey missed the check. I got a phone call from home about 5 minutes into the check and my wife needed help with the kids at home. We gathered up the dogs and headed back up to the truck. We briefly talked and then hit the road. Overall a good hunt.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
10/10/2010 - Lowell, VT
Date of hunt: 10/10/2010
Location: Lowell, VT
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 32 °F (Start) 53°F (End)
Companions: Logan Abell
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
# of Rabbits Ran: 2
# of Rabbits Shot: 0
Fall has arrived and so has the cooler weather. I woke up this morning to a brisk 32 degrees and put on the thermals for the first time this year. Dressing for this time of year is tricky, as the mornings are cold and it warms up quickly. I layered up thicker than other outings at this temperature, I was tired and I always feel colder when I am tired. I picked up Logan at 5:30 and began the hour drive Northeast. Things were quiet when we got there, perfect. Next weekend will not be so quiet in this spot as moose season will be open and then "new owners of the woods" will be out and about. Every time that I have come across a moose hunter while I am rabbit hunting they are disgusted that I am disturbing their hunt. This adds an extra degree of nervousness when you never know what the crazed hunter will do when a barking dog runs by them! Anyway, Logan (my 12 year old brother) and I geared up the dogs and I let him make the plans where to run for the day. He picked a log road that we have had good luck on and we headed down over the bank into the softwoods. Bailey picked up a scent within 5 minutes and picked at it for about 120 yards across a clear cut before it was hot enough for Snickers to start barking as well. They worked it for another 40 yards or so before the barking turned to a roll and the hot chase was on. The two of them headed out away from us and made a quick turn back up towards where Bailey began the run. The barking was hot! It sounded like there were three dogs running as came back up the bank towards us. The hare snuck by Logan and I and it crossed the main logging road while we were looking down a smaller log road road where Bailey made the start. We repositioned and separated to catch a glimpse of the hare on the way back by. The dogs were getting closer to me and the barking was still hot. It had been about 15 minutes of running already without a check, very nice. The way the dogs were coming towards me I expected to see the hare cross above me about 30 yards up. As the dogs got closer they made a sudden turn down along my left and towards Logan. He got a quick glimpse of the hare as it cross the log road again, but no shot. The dogs were only about 50 yards behind it and still running strong. They brought it out of hearing and Logan and I regrouped. I really wanted him to get his first hare so I stood behind him to help him spot it in the woods before it came out on the log road, hopefully give him a better chance to connect. I saw it coming, and Logan did too, as it approached the log road. He was ready, and there hare came up to the edge of the log road and hung up in a brush pile. I really wanted Logan to get a hare, but I really wanted to get a hare for the dogs too. I couldn't get a shot on the hare after Logan if he missed from where I was standing so I made the mistake of repositioning. The hare saw me and we saw the hare bound back off into the woods. No shot. I was so mad at myself and will probably kick myself for a while to come until Logan gets his first hare. The dogs kept on running and brought it back out on a deep circle. On the way back to us they checked, picked up the check and then checked again. They started to run really choppy as they made the 20 minute trip back up near us and then lost out for a long time. I called in the dogs to regroup. I was happy with their run, but really upset with myself. About a 45 minute run before the first check, very nice. I asked Logan where he wanted to go from there and he quickly picked another spot. As we made our way to the new spot I kicked up a Wookcock and Logan took pursuit. He flushed it once more along with a Partridge, but no luck. We made our way over to the side of the VAST trail where we ran our first hare on opening day. Bailey got the start in almost the same exact spot as opening day and I knew where the hare was heading. Logan and I set up for the return run in our direction. Of course nothing ever goes as planned and the hare crossed a log road while I was in the woods watching. The dogs were in running well and headed back down to where they started. They had their first check on the turn, and then the choppy running began again. This continued for about 15 minutes and then all was quiet. I gathered up the dogs after and headed for another spot, a new one. We crossed the powerlines to try and find a new spot. There were a few areas that were perfect areas, but no hare. Someone should tell the hare about these spots! After an hour of no luck we headed back to the truck and home. A successful hunt none the less.
Location: Lowell, VT
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 32 °F (Start) 53°F (End)
Companions: Logan Abell
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
# of Rabbits Ran: 2
# of Rabbits Shot: 0
Fall has arrived and so has the cooler weather. I woke up this morning to a brisk 32 degrees and put on the thermals for the first time this year. Dressing for this time of year is tricky, as the mornings are cold and it warms up quickly. I layered up thicker than other outings at this temperature, I was tired and I always feel colder when I am tired. I picked up Logan at 5:30 and began the hour drive Northeast. Things were quiet when we got there, perfect. Next weekend will not be so quiet in this spot as moose season will be open and then "new owners of the woods" will be out and about. Every time that I have come across a moose hunter while I am rabbit hunting they are disgusted that I am disturbing their hunt. This adds an extra degree of nervousness when you never know what the crazed hunter will do when a barking dog runs by them! Anyway, Logan (my 12 year old brother) and I geared up the dogs and I let him make the plans where to run for the day. He picked a log road that we have had good luck on and we headed down over the bank into the softwoods. Bailey picked up a scent within 5 minutes and picked at it for about 120 yards across a clear cut before it was hot enough for Snickers to start barking as well. They worked it for another 40 yards or so before the barking turned to a roll and the hot chase was on. The two of them headed out away from us and made a quick turn back up towards where Bailey began the run. The barking was hot! It sounded like there were three dogs running as came back up the bank towards us. The hare snuck by Logan and I and it crossed the main logging road while we were looking down a smaller log road road where Bailey made the start. We repositioned and separated to catch a glimpse of the hare on the way back by. The dogs were getting closer to me and the barking was still hot. It had been about 15 minutes of running already without a check, very nice. The way the dogs were coming towards me I expected to see the hare cross above me about 30 yards up. As the dogs got closer they made a sudden turn down along my left and towards Logan. He got a quick glimpse of the hare as it cross the log road again, but no shot. The dogs were only about 50 yards behind it and still running strong. They brought it out of hearing and Logan and I regrouped. I really wanted him to get his first hare so I stood behind him to help him spot it in the woods before it came out on the log road, hopefully give him a better chance to connect. I saw it coming, and Logan did too, as it approached the log road. He was ready, and there hare came up to the edge of the log road and hung up in a brush pile. I really wanted Logan to get a hare, but I really wanted to get a hare for the dogs too. I couldn't get a shot on the hare after Logan if he missed from where I was standing so I made the mistake of repositioning. The hare saw me and we saw the hare bound back off into the woods. No shot. I was so mad at myself and will probably kick myself for a while to come until Logan gets his first hare. The dogs kept on running and brought it back out on a deep circle. On the way back to us they checked, picked up the check and then checked again. They started to run really choppy as they made the 20 minute trip back up near us and then lost out for a long time. I called in the dogs to regroup. I was happy with their run, but really upset with myself. About a 45 minute run before the first check, very nice. I asked Logan where he wanted to go from there and he quickly picked another spot. As we made our way to the new spot I kicked up a Wookcock and Logan took pursuit. He flushed it once more along with a Partridge, but no luck. We made our way over to the side of the VAST trail where we ran our first hare on opening day. Bailey got the start in almost the same exact spot as opening day and I knew where the hare was heading. Logan and I set up for the return run in our direction. Of course nothing ever goes as planned and the hare crossed a log road while I was in the woods watching. The dogs were in running well and headed back down to where they started. They had their first check on the turn, and then the choppy running began again. This continued for about 15 minutes and then all was quiet. I gathered up the dogs after and headed for another spot, a new one. We crossed the powerlines to try and find a new spot. There were a few areas that were perfect areas, but no hare. Someone should tell the hare about these spots! After an hour of no luck we headed back to the truck and home. A successful hunt none the less.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Ironic picture
I don't have a hunt to post about today, but I wanted to post a picture that I found. I thought it was quite interesting. It is me when I was a young boy next to my fathers dog, Bucky. The really ironic part is that my Dad bought this dog from George Cushing, which is my wife's grandfather.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
9/25/2010 - Lowell, VT
Date of hunt: 9/25/2010
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 71 °F (Start) 62°F (End)
Companions: Allen Cushing, Beau Cushing, Logan Abell, Carter Abell
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
# of Rabbits Ran: 3
# of Rabbits Shot: 0
Today was opening day of rabbit season in Vermont. I kicked myself last year for not getting some family together to take advantage of opening weekend. Deer season doesn't start until next weekend so this weekend works about best for the rest of my family. I had my father-in-law Allen, my brother-in-law Beau, my 12 year old brother Logan and my 5 year old son Carter with me. We were up early and managed to leave Milton on time, 5:30. We pulled into our spot by 6:30 and geared up the dogs. I haven't had many chances to get out this summer, the dogs are out of shape, and I was nervous that I was going to let the family down on this outing. I brought the dogs down to a known spot that I have ran hare in before with hopes to get a quick start. It took a lot of looking, but Bailey got the first start. She ran the hare that I got nervous with on opening day (Bailey was sounding funny, and the hare ran into unfamiliar territory). I let the dogs go and just prayed that they would take the turn and head back my way. It wasn't long and the dogs were coming back our way. Beau was new to this and wasn't quite sure where to stand, or what he was looking for. He was on a logging road, and ready. Carter was with Allen and they found a spot to stand as well. I was with Logan with the video camera rolling with hopes of getting some good footage. The dogs came down the edge of the road towards all of us. They stay inside the wood line about 40 yards and Logan and I didn't get a sighting. They came out along the edge of the road and Beau saw the dogs, but had missed seeing the rabbit. It changed directions before making it back to Allen and Carter and swung back up away from us and ran a lot of circles above us. We tried to move in closer, but by the time we were in position the dogs checked. During their check the dogs made their way out to us. I called them in to try and pick up a different hare in a different spot.
On the walk past the truck we stopped and had some snacks and drinks and added some layers as the temperature was dropping. We headed down to the lower clear cut and Bailey was working hard to find a hare. Snickers was working hard to find Bailey, and had no interest in finding the hare herself. I lost Snickers for a bit and soon realized that she was hanging out with Bruce and his bird dogs. They were swinging by in their search for some opening day Partridge. I hollared for a while, but Snickers wouldn't come. Bailey opened on a new hare and Snickers came by me like a rocket to cherry pick Bailey's hare. The race was on again with Bailey in the lead. I could hear that Bailey was always ahead of Snickers. They checked for a short time, and when Bailey got the check it must had been a sight chase. She barked really hot for about 30 or 40 yards and then it calmed down as she kept on the trail and Snickers caught up to join in. The brought the hare down behind me, but towards Allen and I heard a shot from his .410. He missed, and before I knew the dogs ran right behind me and Carter. I missed seeing the hare while filming the hunt. Carter and I went over to talk with Allen and waited for a second sighting. The hare came back by Allen and I in a full gallop. I shot, and missed to the shot from about 4 feet away. Allen's follow-up shot missed as well and the race continued. The dogs were about 30 yards behind the rabbit and running very well. They ran a lot of small circles up above us and the hare didn't want to come back down to us. Once more it came down in our direction, but didn't give us a sighting. After running for about 2 1/2 hours the dogs checked for their last time and lost out. I was extremely happy with their run.
We headed back up towards the truck and I let the dogs work the woods on the way. Bailey got the third start on a rabbit the we must have spooked out the brush as we were walking through. The two of them were run very hot and fast out across the clearcut and into the pines. We fanned out and hoped to get it on the way back up. It started to turn back up towards us and I was ready. They took a turn out away from me and started to go out of hearing. I wasn't sure what was going on, but decided to take chase to be sure. They managed to make it out deep into the alders and were running a choppy run. I called to them and finally caught up to them after a long walk through the thick stuff. It was faster to continue through the alders instead of back tracking from where I came. Once I hit the logging road I was once again in familiar territory and headed comfortably back to the truck. Everyone was waiting in the truck ready to go when I got there. We left at 12:30.
We had an excellent hunt and I was very proud of the dogs. Allen can't wait to go back out, and I hope our calendars can align again to allow for it. I wish I knew when the next outing will be, but I will have to play it by ear.
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 71 °F (Start) 62°F (End)
Companions: Allen Cushing, Beau Cushing, Logan Abell, Carter Abell
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
# of Rabbits Ran: 3
# of Rabbits Shot: 0
Today was opening day of rabbit season in Vermont. I kicked myself last year for not getting some family together to take advantage of opening weekend. Deer season doesn't start until next weekend so this weekend works about best for the rest of my family. I had my father-in-law Allen, my brother-in-law Beau, my 12 year old brother Logan and my 5 year old son Carter with me. We were up early and managed to leave Milton on time, 5:30. We pulled into our spot by 6:30 and geared up the dogs. I haven't had many chances to get out this summer, the dogs are out of shape, and I was nervous that I was going to let the family down on this outing. I brought the dogs down to a known spot that I have ran hare in before with hopes to get a quick start. It took a lot of looking, but Bailey got the first start. She ran the hare that I got nervous with on opening day (Bailey was sounding funny, and the hare ran into unfamiliar territory). I let the dogs go and just prayed that they would take the turn and head back my way. It wasn't long and the dogs were coming back our way. Beau was new to this and wasn't quite sure where to stand, or what he was looking for. He was on a logging road, and ready. Carter was with Allen and they found a spot to stand as well. I was with Logan with the video camera rolling with hopes of getting some good footage. The dogs came down the edge of the road towards all of us. They stay inside the wood line about 40 yards and Logan and I didn't get a sighting. They came out along the edge of the road and Beau saw the dogs, but had missed seeing the rabbit. It changed directions before making it back to Allen and Carter and swung back up away from us and ran a lot of circles above us. We tried to move in closer, but by the time we were in position the dogs checked. During their check the dogs made their way out to us. I called them in to try and pick up a different hare in a different spot.
On the walk past the truck we stopped and had some snacks and drinks and added some layers as the temperature was dropping. We headed down to the lower clear cut and Bailey was working hard to find a hare. Snickers was working hard to find Bailey, and had no interest in finding the hare herself. I lost Snickers for a bit and soon realized that she was hanging out with Bruce and his bird dogs. They were swinging by in their search for some opening day Partridge. I hollared for a while, but Snickers wouldn't come. Bailey opened on a new hare and Snickers came by me like a rocket to cherry pick Bailey's hare. The race was on again with Bailey in the lead. I could hear that Bailey was always ahead of Snickers. They checked for a short time, and when Bailey got the check it must had been a sight chase. She barked really hot for about 30 or 40 yards and then it calmed down as she kept on the trail and Snickers caught up to join in. The brought the hare down behind me, but towards Allen and I heard a shot from his .410. He missed, and before I knew the dogs ran right behind me and Carter. I missed seeing the hare while filming the hunt. Carter and I went over to talk with Allen and waited for a second sighting. The hare came back by Allen and I in a full gallop. I shot, and missed to the shot from about 4 feet away. Allen's follow-up shot missed as well and the race continued. The dogs were about 30 yards behind the rabbit and running very well. They ran a lot of small circles up above us and the hare didn't want to come back down to us. Once more it came down in our direction, but didn't give us a sighting. After running for about 2 1/2 hours the dogs checked for their last time and lost out. I was extremely happy with their run.
We headed back up towards the truck and I let the dogs work the woods on the way. Bailey got the third start on a rabbit the we must have spooked out the brush as we were walking through. The two of them were run very hot and fast out across the clearcut and into the pines. We fanned out and hoped to get it on the way back up. It started to turn back up towards us and I was ready. They took a turn out away from me and started to go out of hearing. I wasn't sure what was going on, but decided to take chase to be sure. They managed to make it out deep into the alders and were running a choppy run. I called to them and finally caught up to them after a long walk through the thick stuff. It was faster to continue through the alders instead of back tracking from where I came. Once I hit the logging road I was once again in familiar territory and headed comfortably back to the truck. Everyone was waiting in the truck ready to go when I got there. We left at 12:30.
We had an excellent hunt and I was very proud of the dogs. Allen can't wait to go back out, and I hope our calendars can align again to allow for it. I wish I knew when the next outing will be, but I will have to play it by ear.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
8/1/2010 - Norton, VT
Date of hunt: 8/1/2010
Location: Norton, VT
Weather: Sunny/Dry
Temperature: 81 °F (Start) 81°F (End)
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
# of Rabbits Ran: 1
It has been a while since I went out on this run, but I have been busy with college classes, work and home improvements. I cannot find the time to run the dogs yet alone type up a hunting log for this past hunt. Hopefully things will setttle down soon and I can get out again.
The family and I went up to my uncles camp in Norton for a long camping weekend. I brought the dogs with hopes of finding some time to go for a couple of runs. We got up to camp on Thursday and I was able to go running on Saturday and Sunday. The thousands of acres to run were on the other side of the river. The water was low enough this year that we could hop from rock to rock with the dogs to get across. Snickers came across easy, but Bailey was scared. She managed to get across with some coaxing, and by the end of the weekend I worked with her enough and she was wading in the water.
Bailey got the start after a long 45 minute search and Snickers joined in shortly after. They took the rabbit out of hearing and then brought it back. The rabbit was getting closer to Logan and I when the dogs lost out on it. It was hot and dry and we called it a day after about 2 hours. The only time I could break away from the family was about 12:30 and the temperature was warm and the ground was dry.
I went out alone the next day, and this time I managed to sneak out a little earlier; 10:30. It wasn't exactly morning dew quality but it was a bit damper then yesterday. I headed to the spot where to dogs got the start the day before. Bailey picked up the start again, this time in only 10 minutes. Snickers must have been right on Baileys tail because she joined in right after Bailey started. They took the hare on the same out of hearing circle as the day before and started to bring it back to me. I found a nice little opening to hang out in and a blown down log that was perfect to lay down on. I had my feet up and was laid back nice and comfortably just relaxing with my eyes closed listening to the music the dogs were making. The dogs were getting closer and I was really enjoying my time out in the woods. Everything was perfect, the dogs were running, they were running well, and I was nice and relaxed. I could hear the thumping of the rabbits feet as it came closer. By the time I realized what was going in the rabbit had ran under the log, directly under my shoulders and out the other side. I was able to open my eyes and turn my head without being seen. The hare ran a straight line for about 15 yards. It stopped for a second, brushed its ear with its back foot and came running back towards me, on the same line it went out on. He back tracked about 10 yards and then turned and took off again. At this point the dogs were right by my side and came up to the side of the log I was on. I coaxed them on and helped point them in the right direction and the race continued. They took the hare out of hearing again and of course that is where they checked. With all the woods around me, and nothing to the north of me except the Canadian border clear cut I started to head in their direction to find them as soon as possible. They didn't have telemetry on, as I don't have any. I walked towards them for about 10 minutes while calling and then waited for another 10 while calling, nothing. A quick bump with the collars and I could hear Bailey almost out of hearing. I kept calling and they came in. We had a good run and I wasn't going to push my luck. It was hot and dry again and we had a good 2 hour run.
Location: Norton, VT
Weather: Sunny/Dry
Temperature: 81 °F (Start) 81°F (End)
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
# of Rabbits Ran: 1
It has been a while since I went out on this run, but I have been busy with college classes, work and home improvements. I cannot find the time to run the dogs yet alone type up a hunting log for this past hunt. Hopefully things will setttle down soon and I can get out again.
The family and I went up to my uncles camp in Norton for a long camping weekend. I brought the dogs with hopes of finding some time to go for a couple of runs. We got up to camp on Thursday and I was able to go running on Saturday and Sunday. The thousands of acres to run were on the other side of the river. The water was low enough this year that we could hop from rock to rock with the dogs to get across. Snickers came across easy, but Bailey was scared. She managed to get across with some coaxing, and by the end of the weekend I worked with her enough and she was wading in the water.
Bailey got the start after a long 45 minute search and Snickers joined in shortly after. They took the rabbit out of hearing and then brought it back. The rabbit was getting closer to Logan and I when the dogs lost out on it. It was hot and dry and we called it a day after about 2 hours. The only time I could break away from the family was about 12:30 and the temperature was warm and the ground was dry.
I went out alone the next day, and this time I managed to sneak out a little earlier; 10:30. It wasn't exactly morning dew quality but it was a bit damper then yesterday. I headed to the spot where to dogs got the start the day before. Bailey picked up the start again, this time in only 10 minutes. Snickers must have been right on Baileys tail because she joined in right after Bailey started. They took the hare on the same out of hearing circle as the day before and started to bring it back to me. I found a nice little opening to hang out in and a blown down log that was perfect to lay down on. I had my feet up and was laid back nice and comfortably just relaxing with my eyes closed listening to the music the dogs were making. The dogs were getting closer and I was really enjoying my time out in the woods. Everything was perfect, the dogs were running, they were running well, and I was nice and relaxed. I could hear the thumping of the rabbits feet as it came closer. By the time I realized what was going in the rabbit had ran under the log, directly under my shoulders and out the other side. I was able to open my eyes and turn my head without being seen. The hare ran a straight line for about 15 yards. It stopped for a second, brushed its ear with its back foot and came running back towards me, on the same line it went out on. He back tracked about 10 yards and then turned and took off again. At this point the dogs were right by my side and came up to the side of the log I was on. I coaxed them on and helped point them in the right direction and the race continued. They took the hare out of hearing again and of course that is where they checked. With all the woods around me, and nothing to the north of me except the Canadian border clear cut I started to head in their direction to find them as soon as possible. They didn't have telemetry on, as I don't have any. I walked towards them for about 10 minutes while calling and then waited for another 10 while calling, nothing. A quick bump with the collars and I could hear Bailey almost out of hearing. I kept calling and they came in. We had a good run and I wasn't going to push my luck. It was hot and dry again and we had a good 2 hour run.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
6/26/2010 - Milton, VT
Date of hunt: 6/26/2010
Location: Devino Farm
Weather: Wet
Temperature: 67 °F (Start) 67°F (End)
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
# of Rabbits Ran: 1
I should have just stayed home. I couldn't get the dogs to hunt for anything. When I say "hunt" I mean have the dogs find the rabbits themselves, not me. They would not leave my side and kept coming back to make sure I was still there. Shouldn't a good dog hunt on their own! Bailey was the only one that would do a little work. Snickers just stood around waiting for Bailey to start barking.
Bailey did get a start, but I think it was a baby cottontail by the way she ran it. It zig zagged around inside a thicket that was about a 20 yard circle. She kept loosing it, it never busted out onto roads, and Snickers only barked on it once. I've found that Bailey has the stronger nose. She picked at it for about 20 minutes before loosing out on it.
Hunts like this really make me question whether or not I want to waste my time anymore. Maybe I should get rid of them and start over in a few years when my kids are older and I might have some extra time.
Location: Devino Farm
Weather: Wet
Temperature: 67 °F (Start) 67°F (End)
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
# of Rabbits Ran: 1
I should have just stayed home. I couldn't get the dogs to hunt for anything. When I say "hunt" I mean have the dogs find the rabbits themselves, not me. They would not leave my side and kept coming back to make sure I was still there. Shouldn't a good dog hunt on their own! Bailey was the only one that would do a little work. Snickers just stood around waiting for Bailey to start barking.
Bailey did get a start, but I think it was a baby cottontail by the way she ran it. It zig zagged around inside a thicket that was about a 20 yard circle. She kept loosing it, it never busted out onto roads, and Snickers only barked on it once. I've found that Bailey has the stronger nose. She picked at it for about 20 minutes before loosing out on it.
Hunts like this really make me question whether or not I want to waste my time anymore. Maybe I should get rid of them and start over in a few years when my kids are older and I might have some extra time.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
6/1/2010 - Lowell, VT
Date of hunt: 6/1/2010
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Sunny/Wet
Temperature: 68 °F (Start) 65°F (End)
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
# of Rabbits Ran: 2
Today was opening day of training season. The dogs hadn't been out since the last day of rabbit season in March. I got out of work at 3:30 and hit the road around 4:30 for the hour drive North East. On the way in to the log landing I stopped and talked with Bruce for a few minutes. He is up for a couple of months working on their camp. Once the dogs were geared up we headed down the VAST trail towards the power lines in search of our first hare. Bailey got the start and the race was on. It went well for the first half of the run, but then started to sound weird. Bailey didn't sound like she used to. I was missing her nice rolling bark. I thought maybe another year older might be changing her voice, or worse, off game. Haven't had the problem before but acted quickly in case it was. I caught up to the dogs rather quickly as they were swinging back down to me. The rabbit crossed the logging road in front of me as the came closer, satisfies the off game theory, and then I started to get worried. Bailey sounded like a snorting pig as she was trying to breathe. I began to worry about a possible stick in her throat. After looking her over I didn’t find anything. I took off a collar in case it was choking her. As she took off again she kept it up. It then hit me, they are out of shape! Bailey did put some weight on during the off season and she was out of breath. They ran for a bit longer and they checked at one point for close to 20 minutes. I called in the dogs with hopes that one of them would pick up the scent on the way through.
Snickers was the first to show up. I've noticed that she likes to cherry pick. She relies on Bailey to find the rabbit and then she is right there to run it. I kept trying to point into the brush to get her in to look. She had no interest in finding the hare herself, but kept trying to listen for Bailey. I could get her in the brush for about 30 seconds before she would come back out on the easy walking trail that I would be on. When I got in the brush with her I could keep her attention for about a minute, but then she would go back out on the trail and listen for Bailey.
Bailey got the next start and Snickers was off like a rocket to catch up. Bailey cold trailed the hare in a small patch of softwoods that was bordered on all sides by logging roads. She cold trailed for about 5 minutes before finally kicking it up. Bailey's cold bark turned to a deep excited roll , and Snicker's joined in. That made the trip worth while. The two of them took the hare up along the side of the power lines and back up across the VAST trail. Must have been the same hare we ran on the last day of the season. It ran the same pattern, so I knew where to go. The hare crossed where I thought it would and the dogs were struggling to keep up. Again, gasping for air. They ran for about a half hour before they were checking a lot. My guess is they were too tired to keep up. After a long check I called in the dogs, with a lot of coaxing, and made our way to the truck.
An informative first time out for the season, and I can't wait to keep running them more to get them back in shape!
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Sunny/Wet
Temperature: 68 °F (Start) 65°F (End)
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
# of Rabbits Ran: 2
Today was opening day of training season. The dogs hadn't been out since the last day of rabbit season in March. I got out of work at 3:30 and hit the road around 4:30 for the hour drive North East. On the way in to the log landing I stopped and talked with Bruce for a few minutes. He is up for a couple of months working on their camp. Once the dogs were geared up we headed down the VAST trail towards the power lines in search of our first hare. Bailey got the start and the race was on. It went well for the first half of the run, but then started to sound weird. Bailey didn't sound like she used to. I was missing her nice rolling bark. I thought maybe another year older might be changing her voice, or worse, off game. Haven't had the problem before but acted quickly in case it was. I caught up to the dogs rather quickly as they were swinging back down to me. The rabbit crossed the logging road in front of me as the came closer, satisfies the off game theory, and then I started to get worried. Bailey sounded like a snorting pig as she was trying to breathe. I began to worry about a possible stick in her throat. After looking her over I didn’t find anything. I took off a collar in case it was choking her. As she took off again she kept it up. It then hit me, they are out of shape! Bailey did put some weight on during the off season and she was out of breath. They ran for a bit longer and they checked at one point for close to 20 minutes. I called in the dogs with hopes that one of them would pick up the scent on the way through.
Snickers was the first to show up. I've noticed that she likes to cherry pick. She relies on Bailey to find the rabbit and then she is right there to run it. I kept trying to point into the brush to get her in to look. She had no interest in finding the hare herself, but kept trying to listen for Bailey. I could get her in the brush for about 30 seconds before she would come back out on the easy walking trail that I would be on. When I got in the brush with her I could keep her attention for about a minute, but then she would go back out on the trail and listen for Bailey.
Bailey got the next start and Snickers was off like a rocket to catch up. Bailey cold trailed the hare in a small patch of softwoods that was bordered on all sides by logging roads. She cold trailed for about 5 minutes before finally kicking it up. Bailey's cold bark turned to a deep excited roll , and Snicker's joined in. That made the trip worth while. The two of them took the hare up along the side of the power lines and back up across the VAST trail. Must have been the same hare we ran on the last day of the season. It ran the same pattern, so I knew where to go. The hare crossed where I thought it would and the dogs were struggling to keep up. Again, gasping for air. They ran for about a half hour before they were checking a lot. My guess is they were too tired to keep up. After a long check I called in the dogs, with a lot of coaxing, and made our way to the truck.
An informative first time out for the season, and I can't wait to keep running them more to get them back in shape!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
3/14/2010 - Lowell, VT
Date of hunt: 3/14/2010
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Scattered Rain Showers
Temperature: 35 °F (Start) 45°F (End)
Companions: Adam Raymond, John Roberts, Henry Robare
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
Other Dogs: Casey & Chuck
# of Rabbits Ran: 5
# of Rabbits Shot: 2
We signed up for the 35th annual Orlean's Hare Hunt. It cost $17 for this last day of the season tournament. The object was to hunt anywhere you wanted to and then weigh in your rabbits at the end of the day. The legal limit is 3 daily so they have designed the tournament around that. We had to be in Orleans by around 5 to be on time to weigh in before the prime rib dinner.
John wanted to go to Peacham to get away from everyone and run in a spot that is loaded with hare. Adam met me at 4:30am at the house and then we left to pick up John for 5. I had my 6 dog dog box with the intent on keeping Bailey, Remi and Snickers on one side with John's 3 dogs on the other; Chuck, Casey and Buster. John knew it might be an issue between Chuck and Buster and that it was. We ended up strapping John's box on top of mine to transport his dogs to Richmond. We transferred John's box over to Henry's truck and headed south to Peacham.
Once there we found a really nice softwood forest with remnants of a fresh logging operation. The snow was deep, soft and grainy. The dogs were sinking in up to there belly on every step, and we were struggling on snowshoes just the same. We worked the woods for a good 2 hours with nothing at all. John lost Chuck and went looking for him. I headed down off the mountain to Calais to hopefully find some honey holes without snow and with rabbits. John met us down at the first potential spot and Adam and I scoped it out real quick. Nothing. We decided to travel a half hour towards Hardwick to a spot that John found earlier in the year. Once there we searched for any sign. John found a track and thought there might be more down closer to the swamp. I let out Bailey and Snickers and we searched for about an hour. Nothing. We finally decided to head to Lowell as we knew for sure that there were hare there.
Another 45 minutes later we were ready to go in Lowell. It was now noon and the sky was getting darker threatening with rain. We cast Bailey, Snickers, Chuck and Casey and headed down the logging road to my first honey hole. Bailey got the start and Chuck joined in. Soon all 4 dogs were pushing hard through the tough running snow and managed to bring the hare back to John. He got the hare on the 4th shot but was skeptical if it was a stray or the one they were running. It was a good 4 or 5 hundred yards in front of the dogs. The dogs came right up on the track to John, the snow sure was slowing the dogs down drastically.
We worked our way over to the cutout with the popular tree in it. We got a lot of hits but didn't get any starts for the next 45 minutes, now 1:30. Henry radio'd from the truck and said he was leaving. He took Buster home with him and left all of John's stuff on the empty side of my dog box, except John's change of pants which he left out in the rain.
John radio'd and asked me to find another honey hole to get things started. Adam and I worked off the edge of clear cut towards the 4 wheeler trail and I got a stray jump. Adam got to see it and got off a shot, gun was empty. I saw where the rabbit stopped and I quickly loaded Dad's single shot 20 gauge. Adam told me that the shot was too far but I took it anyway. The rabbit fell over just as the dogs picked up on the trail it had just left. Bailey got the start first and to the downed rabbit first. As Adam and I talked Bailey got into a blow down and started to bark. Adam and I set up around the blow down waiting for a hare to bust out. Snickers picked up the trail about 20 yards down and the chase was on. The rabbit crossed the 4 wheeler trail and went down towards the powerline. It turned up towards the bend and I thought it would cross in front of Adam at any time. They switched up on another hare that turned them out across the powerline. They ran a couple of circles on the other side of the powerline and then lost it. I called in the dogs to the last set of tracks that I saw where they switched up. Bailey picked up the scent but couldn't run with it. Casey picked up the start and the dogs were off. They took the hare up across the 4 wheeler trail and tried to bring it back down to us. Either the hare ran a bunch of small circles up high or they switched up again, but the hare never came back down. After a while they lost out and we gathered up the dogs. It was 4:30.
The dinner was great, and it was a fun day. The winning hare was 4.25 pounds, second was 4.00 pounds and third was 3.99 pounds. My hare was 3.87 pounds and John's was 3.67 pounds.
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Scattered Rain Showers
Temperature: 35 °F (Start) 45°F (End)
Companions: Adam Raymond, John Roberts, Henry Robare
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
Other Dogs: Casey & Chuck
# of Rabbits Ran: 5
# of Rabbits Shot: 2
We signed up for the 35th annual Orlean's Hare Hunt. It cost $17 for this last day of the season tournament. The object was to hunt anywhere you wanted to and then weigh in your rabbits at the end of the day. The legal limit is 3 daily so they have designed the tournament around that. We had to be in Orleans by around 5 to be on time to weigh in before the prime rib dinner.
John wanted to go to Peacham to get away from everyone and run in a spot that is loaded with hare. Adam met me at 4:30am at the house and then we left to pick up John for 5. I had my 6 dog dog box with the intent on keeping Bailey, Remi and Snickers on one side with John's 3 dogs on the other; Chuck, Casey and Buster. John knew it might be an issue between Chuck and Buster and that it was. We ended up strapping John's box on top of mine to transport his dogs to Richmond. We transferred John's box over to Henry's truck and headed south to Peacham.
Once there we found a really nice softwood forest with remnants of a fresh logging operation. The snow was deep, soft and grainy. The dogs were sinking in up to there belly on every step, and we were struggling on snowshoes just the same. We worked the woods for a good 2 hours with nothing at all. John lost Chuck and went looking for him. I headed down off the mountain to Calais to hopefully find some honey holes without snow and with rabbits. John met us down at the first potential spot and Adam and I scoped it out real quick. Nothing. We decided to travel a half hour towards Hardwick to a spot that John found earlier in the year. Once there we searched for any sign. John found a track and thought there might be more down closer to the swamp. I let out Bailey and Snickers and we searched for about an hour. Nothing. We finally decided to head to Lowell as we knew for sure that there were hare there.
Another 45 minutes later we were ready to go in Lowell. It was now noon and the sky was getting darker threatening with rain. We cast Bailey, Snickers, Chuck and Casey and headed down the logging road to my first honey hole. Bailey got the start and Chuck joined in. Soon all 4 dogs were pushing hard through the tough running snow and managed to bring the hare back to John. He got the hare on the 4th shot but was skeptical if it was a stray or the one they were running. It was a good 4 or 5 hundred yards in front of the dogs. The dogs came right up on the track to John, the snow sure was slowing the dogs down drastically.
We worked our way over to the cutout with the popular tree in it. We got a lot of hits but didn't get any starts for the next 45 minutes, now 1:30. Henry radio'd from the truck and said he was leaving. He took Buster home with him and left all of John's stuff on the empty side of my dog box, except John's change of pants which he left out in the rain.
John radio'd and asked me to find another honey hole to get things started. Adam and I worked off the edge of clear cut towards the 4 wheeler trail and I got a stray jump. Adam got to see it and got off a shot, gun was empty. I saw where the rabbit stopped and I quickly loaded Dad's single shot 20 gauge. Adam told me that the shot was too far but I took it anyway. The rabbit fell over just as the dogs picked up on the trail it had just left. Bailey got the start first and to the downed rabbit first. As Adam and I talked Bailey got into a blow down and started to bark. Adam and I set up around the blow down waiting for a hare to bust out. Snickers picked up the trail about 20 yards down and the chase was on. The rabbit crossed the 4 wheeler trail and went down towards the powerline. It turned up towards the bend and I thought it would cross in front of Adam at any time. They switched up on another hare that turned them out across the powerline. They ran a couple of circles on the other side of the powerline and then lost it. I called in the dogs to the last set of tracks that I saw where they switched up. Bailey picked up the scent but couldn't run with it. Casey picked up the start and the dogs were off. They took the hare up across the 4 wheeler trail and tried to bring it back down to us. Either the hare ran a bunch of small circles up high or they switched up again, but the hare never came back down. After a while they lost out and we gathered up the dogs. It was 4:30.
The dinner was great, and it was a fun day. The winning hare was 4.25 pounds, second was 4.00 pounds and third was 3.99 pounds. My hare was 3.87 pounds and John's was 3.67 pounds.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
2/20/2010 - Lowell, VT
Date of hunt: 2/20/2010
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Partly Sunny/Fresh Snow
Temperature: 25 °F (Start) 28°F (End)
Companions: Logan
Dogs of mine: Flanders Remi & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
# of Rabbits Ran: 4
# of Rabbits Shot: 1
It has been quite the week. I went to see Bill Pettiruti in Montpelier to look at possibly buying a 15 month old dog from him. I didn't get a chance to really see his dog run on his own though. He had been running since 10:30 in the morning and I didn't get there until after work, around 4. He has a really nice setup and Paddy sure did look nice. Dean called me on Thursday to see how my visit with Bill went. During the discussion he mentioned that Pete Crowley was looking to get rid of Wildseasons Mountain Snickers. Well to make the story short I picked up Snickers on Friday night.
Logan and I got to Lowell around 8:20. There was about 5 inches of fresh snow. We geared up Remi and Snickers and headed down the logging road on the side of Bruce and Sue's. Remi got the first start and Snickers joined in. They weren't running anything yet, just working a fresh feeder trail. I caught a glimpse of the white hare cross the moose trail we were on and I called in the dogs. I put them on the wrong trail and they weren't running, I was beginning to wonder what was up. I had Logan head further down the trail to see if he could see any more tracks. Logan started calling in the dogs and he got both Remi and Snickers to start on the trail. They both ran it together for a little ways before checking. Remi came all the way back to me and I didn't hear anything from Snickers for a long time. I leashed up Remi and went looking for Snickers. About 45 minutes later I had both the dogs again. We headed down deeper and I let only Snickers go. Snickers wasn't being very independent. She was following Remi around and not searching on her own. It made it worse with Remi not being there. She was really looking for her harder now. I let Remi join back in on the search and she got the next start. Snickers took the lead and shortly after Remi was by my said again while Snickers was running well. We were in position to take the hare when the rabbit did an "S" run instead of a circle. With Remi on a leash we went up to where Snickers was running. I saw a glimpse of the hare again and moved in closer. When we were in position again the hare didn't come back, once again. While Snickers was running the hare in small circles above us we waited for it to drop back down towards us. Nothing. Snickers ran the hare for about an hour and a half total and Logan and I couldn't get in front of it.
We moved on towards the old downed Popular tree. The logging operation has really done a number and cleaned out our favorite spot. It still seems to be holding hare as Snickers got the start on a familiar running hare that we seemed to have ran before. Logan and I were in position but must have been looking the other way as the hare crossed up where the old Popular tree used to be. We moved down to where Snickers got the start and waited. The hare turned up instead of down and crossed back in the same spot that we missed seeing it earlier. I had Logan go back up there while I waited down low. The hare crossed up where Logan was twice more but he didn't see it. On a run out deep Snickers must have picked up another hare. It sounded like the same hare that we ran earlier in the morning, small circles in the same area as before. Meanwhile Remi picked up a hare behind us and pushed it out across the trail between Logan and I. I caught a glimpse of it as it went into the thick stuff and I settled in to wait for it to cross the logging road. Remi pushed on slowly and bumped the hare just enough to cross about 40 yards in front of me. Dad's 20 gauge single shot barked and the hunt was over. I hollared "Dead Bunny" in honor of Lanny and Snickers and Logan started celebrating. He came running over and we took pictures. He headed up the logging road with the hare and Remi and I went out after Snickers. She was still running the hare. After 2 hours of running she had to have been tired. I tried to set up on the hare once as she came closer but didn't pick the right spot. I cut off Snickers as she came through and headed for the truck. Logan was there at the truck as we came out on the Buckley's driveway.
Snickers has given me a new excitement towards rabbit hunting and I look forward to more hunts to come. Remi isn't packing with her yet but I am hoping that the summer running together will help with that. I have decided to give Remi a chance and only sell Bailey. We will see how that goes. I will have to determine a deadline for progression for Remi before enough is enough. Snickers is 8 years old now and I will need to utilize her the best that I can while she is healthy. If Remi won't work I need to get a pup under her soon to make sure she can help train it. Time will tell….
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Partly Sunny/Fresh Snow
Temperature: 25 °F (Start) 28°F (End)
Companions: Logan
Dogs of mine: Flanders Remi & Wild Seasons Mountain Snickers
# of Rabbits Ran: 4
# of Rabbits Shot: 1
It has been quite the week. I went to see Bill Pettiruti in Montpelier to look at possibly buying a 15 month old dog from him. I didn't get a chance to really see his dog run on his own though. He had been running since 10:30 in the morning and I didn't get there until after work, around 4. He has a really nice setup and Paddy sure did look nice. Dean called me on Thursday to see how my visit with Bill went. During the discussion he mentioned that Pete Crowley was looking to get rid of Wildseasons Mountain Snickers. Well to make the story short I picked up Snickers on Friday night.
Logan and I got to Lowell around 8:20. There was about 5 inches of fresh snow. We geared up Remi and Snickers and headed down the logging road on the side of Bruce and Sue's. Remi got the first start and Snickers joined in. They weren't running anything yet, just working a fresh feeder trail. I caught a glimpse of the white hare cross the moose trail we were on and I called in the dogs. I put them on the wrong trail and they weren't running, I was beginning to wonder what was up. I had Logan head further down the trail to see if he could see any more tracks. Logan started calling in the dogs and he got both Remi and Snickers to start on the trail. They both ran it together for a little ways before checking. Remi came all the way back to me and I didn't hear anything from Snickers for a long time. I leashed up Remi and went looking for Snickers. About 45 minutes later I had both the dogs again. We headed down deeper and I let only Snickers go. Snickers wasn't being very independent. She was following Remi around and not searching on her own. It made it worse with Remi not being there. She was really looking for her harder now. I let Remi join back in on the search and she got the next start. Snickers took the lead and shortly after Remi was by my said again while Snickers was running well. We were in position to take the hare when the rabbit did an "S" run instead of a circle. With Remi on a leash we went up to where Snickers was running. I saw a glimpse of the hare again and moved in closer. When we were in position again the hare didn't come back, once again. While Snickers was running the hare in small circles above us we waited for it to drop back down towards us. Nothing. Snickers ran the hare for about an hour and a half total and Logan and I couldn't get in front of it.
We moved on towards the old downed Popular tree. The logging operation has really done a number and cleaned out our favorite spot. It still seems to be holding hare as Snickers got the start on a familiar running hare that we seemed to have ran before. Logan and I were in position but must have been looking the other way as the hare crossed up where the old Popular tree used to be. We moved down to where Snickers got the start and waited. The hare turned up instead of down and crossed back in the same spot that we missed seeing it earlier. I had Logan go back up there while I waited down low. The hare crossed up where Logan was twice more but he didn't see it. On a run out deep Snickers must have picked up another hare. It sounded like the same hare that we ran earlier in the morning, small circles in the same area as before. Meanwhile Remi picked up a hare behind us and pushed it out across the trail between Logan and I. I caught a glimpse of it as it went into the thick stuff and I settled in to wait for it to cross the logging road. Remi pushed on slowly and bumped the hare just enough to cross about 40 yards in front of me. Dad's 20 gauge single shot barked and the hunt was over. I hollared "Dead Bunny" in honor of Lanny and Snickers and Logan started celebrating. He came running over and we took pictures. He headed up the logging road with the hare and Remi and I went out after Snickers. She was still running the hare. After 2 hours of running she had to have been tired. I tried to set up on the hare once as she came closer but didn't pick the right spot. I cut off Snickers as she came through and headed for the truck. Logan was there at the truck as we came out on the Buckley's driveway.
Snickers has given me a new excitement towards rabbit hunting and I look forward to more hunts to come. Remi isn't packing with her yet but I am hoping that the summer running together will help with that. I have decided to give Remi a chance and only sell Bailey. We will see how that goes. I will have to determine a deadline for progression for Remi before enough is enough. Snickers is 8 years old now and I will need to utilize her the best that I can while she is healthy. If Remi won't work I need to get a pup under her soon to make sure she can help train it. Time will tell….
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
1/17/2010 - St. Albans, VT
Date of hunt: 1/17/2010
Location: Corey Cushing's
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 38 °F (Start) 38°F (End)
Companions: Alone
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Flanders Remi
# of Rabbits Ran: 2
# of Rabbits Shot: 0
What is 38 degrees supposed to be like for running conditions? I thought pretty good, but apparently one of two things was not right. Either the running conditions or my dogs. I'm leaning towards my dogs. The dogs couldn't run a rabbit for the life of them. It took about an hour to get the first start. Bailey got the jump but never saw it. The rabbit busted out of the thicket that Bailey was in and I watched it run straight up the hill and out of sight, about 80 yards. You would think that a straight line would be ideal for the dogs. Bailey doesn't know how to run a straight line! She would run about 10 yards straight and then turn left off the scent and then realize that she was off it and go back looking for it. Remi would pick up the scent and run with for a short time before Bailey came busting in from behind because she just has to be in front. But she can't handle the front! The lead dog plows through the snow enough to wipe out the scent for the dog in the back. It was one dog running and Bailey always had to be the one dog, and she can't hanlde it. Together they ran it about 100 yards before loosing it. After a long check I saw the rabbit come back to towards me and it held tight in a thicket just in front of me. I called in the dogs and Bailey was the first one to respond. She got the jump again. The rabbit busted out of the thicket straight up the hill again. Again, Bailey zig zagged it right out of sight, about 40 yards, and then Remi joined in. They ran it together for a couple hundred yards before loosing it all together. The running conditions weren't optimal for the dogs as the punched thru the crust and sunk in about 4 inches every step, but come on! Run a rabbit! AGH!
I made my way across the clearing with hope of kicking up another rabbit on the other side. After searching for about a half hour Remi got the jump and a short sight chase. The rabbit quickly pulled away from Remi as she sunk in too much when she was trying to run. They didn't run the rabbit 40 yards before loosing it and then played a long game of short runs and check for another 45 minutes. I finally called off the dogs and headed home. Quite disappointed.
Location: Corey Cushing's
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 38 °F (Start) 38°F (End)
Companions: Alone
Dogs of mine: Belvidere Bailey & Flanders Remi
# of Rabbits Ran: 2
# of Rabbits Shot: 0
What is 38 degrees supposed to be like for running conditions? I thought pretty good, but apparently one of two things was not right. Either the running conditions or my dogs. I'm leaning towards my dogs. The dogs couldn't run a rabbit for the life of them. It took about an hour to get the first start. Bailey got the jump but never saw it. The rabbit busted out of the thicket that Bailey was in and I watched it run straight up the hill and out of sight, about 80 yards. You would think that a straight line would be ideal for the dogs. Bailey doesn't know how to run a straight line! She would run about 10 yards straight and then turn left off the scent and then realize that she was off it and go back looking for it. Remi would pick up the scent and run with for a short time before Bailey came busting in from behind because she just has to be in front. But she can't handle the front! The lead dog plows through the snow enough to wipe out the scent for the dog in the back. It was one dog running and Bailey always had to be the one dog, and she can't hanlde it. Together they ran it about 100 yards before loosing it. After a long check I saw the rabbit come back to towards me and it held tight in a thicket just in front of me. I called in the dogs and Bailey was the first one to respond. She got the jump again. The rabbit busted out of the thicket straight up the hill again. Again, Bailey zig zagged it right out of sight, about 40 yards, and then Remi joined in. They ran it together for a couple hundred yards before loosing it all together. The running conditions weren't optimal for the dogs as the punched thru the crust and sunk in about 4 inches every step, but come on! Run a rabbit! AGH!
I made my way across the clearing with hope of kicking up another rabbit on the other side. After searching for about a half hour Remi got the jump and a short sight chase. The rabbit quickly pulled away from Remi as she sunk in too much when she was trying to run. They didn't run the rabbit 40 yards before loosing it and then played a long game of short runs and check for another 45 minutes. I finally called off the dogs and headed home. Quite disappointed.
1/10/2010 - Lowell, VT
Date of hunt: 1/10/2010
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 1 °F (Start) 9 °F (End)
Companions: Logan Abell
Dogs of mine: Bailey & Remi
# of Rabbits Ran: 0
# of Rabbits Shot: 0
Logan and I left Milton by 8am and got to Lowell at around 9. There was a lot of powder and I figured the hunting would be hard. We geared up the dogs with their collars and us with our snowshoes. We parked inside the gate to the Buckley's camp. Wayne, the care taker of the camp, let us inside the gate after he plowed. We were to put the cable up, but leave the lock unlocked for the fuel truck. As we went down the old logging road we were sinking in about 12 inches each step and the dogs were sinking about 8. There were a lot of hare tracks crossing the road and Bailey got the first start. Together they worked the feeder trail about a hundred yards before loosing it. The dogs were struggling to keep on the track as they could barely keep their head above the snow. All morning long they were barking on feeder trails, but never got anything moving. There were feeder tracks everywhere! I wish the conditions were better. Our feet were starting to get cold around 11 and we decided to head up towards the truck. I gathered up the dogs and headed for home. Maybe next time.
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 1 °F (Start) 9 °F (End)
Companions: Logan Abell
Dogs of mine: Bailey & Remi
# of Rabbits Ran: 0
# of Rabbits Shot: 0
Logan and I left Milton by 8am and got to Lowell at around 9. There was a lot of powder and I figured the hunting would be hard. We geared up the dogs with their collars and us with our snowshoes. We parked inside the gate to the Buckley's camp. Wayne, the care taker of the camp, let us inside the gate after he plowed. We were to put the cable up, but leave the lock unlocked for the fuel truck. As we went down the old logging road we were sinking in about 12 inches each step and the dogs were sinking about 8. There were a lot of hare tracks crossing the road and Bailey got the first start. Together they worked the feeder trail about a hundred yards before loosing it. The dogs were struggling to keep on the track as they could barely keep their head above the snow. All morning long they were barking on feeder trails, but never got anything moving. There were feeder tracks everywhere! I wish the conditions were better. Our feet were starting to get cold around 11 and we decided to head up towards the truck. I gathered up the dogs and headed for home. Maybe next time.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
10/25/2009 - Lowell, VT
Date of hunt: 10/25/2009
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 45 °F (Start) 47 °F (End)
Companions: Logan Abell
Dogs of mine: Bailey & Remi
# of Rabbits Ran: 5
# of Rabbits Shot: 1
It turned out to be a really nice day, as the day before was full of rain. I was nervous, looking back I am nervous about a lot of things, but I was nervous today because it was opening weekend of anterless-only moose season. We pulled into the pulloff a little before 7 with the expectation that I would find a couple of trucks there as well. That was not the case, we were alone. I did notice some new Posted signs, and am wondering what the future holds for our hunting spot. Until then I plan on enjoying every hunt when I can get it. We actually waited in the truck for about 10 minutes waiting for daylight to break. Logan fell back asleep again, he woke up briefly when we got there and was able to fall back asleep during the idle time. Once there was enough light we geared up the dogs and made our way down the four wheeler trail. I was hoping to kick up the rabbit that we ran with Dad and Logan last time we were there. Bailey found it first and got the start. She ran it alone for about 40 yards before Remi joined in on the hunt, and a hunt it was! It started out rough and Logan and I ventured down in towards the dogs to help them out. Once the run was going again they did not let up! The rabbit swung up across the 4 wheeler trail and we waited for it come back down where it started. It made a bunch of small swings up above and I didn't think it was coming back down. We went up and set up. I caught a glimpse of it and had Logan ready. It didn't come out in the opening and the dogs kept it going. We waited for it to come around again. It didn't. It changed its swing and ran really tight circles even further above us. We moved in again and I caught another glimpse of it, it still didn't cooperate for Logan, and while we were looking forward it ran behind us. We waited for it come back, and of course it crossed to the lower side of the 4 wheeler trail. It did come back up to us and again I saw it and got Logan ready. It skirted around us again without being seen and the dogs kept running it hard. We set up again with hopes of getting a good view of it this time and the rabbit went down below the 4 wheeler trail again. We were closer to the trail at this point and decided to stand on the trail and wait for it to cross again. As the dogs brought it back up to the trail Logan and I must have turned it as it never crossed and it turned back down. This time the dogs lost it and checked for about 10 minutes. Remi came out onto the trail first and I could hear Bailey not to far off in the brush. I called for her and we went looking for another rabbit. That was a great run and lasted about an hour and a half. At that point that was the longest run the dogs have ever ran!
We worked for about an hour and a half looking for a rabbit before we actually got one going. We worked across the power line where Logan and I shot a rabbit last year and found nothing. We went back up the 4 wheeler trail a little bit and Bailey got the start. The two of them took that rabbit out of hearing and Logan and I ventured in the direction where we last heard them. We found ourselves in familiar territory when we started hearing the dogs again. We were in the softwoods where we saw the rabbit last year jump through the hole in the up rooted tree. We couldn't get into position in time before the dogs lost it.
Remi got the next start and it ran right by the big popul tree that we have stood by a few times. The rabbit ran along the back side of the cut and we were ready for it to come back to us. It never did. When got out near the NC camp the rabbit started to run a different circle, must have been a different rabbit. We made our way over to that run when we ran into Bruce and Sue Buckley again. We talked for a while and Sue commented on the music the dogs were making. At that point the dogs had checked and were not running. We talked for a while and after their departure we made our way in the direction of the last bark. I called them in and Bailey picked up the check and ran the rabbit right by me. I called to Logan to shoot but he couldn't see it, so I shot, twice, missed. They ran it by the popul tree again. We waited for them to come back to us. Logan saw the rabbit first, but didn't shoot. I did, 3 times, and missed all of them. When the dogs come down through they were actually running a smaller rabbit, about 10 yards off from the line that the rabbit I shot at ran. The circles turned small again out in the thick stuff. That confirmed that they ran two different rabbits. The small circles continued out in the thick alders and it made it real tough to get any sightings of the rabbit. I made the decision to get aggressive and Logan was game for that. We B-Lined it through the alders to a small patch of tall softwoods. We saw the rabbit once and no shot. The dogs brought it back to us again but when it ran by it stayed in the thick stuff and I didn't shoot. When the dogs brought it around again the rabbit poked its head out from behind a stump and "click", I never chambered a shell after that last round of shooting. I chambered a shell that was in the magazine and the made the rabbit bust out, I shot twice, and connected on the second. Thank God, that was my last round! It is fun to hunt with a .410, but a bit pricey for the ammo. Remi and Bailey came in Remi finished it off. She did not want to give up the rabbit. I leashed up the dogs, and Logan carried out the rabbit. Another hour and a half plus run, that would be there longest run to date! We made our way back up to the truck and cut acoss the Buckley's camp lawn. They came out and took pictures and we exchanged contact information. We bid our farewells and got to the truck at 1.
When I got home the dogs were tired. Bailey ran to the dog pen for water, but Remi stayed behind at the truck. I managed to convince her to only take 2 steps. I ended up carrying her to the pen, she didn't fight it at all. I successfully managed to tire out the dogs! What a great day! Logan loved it, and I am thankful to have such a great hunting partner! Thanks bud!
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 45 °F (Start) 47 °F (End)
Companions: Logan Abell
Dogs of mine: Bailey & Remi
# of Rabbits Ran: 5
# of Rabbits Shot: 1
It turned out to be a really nice day, as the day before was full of rain. I was nervous, looking back I am nervous about a lot of things, but I was nervous today because it was opening weekend of anterless-only moose season. We pulled into the pulloff a little before 7 with the expectation that I would find a couple of trucks there as well. That was not the case, we were alone. I did notice some new Posted signs, and am wondering what the future holds for our hunting spot. Until then I plan on enjoying every hunt when I can get it. We actually waited in the truck for about 10 minutes waiting for daylight to break. Logan fell back asleep again, he woke up briefly when we got there and was able to fall back asleep during the idle time. Once there was enough light we geared up the dogs and made our way down the four wheeler trail. I was hoping to kick up the rabbit that we ran with Dad and Logan last time we were there. Bailey found it first and got the start. She ran it alone for about 40 yards before Remi joined in on the hunt, and a hunt it was! It started out rough and Logan and I ventured down in towards the dogs to help them out. Once the run was going again they did not let up! The rabbit swung up across the 4 wheeler trail and we waited for it come back down where it started. It made a bunch of small swings up above and I didn't think it was coming back down. We went up and set up. I caught a glimpse of it and had Logan ready. It didn't come out in the opening and the dogs kept it going. We waited for it to come around again. It didn't. It changed its swing and ran really tight circles even further above us. We moved in again and I caught another glimpse of it, it still didn't cooperate for Logan, and while we were looking forward it ran behind us. We waited for it come back, and of course it crossed to the lower side of the 4 wheeler trail. It did come back up to us and again I saw it and got Logan ready. It skirted around us again without being seen and the dogs kept running it hard. We set up again with hopes of getting a good view of it this time and the rabbit went down below the 4 wheeler trail again. We were closer to the trail at this point and decided to stand on the trail and wait for it to cross again. As the dogs brought it back up to the trail Logan and I must have turned it as it never crossed and it turned back down. This time the dogs lost it and checked for about 10 minutes. Remi came out onto the trail first and I could hear Bailey not to far off in the brush. I called for her and we went looking for another rabbit. That was a great run and lasted about an hour and a half. At that point that was the longest run the dogs have ever ran!
We worked for about an hour and a half looking for a rabbit before we actually got one going. We worked across the power line where Logan and I shot a rabbit last year and found nothing. We went back up the 4 wheeler trail a little bit and Bailey got the start. The two of them took that rabbit out of hearing and Logan and I ventured in the direction where we last heard them. We found ourselves in familiar territory when we started hearing the dogs again. We were in the softwoods where we saw the rabbit last year jump through the hole in the up rooted tree. We couldn't get into position in time before the dogs lost it.
Remi got the next start and it ran right by the big popul tree that we have stood by a few times. The rabbit ran along the back side of the cut and we were ready for it to come back to us. It never did. When got out near the NC camp the rabbit started to run a different circle, must have been a different rabbit. We made our way over to that run when we ran into Bruce and Sue Buckley again. We talked for a while and Sue commented on the music the dogs were making. At that point the dogs had checked and were not running. We talked for a while and after their departure we made our way in the direction of the last bark. I called them in and Bailey picked up the check and ran the rabbit right by me. I called to Logan to shoot but he couldn't see it, so I shot, twice, missed. They ran it by the popul tree again. We waited for them to come back to us. Logan saw the rabbit first, but didn't shoot. I did, 3 times, and missed all of them. When the dogs come down through they were actually running a smaller rabbit, about 10 yards off from the line that the rabbit I shot at ran. The circles turned small again out in the thick stuff. That confirmed that they ran two different rabbits. The small circles continued out in the thick alders and it made it real tough to get any sightings of the rabbit. I made the decision to get aggressive and Logan was game for that. We B-Lined it through the alders to a small patch of tall softwoods. We saw the rabbit once and no shot. The dogs brought it back to us again but when it ran by it stayed in the thick stuff and I didn't shoot. When the dogs brought it around again the rabbit poked its head out from behind a stump and "click", I never chambered a shell after that last round of shooting. I chambered a shell that was in the magazine and the made the rabbit bust out, I shot twice, and connected on the second. Thank God, that was my last round! It is fun to hunt with a .410, but a bit pricey for the ammo. Remi and Bailey came in Remi finished it off. She did not want to give up the rabbit. I leashed up the dogs, and Logan carried out the rabbit. Another hour and a half plus run, that would be there longest run to date! We made our way back up to the truck and cut acoss the Buckley's camp lawn. They came out and took pictures and we exchanged contact information. We bid our farewells and got to the truck at 1.
When I got home the dogs were tired. Bailey ran to the dog pen for water, but Remi stayed behind at the truck. I managed to convince her to only take 2 steps. I ended up carrying her to the pen, she didn't fight it at all. I successfully managed to tire out the dogs! What a great day! Logan loved it, and I am thankful to have such a great hunting partner! Thanks bud!
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Sunday, October 11, 2009
10/10/2009 - Lowel, VT
Date of hunt: 10/10/2009
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Rainy
Temperature: 51 °F (Start) 45 °F (End)
Companions: Steve Abell, Logan Abell
Dogs of mine: Bailey & Remi
# of Rabbits Ran: 1
# of Rabbits Shot: 0
It was misting at the house when I left to get Dad and Logan. I was hoping that Lowell would have better weather, but the rain was still coming down when we got there. We went down the four wheeler trail towards the power lines. I was hoping to pick up the rabbit that Logan and I ran a couple weeks ago. The dogs picked up a little bit of scent but never got a run going. We worked our way thru the softwoods in the direction of the clear cut below the truck. Bailey started to pick up some scent, but again, couldn't get a run going. We kept working all the little areas I thought would produce a hare, no luck. We circled back thru the woods towards the four wheeler trail again, hoping to find something. Nothing. Dad was getting wet and was talking about getting home to do trash and stuff. I really wanted to get something going. With one last effort I worked the dogs up through the softwoods along the edge of the power lines. Bailey got the start and got a long run going on her own before Remi joined in. The ran it well for about 15 minutes. They crossed the four wheeler trail and circled up above. As the rabbit came back down we go Logan ready. The rabbit hugged the woodline along the edge of the four wheeler trail and stayed up above us. The dogs circled it back up and lost it for about 3 minutes. They got on it again and were bring it back down again. Logan was ready again and again, the rabbit stayed up high and ran another circle above us. As it came back down again Dad and Logan were ready, it still didn't cross. The dogs ran it back up again and lost it on the turn. As I called them in they picked up the scent again on their way to me. They ran it for a short distance and lost it. At this point the weather was starting to break, but Dad was ready to leave. We packed up and headed home, 10:00am.
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Rainy
Temperature: 51 °F (Start) 45 °F (End)
Companions: Steve Abell, Logan Abell
Dogs of mine: Bailey & Remi
# of Rabbits Ran: 1
# of Rabbits Shot: 0
It was misting at the house when I left to get Dad and Logan. I was hoping that Lowell would have better weather, but the rain was still coming down when we got there. We went down the four wheeler trail towards the power lines. I was hoping to pick up the rabbit that Logan and I ran a couple weeks ago. The dogs picked up a little bit of scent but never got a run going. We worked our way thru the softwoods in the direction of the clear cut below the truck. Bailey started to pick up some scent, but again, couldn't get a run going. We kept working all the little areas I thought would produce a hare, no luck. We circled back thru the woods towards the four wheeler trail again, hoping to find something. Nothing. Dad was getting wet and was talking about getting home to do trash and stuff. I really wanted to get something going. With one last effort I worked the dogs up through the softwoods along the edge of the power lines. Bailey got the start and got a long run going on her own before Remi joined in. The ran it well for about 15 minutes. They crossed the four wheeler trail and circled up above. As the rabbit came back down we go Logan ready. The rabbit hugged the woodline along the edge of the four wheeler trail and stayed up above us. The dogs circled it back up and lost it for about 3 minutes. They got on it again and were bring it back down again. Logan was ready again and again, the rabbit stayed up high and ran another circle above us. As it came back down again Dad and Logan were ready, it still didn't cross. The dogs ran it back up again and lost it on the turn. As I called them in they picked up the scent again on their way to me. They ran it for a short distance and lost it. At this point the weather was starting to break, but Dad was ready to leave. We packed up and headed home, 10:00am.
Monday, October 5, 2009
10/3/2009 - Milton, VT
Date of hunt: 10/3/2009
Location: Uncle Philip's Lot
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 58 °F (Start) 58 °F (End)
Companions: Alone
Dogs of mine: Bailey & Remi
# of Rabbits Ran: 2
# of Rabbits Shot: 0
I pulled in to the lot around 2:30pm and geared up the dogs. The dogs started working hard right off. We worked our way over towards the garden and Remi got the first start. She was already out in the middle of Mike Duffy's field and was running up on to the bank. They brought the rabbit back towards me and I was ready. I caught a quick glimpse of the rabbit running back down the bank but the dogs didn't turn with it. They kept running up on the bank past me and then a rabbit popped out of the tall grass and ran across the mowed section. I managed to get off 3 shots and wounded on the second and the third. I took off after the rabbit and lost sight of it. The dogs came in and continued to run its track right into a stone pile. I felt bad that I wounded a rabbit and lost it, that's a first for me.
I brought the dogs back to where I saw the other rabbit run down the bank and Bailey got the start on this one. She ran it down into Mike's field again. I turned back towards the mowed piece and there was guy standing there with his dog. His name was Mark Gallee and was quite concerned that I was shooting. He started to drill me with questions. "Who's property are you on?", I told him my Uncle Philip's and he asked me "Isn't it Mike Duffy's?". I corrected him and showed him the property line. He asked me what I was hunting and I told him rabbits. He thought I was hunting Grouse, because he heard the shots and saw some grouse fly over his house. I told him that all my shots were directed towards the ground and he said "thanks". I told him where his house was and he was a bit surprised, I also told him that I already talked with Joe St. Hilaire and he told me where your house was. He asked me if I worked with Joe, and I told him that I didn't work with him, but at the same place as him, Husky. He shook his head and said, okay, you do work at Husky, okay. It then remembered that he was a police officer, that would be the reason for the DRILLING! Needless to say my anxiety level was high and I was not really wanting to hunt there anymore. The dogs ran the cottontail in 2 more circles but the rabbit stayed in the thick stuff. We packed up and headed home.
Location: Uncle Philip's Lot
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 58 °F (Start) 58 °F (End)
Companions: Alone
Dogs of mine: Bailey & Remi
# of Rabbits Ran: 2
# of Rabbits Shot: 0
I pulled in to the lot around 2:30pm and geared up the dogs. The dogs started working hard right off. We worked our way over towards the garden and Remi got the first start. She was already out in the middle of Mike Duffy's field and was running up on to the bank. They brought the rabbit back towards me and I was ready. I caught a quick glimpse of the rabbit running back down the bank but the dogs didn't turn with it. They kept running up on the bank past me and then a rabbit popped out of the tall grass and ran across the mowed section. I managed to get off 3 shots and wounded on the second and the third. I took off after the rabbit and lost sight of it. The dogs came in and continued to run its track right into a stone pile. I felt bad that I wounded a rabbit and lost it, that's a first for me.
I brought the dogs back to where I saw the other rabbit run down the bank and Bailey got the start on this one. She ran it down into Mike's field again. I turned back towards the mowed piece and there was guy standing there with his dog. His name was Mark Gallee and was quite concerned that I was shooting. He started to drill me with questions. "Who's property are you on?", I told him my Uncle Philip's and he asked me "Isn't it Mike Duffy's?". I corrected him and showed him the property line. He asked me what I was hunting and I told him rabbits. He thought I was hunting Grouse, because he heard the shots and saw some grouse fly over his house. I told him that all my shots were directed towards the ground and he said "thanks". I told him where his house was and he was a bit surprised, I also told him that I already talked with Joe St. Hilaire and he told me where your house was. He asked me if I worked with Joe, and I told him that I didn't work with him, but at the same place as him, Husky. He shook his head and said, okay, you do work at Husky, okay. It then remembered that he was a police officer, that would be the reason for the DRILLING! Needless to say my anxiety level was high and I was not really wanting to hunt there anymore. The dogs ran the cottontail in 2 more circles but the rabbit stayed in the thick stuff. We packed up and headed home.
9/26/2009 - Lowell, VT
Date 9/26/2009
Location: Lowell
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 33 °F (Start) 5 4°F (End)
Companions: Logan Abell
Dogs of mine: Bailey & Remi
Running Partner: Logan
# of Rabbits Ran: 6
# of Rabbits shot: 2
Wow, what a great hunt! I woke up at 4:40 and went and woke up Logan. He was the only one going with me and stayed the night at the house. We were out the door a 5:20, about 20 minutes later than I wanted to be. Legal shooting time was at 6:12am and it was an hour drive ahead of us. Logan fell asleep on the way there and it was past legal shooting time when we pulled on to Robtoy Road. The chain down to the NC camp was down so I figured they were there, and that changed my game plan of the hunt. I was going to walk down the logging road towards the beaver pond, but parked at the log landing instead and worked down from there. When we let the dogs out we worked down the edge of the 4 wheeler trail (opposite side from the power lines). Bailey started barking on some scent within 2 minutes. She worked it slowly for about 10 minutes. She really started in hot and took off on the run real fast. Remi came in from a good distance out and joined Bailey on the run. I was really happy to see her pack! The rabbit made a turn towards the 4 wheeler trail that I was standing on and it quickly popped out on the road and ran up it for a ways. I told Logan that I saw it and I tried to set him up in position to get a shot if it crosses again. The dogs kept running it really hard and fast and quickly brought the rabbit back across the road right in front of Logan. He got really excited and started yelling "here it is, the rabbits right here!". He was too excited to get a shot off. The dogs ran it back up near the truck and lost it. It was a good run to start the morning and I was excited to see such a good run on hare again. It was really good to see that Remi packed with Bailey. I went back up to truck to grab some food and called in the dogs to start again. We worked back down below the truck and swung over to the log road down to the old clear cuts. Remi got the start on this one. She had already crossed the log road ahead of Logan and I where she pick up her first start of the day. Bailey quickly caught up with Remi and they were off on another fast run. They ran two decent sized circles above us, but below the road. There was a short check before they picked it up again and ran it really fast again down in our direction. Come to find out they ran it down the opposite side of the log road then where we were. The rabbit made a turn out across the log road and the dogs missed to the corner. They checked for about a minute and then picked it up again. Logan and I were ready, with Logan being a position to see it first. The rabbit skirted around him and then turned back in towards me. The first chance I had to shot he was already about 10 yards from me. I get nervous at that close of a distance, I hate to blow the rabbit apart so I don't aim so well. I aimed low and it took off again. I pumped and shot again, this time it was closer and again I just didn't aim at the body, or head. I clipped its back foot. I pumped again and shot again. I hit the rear legs again and it started to squeal. Remi and Bailey were closing in and Remi was able to finish off the rabbit. After the kill they wanted nothing more to do with it and started looking for some more scent. Logan was pumped! He was praising the dogs as much as I was. We worked down through the woods towards the first clear cut and Remi got the next start again. Bailey ran by Logan and I at full speed to catch up with her and off they went again. Logan and I set up where Remi started the rabbit and waited. They ran it hard for a quite a while. Twice that brought it down near us but it never came back down in where we were. They ended up loosing it near the bottom of the log road. I called in the dogs after a long check to try and work the clump of softwoods in the center of the clearing. Remi started the next rabbit within a minute of us getting in the thicket. Bailey joined in and their barks quickly changed from a working bark to a hot bark. They ran it fast in a tight circle, staying in the thick stuff. Logan made the comment that it will be hard to get a shot in the cover and we tried to set up in what we thought would be the best place possible. Logan made his way out towards were Remi started the 3rd start to find a stump to stand on. I had found a 6 in diameter downed tree to stand on and balanced myself on it to wait. Logan was just starting to stand on his stump when the rabbit came and stopped about 10 feet from me. I pulled up and actually closed my eyes when I pulled the trigger. It became really apparent that I didn't want to see how destructive a .410 would be at that close. I shot low, and did open up the rabbit a lot. Logan hollard in a disbelief, "you got it?"; "yeah"; "really?"; "yeah"; "already?"; "yeah". He came over and was really excited. He kept talking about how great the day was, and how well the dogs were doing. We talked for a bit about the hunt and Bailey opened up where Remi had got the start on the 3rd rabbit. They both ran the rabbit hard and Logan and I set up in the same spot where we stood before on the 3rd rabbit. The rabbit ran the exact same line as it did before. It had to have been the same rabbit as before. We moved to where the rabbit had crossed a couple of times and set up for the time it came through. This time the dogs made the turn with the rabbit and headed back up past where we shot the 1st rabbit and it turn above us. The dogs ended up losing it just beyond where we shot the last rabbit. At that point we started hearing cow bells and saw a couple of dogs skirting through the trees, with a couple of hunters close behind. I figured it was the owner of the NC camp. We worked down below where we shot the last rabbit and ran in to the hunters. It was Bruce and Bob. Bruce is the owner of the camp and Bob was from VT. We talked for a while and discussed the area, the camp, the differences between bird hunting and rabbit hunting and the Garmin Astro. A very nice piece of equipment! Bruce asked what he could do to not interupt my hunt and I asked the same. We both found that we really wouldn't effect each other in any way. So we parted ways and Logan and I ventured towards the NC camp. Bailey picked up here and there with nothing solid for a run. I called them in and started to head back up near the camp in hopes of running the rabbit that lives near the bottom of the NC camp meadow. Bailey all of a sudden started barking and took off with her hot bark. Remi came in from a good distance away and ran with her. Come to find out we were just below the camp and we set up where I had seen the rabbit run through before. The dogs ran the rabbit counter clockwise around the camp and then the rabbit turned a tight circle up above the camp. They camp back down the same side of the woods as they went up and turned again out towards the log road. The rabbit ran back up along side the camp and above it. It turned again and ran the same line back down through the woods towards Logan and I. It turned again before it got to us and the dogs followed it back up again, this time loosing it up above the camp. We made our way back up towards the dogs and finally got them gathered up. We worked our way back down towards the clear cut and picked up the rabbit we had left behind. We made our way back up to the truck and were pretty worn out when we got there. The dogs were very thirsty and drank for a good minute in the first water hole we came across. Logan kept commenting on how great a day he had and how it was the best hunt he had ever been on. I was very happy with the day and I am excited to invite others along for a hunt some time. Overall, a great day!!
Location: Lowell
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 33 °F (Start) 5 4°F (End)
Companions: Logan Abell
Dogs of mine: Bailey & Remi
Running Partner: Logan
# of Rabbits Ran: 6
# of Rabbits shot: 2
Wow, what a great hunt! I woke up at 4:40 and went and woke up Logan. He was the only one going with me and stayed the night at the house. We were out the door a 5:20, about 20 minutes later than I wanted to be. Legal shooting time was at 6:12am and it was an hour drive ahead of us. Logan fell asleep on the way there and it was past legal shooting time when we pulled on to Robtoy Road. The chain down to the NC camp was down so I figured they were there, and that changed my game plan of the hunt. I was going to walk down the logging road towards the beaver pond, but parked at the log landing instead and worked down from there. When we let the dogs out we worked down the edge of the 4 wheeler trail (opposite side from the power lines). Bailey started barking on some scent within 2 minutes. She worked it slowly for about 10 minutes. She really started in hot and took off on the run real fast. Remi came in from a good distance out and joined Bailey on the run. I was really happy to see her pack! The rabbit made a turn towards the 4 wheeler trail that I was standing on and it quickly popped out on the road and ran up it for a ways. I told Logan that I saw it and I tried to set him up in position to get a shot if it crosses again. The dogs kept running it really hard and fast and quickly brought the rabbit back across the road right in front of Logan. He got really excited and started yelling "here it is, the rabbits right here!". He was too excited to get a shot off. The dogs ran it back up near the truck and lost it. It was a good run to start the morning and I was excited to see such a good run on hare again. It was really good to see that Remi packed with Bailey. I went back up to truck to grab some food and called in the dogs to start again. We worked back down below the truck and swung over to the log road down to the old clear cuts. Remi got the start on this one. She had already crossed the log road ahead of Logan and I where she pick up her first start of the day. Bailey quickly caught up with Remi and they were off on another fast run. They ran two decent sized circles above us, but below the road. There was a short check before they picked it up again and ran it really fast again down in our direction. Come to find out they ran it down the opposite side of the log road then where we were. The rabbit made a turn out across the log road and the dogs missed to the corner. They checked for about a minute and then picked it up again. Logan and I were ready, with Logan being a position to see it first. The rabbit skirted around him and then turned back in towards me. The first chance I had to shot he was already about 10 yards from me. I get nervous at that close of a distance, I hate to blow the rabbit apart so I don't aim so well. I aimed low and it took off again. I pumped and shot again, this time it was closer and again I just didn't aim at the body, or head. I clipped its back foot. I pumped again and shot again. I hit the rear legs again and it started to squeal. Remi and Bailey were closing in and Remi was able to finish off the rabbit. After the kill they wanted nothing more to do with it and started looking for some more scent. Logan was pumped! He was praising the dogs as much as I was. We worked down through the woods towards the first clear cut and Remi got the next start again. Bailey ran by Logan and I at full speed to catch up with her and off they went again. Logan and I set up where Remi started the rabbit and waited. They ran it hard for a quite a while. Twice that brought it down near us but it never came back down in where we were. They ended up loosing it near the bottom of the log road. I called in the dogs after a long check to try and work the clump of softwoods in the center of the clearing. Remi started the next rabbit within a minute of us getting in the thicket. Bailey joined in and their barks quickly changed from a working bark to a hot bark. They ran it fast in a tight circle, staying in the thick stuff. Logan made the comment that it will be hard to get a shot in the cover and we tried to set up in what we thought would be the best place possible. Logan made his way out towards were Remi started the 3rd start to find a stump to stand on. I had found a 6 in diameter downed tree to stand on and balanced myself on it to wait. Logan was just starting to stand on his stump when the rabbit came and stopped about 10 feet from me. I pulled up and actually closed my eyes when I pulled the trigger. It became really apparent that I didn't want to see how destructive a .410 would be at that close. I shot low, and did open up the rabbit a lot. Logan hollard in a disbelief, "you got it?"; "yeah"; "really?"; "yeah"; "already?"; "yeah". He came over and was really excited. He kept talking about how great the day was, and how well the dogs were doing. We talked for a bit about the hunt and Bailey opened up where Remi had got the start on the 3rd rabbit. They both ran the rabbit hard and Logan and I set up in the same spot where we stood before on the 3rd rabbit. The rabbit ran the exact same line as it did before. It had to have been the same rabbit as before. We moved to where the rabbit had crossed a couple of times and set up for the time it came through. This time the dogs made the turn with the rabbit and headed back up past where we shot the 1st rabbit and it turn above us. The dogs ended up losing it just beyond where we shot the last rabbit. At that point we started hearing cow bells and saw a couple of dogs skirting through the trees, with a couple of hunters close behind. I figured it was the owner of the NC camp. We worked down below where we shot the last rabbit and ran in to the hunters. It was Bruce and Bob. Bruce is the owner of the camp and Bob was from VT. We talked for a while and discussed the area, the camp, the differences between bird hunting and rabbit hunting and the Garmin Astro. A very nice piece of equipment! Bruce asked what he could do to not interupt my hunt and I asked the same. We both found that we really wouldn't effect each other in any way. So we parted ways and Logan and I ventured towards the NC camp. Bailey picked up here and there with nothing solid for a run. I called them in and started to head back up near the camp in hopes of running the rabbit that lives near the bottom of the NC camp meadow. Bailey all of a sudden started barking and took off with her hot bark. Remi came in from a good distance away and ran with her. Come to find out we were just below the camp and we set up where I had seen the rabbit run through before. The dogs ran the rabbit counter clockwise around the camp and then the rabbit turned a tight circle up above the camp. They camp back down the same side of the woods as they went up and turned again out towards the log road. The rabbit ran back up along side the camp and above it. It turned again and ran the same line back down through the woods towards Logan and I. It turned again before it got to us and the dogs followed it back up again, this time loosing it up above the camp. We made our way back up towards the dogs and finally got them gathered up. We worked our way back down towards the clear cut and picked up the rabbit we had left behind. We made our way back up to the truck and were pretty worn out when we got there. The dogs were very thirsty and drank for a good minute in the first water hole we came across. Logan kept commenting on how great a day he had and how it was the best hunt he had ever been on. I was very happy with the day and I am excited to invite others along for a hunt some time. Overall, a great day!!
9/16/2009 - Milton, VT
Date of hunt: 9/16/2009
Location: Husky
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 58 °F (Start) 52 °F (End)
Companions: Alone
Dogs of mine: Bailey & Remi
# of Rabbits Ran: 3
Wow, what a turn around! The dogs ran really well on a cottontail! I'm very happy with their performance and their new behaviors! I've ran them a bunch of times throughout the summer without creating log entries. I've struggled every trip out, and actually went through a bout where I was ready to sell them and start over with different genetics. Something clicked over the past couple of weeks and I'm hoping it continues. Remi is now packing with Bailey, and Bailey is working better on her checks. We started off by the gate and working the tall brush on the north side of the road out to the salt shed. Remi got the start by yipping on some old scent and the rabbit jumped out across the mowed road to the upper side of the tall grass. Bailey was the first to get on the line and Remi came in to pack when Bailey barked. The ran it through the tall grass towards the road out to the salt shed, crossed it and kept going. The rabbit ran out behind the first parking lot and the dogs were really hot on its trail. The lost it for a minute on the turn back but worked out the check and brought the rabbit back across the road by the gate. The kept on it at the road crossing and the rabbit circled back where it started. They lost it where it started. I've ran this same rabbit a number of times during the summer and found that they tend to lose the rabbit at the same place every time. There must be a hole that it goes into there.
We went out to the salt shed and picked up a rabbit on the south/west corner thicket. They were running that rabbit so fast and well that I was nervous it might be some off game. The ran it back to the road, turned and followed along the side of the road. Brought it under the apple tree and back to where they started. They lost this one again where they started.
We moved over to the north/west thicket and the quickly ran one around in the tall grass for about 15 minutes. It was a choppy run, but a run none-the-less.
Unknowingly this would be my last run at Husky. A member of Human Resources heard the dogs running and thought that dogs were being killed. They called the facilities manager who then sent out a couple of maintenance guys to see what was going on. When I told them I had permission to run my dogs on rabbits they were fine with it and left. The next day was a drawn out, all day affair of explaining myself. Good thing I had the email that fully explained what a dog does when it runs rabbits back when I asked for permission (August of 2007). In the end my manager, my second level manager, and the Human Resources manager pulled me in to a room and told me that I wasn't in trouble as I was doing exactly as I had asked, and that I was handling the situation very well. They told me that they had to change their mind about the permission they granted and they were happy that I was okay with it. Why wouldn't I be? It is a matter of keeping my job or running my dogs, hmmm, easy decision.
Location: Husky
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 58 °F (Start) 52 °F (End)
Companions: Alone
Dogs of mine: Bailey & Remi
# of Rabbits Ran: 3
Wow, what a turn around! The dogs ran really well on a cottontail! I'm very happy with their performance and their new behaviors! I've ran them a bunch of times throughout the summer without creating log entries. I've struggled every trip out, and actually went through a bout where I was ready to sell them and start over with different genetics. Something clicked over the past couple of weeks and I'm hoping it continues. Remi is now packing with Bailey, and Bailey is working better on her checks. We started off by the gate and working the tall brush on the north side of the road out to the salt shed. Remi got the start by yipping on some old scent and the rabbit jumped out across the mowed road to the upper side of the tall grass. Bailey was the first to get on the line and Remi came in to pack when Bailey barked. The ran it through the tall grass towards the road out to the salt shed, crossed it and kept going. The rabbit ran out behind the first parking lot and the dogs were really hot on its trail. The lost it for a minute on the turn back but worked out the check and brought the rabbit back across the road by the gate. The kept on it at the road crossing and the rabbit circled back where it started. They lost it where it started. I've ran this same rabbit a number of times during the summer and found that they tend to lose the rabbit at the same place every time. There must be a hole that it goes into there.
We went out to the salt shed and picked up a rabbit on the south/west corner thicket. They were running that rabbit so fast and well that I was nervous it might be some off game. The ran it back to the road, turned and followed along the side of the road. Brought it under the apple tree and back to where they started. They lost this one again where they started.
We moved over to the north/west thicket and the quickly ran one around in the tall grass for about 15 minutes. It was a choppy run, but a run none-the-less.
Unknowingly this would be my last run at Husky. A member of Human Resources heard the dogs running and thought that dogs were being killed. They called the facilities manager who then sent out a couple of maintenance guys to see what was going on. When I told them I had permission to run my dogs on rabbits they were fine with it and left. The next day was a drawn out, all day affair of explaining myself. Good thing I had the email that fully explained what a dog does when it runs rabbits back when I asked for permission (August of 2007). In the end my manager, my second level manager, and the Human Resources manager pulled me in to a room and told me that I wasn't in trouble as I was doing exactly as I had asked, and that I was handling the situation very well. They told me that they had to change their mind about the permission they granted and they were happy that I was okay with it. Why wouldn't I be? It is a matter of keeping my job or running my dogs, hmmm, easy decision.
6/5/2009 - Lowell, VT
Date of hunt: 6/5/2009
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 71 °F (Start) 60 °F (End)
Companions: Alone
Dogs of mine: Bailey & Remi
# of Rabbits Ran: 2
Went up to Robtoy Road after work on Friday. Pulled in and was geared up by 6:30. I let Bailey out and kept Remi on a leash as we went into the woods. Walked down in front of the NC camp again in hopes of kicking up the rabbit we ran on Monday. Bailey worked for about 15 minutes and still nothing. I let Remi go and help out. 5 minutes later Bailey got a start. Both of them were running it. Bailey was definitely out in front by 10 yards at times and you could hear her go back to Remi. Clashing speeds. The rabbit came out of the softwoods and turned back in when it saw me. I leashed Remi on her way by because it was choppy running for both of them. Bailey lost out and Remi kept pulling me in the direction the rabbit ran. I let her go and the race was on again. They both ran it down over the bank and out of hearing. They must have lost it on the turn because they took a long time to come back. As they came back towards me it was very choppy running. I let them work it for a good 45 minutes. There were some guys with 4 wheelers that tried to come down towards me on a trail and I could hear them try to get a four wheeler unstuck. They must have worked for a good hour before they made their way back up out of the area. I then felt I could call the dogs in without having them bother me. I leashed Bailey and let Remi work. She got a rabbit going and ran it hard by herself for a full circle she lost it when the rabbit came back up by Bailey and I. It was dark, and we made our way back up to the truck. I will definitely have to run both dogs alone, they clash too much to run them as a pair.
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 71 °F (Start) 60 °F (End)
Companions: Alone
Dogs of mine: Bailey & Remi
# of Rabbits Ran: 2
Went up to Robtoy Road after work on Friday. Pulled in and was geared up by 6:30. I let Bailey out and kept Remi on a leash as we went into the woods. Walked down in front of the NC camp again in hopes of kicking up the rabbit we ran on Monday. Bailey worked for about 15 minutes and still nothing. I let Remi go and help out. 5 minutes later Bailey got a start. Both of them were running it. Bailey was definitely out in front by 10 yards at times and you could hear her go back to Remi. Clashing speeds. The rabbit came out of the softwoods and turned back in when it saw me. I leashed Remi on her way by because it was choppy running for both of them. Bailey lost out and Remi kept pulling me in the direction the rabbit ran. I let her go and the race was on again. They both ran it down over the bank and out of hearing. They must have lost it on the turn because they took a long time to come back. As they came back towards me it was very choppy running. I let them work it for a good 45 minutes. There were some guys with 4 wheelers that tried to come down towards me on a trail and I could hear them try to get a four wheeler unstuck. They must have worked for a good hour before they made their way back up out of the area. I then felt I could call the dogs in without having them bother me. I leashed Bailey and let Remi work. She got a rabbit going and ran it hard by herself for a full circle she lost it when the rabbit came back up by Bailey and I. It was dark, and we made our way back up to the truck. I will definitely have to run both dogs alone, they clash too much to run them as a pair.
6/1/2009 - Lowell, VT
Date of 6/1/2009
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Light Rain
Temperature 51 °F (Start) 51 °F (End)
Companions: Alone
Dogs of mine: Bailey & Remi
# of Rabbits Ran: 1
Opening day of running rabbits happened to fall on a Monday this year. I left work at 5, and went home to load up before heading to Lowell. Pulled on to Robtoy Road at 6:30. By they time the dogs and I were fully geared up it was 6:45. I dropped Remi first and left Bailey in the box with a bark collar. Remi and I went down the log road at the entrance of the NC Camp and headed towards the softwoods. Remi started to bark on something within 10 minutes and took off on a scent out of hearing. I quickly got nervous as the moose sign was active in the area. I ventured in the direction of the last bark I heard and started to try and call her in. I bumped her and she barked closer than I had expected. Still a long way out, but within hearing. I called her in and she was by my side within 5 minutes. She started working again got a scent going within a minute. I let her take it without any worry because the thicket she was in could not possibly hold a moose. She again ran a line right out of hearing. I let her go and about 2 or 3 minutes later I could hear her again. As she got closer I was able to see the rabbit run by me at about 15 yards. It was a really good size snowshoe. Remi was having a hard time working the trail and I called her in using the “I just saw a rabbit” call that they dogs have got accustomed to. Remi came right in and got on the trail again. She circled the rabbit up along the side of the NC Camp and then back down by me again. It sat still for about a half a minute before taking Remi back out of hearing again. Remi lost out on the trail on her way back up towards me. I called her in and brought her back to the truck. Remi got a good hour and a half run in before I switched her for Bailey.
I dropped Bailey at about 8:15pm and headed back down the NC Camp driveway. On the edge of the woodline I noticed a rabbit sitting up looking up towards us. I quickly got Bailey on the track and off she went. She was like a loose canon. The rabbit made a straight line out of the area while Bailey made it look like it had zig zagged around every tree and then back again. She was just so excited to be running scent that she was barking all over the place. When she finally settled down a bit and took the line the rabbit had brought her out of hearing. She came back up towards me and the rabbit had snuck by me without me seeing it. Bailey was working the line slowly and I’m guessing the rabbit was probably a county line ahead of her. I went up to the truck and brought Remi down on a lead in hopes of having the two pack together. Bailey was barking a bit and I let Remi go. Remi had no interest in helping out Bailey, she just wanted find a line herself. I leashed up Remi again and made my way closer to Bailey again. As I sat and listened to Bailey work the line Remi started to get a bit antsy and had a bit of spark to want and join in with Bailey. I think I will have try this tactic a bit more to get Remi excited and want to honor Bailey next time. Darkness closed in at around 9 and I all of sudden felt quite small in the big wilderness. I called in Bailey and brought the two dogs back up to the truck to head home.
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Light Rain
Temperature 51 °F (Start) 51 °F (End)
Companions: Alone
Dogs of mine: Bailey & Remi
# of Rabbits Ran: 1
Opening day of running rabbits happened to fall on a Monday this year. I left work at 5, and went home to load up before heading to Lowell. Pulled on to Robtoy Road at 6:30. By they time the dogs and I were fully geared up it was 6:45. I dropped Remi first and left Bailey in the box with a bark collar. Remi and I went down the log road at the entrance of the NC Camp and headed towards the softwoods. Remi started to bark on something within 10 minutes and took off on a scent out of hearing. I quickly got nervous as the moose sign was active in the area. I ventured in the direction of the last bark I heard and started to try and call her in. I bumped her and she barked closer than I had expected. Still a long way out, but within hearing. I called her in and she was by my side within 5 minutes. She started working again got a scent going within a minute. I let her take it without any worry because the thicket she was in could not possibly hold a moose. She again ran a line right out of hearing. I let her go and about 2 or 3 minutes later I could hear her again. As she got closer I was able to see the rabbit run by me at about 15 yards. It was a really good size snowshoe. Remi was having a hard time working the trail and I called her in using the “I just saw a rabbit” call that they dogs have got accustomed to. Remi came right in and got on the trail again. She circled the rabbit up along the side of the NC Camp and then back down by me again. It sat still for about a half a minute before taking Remi back out of hearing again. Remi lost out on the trail on her way back up towards me. I called her in and brought her back to the truck. Remi got a good hour and a half run in before I switched her for Bailey.
I dropped Bailey at about 8:15pm and headed back down the NC Camp driveway. On the edge of the woodline I noticed a rabbit sitting up looking up towards us. I quickly got Bailey on the track and off she went. She was like a loose canon. The rabbit made a straight line out of the area while Bailey made it look like it had zig zagged around every tree and then back again. She was just so excited to be running scent that she was barking all over the place. When she finally settled down a bit and took the line the rabbit had brought her out of hearing. She came back up towards me and the rabbit had snuck by me without me seeing it. Bailey was working the line slowly and I’m guessing the rabbit was probably a county line ahead of her. I went up to the truck and brought Remi down on a lead in hopes of having the two pack together. Bailey was barking a bit and I let Remi go. Remi had no interest in helping out Bailey, she just wanted find a line herself. I leashed up Remi again and made my way closer to Bailey again. As I sat and listened to Bailey work the line Remi started to get a bit antsy and had a bit of spark to want and join in with Bailey. I think I will have try this tactic a bit more to get Remi excited and want to honor Bailey next time. Darkness closed in at around 9 and I all of sudden felt quite small in the big wilderness. I called in Bailey and brought the two dogs back up to the truck to head home.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
3/8/2009 - Lowell, VT
Date of hunt: 3/8/2009
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 36 °F (Start) 39 °F (End)
Companions: Steve Abell, Logan Abell
Dogs of mine: Bailey
# of Rabbits Ran: 4
# of Rabbits Shot: 0
Today was the last day of the 2008-2009 Vermont Hare season. Dad, Logan and I pulled into our spot at about 8:15. The time change made it a little darker, which was nice. We geared up with snowshoes and headed down the logging road. Bailey got a start right off and worked it slowly down parrallel with the logging road we were standing on. She lost it after about 50 yards. I found a cross trail that I walked down with hopes of cutting the rabbit track that Bailey lost. I found the track, called Bailey in and put her on it. She took off on it, slow at first (zig-zagging) but then picked up the trail on a steady pace. She ran it out away from us on a nice solid run. She brought it just to the edge of hearing range and started to make the turn. She got through the turn and started to bring it back to us when she lost it. I thought for sure I was going to get a crack at it. I had the "perfect" spot. Dad thought the same from his position. If I were to put money down I would guess my Dad would have got it, don't they always? Bailey was in line to bring it back to us when she hit the check. We waited about 10 minutes in hopes of her solving the check before I called Bailey back in. We worked back onto the logging road and headed down towards the beaver pond. We found the pond that Google Earth told me was there, and walked along the edge of its profile. Not much of a pond anymore, looks like the beaver dam broke and it was drained. We worked the cover near the pond with now luck and decided to head back up where we came from as the rabbit sign was lacking. Bailey picked up a track and started working it. She worked it slowly, off and on for about 5 minutes. She finally started on the line and this is where I feel she needs some work, lots of it too. She would run the straight line for about 10 yards and then zag to the right. She would bark (off the line) for about 5 yards and then realize that she wasn't running the line and then stop. She would go back near the line, find it and then run it for another 10 yards and then zig to the left. Barking the same as before. She finally picked up on the line and ran it solid after those two episodes. She ran it well and deep and ran it just about out of hearing distance. She made the turn to come back towards us. Dad made a comment about how good she was doing. And then she lost it. It was the same as last time. Can't quite run the rabbit in a full circle. I would like to blame it on the ground conditions but I know that a lot of it is Bailey. The 3 feet of snow was soft and slowly melting. She would sink up to her belly and struggle to climb up any kind of elevation. We worked back up below the NC camp and made our way over to the other running ground that I ran on in October. Bailey kicked up a rabbit and ran it pretty hot for about 2 minutes. It sounded like it turned and was heading back up towards me, when she lost it, AGAIN!! I can't catch a break. Bailey needs to get over that! I'm hoping some good summer running will help refine her. After letting Bailey work for about 20 minutes and try to find the track again I called her in and headed closer to the clear cut. There was one last clump of softwoods on the edge of the clearcut that Bailey worked and she got another start. She had a couple of good bawls that sounded like she was sight chasing it. It made a real tight circle and was coming back towards me. I felt that I was going to see it, and I found out later that Dad thought so too. She made the turn on the small circle and then lost it again. Four times in a row she seemed to loose it in the same spot…..on the turn. What is it? Hopefully next year at this time she will be able to run a rabbit non-stop until I either shoot it or call her off. We made our way back up towards the road, that was tiring. Uphill and softer snow, made for a tough climb. A good year, I guess, but I look forward to a better year next year.
Location: Doug Duffy's
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 36 °F (Start) 39 °F (End)
Companions: Steve Abell, Logan Abell
Dogs of mine: Bailey
# of Rabbits Ran: 4
# of Rabbits Shot: 0
Today was the last day of the 2008-2009 Vermont Hare season. Dad, Logan and I pulled into our spot at about 8:15. The time change made it a little darker, which was nice. We geared up with snowshoes and headed down the logging road. Bailey got a start right off and worked it slowly down parrallel with the logging road we were standing on. She lost it after about 50 yards. I found a cross trail that I walked down with hopes of cutting the rabbit track that Bailey lost. I found the track, called Bailey in and put her on it. She took off on it, slow at first (zig-zagging) but then picked up the trail on a steady pace. She ran it out away from us on a nice solid run. She brought it just to the edge of hearing range and started to make the turn. She got through the turn and started to bring it back to us when she lost it. I thought for sure I was going to get a crack at it. I had the "perfect" spot. Dad thought the same from his position. If I were to put money down I would guess my Dad would have got it, don't they always? Bailey was in line to bring it back to us when she hit the check. We waited about 10 minutes in hopes of her solving the check before I called Bailey back in. We worked back onto the logging road and headed down towards the beaver pond. We found the pond that Google Earth told me was there, and walked along the edge of its profile. Not much of a pond anymore, looks like the beaver dam broke and it was drained. We worked the cover near the pond with now luck and decided to head back up where we came from as the rabbit sign was lacking. Bailey picked up a track and started working it. She worked it slowly, off and on for about 5 minutes. She finally started on the line and this is where I feel she needs some work, lots of it too. She would run the straight line for about 10 yards and then zag to the right. She would bark (off the line) for about 5 yards and then realize that she wasn't running the line and then stop. She would go back near the line, find it and then run it for another 10 yards and then zig to the left. Barking the same as before. She finally picked up on the line and ran it solid after those two episodes. She ran it well and deep and ran it just about out of hearing distance. She made the turn to come back towards us. Dad made a comment about how good she was doing. And then she lost it. It was the same as last time. Can't quite run the rabbit in a full circle. I would like to blame it on the ground conditions but I know that a lot of it is Bailey. The 3 feet of snow was soft and slowly melting. She would sink up to her belly and struggle to climb up any kind of elevation. We worked back up below the NC camp and made our way over to the other running ground that I ran on in October. Bailey kicked up a rabbit and ran it pretty hot for about 2 minutes. It sounded like it turned and was heading back up towards me, when she lost it, AGAIN!! I can't catch a break. Bailey needs to get over that! I'm hoping some good summer running will help refine her. After letting Bailey work for about 20 minutes and try to find the track again I called her in and headed closer to the clear cut. There was one last clump of softwoods on the edge of the clearcut that Bailey worked and she got another start. She had a couple of good bawls that sounded like she was sight chasing it. It made a real tight circle and was coming back towards me. I felt that I was going to see it, and I found out later that Dad thought so too. She made the turn on the small circle and then lost it again. Four times in a row she seemed to loose it in the same spot…..on the turn. What is it? Hopefully next year at this time she will be able to run a rabbit non-stop until I either shoot it or call her off. We made our way back up towards the road, that was tiring. Uphill and softer snow, made for a tough climb. A good year, I guess, but I look forward to a better year next year.
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