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-- question about rabbit hunting (http://forums.ukcdogs.com/showthread.php?threadid=325405)

question about rabbit hunting

I am thinkin about getting a couple of beagles and starting rabbit hunting. I've always heard not to eat rabbits until after the first hard frost. Where I live we don't get a hard frost until late november or december. Season runs from september 'til feburary and I would hate to only hunt 3 months out of the year cuz I ain't gonna kill 'em if I can't eat 'em. I coon hunt already so I wouldn't be out a large expense to get started. Just wondering if yall had any opinions on this subject. Also, what is a good bloodline of beagles to look into? Thanks.

Ive been hunting and eating rabbits most of my life. I've never heard of not eating them until after a frost, and I'm still alive.

A frost does kill warbles, which use small mammals as a host to live off of. But, warbles are harmless to the meat (although they are nasty looking!).

There are many good lines of hounds. It just depends on what you are wanting out of your beagle. There are many different likes and dislikes on the nose ability and speed ability of beagles. Do you want a dog that will open before the rabbit is jumped or only after it's jumped? Do you want a super fast dog with sacrifice to some line control or would you like a dog that isn't quite so speedy but keeps the line between his legs throughout the run?

You wouldn't think that it could be so in depth, but it really is.

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HBCH Scotty's Pride Strike Stiff - 2009 Black Gold Ky Tn Runoff 2nd Place All Age.
Scotty's Pride Chubba
Scotty's Pride Bandit

Don't kill them if you can't eat them

Rabbits can be eaten year round with no problem.I've ate them for over 50yrs.and I'm not dead yet(you may get a different opinion from my wife though).I'm sure you don't eat every coon you kill.Get some dogs and learn with them.

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HOME OF RABBIT DOGS
Mon River Toby
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If you can't hunt over them,those Championship titles don't mean Didly Squatt.

Thats kinda what I figured but thats what I've heard from all the oldtimers around here. I know a local guy that has some good dogs, I don't know what bloodline but he has a lot of ppl drive from out of state to buy pups. I could probably get a couple off of him at a reasonble price.