# Who is getting out this weekend?



## Get Out (Dec 29, 2010)

We will be chasing snowshoes (and beagles most likely) through the swamp this weekend. Got 4 inches of fresh snow today! Should be a good one!


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## J-D (Dec 8, 2008)

A friend and I went out fri morn for cotton tails right behind the house. The dogs were on rabbits the entire time, we were only out 2 1/2 hrs. No snow here, just rain . We were soaked by the time we got back in, but the dogs sure looked happy!


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## Philthy (Jul 20, 2011)

Calling it a morning now, out jumping them trying to teach a 12wo Beagle. Got one for him to play with. No snow just rain.


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## Get Out (Dec 29, 2010)

We had a good day with the beagle... he ran them good towards the end of the hunt. It was too cold to get good scent earlier. We saw five snowshoes... shot 2


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## Jumpshootin' (Jul 6, 2000)

I took this week off of work and have had the hounds out 5 or the past 6 days. We got alot of rabbits up and running and I shot a couple each day. 
My 10 month old pup Benny really started this week, what with all the action and getting a bunch of fur in his mouth. He had a few sights chases and will take a line on one and give it his best. He hasn't been able to keep on one by himself long enough to bring it back around to the gun but will hark-in and run with the older dog. He still just yips alot but lets loose with a big deep bellow now and then. I even had the opportunity to take him to "NO DEER" school a couple times under ideal controlled situations and he seemed to be understanding the lessons.
My older dog Barney ran well and steady all week. We had a few big running rabbits that he just hammered on for 15-20 minutes and ran in great big circles to within 25' of where they jumped and where I was waiting with the gun. 
We're going to take the weekend off though. The dogs are all beat-up, stiff, sore, and hobbling around. But they still came piling out of the doghouse all excited this morning when they heard me open the back of the truck thinking that we were going hunting again.

Benny: 










Barney:













.


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## ChasinSprints (Dec 20, 2005)

I took a stroll out to the state lands today looking for a few tree rats. Seen a few but nothing presenting a good shot for my 22. Was a good morning out there though, along with the squirrels I saw some turkey up close and a couple deer and even a weasel or possibly it was a mink, didn't get a good enough look at it as it was moving on. All in all, was a great day to be out and enjoy the woods.


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## TallPaul (Jan 12, 2007)

Jumpshootin' said:


> We're going to take the weekend off though. The dogs are all beat-up, stiff, sore, and hobbling around.
> 
> .


 Isn't that normal for bassets? :lol: Just kidding. Nice seeing someone keeping the original traits alive in a breed.

Are there a lot of areas for you to hunt rabbits, out there? Thought most of it is farmed.


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## Jumpshootin' (Jul 6, 2000)

TallPaul said:


> Are there a lot of areas for you to hunt rabbits, out there? Thought most of it is farmed.


Several fairly close public areas here and over in Nebraska that hold good numbers of rabbits. Alot of rabbits in the city industrial areas and railroad edges to get the pup on. It makes it easier to get a pup started when you can bump several rabbit up for him every time he's ever been in the field.
Private land farms are useless for any type of hunting except when the waterfowl flights are moving through. Come spring you can see snows by the thousands in the fields.
In this part of Iowa over the past couple years farmers have ripped out every last little patch of woods, brush, and grass to put in a few more rows of corn. There are entire sections where you would be hard pressed to find enough blades of grass to make up a half acre field. The only good small game habitat in this part of the state is on public lands. And I never see other small game hunters in the field after the first couple weeks of pheasant season.
In contrast, just across the Missouri River in Nebraska the turkey, pheasant, and rabbit numbers are very good. I get shots at 2 or 3 roosters every time out. And can jump a few to a dozen bunnies.
They pasture more cattle over there as opposed to the feed-lot operations in Iowa. Hence more and better habitat.


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## Burly (Oct 4, 2007)

I took my 5 month old Cooper out yesterday with two older dogs. It was his second time out and he stuck to the mowed paths until he saw the other dogs. He did a lot of running back and forth with the dogs and to see other people in the party and was tuckered out last night. I wish I took a pic of him sleeping on the couch with all four feet in the air in all his glory LOL. We jumped 6 or 7, shot 2 so we had a pretty good day. 

Here is a pic of him from a couple months ago.


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## Critter (Mar 3, 2006)

Going to go hit some spots with the kids and basset tomorrow I hope.


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## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

Benny is only 10 months old? Big boy.

What do you do when the snow gets over 8" with those bassets? lol


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## Jumpshootin' (Jul 6, 2000)

Big Reds said:


> Benny is only 10 months old? Big boy.
> 
> What do you do when the snow gets over 8" with those bassets? lol


They'll get through anything a Beagle can. They just can't run on a thin crust that a small Beagle may be able to.


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