A Trip To The Wild Lands (Hunting With Lurchers)
Bill Doherty takes three of his dogs for a day on the fells of Northumberland
I cannot remember a time when I was without a canine companion of some description. Give me a field, fell or and area of derelict land, add a dog or two, and heaven for me lies exploring terrain I arrogantly believe I know so well. Because of a long involvement in hunting, I have permission on many farms to work my dogs. One such farm is situated on the ancient lands of north Northumberland, ground that witnessed Archibald Douglas slain at the battle of Otterburn, and that once possessed the name of “the wild lands”. Regularly the telepathic call of this area lures me from town life. On such occasions I grab my dogs and I’m off. Many have attempted to stop me, none have succeeded.
I remember one day out that saw me accompanied by a canine trio, my lurcher bitch Yella, Ruby a first cross deerhound x greyhound bitch and a purebred deerhound, Meg. Every one of these dogs had worked these fells before, during the daylight hours, and when the cloak of darkness had fallen. On arrival I decided to walk the main fell first, circumnavigating the whole area, and returning through the silage fields that, at this time of the year, were short cropped. I had walked this fell many times over the years during my mole controlling activities. I was aware of the best area to find pockets of rabbits, or even an unsociable hare. I set off with all the dogs running free. I clambered over a five bar gate, and all my dogs cleared this obstacle with ease. As I approached what I thought would be a good place to find rabbits feeding out from their homes, I fastened Ruby into a quick release lead. I had three dogs with me, but no British quarry requires such a pack chasing it. I was going to alternate the dogs over the day, always keeping one back. Yella and Meg were now the free running pair both these dogs possess excellent noses and were soon putting them to full use. Meg my deerhound, has learnt well how to use her nose to pin point her prey, but she is intelligent enough to also realise that she should also to keep a watchful eye on Yella. When she observes her diminutive kennel mate zigzagging, head down and tail stiffly pointing to the sky, she always positions herself close behind. Suddenly this was the mode the little black lurcher went into. Through a patch of spinney grass she worked at speed, until she pushed a rabbit out from its hidden retreat. Both dogs leaped out of the long grass, pursueing the creature making its way to another patch of long stuff about fifty yards away. Yella is very quick, and easily beat the deerhound to the rabbit. A couple of jinks attempting to shake off the stronger faster lurcher were not enough. Yella picked the rabbit up in full flight. First catch of the day went to the oldest dog on the field. I hung the rabbit on my belt, swapped Yella for Ruby and was off again in search for more sport.
It was Meg’s turn to hunt by smell, as the youngster Ruby for the moment was more excited by being free from her shackles. I spotted a rabbit squatting next to a clump of grass in the distance, and made directly towards it, encouraging Meg and Ruby to follow me. Yella also saw the rabbit, and pulled towards it, her ears pricked, her big lustrous eyes literally popping out of their sockets. Before I got there, another rabbit that I hadn’t spotted lifted to my right, Meg was off in chase. I shouted at Ruby to follow me, luckily she hadn’t seen the rabbit Meg was after. The original rabbit was still squatting, but lifted as Ruby approached. The situation was now two chases were happening simultaneously. I resembled a tennis spectator, head going left, and then right, then left again.
The noise from my right signified Meg had been successful, this left Ruby still on the tail of her prey. It was a good chase, the rabbit made it to a patch of long grass. This didn’t deter the youngster, and she stuck to her task well. I never actually saw here take the rabbit, only her head dipping down, and re emerging with the creature clasped tightly in her strong jaws. Three chases, three rabbits, not a bad start!
Again I swapped the dogs; it was now Meg’s turn to be by my side. I would now have to be more vigilant, this seventy-five pound rugged grey beauty is very strong. Tugging me the wrong way could easily see me lying flat on my back. Ruby hasn’t learnt the ways of her hunting companions akin to that of her pure bred auntie Meg. So she wasn’t too perturbed when Yella began to work a scent again. I was awaiting the emergence of another rabbit, or even a hare. On this occasion a pair of French partridges lifted from the long grass. These flew across the valley, skimming the ground before gently landing. What kind of scent must a bird leave that excites the olfactory prowess of a dog so much? I picked up many rabbit chases during this visit. This fell wears many patches of long grass; these in turn hold many rabbits. There are very few human visitors through the day, so rabbits are not frightened and sit out feeding all day.
Making my way down hill towards the lapwing guarded silage fields, Yella and Meg entered one of the smaller patches of grass. In unison they quickened and began to hunt frantically. Suddenly, bursting from the ground as if fired from a cannon, a rangy looking hare lifted. I have always found these lean, three quarter sized short-coupled hare’s good runners, stiff tests for any breed of dog or lurcher cross. Both dogs ran the creature with total disregard to the undulating ground. Yella always produces the goods when the tough gets going, and Meg showed once again how a good coursing type of deerhound can excel on this rougher type of running stage. On and on the pair coursed the hare in the direction from where we had just travelled. On the horizon I saw the hare turned, and was now making back towards me with the dogs practically tasting the fear in the piss that sprayed from the creature.
On the way down the side of the hill the hare jinked and turned, at times it seemed under the legs of the dogs. Nothing can be taken for granted when coursing hares, one second they look as if they are about to be picked up, then they find another gear, and leave the dogs for dead. It was about twenty yards from me when the deerhound struck, only clicking the hare’s hindquarters. This spun the creature and the nimble Yella followed up, locking her jaws around the hare’s middle. The course was over, Yella has never been the type to let go once she’s caught her prey, even with the larger deerhound was trying to steel the spoils from her.I was quickly at hand to dispatch the beast, then I released the excited Ruby from her slip. I praised and patted the heavily panting pair, whose tongues were hanging out practically touching the ground. I sat on the damp grass for a while, the dogs surrounding me as they recovered, getting their “blow back”. As I sat there I examined the hare, “what a beautiful creature a hare is I thought to myself”. When rejuvenated we lifted, making our way back to my Subaru parked in the farmyard. I entered the last silage field with all three dogs loose. I climbed over the three-strand post and wire fence, with Meg and Ruby following. As my foot touched the ground, a rabbit lifted twenty yards up from us. This individual attempted to cross the field, but a black lurcher bitch that never knows when she is beaten foiled its escape. A fitting end to a good day, securing ten rabbits and one hare on this foray.
I believe I am lucky having such land to work my dogs, but this hasn’t come easy. It took many years to secure permission, the result of a good reputation as a controller of rabbits, and more importantly getting into the landowners trust. There are many virtues to having land; a day out exercising my dogs like this one is just one of them.
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