| While that little dog curled up at your feet may | | | | sound of a gunshot when fired. |
| be the most affectionate, loving, and docile | | | | There is also the Small Pack trial, which is |
| creature you've ever known, Beagles are actually | | | | relatively self-explanatory. A smaller pack of dogs |
| quite efficient hunters. Originally bred for the | | | | (up to seven) will perform the same tasks as |
| purpose of tracking game and assisting their | | | | dogs in the Brace category, ideally working |
| human hunters, Beagles excel in the field and at | | | | together as a well-oiled unit. The Small Pack |
| tracking. | | | | Option trial is the equivalent of the Gun Brace trial |
| Originally, rabbit and fox hunting were entered into | | | | for this amount of dogs. |
| as a sporting event instead of an acquisition of | | | | The Large Pack trial is a similar competition, but |
| prey. Beagles were excellent at tracking down the | | | | the packs are far larger. These trials typically only |
| prey for their hunters to kill or capture. | | | | take place in certain states. In these particular |
| Beagles' primary use in modern hunting is as a | | | | states, the game of choice is usually the |
| flusher, a dog that will scare game out of the | | | | snowshoe hair. How much larger are these packs, |
| brush or out of burrows so that the hunter has | | | | you ask? Well, some packs can contain up to |
| access to it. Though Beagles are often used in | | | | sixty individual Beagles. I wouldn't want to be that |
| packs or duos for sport hunts, they are most | | | | snowshoe hair! |
| typically used one at a time in actual game hunts | | | | The most beneficial part of these regulated trials |
| with just one hunter. Hunting restrictions have | | | | is that they do not overkill hunting game and can |
| made the sport of game hunting dwindle | | | | help keep endangered species afloat. However, if |
| somewhat, but Beagle clubs and the American | | | | you are interested in helping your dog sharpen his |
| Kennel Club all still offer hunting field trials. These | | | | or her skills on the field but aren't interested in the |
| trials are competitions that exercise the efficiency | | | | actual act of prey hunting at all, an activity called |
| with which Beagles (and other breeds of hunting | | | | "drag hunting" offers an all-species-friendly |
| dogs) can perform the tasks necessary on the | | | | alternative. In drag hunting, one of the regulators |
| hunt, albeit with false or toy game. | | | | will leave a trail of scent that the dogs must |
| Beagles and their handlers have the option of | | | | follow and indicate to their handlers when they |
| competing in three different types of field trials. | | | | have located the object producing it. |
| The "Brace" type of field trial involves Beagles | | | | Whether hunting is one of your interests or not, |
| hunting in sets of two. These Beagles will have to | | | | your Beagle has the skills necessary for it bred |
| track and, once it is found, indicate a hare to their | | | | into him or her. You don't have to participate in a |
| handler or the "hunter". A variation of the Brace | | | | hunt to help exercise your dog's natural tracking |
| trial is the Gun Brace trial, in which the Beagles | | | | ability. Exploring tracking, whether hunting or not, |
| not only have to track and indicate the hare, but | | | | can be a wonderful way to spend time with your |
| they are evaluated on their ability to ignore the | | | | Beagle and bond. |