One thing I've learned with my hunting beagles, is sometimes they can get far away from you while out hunting. I have had days when we just could not find a fresh track to run or the rabbits were all holed up. More times than not the frustrated beagle wanders off in search of a fresh scent to chase. On several occasions after giving up on a particular spot, one of my beagles would be no where to be found. I have spent countless hours calling and calling but to no avail. Eventually darkness would come and I would have to abandon the search for that day and take it up again in the morning. A longtime friend of mine, much older and wiser than me accompanied me one day on just that sort of hunt. One of the beagles had gone lost, it was late, getting dark and he mentioned to me that he learned many years ago that if he were to leave his jacket on the ground where we had last seen the dog, that most times in the morning when he returned, the beagle would be laying on the coat exhausted from a long night of hunting. I thought it was worth a try, and took my coat off just as he advised. The next morning, when I arrived, there she was! I have used this method a number of times and so far have only lost one dog. That one, had been stolen, as I found him in a cage at a guys house one day that was selling some pups. So if you happen to lose your dog in the woods, you just might try this , it really works.
