When I was a kid, everyone I know who lived out of town had a beagle or three. THey were the most common dog around and everyone hunted rabbits with them. They also stayed in a fitdue to their hard headedness on the hunt. Loveable all the rest of the time. Truth was thought that there were simply so many rabbits that you could limit out on them by walking through the field a couple of hours. The beagle hunting was more about the dogs. Deer hunting wasn't a problem because there hadn't been any deer for all practical purposes since before the turn of the century in Northeast KY. Although they seem to be making a small comeback, I didn't see a rabbit in over 20 years. We conversly had a herd of 50 to 75 deer on our old farm and watch them and the turkeys in our back yard during breakfast. Hard to fathom how things change in both directions in both directions. The rabbit issue is, I believe, due to coyotes illegally imported by fox hunters. As farmers gradually deal forcefully with the coyote issue, I believe the rabbits ar coming back and the deer improving more. The fox are even making a noted rebound.
|