Rabbit Hunting With Hounds (part1)

Rabbit hunting with hounds

Small country dogs have long been the delight of rabbit hunters, before they preferred purebred auxiliaries.

Here are some good rabbit dogs: the Elizabeth beagle, the small Brittany fawn, the small Gascony blue, the small Swiss hound, the small Briquet griffon Vendéen.

All these breeds have several points in common: small size, finesse of the nose, tenacity, courage and real intelligence, often more developed than in large dogs. If we have to make a distinction, it can already be done on the nature of the hair. On one side, the short-haired hounds: beagle Elizateth, the small Gascony blue, the small Swiss runner. On the other, the griffins whose coarse and dense hair provides excellent protection against thorns.

It is customary to say that the griffin is more natural bushman, more ardent in the bramble, that he has more the soul of a rabbit dog. This is probably partly true, but we must be careful not to generalize because many other elements come into play: breeding, education, frequency of outings... there are good rabbit dogs in all breeds. . The most used are the Elizabeth beagle, the small Brittany fawn. They are also the ones who most often win in work trials. Here are two breeds of very enterprising dogs, throwers, lively and lively in lead.

Well-created dogs

For more efficiency and enjoyment, it is always best for dogs to be created. This means that they must not be tempted by other game. Nothing is more disagreeable and irritating than to see them chase a hare, a fox or a roe deer, only to return sometimes after an hour or two.

The education of young hounds is therefore particularly important. It will be made easier over the generations,the students then draw inspiration from the example of their elders.

To trust dogs, the first rule is to impose good obedience from a very young age, and even before going out in the field. They must also be accustomed very early to the sight and smell of rabbits, by having them work on this animal in a small enclosure.

The first outings are decisive. The dog is immediately arrested and strongly reprimanded in case of fault. Conversely, the hunter encourages his companion, then congratulates him when a rabbit is killed, taking great care to make him smell the game. Hot quarries are an excellent way to motivate young currents, but do not overdo it at the risk of seeing them quickly devour any injured or dead rabbit out of reach of the hunter.

The wild rabbit, and this is not the least of its interests, can be hunted in different ways. In recent decades, the general decline in populations has however led to the disappearance of certain practices such as searching for roosts, lying in wait and snooping. and as convivial as one could wish, to which generations of rural people indulge with greedy pleasure.

It is a game that leaves relatively few odors. His way is futile and fleeting. For a rabbit how many hours spent running with the dogs, encouraging their quest and responding to their cries.

Imagine an early morning under the sun. Two or three friends. A small swarming pack of Elizabeth beagles and small Brittany cats busying themselves along embankments covered with thick brambles. This is the real rabbit hunt, very simple, the ballad. A real happiness punctuated by music, tumbles, flashes of red in the ovens. Few hunts offer so many attractions. When the colonies are still large, we see a lot of animals. We get a lot of it, we also miss it.

The rabbit is magic. He makes guns smoke, dogs scream and hearts leap.

Thirty years ago, the warren was still abundant in many regions, in areas that were perfect for hunting with hounds. Since then, it must be said, land consolidation and agricultural abandonment have changed many things. Rabbits suffer from the degradation of their favorite habitats, but they are still less pleasant to hunt there.

Many shelters have been destroyed: hedges, embankments, copses, small moors. Elsewhere, or on neighboring land, the decline of traditional agriculture left the countryside to fallow land, quickly deserted by game for lack of maintenance. These landscape changes have serious consequences.

Rabbits are less abundant. they are also less scattered. They gather where they still find rules, in sectors where most of the hunting pressure will be exerted. In certain regions such as Brittany, many good territories have thus disappeared as a result of agricultural work. Where there is rabbit left, it lives more in the ground and takes refuge there more quickly in the absence of cutlery.

But let's stay optimistic! As long as the populations remain at a correct level, the warren will still offer beautiful days. Moreover, never before have small hounds been so successful. The hunter has become wise. He prioritizes method over result.

It is no longer the painting that counts, but the harmony and behavior of the pack. Beagles and Fauves de Bretagne are well placed in the crews. Authentic specialists who give hunting its letters of nobility and who multiply its amenities.

"Rabbits are one of the game species that lend themselves best to the work of hounds. You can follow them step by step, encourage them, appreciate their qualities. It's a hunt where you never get bored. With good throwers, there is often an animal on foot. And when the rabbits are less numerous, there is no need to shoot them right away. Quite the contrary, it makes it possible to improve the dogs and to better observe the game. If he is not cunning as a hare or a fox can do, the rabbit dearly defends his skin by playing on his small size and the lightness of his feeling. When the conditions are difficult, you really need very good dogs to chase it away and come back with a few coins in the game bag".