Shhhh...be very, very quiet, we're hunting wabbits!

   After years of hounding...I'm talking about Big E wanting to get some hunting dogs again. For over 16 years, Big E and I raised, trained and breed hunting hounds for hunting raccoons, bears and bobcats. However, as life sometimes does, such activities were interrupted with skidder payments, truck payments and life in general. Getting up at four or five in the morning and not getting back home until after suppertime took a tole on hunting all hours of the night and repeating the days. Then one of lifes bigger bumps hit when Big E became disabled and unable to chase a pack of hounds day or night.
    For a few years in between, I raised Shiba Inu's for pet, show and breed. I also had one Akita, that I was so proud to own. I had purchased him for the same purpose, however when he was x-rayed at six months, I had to do that awful thing that makes men queezy. Therefore he was just a beloved pet. But, this blog is not about that....
   Anyway, I finally gave in and allowed Big E to get a hunting dog again; a beagle that we named Buddy. About seven months later we had another beagle puppy given to us, which I named Rowdey. These names have special meaning as Buddy and Rowdey were the names of our two most treasured hunting hounds, and ironically, these two beagles reincarnated for us, their name sakes down to a "T". It is almost eerie just how much they act, sound, hunt and mimic the hounds of our past.
   So we began hunting rabbits, or Wabbits or little bunny foo foo's, whatever one wants to call them. I quickly began to remember some of the joys of hunting with a dog along with the pride that goes with it when you listen to them do their thing. However, I also remembered some of the not so nice aspects of owning hunting dogs....when they don't come home. The trips back and forth to the last place they were seen or heard, listening, calling until you cannot make more that a squeak, and the worrying with no sleep. A happy ending, they came home with the longest time out being three full complete days and nights.
   Hunting hounds they are, and the good with the bad, they have shaped up to be two excellent little rabbit dogs!!! Now if you are not familiar with a beagle, I must tell you, they are the sweetest, happy go lucky little dogs I have ever owned, and I have owned a lot of dogs!!! I love them dearly and spoil them constantly, but most of all, I'm so proud of them!
   So to continue this story, we have a very good friend whom I have mentioned before in my posts named "Outback Bob", Bob Sauer Jones from the Adirondacks of New York. Bob is the founder or Outback Outfitters Guide Service in North River, New York. Bob's son Jacob has taken over, with Bob being an Outdoors expert, adviser and consultant as Bob has said he has retired. We became friends with Bob when we met in Harrisburg Pennsylvania while at the Sportsmen Show, and all over a little dude on the side of my truck, Now Bob has some shared responsibility in the bunny hunting dog scheme; Bob has bunny hunting dogs. Bob bunny hunts. Bob has guided bunny hunts. ( Love ya Bob ;) )
   Anyway, Bob came to visit this spring to go bunny hunting and a hunting we did go! The dogs circled and chased bunnies superbly! Bunnies are fast!! After a while, Big E finally pulled up, BOOM, Bob pulled up, Boom....I will not give the details as I'm probably going to get hate mail over this as it is! ( Those whom I refer to need not reply, thank you very much most wicked!)The beagles get the bunny, bunny is taken and the dogs are off again!
   Bob and Big E, ( bob and big e, sounds like a tale in itself doesn't it?) decide to take a walk up the road while Andy and I stayed back at the truck. Bob was in need of a call of nature....and the hounds are sounding awesome! They talk and joke, having a good ol time; good friends make for good hunting. A beautiful crisp spring day making every one say "life is good"!
   Here is what is looked like from the truck. They are about 200 yards away where the road made a slight bend. Bob is showing Big E something...they are talking...Big E pulls up, "BANG", Big E got a bunny!
   Here is what it was. Bob hands his shot gun, (by the way I forgot to mention that Bob forgot his shotgun shells back at the cabin of which I joyfully drove back to camp and returned with his shells), shows Big E where the safety was, little chit chat about the gun and Bob proceeds to answer the call. Hounds are sounding awesome!! Bob being a little busy, Big E says, "There's the rabbit!", Boom, Big E shoots the rabbit, Bob states, "Now don't that beat all" and several other statements. Both double over laughing!!!!

   Dam I love hunting!!! This is one of those moments we will all relive over and over and laugh every time. Oh yes, "Life is good"!