Beagles are the dog of choice when it comes to chasing the cottontail rabbit

The Cottontail Rabbit busted out of the brush pile and was heading straight for me I had a split second to make my choice and I opted for the camera instead of the shotgun. The camera clicked about the same time the first beagle bellowed out the hot trail. The pack of beagles jumped on the hot trail and it wasn’t long before the seventh rabbit of the morning hunt was taken.

If you look close you'll see the rabbit comming towards me

Beagle hot on his trail

Having missed my planned trip to the mountains my hunting partner Rick invited me to join him and a group of people on a annual rabbit hunt in Efland NC. This is hunt that has been going on for about 18 years now the Saturday before Christmas and it is as much a social event as it is a hunt. Around 530 am they started gathering at the local garage to prepare a breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage, ham, and home fries. There are about 25 people at breakfast but as the morning goes on the numbers dwindle down.

Pre Hunt breakfast

We break for lunch after the seventh bunny goes in the vest. The morning was exciting with the beagles doing an exceptional job at running the cottontails. Many generations of hunters were represented on the hunt and there is a promise that such traditions like this will continue on. I had to leave after lunch but I understand the afternoon was equally productive with another seven rabbits taken making it a 14 rabbit day.

Young man's first rabbit

I don’t get the opportunity to rabbit hunt very much so this was a hunt I won’t soon forget. Hopefully it won’t be long before I hear the song of the beagles again and maybe next time I’ll opt for the shotgun so I have some rabbits to stew or maybe fry.

A couple of the rabbits we took during the morning hunt. That Ram Outdoorsman looks great in the outdoors

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