When Is A Pack Of Bushing Dogs To Big

[AKeeNShoT 5]

As the title says......... I use 2 Plummer terriers and me Beddy x whippet they at great at finding and flushing..... I also use them for ferreting but recently of bought a sprocker pup who will join them this winter........ So am I using to many dogs to Bush for me to the gun...... I've had greats days out with just the 2 terriers....... And if had good days out over the years and recently with a half dozen dogs and went home with a mixed bag of game....... So what do you lads draw the line on with numbers of dogs to have a day out bushing

[desertdog 149]

in the late 90s,we had the sunday morning club,and would hunt with as many as 12-15 dogs,surprisingly, we would bring home a good mixed bag,fur and feather,we,d have at least 6 running dogs, the rest were spaniel x,or terrier and they worked like a pack,no scrapping over the kill,one of the big dogswould alway bring to hand,even the terriers would catch and bring back,good old days,when you,d meet up early and be out for 5-6 hours, then back home for breakfast and a pint,nowadays with the times changing we cant do this, they,d be at you,so i hunt with my 3 borders ,2 running dogs, and the 12 bore ,its still great sport,but how i wish we could all be together again,if the game is out there my little pack works close together, they flush,i shoot. good craic.

[csd_88 138]

Going out with some lads last two season, everyone wanting to bring along there terriers to bush must of been about 8 dogs all together, only 3 of them where worth taking imo 3 Beagle russels always one step ahead of the terrier. wreckon if you took just them 3 you'd do just aswell, so I dont think you need to many unless your doing massive covers.

[Bossie 90]

Imho a pack is to big if you can no longer control the dogs which you've brought.

Edited June 16, 2013 by Bossie

[skycat 6,172]

Like Bossie says, too big if you can't control them, but I'd also add, a pack is only as good as its weakest member. Providing each dog works as part of the pack, rather than doing its own thing, then you can have a lot more dogs out. Biggest bushing/bobbery pack I've been part of have consisted of 4 terriers, 2 spaniels, one Airedale and 5 lurchers. This was to work several acres of cover for foxes. Each dog knew exactly what to do having lots of experience and practice working smaller areas before. I'd sooner take older dogs on this sort of job as you don't have to continually watch out for young guns getting over excited and leading the others astray.

[Guest foxpack]

the lads who do my small shoot and the local area near me through invite use a mixture of dogs ,about 6 of them .beagle russells and beagle xcockers /springers.and a couple of terriers tagging along.

[Cleanspade 3,322]

i think it is time to look at it if it starts to get more like work than a pleasure.

[AKeeNShoT 5]

I ain't got a problem with my dogs they do as I ask and they have been very good at there job of flushing game for my gun or my 2 bigger Lurchers....... I agree once you've lost control due to members of the pack fighting in thick cover or just running a muck itstime to 're- evaluate....... Me terriers and beddyxwhippet are a good team and I work them on me own and enjoy the highs and lows equally ..... I personally would not work more then 4 dogs on me own as skycat says it only takes one to lead the rest astray..... I seen a pack of about 10 terriers out killing rats and low and behold one of them kicked off and the day ended up with a early finish...... So I'll say it this way one person out bushing wots the limit of dogs you are comfortable with

[Ideation 8,216]

I ain't got a problem with my dogs they do as I ask and they have been very good at there job of flushing game for my gun or my 2 bigger Lurchers....... I agree once you've lost control due to members of the pack fighting in thick cover or just running a muck itstime to 're- evaluate....... Me terriers and beddyxwhippet are a good team and I work them on me own and enjoy the highs and lows equally ..... I personally would not work more then 4 dogs on me own as skycat says it only takes one to lead the rest astray..... I seen a pack of about 10 terriers out killing rats and low and behold one of them kicked off and the day ended up with a early finish...... So I'll say it this way one person out bushing wots the limit of dogs you are comfortable with

 

Probably about four or five

[desertdog 149]

i think a pack of terriers out ratting can be a problem, i know lads who have worked their terrs together no probs,no scrapping,then you get another lot that will just fight, the thing is once the action stops, they get bored,and their blood is up, bushing you are on the move all the time,and there should be no time or chance for scrapping,even at a kill,i reckon if your bushing on your own, with a smallish pack, you should have some good sport and no problems,if you know the ground you hunt and you can keep up with your charges,you can have fun.