I love to bowhunt. But I live to rabbit hunt. Tomorrow rabbit and pheasant opens in my neck of the woods and I will be taking my beagles out for the opener. I have limited time to hunt every week and its always a struggle deciding what to hunt. I love a cold morning in a tree stand, I love my bow (nearly as much as my wife) but most weekends I feel I owe it to my dogs to be out there gunning down some rabbits. Anyone else have a similar issue?
I have this issue between bow and waterfowl season. Last year we spent more time on the water for birds but we've heard the waterfowl hunting hasn't been as great as previous years in our favorite spots so we have yet to get out for birds. We got another bird dog this year so I feel we owe it to the dog for him to get his first season in. Either way, he is a pet first, hunting dog second.
I have this dilemma as well but it's between pheasant hunting and deer hunting. I usually try to work out a way to do both, normally a morning sit, then a late morning early afternoon pheasant session, and then an evening sit.
Had the EXACT issue a couple years back. As you, I LOVE to rabbit hunt. There was nothing like hearing my pack of beagles run, near about could fall asleep to the sound of their bellow. Due to circumstances of being in college and working full time, the best decision was to sell the beagles to a new owner that had more time to hunt them. I was lucky enough to find a great new owner for them and was happy with the decision. I now focus solely on deer hunting when the time allows it. Still miss those pups like crazy every time rabbit season opens!
September - Waterfowl & Doves October - Waterfowl & Deer November - Deer December - Deer & Waterfowl & Pheasants/Rabbits January - Waterfowl & Pheasants/Rabbits February - Rabbits & Squirrels
I have one dog named gunner that while hes a fantastic rabbit dog, he loves to hunt pheasants as well. Hes a very fast beagle, and the only one iv had that was able to get the birds to flush in range. Everyone told me that I would never get a beagle to hunt pheasants, last year he put up over 50 birds on game lands here in PA.
I feel your pain, Rabbit hunting in WV starts nov 7 until end of feb. but I usually wait until after Thanksgiving week, Thanksgiving starts rifle season in WV and I don't like to be in any field that time of year
I know what you mean. I have patterned some wood ducks and opening morning is the 31st. I know that will be a good deer day too.
Waterfowl and deer for me. Bad part about waterfowl is it takes two hunts away for every deer hunt I could have. Have to scout the night before and then the morning of the waterfowl hunt. If I don't find geese, I "wasted" that time scouting instead of deer hunting that night.
Ahhhhhhh....... the same dilemma i struggle with every year. Waterfowl or deer. Last year i was killing so many ducks i didnt bow hunt one day... yea you heard me right, not One day. This year is the year of the deer for me. Got a new bow, time to spill blood. Tomorrow duck season opens here in central zone (Illinois). Ill be in a tree. Just not enough hrs in a day.
All I can say is I'm pretty dang happy lake trout ice fishing season doesn't open till January or I doubt Id get a day in a tree once the lakes were frozen. I do truly love to ice fish.
I'd say deer hunt when its cold/good conditions for movement, then do other on days not good for deer hunting. Just a thought
September : Ducks October: Duck/ Deer (mostly ducks) November: Deer till I shoot my one buck then back to ducks December: Shotgun deer -Ice fishing January: Ice fishing February: Ice Fishing March- Ice fising as long as possible April: Spring walleyes, Mushroom hunting May:Flatheads June-august: dreaming about hunting *edit: sprinkle some pheasant hunting in during November
Sorry...I cannot help you with your dilemma, but you resurrected some very old and very happy memories of Beagles in full song after cottontails - thanks. Bill
Honestly, find a local club and ask to tag along on a hunt. If you used to enjoy it, I guarantee you still will! I know myself I LOVE taking new people and those that havent hunted in a long time out with me. I dont care If I shoot any as long as they do
