Rabbitat

Tick tick tick, the winter keeps rolling along and so far there has been very little winter-like weather.  I am waiting for that slap in the face from Mother Nature (and it will come), but in the meantime I have thoroughly been enjoy my time outdoors.  This past weekend was the first weekend of February and I have to say that it was one of the most fun filled weekends I have ever had.  I'm not quite sure why I love taking those beagles out to run rabbits and listen to their baying sounds, but I do.  I was able to get them out Saturday, Sunday and Monday and all three days they had awesome runs behind a rabbit.  Sunday was a trip to a public hunting area and I did bring home one rabbit for the table.  Saturday and Monday were on the farm and neither day did I carry a gun.  It was all about letting the dogs do their thing.  On Monday, the two dogs and I headed back to a spot known as the "swampy area".  This is some really good rabbitat (rabbit + habitat).  Thick, brushy, lots of cover and easy access to food.  It's actually very difficult to shoot a rabbit here because of how thick the brush is, but it's a very good spot to run the dogs.

And so the dogs found a rabbit to chase very quickly.  Now before all of you start worrying about the rabbit, beagles don't so much "chase" a rabbit, as they just follow along behind it.  Oh there are some beagles that are fast, but most, mine included, are of the pokey variety.  They sniff and bay and follow.  And if the rabbit does a few fancy turns, which they almost all do, it will take some time for the beagles to find their direction again.  One time last winter, I was out with the beagles and they were on a rabbit and lost the scent trail.  I was standing very still and the rabbit came hopping by and sat down on a log about 10 feet away from me.  I thought I would just stand there quiet and see if the dogs could find the trail again.  The rabbit sat on the log and started grooming itself.  First it licked its front legs, then started working its face with its front paws like a cat grooms itself.  Then the rabbit groomed itself along its sides a bit.  I could hear the beagles' collars jingling some distance away, but they were still trying to find the trail.  After about 15 minutes, the rabbit continued to sit on the log and it closed its eyes and went to sleep.  Ha!  At 25 minutes the beagles found the trail and in a few minutes they came close enough to the rabbit that it hopped off the log and on its merry way through the woods and brush.  Now the dogs did not lose the trail like that on Monday, but they were still not quick.  I saw the rabbit 3 times during the chase and not once was the rabbit actually "running".  More like a relaxed hopping along just enough to keep ahead of the dogs.

We had been out in the woods for over 2 hours.  As the sun started to set, I took advantage of a break in the action as the dogs were trying to figure out one of the rabbit's turns and gathered them up to head home.  I walked home along the picked soybean and vegetable fields.  I had a spectacular view of the nearly full moon rising in the east.  It is moments like this that bring me such joy.  Summer brings its own joyful moments, but winter is such a special time.  There is a minimum of work to do on the farm.  It is just too much fun to soak in those mild weather days that are offered.