I had yesterday off so a buddy and I hit some public land with a Lab and 2 beagles. He says this is either going to be a total nightmare or it will go good. We pushed a CRP field that had multiple thicket patches and thick creek bottoms on the right. The beagles got on several rabbits but it was either too thick to see or the bunny was too small. The lab (9mo) would hear the beagles fire up and want to get in on the mix. One race went several hundred yards and lasted about 30min but neither one of us saw the rabbit. There is just something about beagles in a little holler. We called the beagles off after they chased the rabbit into a hole and proceeded to head back to the truck while pushing the CRP. Another hunter had a Brittany and fired several times at birds. One of the birds he shot at soared about 300-400yards away from him. He moved on and we headed to where the bird landed. Both beagles and the lab we’re looking for it and all of a sudden the dogs flush the bird. I let the bottom barrel of my O/U 20ga go with #5 and IC choke but it didn’t drop it. The bird changed course and was headed right at my buddies face. The bird landed and began running so he shoots at it and now its running the opposite way toward a private land corn field. I let the IC barrel go again and it was still running. I finally rolled him a good 40yards away with the modified barrel.
