Wanted Live Rabbits

I'm trying to train a mini-dachshund to course rabbits and would like a few live ones (cottontail preferred) to use. Anyone know where I could purchase some on the cheap side. I live in the Calgary area.

David,
Down south here I have about 20-30 around my house on any given day. I love thinning them out, so next time I'm on my way up there I'll see if I can get you any. Usually I can walk within 2-4 feet from them, so setting a live trap would be pretty easy I figure.....how many do you want?
Trev

Trevor,

Thanks for the reply. If I had about 10 rabbits over the next 3-4 months that would be great. I could take them all at once or as they become available. Irregardless of whether you get any or not let me know next time you're in Calgary and we can meet up for a chat.

Cheers,
David

David,
Ya, I'll give you a ring or an email when I'm around. Would love to stop by and see that sheep in person sometime. I shouldnt have any problems getting some rabbits, but I've got a new pup running around that might scare some of them off. I'll get my hands on one of my live-traps and see what happens. There are tons of em around...
Trev
PS: Should be up around the 15-18th of Feb...

Give me a ring and we can arrange to meet.

Cheers,
David

I'm trying to train a mini-dachshund to course rabbits

What exactly do you mean by that phase? I raised hounds and hunted cottontail rabbits for a good portion of my life and the only true rabbit dog is a Beagle. Born to hunt and it comes quite natural to them. A Bassett hound would come second.

So the only TRUE rabbit dog is a beagle, you say! Try post that on a hunting dog forum and see where you get. If you want to understand more about small quarry hunting dogs please read up on dachshunds.

Tamid,
With all due respect, to your post. I know (fact) the only true rabbit dog is a Beagle. In my younger day I use to breath, eat and sleep rabbit hunting. I grew up in N.S where hunting cottontail rabbit with hounds is a very huge sport. My folks always owned a Beagle and when I was 16 years old I started breeding them and always kept a couple for my own hunting stock. I seen them dogs chase rabbits well into the night, actually beating the tips off their tails from wagging them against the branches and trees. They would often come out of the bush with their eyes rolled back in their heads from only seeing the short distance between them and the ground. They are one true rabbit hunter and I doubt very much if there's a hound that will match em.

www.2000dogs.com/standard/beagle.htm

Wow...things are getting a little tense in the rabbit hunting world. I think I'll stay out of this one, other than say I know Tamid knows a thing or two about dogs.....
Anyways, David, sorry I didnt get you a ring this last week. I got to Calgary and got really sick with a salvitory gland problem. My neck was about as swollen as a mule deer in rut. Took it easy for a day and then headed home to stay in bed. I'll try to set some traps when I'm back in Wild Horse for the next 5 days and see what happens. Will give you a call or send you a note when I see what happens..
Take Care,
Trev

Trev,
Sorry to hear you were sick. Hope you're much better now. I was wondering if you were going to call as I was not expecting to be in very much over the long weekend.
Could still use the rabbits if and when you have the opportunity to trap some. Thanks. David

Tuc,

I believe the Beagle originated in England and then has been refined in the USA into 3 recognized sub-breeds by the AKC. (not sure if CKC has the same recognization). All three sub-breeds have been among the predominant breeds used for rabbit hunting in NORTH AMERICA. The sub-breeds originated due the the different ways rabbits are hunted.

Now in GERMANY, two of the predominant rabbit dogs are the standard and mini dachshund. I would say they are ever as much of a rabbit dog as any other breed. The difference is in the way they are expected to hunt. I purchased my mini out of Pennsylvania where the mini is expected to flush the rabbit and a falcon is expected to catch and kill. My mini has incredible hunting instinct and voice (mainly because his line, 3rd generation N. American has always been used for hunting and not pet or show). For his determination and tenacity to pursue and quarry I would put him up against a beagle any day. However I wouldn't let him run all day and night the same way beagles run because I don't think I would ever find him.

And now for all the other breeds of dogs used mainly for rabbit hunting. What of the greyhound, the saluki, the ibizan, the basenji, the griffin and the whippet, just to name a few? Each country in the world, where rabbits thrive, have developed specific breeds that specialize in rabbit hunting. I don't think we can be so biased to say the only true rabbit dog is a beagle. Cheers.

Hello Tamid, how the training going? I would like to see your hound work when he is up to speed.
Did you have any luck finding some cottontails?
Can you use hare for the same thing?
Shoot me an e-mail ggamcpherson(not)@telusplanet.net

Tamid,
We can agree to disagree.... I had buddies that owed bassett hounds and they are too slow and tire easy. They could never stand up to a hard day in the bush like a Beagle. I've seen those rascals lay down in the middle of the afternoon and give up. Mike would have to take them back to the truck. I'm serious, I kidd you not. I use to laugh him and his Bassetts right out of the woods. Tease him and tell him he better take those dogs home now for a nap. lol
Basenji's are barkless and i would think you'd have a hard time to shoot a rabbit off them. Grey hounds are totally out of the question in our terrain. I believe they hunt by sight and no way will they get in the tight spots (in and under brush piles) like the beagle. I have no experience with mini dauch hounds, so I can't comment here.

I seen them dogs chase rabbits well into the night, actually beating the tips off their tails from wagging them against the branches and trees.

Let me explain here:

In my 25 years of dogging rabbits I never rabbit hunted my dogs at night. I did however hunt problem coons on a couple occassion with them but it wasn't a common practise. There were times though, when it was time to head out and I couldn't call them in off the rabbit. Every time they would make their circle, I would try to catch them and put them on a leash but that didn't always work. They are so dedicated, I would often have to leave them there till they finally tired. Most times (unless I was real close to home) I would leave my coat at the scene and when I came back usually 3 or 4 hours later, there they were lying on my coat.
I remember one time "Old Fred" one of my pride hounds started a rabbit late afternoon, as we were coming out of the bush. I couldn't call him in or catch him and he chased that rabbit well into the night. He was right behind the house and I would often stick my head out the door and sure enough you could hear his howl in hot pursuit. It was around midnight when I finally went to the edge of the property and tried calling him a couple of last times. I could still hear his howl on occassion so I went back in the house and went to bed. The next morning Fred was in his dog house and after a close examination of him, I found he had beaten the tip clean off his tail. It never did fully grow back. Beagles will often do this because of the constant wagging and hitting it against the bushes and trees while pursuing their quarry. Usually too, after hard hunts like this, they will come out of the bush with their eyes rolled back in their heads, tired and exausted.

I'm not sure about dauch hounds but if you try calling a beagle off a rabbit. Nine times out of ten its not going to happen. You may as well stick your finger up your nose and whistle dixie. You have to shoot the rabbit or catch the dog as he and bunny come full circle. On occassion, if he's lost the scent ( or old scent) and you got his attention long enough, you might be able to lure him in with a treat. They will keep trying to pick up that scent. I've tried whistle training them, to no avail. They will chase that rabbit like its the last thing on earth they want to do. No one wants to leave their hounds in the bush after dark but it does happen on occassion.

Beagles are stubborn and when it comes to chasing bunnies, they have a one track mind. Thats what makes them such a good rabbit hunter. These little guys have more heart than brains. A great lung capacity too, to be able to howl and run like that at the same time. These little guys are wired to hunt rabbits.

Tamid with all due respect, rabbit hunting in Alberta is nil compared to my neck of the woods. Its a big sport in N.S. and they often hold competitions and field trials. The rabbit population here (in general) in Alberta doesn't support a serious (popular) hunt and you probably only have a hand full of enthusiasts dabbling in the sport. I did a fair amount of research on it when I first came out here and decided not to get into it here in Alberta. To be honest with you, I have never eaten a jack rabbit and cant say I plan too. For me, it just wouldn't be the same. I'm assuming though, they are safe to eat?

Happy rabbit hunting!

You know fellers, the last time I checked it was highly illegal to possess live bunny rabbits, also highly illegal to traffic in live wildlife.

You guys are BAD!

So what are you paying for live cottontails? We have millions... cute furry little bunnies. I need money!

The most entertaining load I ever seen used on them poor cute littl' bunnies were .25 cal 60 gr flat nose bullets @ 4000" per second. Do give them a try!

Sounds like there are a few people who have dogs of some sort and would like to try them on rabbits. If you guys/gals live in the vicinity of Calgary perhaps we can arrange a get together.

I haven't had much luck with jackrabbits because they stay out in front between 200-300 yards and once my dogs gets on the track they really take off. In the city they run out about 50-75 yards and sit down and wait for him to catch up. Problem is he if off leach and I end up chasing him through yards, across streets, etc. A bit dangerous and some people don't like it. What I really need is some small cottontails that don't run so far and try to hide.

As for illegal, I don't think there are any regs pertaining to hunting rabbits but maybe someone can correct me.

cheers,

Why don't you guys just run down to the river and go train your doggies on wild and free rabbits. There is no shortage of them. The only problem I forsee is your doggie getting confused as to which bunny to chase down.

I still say that blowing bunnies apart with extreme velocity bullets is the most fun.

Poacher Patrol, there are no regs on rabbits here in Alberta. I think blowing them apart with a high velocity bullet is a waste of meat.
tamid shoot me an email. remove the not.

[herb]

Hi I'm new to hunting with Terriers and would like to stay in touch. Maybe we could hunt together with are dogs some day...Herb

[Reeves1]

I left my regs in the truck......but I thought there were no Cotton Tail Rabbits here ? Just Jacks (hare) and Snow Shoe Hare.

If there are Cottons in AB, where are they located & what is the population like ?

[geezer55]

Copy and pasted from Alberta SRD web site.


The snowshoe hare and the white-tailed jack rabbit are the two species of hare, and the cottontail is the only species of wild rabbit found in Alberta. http://www.srd.gov.ab.ca/fishwildlif...ylehabits.aspx

Cottontails are sparsely distributed in the coulees, river bottoms and copses of the prairie where there are ample thickets and brush for cover and food. In summer, they eat a variety of green vegetation, with grasses being the most common. In winter, they eat the buds, bark, and branches of shrubs and small trees.

[Reeves1]

Thanks geezer for that site: added to favorites to look at more.

When growing up in Ont. (left in 79) I used to , one way or another , bag many Cottontails. Family got tired of eating them

I don't recall ever seeing them but will keep an eye open. Knowing they do not turn color in winter will make it easy to watch for....

[mnp]

I stumbed upon this thread, and was intrigued. Is there anyone out there that has access to live/wild rabbits. My parents have a farm near the Drayton Valley area, and I would like to reintroduce a few critters to the land. We have a nice valley with a creek, bushes, and various trees. Would prefer native species....willing to travel to pick them up.

Thank you

[Erik]

There are many wild rabbits (edit: hare) in the Drayton Valley area. You could probably coerce them to reintroduce themselves. And then you need to give my beagles a day pass to introduce them to my pot of stew!