Advice for a new Hound owner

[Renegade Hunter]

Hey guys, haven't posted in a bit but I need some advice.

 

I am going to be a proud owner of a Walker Coonhound here shortly. This will be my first hound so I have been researching like crazy. I was looking for beagles at first because I would like to rabbit hunt with the dog, but I found this Walker hound and I am beginning to like the breed more and more as I research. The guy I am buying from runs his dogs on coons, but tells me he has seen people run them on rabbits and prefer to do so because of the longer legs in the snow.

 

My question is if I train the dog properly, how well will he do on running rabbits? I have potential to be able to run him with some older beagles to help steer him in the right direction.

 

Or should I take up a new hobby and hunt coons or yotes with him? I do have a couple buddies that coon hunt with hounds.

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

[Renegade Hunter]

No takers??

[biggamefish]

I hunt rabbits with two beagles.  If you are thinking of rabbit hunting with him I would go for snowshoes and not so much cotton tails.  Cotton tails tend to be much slower and a long legged dog might push them to quick and make them hole up.  With snow shoes they tend to travel faster and with the depths of the snow a long legged dog would be great.  

  Most people that hunt with coon hounds for rabbits have a cross dog like blue tick beagle etc.  If you are going to train him for rabbits don't go half way.  Do it and do it right start him young on rabbits and train him all year.  I would take the opportunity to run with other dogs if you can but also train him by himself and  make sure you break him of deer.

[Renegade Hunter]

Thanks for the tips biggame. I will definitely start him young. I have been reading up with getting him used to his nose and then start him on tame rabbits. I plan on working with this dog on a constant basis. Any other tips would be helpful.