Looks like he might start yet. Males are nearly always slower to start. Keep arranging sight chases just for him and he should come along

The one thing to keep i mind sight chases are good for young dogs but can back fire to.As long as the dog knowns what a rabbit is and can scent a rabbit its bark should come.Sometimes if rabbits are released in front of young dogs and are allowed to sight chase to many times they will soon forget about using their nose and will only sight chase and forget about using their nose to scent the rabbit. I have seen this happen many times and has ruined a dog he will no longer scent the rabbit. Just be carefull. Good luck. There is no perfect answer on training a dog just some good suggestions some work some don't.

Thanks for the notes guys! Even though our season closed here, I can still train him until May 1. We were out this morning. The rabbits were very skittish, flushing well out in front of us - I saw three. In all three cases, I was able to get him on the track. He would advance it (silently) for a while then go back to searching on his own. He has the nose, and knows that following the scent can be fun - he just won't bark about it yet!

A short update... Our training season has closed, so now I need to travel to Kansas or Missouri through July 31. This morning was kind of fun though... In addition to being a hunting dog, Copper is a family pet. So we do our best to be good neighbors and keep him from barking and driving the neighbors insane. So this moring he starts barking, but it sounds a little different. So I get up to check on him, and he is voicing at a rabbit across the street. I decide to just let him voice. After all, the rabbit won't stay there forever. My wife suggests we let him out....hmmmm; not a bad idea. So I throw an a pair of shoes and open the gate. Copper gets a good long sight chase, voicing all the way. It was beautiful! When he lost sight, he put his nose down and started searching. I found him a couple of houses away with his nose down. I let him smell for a few minutes, then hooked him up and brought him home. So maybe it is not completely hopeless!

Being a good neighbour
Reading your post brings me to ask this question. does anyone else have neighbours who are animal rights types that hate for you to "give chase" to the rabbits in the neighborhood? I have a few distant neighbors who hate to see me walking my dog and allowing her to sniff around the woods along the Creek that runs through our fair metropolis of 600. I have a couple though that own the property and they enjoy hearing her voice and have given permission for her to be on their property "hunting for a Rabbit." I have never had "words" with the Animal over the top rights people, but the owner of the property says they have visted him asking him to run us off that chasing the rabbits is cruel etc.... I guess next week these same people will be opposed to me mowing my dandilions too, especailly since the Swiss have given Plants Rights under their Constitution. These are the same groups who will drive our Nation into a Socialistic Society if they get the chance this upcoming election...

I guess we will see; this is the first time I've done it.

I have to say i am personally very lucky, I have very understanding neighbors, you have to when you own 4 bassets and 2 coon hounds, I have had neighbors comment on how they enjoy listening to my dogs or that they dont mind them barking at all. I actually have on neighbor who actually met Droop for the frst time by droop chaing the guys cat into the house and treeing him on the entertainment canter. I can honestly say this is a very understanding neighbor

"These are the same groups who will drive our Nation into a Socialistic Society if they get the chance this upcoming election..." sam here: oh my god, you're serious.

When I lived in Syracuse NY. I started several dogs on the rabbits that came in the evening to munch on my lawn's clover. We had some fine chases through peoples back yards,under pool decks and through flower beds. I had the cops called on me more than once,but I got 'em started and they never caught me! Now I don't recommend it,but sometimes you do what you need to do. John