Beagles & snowshoe hare

[Hunter9396]

anyone know of any good snowshoe spots in New York a couple hours from Orange County?.. I've been breeding beagles and hunting rabbits all my life.. But never hunted snow shoes with the dogs.. I currently have 6 dogs and would love to go hunt some snowshoes with them.. Anybody have any suggestions

[sweet old bill]

13 MILES OUT OF NORWICH IN TOWN OF NORTH PHARSILA    7500 ACRES OF STATE WOODS.   LOOK FOR TRACKS OF SMALL PINE TO HUNT

[sweet old bill]

North PHARSILIA   13MILES OUT OF NORWICH. HAS  7500 ACRES OF STATE LAND  LOOK FOR TRACKS OF SMALL PINE I HUNTED OFF OF ONE EYE ROAD AND ROUTE 23.

[Steve D]

Hunter9396

  Just a little info...Hunting snowshoes with dogs is not like hunting cottontails. The snowshoes typically run A LOT farther. They will take a dog(s) out of hearing and make you wonder if they are running deer. (Tracking Collars will help)

  The more guys you have the merrier.  When the dogs  jump them position shooters on their runs and you stand a chance of getting one.

  If you don't get them the first time be prepared to wait for them to come back. I have run one snowshoe as long as 4hrs and never got it. They usually don't hole and will keep going til you either shoot it or call the dogs off.

  If there is snow on the ground they are hard to spot so everyone has to be alert. Good time and a good workout for the dogs.

Good Luck!

[turkeyfeathers]

I've never hunted bunnies (cotton tails) with a dog. I jump on brushpiles and or look for them sitting out in sun .

 

Do bunnies really run a large loop and come back ? I've heard this but never experienced it .

 

[Hunter9396]

I've never hunted bunnies (cotton tails) with a dog. I jump on brushpiles and or look for them sitting out in sun .

Do bunnies really run a large loop and come back ? I've heard this but never experienced it .

Yup, they run a huge circle and usually come back to right where they started. Cottontails usually don't run to far away like snow shoe

[Paula]

It's exciting!!

[hunterdan44]

I enjoyed hunting cottontails with and without dogs when I was younger. Nothing like a good beagle , what a blast . Fresh air,exercise and some rabbit stew. The rabbits that are run by dogs will head back to where they were jumped. Great fun!!

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[hunterdan44]

I primarily hunted the Catkills did not jump very many hares.I would imagine tug hill region would be good, call the DEC for advice .

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Edited January 17, 2016 by hunterdan44

[Mr VJP]

I would think deep snow would be a problem for beagles hunting snow shoe rabbits.  They have short legs and the rabbits have "snow shoes".  No?

[Zem18]

My BIL just got a small beagle pup last year. It has gotten out of the fence several times and chased some larger game around his 5 acres. Tomorrow morning we are going to see if we can chase some cottontails. Not sure how they talked me into getting picked up at 6:45am on a Sunday but I can nap in the afternoon.

There will be three of us and the dog "Chance". Hopefully it will be a good morning. Ill post up some pics, successful or not tomorrow afternoon.

[Zem18]

It was damn cold out there this morning but we went after em. Long story short, we kicked up two, had no shots at the first one and two of us missed the second one. We tried to get one for the dog, but no success this time. Chance did a good job and did get on the fresh tracks a yelping. Maybe next weekend. 4 miles in the books today.

Here is a pic of Chance curled up on the ride home.

Edited January 24, 2016 by Zem18

[Paula]

Sounds like a good time. I took my dog out back for a bit.

[Paula]

Looks like mine

[Zem18]

Sounds like a good time. I took my dog out back for a bit.

Were you hunting? Any success?

[Paula]

I take him right around here and to a beagle club. I have seen a couple but no shot. I blew out my knee so it's been hard.

[Zem18]

Good therapy for the knee just don't over do it. I've been hitting the treadmill pretty hard lately but today's hike killed my legs. Different terrain and slippery slopes didn't help. Good luck out there chasing them.

[Lawdwaz]

Never mind, I'll start a new thread.

Edited January 25, 2016 by Lawdwaz

[nyantler]

I would think deep snow would be a problem for beagles hunting snow shoe rabbits.  They have short legs and the rabbits have "snow shoes".  No?

There are beagle lines with longer legs, but maybe still not long enough for deep snow.

[Chris B]

We ran beagles in Tug Hill on hare and it was a blast. The dogs ran great on the snow, we wore snowshoes. It's amazing how much further ahead they run in front of the dogs then cottontail.

 

To answer the OP's original question, I don't know anywhere too close to orange county but I know Tug Hill and ADK's is great for hare.

[Zem18]

Went out after cottontails this morning with my BIL and his pup. Had another great morning. We bumped three and ended up getting one. The dog did a great job getting on the scent and found the bunny. Now he has one to freeze and train more with. Chance also hopped after a blue Jay and a gray squirrel today. Was fun watching him work and learn and some great exercise.

Hope to get back out next Sunday.

[Paula]

Went out after cottontails this morning with my BIL and his pup. Had another great morning. We bumped three and ended up getting one. The dog did a great job getting on the scent and found the bunny. Now he has one to freeze and train more with. Chance also hopped after a blue Jay and a gray squirrel today. Was fun watching him work and learn and some great exercise.

Hope to get back out next Sunday.

I'm so jealous!

[airedale]

Not too many things more fun than hunting Hare with a good Beagle. A couple of photos of my old Beagle Josie and some Hare we took back in the day when I had hair.

 

Al

 

 

Edited January 31, 2016 by airedale

[Zem18]

Lots of hair and hare. Liking the Geico caveman look you had going on!!!