Hunting Rabbits with Weimaraners
Looking for rabbit hunting tips for hunting rabbits with Weimaraners? There are some tricks to hunting rabbits with large breed dogs.
Rabbit hunting with dogs is different from hunting alone, and knowing how to work with your canine partner is the key to success.
Weimaraner Hunting Dogs
The Weinmarner dog breed is unique in that they make excellent fox hunters, bird hunters and rabbit hunters. This is surprising because of their large build.
Their breeding as pointers is well-known among hunting enthusiasts. Nonetheless, this particular talent can prove to be frustrating in a rabbit hunt. Here’s why… The Weinmarner stops and points when he catches the scent of a rabbit, instead of taking up the chase.
This is probably why so many hunters choose to hunt rabbits with beagles, who are feisty, small and take off after rabbits when they see or smell them.
Weimaraners, who reach a stately 23 inches to 27 inches tall – are not well suited for climbing around in small brush.
But that doesn’t mean that you can’t hunt rabbits with Weimaraners. You’ll just need to follow a few rabbit hunting tips for hunting with large dog breeds.
The Complete Guide to Hunting, Butchering and Cooking Wild Game by Steven Rinella shares the magic of hunting and living with your dog. This book includes tips on hunting small game that will help even the most experienced small game hunter and his dog.
Weimaraner Dog Rabbit Hunting Tips
With the size limitations in mind, how can you use your Weim’s talents during rabbit hunts, to the greatest advantage?
If you teach your dog to treat rabbits in the same way that he does birding, it seems to work very well. Let your dog hold point, instead of chasing the rabbit.
Alternatively, use your Weimaraner for flushing out the rabbit, stopping immediately when the rabbit emerges – avoiding the chase. This is for your dog’s safety.
Once you bag a rabbit, the Weim can easily retrieve it for you.
Both approaches have merit. Holding point is more common in the United States, while flushing is more common in the UK.
A median ground between the two approaches for Weimaraner Rabbit Hunting Tips is giving your dog “point”, flushing the rabbit yourself, then letting the canine retrieve the prey. This is also a safer approach that avoids accidents.
No matter how you decide to hunt rabbits, observe your dog throughout the training process. See what his or her breeding brings out, and then use that to the greatest advantage.
Looking for new ways to cook your fish and game? The The Everything Wild Game Cookbook has yummy recipes for everything from venison to rabbits!
General Rabbit Hunting Tips
The best areas for hunting rabbits are those with evergreen coverage, thick brush and briars, or other similar tangles that provide the perfect cover and hiding hole.
No matter what dog breed you use, if a rabbit plays dead, hunting dogs and their human partner miss the prey. That means that slow, calculated flushing of an area around a known rabbit hole, often produces surprises.
A human companion may see the rabbit movement faster than the dog, depending on the breed. Without proper training, however, the dog’s safety comes into question.
Perhaps the most important of rabbit hunting tips is to ALWAYS watch for a clear shot—to keep your dog safe.
New to hunting rabbits? The Complete Guide to Hunting, Butchering and Cooking Wild Game gives step by step directions for field dressing and butchering small game, including rabbits.
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