Happy days!....should possibly be in lurcher section but bear with me....

[rob190364 2,594]

Just got back from taking Tilly for a quick shine. Not that many rabbits about, on the first field spot a charlie on the far side but as soon as it sees the lamp it's away through the trees, bunny sat right in the middle of the field and as soon as it spots the lamp it dives into a patch of nettles, we went around the outside of the field to cut off it's escape, got within 20 meters of the nettles and as I switched the lamp back on the rabbit darted out but only about 6ft and me being a complete spack slipped Tilly straight away and as she ran around the nettles the rabbit ran through the nettles in my direction and by the time she'd come back round it had gone past me almost to freedom, she made pretty impressive ground on it but due to my dismal slipping skills I left her far too much to do....I said this season would be a learning curve for both of us!!! If I'd have waited she'd have had this one fairly easily I reckon.

 

Walking towards next field, lamp off, walking up a footpath with Tilly on slip, next thing something takes off up the footpath shone light on it and a badger is running up the hill.....normally I'd have just had Tilly walking to heel around there but thankfully I'd kept her on slip so although she pulled she couldn't chase it, watched it make its way through the woods and away. Onwards to next field....field full of cows, Tilly is absolutely spot on with cows and sheep though so no big deal, rabbit in field but literally at the feet of a cow. Do I play cautious or show full confidence in our stockbreaking?.....decided to approach slowly and as the rabbit hopped just one more foot away from the cow I slipped Tilly and she overshot it but then came back and hit it with a beauty of a strike, rabbit bagged up. Straight away spotted another one sat 20 meters from the fence on the otherside of a tree, slipped her anyway even though it was a bit of a task to catch one with a 10 meter head start just 20 meters from the fence and Tilly obviously brimming with confidence put on a scorching run and missed it by centimeters....she had no right to get anywhere near it in all honesty! It's the most committed I've ever seen her when chasing a rabbit, she gave it everything!

 

Decided to call it a night because there wasn't much about so we headed back, just before crossing a bridge I shone the lamp and noticed a set of eyes near a stream but on the wrong side of the path I was walking along, basically as I crossed the bridge it would be cornered against the stream. Predator eyes though, definitely not a rabbit. Kept Tilly on slip and went over in its direction thinking it was either a cat or a fox........got a better look of it and it didn't seem bothered by our presence at all, it just carried on throwing something around. I was certain it was a mink but it looked too big...and as we approached it turned to face us and there it was, an otter! In all the years I've been trecking the countryside it's the first time I've ever seen an otter in the wild. What an amazing creature....fully grown, proper healthy looking! It was throwing a fish around on the grassy bank and I watched it for about a minute with the lamp shining on it, we walked towards it to get a better look, we got within 15 meters of it before it slipped into the stream and disappeared. I knew they were making a bit of a comeback but didn't expect to see one. I'm going to head back the same way tomorrow with my decent camera and tripod to try and get a decent pic.....if I do I'll stick it up on here. The only thing that worries me a bit is its lack of fear of both me and the dog, if I was a cock with a certain type of dog it wouldn't have stood a chance. Very nice end to a pleasant walk though

 

PS....excuse the spelling mistake in the title, it's just me being fick!

Edited August 30, 2011 by rob190364

[scothunter 12,609]

nice read mate,and you dont see many of them around.

[Ideation 8,217]

Well done rob, and well done TIlly!, Sounds like a good night on all accounts mate. One word of warning with the cows, while the dog may be broke to them, just remember they are not broke to the dog, getting too close can lead to some very bad things, especially at night.

[Moll. 1,793]

Brilliant post

[rob190364 2,594]

nice read mate,and you dont see many of them around.

I was proper buzzin pal, seriously hope I catch it with my camera sometime......it was still for long enough for me to get a first class shot even in such low light, fingers crossed!

[scothunter 12,609]

nice read mate,and you dont see many of them around.

I was proper buzzin pal, seriously hope I catch it with my camera sometime......it was still for long enough for me to get a first class shot even in such low light, fingers crossed!

 

if you seen there tonight mate,id reckon you will see it again with a bit of patience.all the best look forward to the pic if you manage to catch it again.mind your break stick though

[rob190364 2,594]

Well done rob, and well done TIlly!, Sounds like a good night on all accounts mate. One word of warning with the cows, while the dog may be broke to them, just remember they are not broke to the dog, getting too close can lead to some very bad things, especially at night.

Yeah I know, she pissed me off the other day by going up behind one to sniff it so I gave her a bollocking and she gives them a wider berth now....still risky I know but she's controllable enough to keep the risk fairly limited (if that makes sense). To be honest when I first saw that there were cows in the field I almost just turned around but thought I'd have a look anyway. She's coming on leaps and bounds at the moment, both with stock and the way she's chasing game. In the last few days she's gone from bombing straight towards rabbits to pre-empting their running and cutting off their escapes. Well happy with my little mutt at the moment. I take it on board though pal, neither cows nor horses as to be taken for granted that's for sure!

[rob190364 2,594]

nice read mate,and you dont see many of them around.

I was proper buzzin pal, seriously hope I catch it with my camera sometime......it was still for long enough for me to get a first class shot even in such low light, fingers crossed!

 

if you seen there tonight mate,id reckon you will see it again with a bit of patience.all the best look forward to the pic if you manage to catch it again.mind your break stick though

Yeah gonna set up the camera and tripod and sit it out for a bit, it'll be worth it if I get a decent shot I reckon.

[just jack 998]

pleasant read Rob

[Simoman 110]

Good read