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Member Joined: 14 Feb 2007 Posts: 110

I admit it: I like to watch the dog shows on cable.

The beagle was the winner.

I'm sold on my setters. But I've always loved beagles. And my grandfather swore by them for pheasants.

What do you guys think?

I've heard of beagles being upland dogs, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I can't imagine walking the uplands behind anything but a Black Lab or a Shorthair.

Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 787 Location: Indiana

For me, it's a Golden Retriever...

Henry!

It goes without saying that we "wild-eyed southern boys" love our hound dogs! I have had several. But I've NEVER seen one used as a bird dog. If I could find a merry lil' beagle or two which would flush and retrieve birds, I'd be one happy camper. Down here, beagles are strictly rabbit dogs.

My faithful basset, Mr. Rumpole, is now too old to flush birds. Heck, he's so "stove up with reumatiz" he can barely flush a dog biscuit. Shocked

Know where such beagles could be located? Thanks!

OSL

Joined: 01 Oct 2006 Posts: 171 Location: western PA

I had a beagle that would flush birds, if she came across them. She did not bay at birds as she did on rabbits, she would yip on both woodcock and pheasents. Never did retreave them though. I realy miss that dog. The ex got her in the settlment.

Ben

Member Joined: 02 Feb 2006 Posts: 602 Location: western pa

35 yrs. ago (before ducks and retrievers) I had a beagle that loved flushing ringnecks. Like Bens dog, she would bay on rabbits and yip on birds. Back in those days we had mostly wild birds here and she drove them fast so they couldn't run away. As beagles go, she was a fair rabbit dog, but a dandy bird dog. Even had her point a grouse once. Darndest thing I ever saw!

Beagles rule, poodles drool Wink

Having had a beagle in the family for nearly my entire life I can say that having that beagle behave like mine and win the Westminster was way Cool

Turns out the co-owner lives about 20 miles from me too - small world.

Once when shooting ducks in the irrigation ditches between artichoke fields around San Diego (long before they became suburbs). My Dad shot a couple of ducks and after the retrieve we couldn't find Murphy the beagle anywhere. Turns out he had jumped in the trunk in the excitement to investigate the rabbits and ducks already in there and when the trunk was closed no-one noticed. After about and hour search and the 40 minute ride home ALL were relieved when he jumped out of the trunk (and the birds and rabbits were un-eaten Wink

). I always wonder what he was thinking about all the whistling/calling going on outside interrupting his nap - he has long gone to the better place.

It's probably been nearly 45 years now. Dad took me deer hunting on a large plantation where he knew the managers.

Hunting with dogs was very common in those days, the early '60's and on that day they were using beagles. Those little dogs would keep the deer moving, but not running like the bigger red bones or blue tick hounds.

About mid day we broke for lunch and were under a tree in a huge pasture and saw a herd of deer( all does) coming. They would trot a few yards stop a graze a bit, then repeat all the time, a pack of beagles were hot on their trail. Those deer were never scared, just moving on, slowly.

To a serious Beagler, a Beagle that pays attention to anything other than
Rabbits is a trash runner ! That said...The best Rabbitdogs I've owned over the last fifty years would get "Birdie" if they stumbled across a pheasant or quail. Even Turkey. I've always done my best to discourage such behavior.
I've been running Beagles since I was ten. I can't imagine not having some
around. Like most dogs, they can't be trained to hunt! The're either born with those skills and desire or they're not. All human training is in discipline ! Forget about teaching them to "come" ! While a Beagle is working ( which a good Beagle is doing all the time) their minds and ears are closed to the rest of the world. They can be trained in certain areas of discipline , just be prepared for an occasional hard headed debate.
If you want to buy a hunting Beagle DO NOT buy a dog from an AKC Field Trial line! Get one from the GUNDOG Association line or one with proven parents even without papers.

They are Great Hunting partners. Be patient and a Beagle will train YOU eventually !

LOL......Rabbitdog

Joined: 19 Dec 2007 Posts: 109 Location: S.W.PENNSYLVANIA

My storie, I grew up on a farm in PA my dad had two beagles & a bassett. That we hunted with mostely rabbits,but I have seen them get birdy & flush ringnecks,also put squirrels up trees & locate squirrels that were in trees. They are a hound a hunting breed. Glad to see that UNO won best of show. I have used some bad words againts my beagles when I thought they were cold trailing or fooling around. I will have to buy & cook my beagles a porterhouse steak. They are a CLASSIC hound.

RON

Member Joined: 09 Jul 2006 Posts: 57 Location: Newport.OR

My family has had beagles since I was 5. Now 55, I still have a rescued one in the family. Initially the dogs were for pheasant hunting in S. Michigan. They put more roosters on the table then all the "upland breeds" that hunted with us. This was for one very good reason...the habitat. Our birds came from marshlands and the birds ran under the thick grasses and in between the hummucks. Large dogs couldn't get deep enough. Those little beagles would howl away. It was tough to follow the beagles as fast as they could go and when we got to corn fields it was time for track shoes. It was a barrel of fun hunting pheasants with beagles. Laughing

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

So it's agreed on----the black lab is the undisputed all around dog Wink

As far as dogs go, a beagle is one of the happiest and friendliest breeds there is. Most of the ones I've encountered just want to be pals, run rabbits, and perhaps share your sandwich. However, if the little fellow wants to help with birds, why not.

A couple of years back, I met a fellow hunting pheasant down on the Cape with a beagle and a pointer. The beagle was used to flush the bird if it would not go up on its own. The little bugger was your typical happy go lucky bunny beagle and seemed to love its job. It was also a pretty fair tracker on runners too. I'm for any dog that loves to do its' job and loves its people too. What more can you really ask for.

hoashooter, I agree best bird dog is a Lab. All dogs want to be Labs, all Labs want to be BLACK

Joined: 24 Feb 2008 Posts: 88 Location: Nericia, Sweden

Never heard og beagles for bird shooting before, but why not? A clever dog can be used for several purposes.

Here in Scandinavia we use them for fox, hare and deers. As someone wrote earlier in this thread, they just keep the game moving.

My hunting mate has an old beagle. It is a quite nice companion during the hunt, but at the camp fire, he want all our sandwiches - alwyas hungry.

Old Sh.