SheepChaser

I much prefer hounds and hound types to anything else, but sadly the roads, boundary’s and people make that a bit of a tough one. Currently messing about with a spaniel, and a terrier. But having had a good few folk here on an invite (we have some good bushing days with a gang of us), I would say that spaniel x terrier and terriers that dont drop to ground, or at least are fox only, are the right thing for doing the kind of cover we have. I want it out the cover, if it’s not stopped, I don’t want the little dogs going across a 100 acre field and on and on if that makes sense. Back home, the on and on was the bit I loved!

Some of the lads who come to us are Gloucestershire based?

I hate to make myself sound less fun, but I’ve got perm there. I keep away from the covers all year, and avoid the pheasants and partridge like the plague. Do various bits and bobs over the season, and then from end of Jan I have freedom to roam.

When I found the little tykes, they were running near the edge of the main road. Luckily the trail jumped up and I managed to turn it away from the road and back in land onto our ground. Had a good half hour hunt on it before pushing it. into an old bomb crater pit. Little hounds were flying. Plenty birds about there, 2500 acres of fun filled woods that spot.

Had a mooch out this avo. Heard a bit of a commotion....... local beagle pack had lost ten couple hounds. No one to be seen and they were hunting like stink so I went with them for a good while and had a bit of hunting before finally getting hold of the huntsman.

A fair point. I’m not currently desperate for a pup, but if those smart bitch pups were going to end up sitting there with no good home to go to, it would be a crying shame and I’d have found room for one, and given it a go. Ive two Lurchers at the moment.

So that’s the top one of them three left?

No mate I was hoping you’d say all dogs as I don’t really keep dogs lol. Want to breed my bitch really but I keep coming back to look at these pups. Much difference between the two bitches ?

Spend an hour in the company of some of the extremist ALF folk and you know they are for real. Once upon a time I spent a fair bit of time around extremely militant environmentalist protesters, and plenty of them are happy for a scrap - they are just marginalised young men, with little purpose, who need a family and a cause ....... their only aim in life is to be “on the front lines fighting them”, whoever ‘them’ is. Re the idiots with dogs, sadly most of them come from certain sections of society around here.

I think you'd have to be pretty mental to go in hard at people around here. It would just lead to constant agro. Best bet is just to seal your borders, and have a bit of a presence and hope they go elsewhere. Its just part of life around this part of the world. The worst bit of it is that its made people who are like us, with running dogs a target, no matter if you are a knob or not. Unless you are very lucky to have an in, you arent going to get permission, and even if they know you, they get a bit paranoid about the hassle from anyone else. You go stand in a field around here with a running dog and you get plenty looks. Leaving dead stuff lying about is another issue, just looks real bad. But its just life sadly, and I'm not going to get into a punch up over it or shoot anyones dog. And I'm certainly not going to shoot out all of the game. One thing I will say though, f**k me can some of those lads drive! Their talent is wasted.