Rabbit Hunting with beagles - Kitsap county

[whack em]

I recently moved here from Connecticut, and have a 15" beagle who is all about the bunnies and is seriously full of cabin fever.  Unfortunately, I haven't had the time until now, but I don't know where to take him.  Any suggestions for Kitsap and Mason counties.  I live in Port Orchard, and if there are other beagle guys out there, feel free to drop me a line.  Thanks.

[timothy]

I live in Bremerton and I have been trying to get information on rabbit hunting because it sounds like fun.  I have read a few posts that indicate that rabbit hunting in western washington is not so good.  Most of the posts I have read indicate that rabbit hunting is better in eastern washington.  I hope someone will read this and tell me how wrong I am because I would like to get into rabbit hunting but I don't want to drive to eastern washington all the time.
The posts I have read indicated that the rabbits are being fed on by an increasing population of Coyotes.  I don't realy hunt now so I am probably not the best recource, but this is what I have read.

[3dvapor]

There are a ton of rabbits in southwest washington.  I've done good in the past on the pheasant release sights or along the river and along the rail road tracks that cut across pasture land.  Boxes of shells

[pjb3]

a 15" beagle would have a hard time in this snow anyway. I love rabbit hunting and have the same issue, no where to find then around here

[seth30]

There is a lot of guys that hunt them with beagles on NAS whibey.  With all the rabbits here I bet they fare well.  Next time I see them out when Im duck hunting I will ask for some info.

[seth30]

I recently moved here from Connecticut, and have a 15" beagle who is all about the bunnies and is seriously full of cabin fever.  Unfortunately, I haven't had the time until now, but I don't know where to take him.  Any suggestions for Kitsap and Mason counties.  I live in Port Orchard, and if there are other beagle guys out there, feel free to drop me a line.  Thanks.

Im assuming your military, does Bremerton or Bangor offer a hunting program?

[whack em]

They sure don't, unfortunately.   

[Hilltop123]

Just a thought, check out the christmas tree farms, you got some on the old Belfair hwy. There used be a few out Dewatto area also.

[timothy]

Admittedly I don't know a lot about rabbit hunting but it sounds fun.  What would be the appropriate weapon for hunting rabbits?  I am also wondering if this is something that could be taken up as a hobby if one does not have beagles?

[BOWHUNTER45]

I was wanting to run my dog while we had snow ...but never got around to it ....Hopefully I can sometime soon ....The farmer just cut down my best spot right down to the dirt !

[JakeLand]

between Fallcity and Monroe all the way up hwy 2 to about Skykomish is all good bunny areas even better when you got dogs and a scatter gun

[Goshawk]

Admittedly I don't know a lot about rabbit hunting but it sounds fun.  What would be the appropriate weapon for hunting rabbits?  I am also wondering if this is something that could be taken up as a hobby if one does not have beagles?

It's very tough to push rabbits from the blackberries without a good dog. Add a Red-tailed hawk and your in for a treat!

[whack em]

 
That's a fact.  Though I have a 15" dog, he does manage with the brush better than most.  My buddies 13" and 11" does awesome in the thick stuff, but my dog always had the speed, which is fun to watch.  Still haven't had him out due to work, and boy is he getting irritating.  Maybe here in a week when things slow down, I'll have the chance. 

[dawei]

I do the bulk of my rabbit hunting on Ft Lewis. I run a brace of Beagles and hunt bunnies with a 20ga shotgun; using low base loads of ⅞oz #6, & 7½ shot. I've hunted FL every year since 1987; plenty of bunnies, both cottontail, and hare.

[whack em]

 
Thanks for the tip, I'll check it out.