can you teach an old dog new tricks?

[redneck buck hunter]

I have a 3 year old beagle in a pen in the back yard. I live in the city and he used to get his excersize(time out of the pen) until my neighbors got it out for us and called the law on us for having an unleashed pet. I feel bad that he has to sit in that pen all day. Originally he was bought from a hunter but only as a pet and now what im wondering is if he can still be trained to hunt. If so, could you give me some pointers on how to go about doing this?

[EODLT]

If he is from field stock, he will have a strong prey drive... this is a good thing. Get some deer scent or rabbit, whatever your going to hunt.. Drag a scented cloth around the yard and get him excited over trailiing, lay a little treat at the end of the trail... Touch up his OB, get him on a CC and start making longer and longer trails... Each time he completes a trail he is praised and/or rewarded with food treat. See if he takes intrest or not.