1/4/2009 - Ferrisburgh, VT

Date of hunt: 1/4/2009
Location: Ferrisburgh
Weather: Sunny
Temperature : 8 °F (Start) 12 °F (End)
Dogs of mine: Bailey & Remi
Running Partner: John Roberts
Other Dogs: Bowie
Driver/Truck: Ryan
# of Rabbits Ran: 2
# of Rabbits Shot: 1

John talked me in to going down to Ferrisburgh to run some cottontails. I should have gone north and ran some snows, but hindsight is 100%. The snow was dry and didn't hold any scent, and a cottontail with less scent then a snowshoe didn't help. The dogs are inexperienced as well, can't forget this big one. This was Bailey's first run on snow.
We walked in from the gate of Button Bay State Park. John jumped up a rabbit and tried to shoot it on the jump, but missed. He wanted to get a rabbit down for training his dog. I brought the dogs over to where the rabbit was and they never picked up any scent. I knew it would be a long day after that. We jumped on a brush pile and kicked a rabbit out. I got the dogs on it. They ran it slowly for about 50 yards, but then lost it. They picked it up again and ran it about 300 yards before losing it. John jumped up another rabbit and shot it. Bailey was about 80 yards from where the rabbit was and started to bark. I thought she might be trailing the scent of the rabbit John shot. Before I knew it she was sight chasing a bunny. She sight chased it for about 80 yards before losing it. The scenting didn't go well and she lost it. I brought Remi in and they never picked it up. We started walking back and then both Bailey and Remi kicked up the rabbit, where they started it before, and ran it the same distance and direction as before. They lost it again.
We changed locations, went down closer to the Slaughter House. When we crossed the road from where we parked we kicked up a rabbit. The dogs wouldn't run it. John managed to kick up another one. Got the dogs on it and they followed it, without barking. The rabbit ran into a brush pile and the dogs went into the pile after it. They started barking once they were in there. The rabbit ran out the back side and ran around to the front side of the pile and back tracked. John shot twice and wounded it on the second shot. It just sat there. I got the dogs on and the sight chase was on Bailey took off with it first and managed to catch it once, it shook free. She caught it a second time and it shook free again. Remi caught up to the chase as the rabbit took off across a field. Remi chased it down and finished the hunt. That is now the second rabbit that Remi has caught after it was wounded.