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Bird Catcher

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Everything posted by Bird Catcher

  1. Bird Catcher
    (Not seen it in Hares around here yet, and nore do I want to. Rabbits very scarce where once plentiful, Hares now seems to be breeding all year round, by the size of some my 2 have retrieved (shot... of course !! )
  2. Bird Catcher
    Same as that ! Plastic bottles of frozen water in cages. My ferrets are in cages in a shed with stable doors , so I hose down the shed twice a day and hang a soaked hessian sack over the half door
  3. Bird Catcher
    Just read back what I posted , about kit bites don't hurt.. mine is a very small slim strain. Big ones or powerful kits, will,of course be a bit more uncomfortable!!!
  4. Bird Catcher
    Had ferrets all my life and I'm coming 60. Same as any animal/ bird , handle as much as you can. Always slow and quiet to pick up, one at a time, gentle handling and talk quietly to them. Kit bites don't hurt so don't be nervous around them. If they is slightly older and bite try not to rip your hand up in the air as it only frightens them. They needs to feel 4 feet on the ground to let go ! Best advice is always try handling AFTER feeding, full ferret is a tired ferret and more docile. Remember this... what you put in now, is exactly what you will end up with...... no ferret/ puppy has ever b
  5. Bird Catcher
    100% old school. Solid brass milbro type frame with Barnett red or grey tubes ,but prefer decent squares (when you can get some) and home cast 12 mm lead. " stops anything" had catty's over 50 year. Used to use them to keep my ferrets fed as a kid. Still have a catty in my pocket on every dog walk !
  6. Bird Catcher
    Same as most folk on here say, rabbits quite scarce, but in pockets very plentiful. I travel over Watership Down most days and 5/10 year ago you wouldn't have to worry about ferret food, especially this time of year. Always plenty of road kill ,especially baby rabbits, first thing in the morning. Now it's like a lottery win if you find one. No bullshit the verge used to move with them when you drove past. We even used to do drive by shootings with air rifles on them as young lads to get ferret food. Nowadays I can find a field with a healthy amount, go back and check it a week later and noth
  7. Bird Catcher
    I been using these for only a couple of month and my dog and pup (5 month) seems to be addicted. I only has to say " what's this ?" and they're straight back. The wife and me calls it " dog crack "
  8. Bird Catcher
    I always break my dogs to livestock from the minute they can go out as we has lots of sheep , cows and buffalo around here. Always get there with them, but to stop them chasing deer seems near impossible. My blue dog is only 17in at the shoulder and is like lightening but luckily he is too small and doesn't know what to do with them but my fear is the f**kers always seem to head for a road !! That little dog will retrieve from the catty and even from the air rifle. Scared of the shotgun mind, and he 1/2 plucks a pigeon before you gets it off him !
  9. Bird Catcher
    My part of Hampshire is alive with roe and near Andover many many fallow. 10 year ago never see a muntjac here, now absolutely everywhere. My old dog I lost at Christmas was mad for them and had to keep him on leash at daytime in some places as too many people about. The 2 dogs I have now I try to discourage from chasing them, but easier said than done . As for mooching with the catty I just use my whippet/ italian greyhound x and am trying to train a 5 month Bedlington lurcher ( little at a time !) to the crack
  10. Bird Catcher
    Absolutely old hacksaw blade. Was shown that 40/ 50 year ago, you'd be surprised the amount of dead fur and shit it straps out, as Samrog said dogs seam to like it. For the nails plenty of walking on road etc but if you need to clip then buy decent clippers not cheap rubbish. If you do happen to cut too short and you get a bit of blood then did the claw in corn flour and it will stop almost instantly, did this on the birds claws as well , many years ago when I bred mules and hybrids.
  11. Bird Catcher
    I really don't know mate. Haven't fitted them yet. Ment to do it a couple of weeks ago but been a bit busy with training a new pup. The word is they are the best but I've only used the red. They suit me with 12mm lead. What I can honestly tell you is they take a good few shots to bed in, before you get the best out of them. All the best , and just keep practicing
  12. Bird Catcher
    If this is the black caps you mean Arry, the come with the Barnett bands. Usually tucked in the pouch. I personally bin them and the pouch and just use the tubes on a milbro fork.
  13. Bird Catcher
    I'm right handed but have always held the forks in my left hand, also never close an eye, as stated by Greyman its what suits the individual. Had catty for 50+ year now (always milbro type). Also always held lamp in left hand and slipped the dog with right hand. Just what suits me.... but I have been told I'm odd !!
  14. Bird Catcher
    I like most on here have been in this situation many times, you will know when the time is right, if the dog is still having a walk and not struggling, then as long as its eating then fine. Lambs hearts and chicken I always feed an older dog plus sardines a couple of times a week. Lost a 13 year whippet/ collie just before Xmas. One tip I was given years ago when I had a " big" Staff who had stiff joints with age , was to give him green lipped mussel extract daily. (The pill type for humans) vastly improved him and now I give it to any dog as its getting on in years. I was told it is natural
  15. Bird Catcher
    We have lots of sheep and water buffalo around here. Always put my dogs on lead and learn them as pups. Seen that buffalo surround rook chicks and stamp them into the mud. Any pup (even this Beddy x I got now) gets roasted if he go near them. My Italian greyhound x whippet will run a rabbit and not look at them. Same as people on horses, always put the dogs on . Learn them young, learn them proper
  16. Bird Catcher
    If you are 100% sure the ferret has been around dogs and is well handled and quiet , then I would suggest that make sure the ferret is 100% full up on food and the dog is not over the top or even on a lead. Slowly Slowly catchey monkey. It is achievable
  17. Bird Catcher
    A very large "staff type " called Big Tony. Marked like anything and you could rely 100 % on him. Not that fast but would split a bramble Bush chasing one that slipped the net. Would whine if a ferret was up and wandering in the Bush. Loved a rat but would never harm a ferret, Back when I raced pigeons he would sit on a seat next to me and scan the sky. When a bird come he would jump down and stand by the back door until I had timed in. Then he would expect a tripe stick ! Only made 10 as he got cancer but by f**ck he killed some stuff. Been gone 15 year now and I've got other dogs since ( al
  18. Bird Catcher
    Absolutely I remember that helicopters was used, also military police in land rovers. They used to issue official written warnings with a stern " f**k off tablet" I myself fell foul of them , many, many moons ago when training racing pigeons down through that area. They sent me packing and refused me to release as I was too near a military traing operation.... apparently
  19. Bird Catcher
    I belive they must have been pedigree as they was very type like. Strong coursing type and very good looking dogs. Back then we didn't even think about paperwork, for dogs or racing pigeons , it was your best back to the best in your area. Pedigrees and paperwork have spoilt alot in my humble opinion. The Silver bullets I knew where only silver brindle or blue , no other colour that I see. We used them across our lurchers ( mainly collie x ). They had great staying power as this area had good Hares ( plains etc ) Our own dogs where used for everything from rats upwards including feathers but
  20. Bird Catcher
    Do anybody on here remember the silver bullet line whippets.? Very popular around Salisbury Plain / Hampshire area in the 70's/ early 80's. Always silver brindle or blue and fantastic staying power. Never hear of them nowadays ( unless you're in the know) think the Saluki craze was the death of them. Same as our old pencil ferrets, old fashioned tried and tested stuff don't seam so good anymore. I know you're supposed to move with the times but at my age ... if it ain't broke.... don't fix it !! .
  21. Bird Catcher
    Anybody used them ? Just been given a set and going to fit them to a vintage milbro fork this weekend. Just wondering if there is anyone using or tried these grey tubes and what's their opinion? I've used the red with much success and was not sure if the grey was supposed to be more or less power or just the same but different colour. I'll try them myself but it usually takes a good while or a good few shots for elastic to settle down and perform to its best, hopefully somebody would have been there, done that, and could save me a bit of time... cheers all
  22. Bird Catcher
    The main lead was round leather , attached to the usual wide collar by a knot. Notice the big brass eyelets. Handle you could adjust to fit tight on your wrist. When just walking the lead was stopped from slipping by the release end being held by 2 short bits of strong hose. When used as a slip these where, obviously pulled up and you held the 2 bits of lead together, releasing the short end to slip the dog. Sorry if description is not up to much ! Very simple idea but worked perfectly as both lead and slip. Well made out of very good leather. This one must be nearly 40 year old !
  23. Bird Catcher
    Hope this works... trying to put a couple of pictures of the slip leads he made / sold. Pictures saves a thousand words trying to explain it ...... if I gets it right. Bet a few on here will remember them when you see's it
  24. Bird Catcher
    What supplements ( if any ) do you lads on here use for your dogs or pups.? I personally don't use them any more ( just good mixed feeding ) but back in the early 80's when we lamped most nights and/ or ferreted during the day I used a product called SA37E for greyhounds. Just sniffing about the Web I can't seam to find it now. Must be discontinued or replaced by an up-to-date formuls
  25. Bird Catcher
    If anyone on here could tell me how to put a photo on ( in idiot language) I would show you one of his slips . Cracking idea and as he said " would suit any size dog " and you could "easily walk over rough ground with a whippet with one "
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