# Hunting beagle with mountain fiest cur



## Gooka (Nov 13, 2020)

I live up in the UP and have a beagle. I've recently switched from hunting snowshoe hare with him to squirrels because of wolf sightings. I believe he is safer hunting squirrels vs snowshoe hare because with squirrels he doesn't run as far. It will be easier to keep an eye on him because Hares live in thick woods with little visibility where as squirrels live in open woods. I also believe wolf's tend to set up dens in the swamps where snowshoe hares are. 
Because I'm switching to hunting squirrels I'm thinking about getting a mountain feist cur to hunt with my beagle and I. Does anyone have experience hunting these two different breeds together on squirrels? Thoughts on how they would hunt or not hunt together?


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## sgc (Oct 21, 2007)

I suspect you're going to have a hard time keeping him from chasing hare. I would say either take him where there's no wolves, sell him or accept the risk. JMHO, but you wouldnt want to keep him from what he was bred to do, which is run rabbits. I would also say, if he were a slower cottontail bred beagle and trained and bred to hunt close to you, you could probably use him on grouse and woodcock.


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## micooner (Dec 20, 2003)

As a pair I don't think they would work together very well. Kinda different running styles. Jmho


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

Thoughts aplenty. None based on trying what you have in mind..
Ran beagles for rabbit. Only had one interested in treeing anything.
Ran terriers for squirrel.
Thought is more along the lines of running them individually till they are working squirrel in an acceptable manner. That prevents one of them from just "going for the ride".
Then.. Like anytime a small pack is considered , what traits are you blending?
Speed is often one consideration.
Sight vs scent can be another. (I'm not claiming a feist will only sight hunt by any means ,but yours may.)

I would encourage you three to be a team before you hunt together.
It can make a serious difference.
And then ease into it at far as running the brace together.
As a team they can compliment each other. That does not mean they will.


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## Gooka (Nov 13, 2020)

sgc said:


> I suspect you're going to have a hard time keeping him from chasing hare. I would say either take him where there's no wolves, sell him or accept the risk. JMHO, but you wouldnt want to keep him from what he was bred to do, which is run rabbits. I would also say, if he were a slower cottontail bred beagle and trained and bred to hunt close to you, you could probably use him on grouse and woodcock.


The only spots that do not have reported wolf attacks are south of the macinac bridge. Ive hunted around cheboygen, Indian River, and grayling with no luck so far. Only thing we found where red squirrels. 
He is not good on grouse, runs at them full bore and scares them off. 
He will scare squirrels out of brush piles and sniff jump on trees that have squirrels on them.


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## sgc (Oct 21, 2007)

Gooka said:


> The only spots that do not have reported wolf attacks are south of the macinac bridge. Ive hunted around cheboygen, Indian River, and grayling with no luck so far. Only thing we found where red squirrels.
> He is not good on grouse, runs at them full bore and scares them off.
> He will scare squirrels out of brush piles and sniff jump on trees that have squirrels on them.


I would think there are rabbits just south of the bridge. There even used to be an ARHA little pack club out of cheboygin/ rogers city area somewhere. I dont know if its a hassel dealing with the ferry, but i think drummond island might be ok, too.


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## Gooka (Nov 13, 2020)

I will look into getting a hold of the arha club in cheboygen. Thank you for the lead.


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## sgc (Oct 21, 2007)

I just found out the club itself no longer exists, but it was in Afton.


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## Gooka (Nov 13, 2020)

sgc said:


> I just found out the club itself no longer exists, but it was in Afton.


Alright thanks for checking.


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