Getting Closer

[bshadle 5]

Been watching the groundhogs in the fields on the way home from work for almost a month now. Finally got a day off, time to hunt and cooperative weather. No rain, snow, sleet, hail, gale-force wind or plague of locusts that seemed to haunt every other potential hunting trip this season. (Okay… The plague of locusts is a stretch.)

 

Loaded the gear in the truck and was on the way before 9 a.m. for the 10-minute drive to a nearby farm. Shot the breeze with the owner, his granddaughter and their border collie for a few minutes, then headed across a field to a hedgerow I knew held numerous dens.

 

Dot and I were out several times over the winter, but never found quarry. Wasn’t sure if it was because there wasn’t any there when we checked, or that Dot and I didn’t have a clue. Today was a chance to find out. Hunted this farm with the gun for several years, and knew that if we approached the hedgerow quietly, we’d have a good chance of spotting feeding groundhogs in the field before we got to their dens. The plan worked. No sooner got out of the truck when I spotted one about 200 yards out across the field. The noise and activity of getting Dot out and strapping on my pack sent it scurrying to ground, but I knew for sure it was there and approximately where we’d find it.

 

Took an indirect approach, didn’t want to make it too easy for Dot. After all, this was to check her ability as well as mine. We passed a few dens that she sniffed and stuck her head in, but showed no interest. Then we got to the area where the ‘hog had gone to ground. Katie bar the door!

 

It was a tight, multi-hole sette. Dot started checking the holes and then found the one she liked. Entered and started barking, growling and digging. Backed out, checked some of the nearby holes, then went back in the first again. She was trying her best to get after something, but was having some kind of problem doing it. When she backed out the next time, I got down on my hands and knees to see what was going on.

 

The sette was small, dropped straight down about a foot and a half before leveling off for six inches then making a hard turn to the right. Although she was trying hard, Dot just couldn’t manage that tight double turn in the space she had to work. “Aha!†I think. I know how to solve this. I’ll just open up the entrance some so she can make that first turn. Blocked the five closest boltholes with dirt from the opening dig. Worked like a charm. She was into the sette in earnest now.

 

I could hear her working her way along. Sure sounded like she was having fun. Finally settled down in one spot not six feet from where she entered. Thumped the ground a couple times with the shovel, and she stayed in the same spot. When she’d stop barking to take a breath, I could hear the groundhog digging. Marked it at 2 ½ feet down and started digging a little ahead of where she marked, thinking that the ‘hog sounded like he was making progress. When I got there, I opened to Dot’s back end! The darn tunnel had turned another 180 after the 90 at the entrance, I thought I’d outsmarted the ‘hog by getting in front of him, and I’d only dug farther away! Dot was hell-bent on getting to him, though. I could hear him scratching through the dirt in front of her, so pulled her and stuck my head in the hole to see what was going on.

 

I could just see the ‘hog’s butt an arm’s length into the tube. I tried to clear farther back into the tube with the shovel, but he was digging faster than me. Now a braver (or maybe more foolish?) man might have just reached down the tube, grabbed hold of the hog by his a** and been done with it. But I thought I had a better idea. I’d just get out in front of him in the direction he was going, and dig another hole. Dot behind him, me in front. Done deal, right? Started digging the third hole on this hog while Dot worked him from the back, everything seemed to be going well until…

 

Dot was working the tube in one dig while I was digging the other hole. Every few minutes, she’d back out and look over the top to check on my progress. Even came over to my side a couple times to drop into my partial hole and try to dig from that end herself. She knew that ‘hog there and she wanted it. At about 2 ½ foot on this hole, three things happened simultaneously. First, Dot raised her head out of her hole to tell me to hurry up. Second, the shovel broke a tight tube right in front of the hog. Third, the d**ned ‘hog bolted right past Dot before she even realized it was coming, streaked 10 yards across the surface and dived into another group of holes that I hadn’t blocked!!!

 

Dot was after it like a flash, followed it down the hole and spent a good 10 minutes barking and growling. I, on the other hand, threw the shovel down in disgust and was sitting on the edge of the hole when Dot popped back out and gave me a look I haven’t seen from a dog since I got a similar one from a Springer after missing a 20-yard straightaway shot on a flushed grouse. By now, we’d been at it for over two hours straight and three holes dug. Don’t know about Dot, but I was tired. I planted the bar, tied her out, gave her a drink and checked for injuries. Other than a lot of dirt, there wasn’t a mark on her. Backfilled and called it a day.

 

 

 

 

Although we didn’t get the quarry, we learned a few things.

1. Dot has at least some potential.

2. I, OTOH, have a lot to learn.

3. Always block any boltholes within sight.

4. You can’t out-dig a groundhog.

5. They’re tough to outsmart too.

6. Two pairs of hands on shovels might come in handy.

7. Digging them is a lot more work than sitting in the shade and busting them at 300 yards with the gun.

8. Working that closely with the dog was a blast.

9. I think I’m gonna like this.

[thurso jack 3]

nice one bshadle!!

 

 

keep at it, your making progress, wont be long now!!

[ddsr 0]

What draw dog have you got and if you dont have one get one. it sound like i would have came in handy.

Also u should have just sit back and wait for the hog to bolt from the hole you just dug. def worth a try anyway.!

better luck next time!

[PBurns 9]

Sounds like the dog and you are putting it together. This is the fun stuff with a young dog who is coming on, and you and she are learning to communicate. A pole snare, a posthole digger and a 6 foot digging bar all have their place with groundhogs, as does knowing how to tail one out alive. None of this is rocket science, of course, but it's also not perfectly transparent when you are teaching yourself the business solo. You are doing well -- keep at it. So what if you lose a spring bolter or two? Happens to every one. This is America -- tons of quarry and year-long digging and not much to prove. Keep the dog healthy and get out next week to do it all over again. That's success.

 

With a young dog there's something to be said for not being in too big a rush to dig out the dog. Groundhogs are much tougher to bolt than a fox or a raccoon, and giving the dog time to learn how to "box" the critter to a stop end is good (and necessary) training for the dog. Be willing to quit a sette if you or the dog are getting in over your head in some particular location -- it's better to keep the dog safe and lose a critter, than to have to feed a dog through a trachea tube because you pushed things too far or did not know how to handle a deeper dig or a rock shelf or what have you. All good so far!

 

P.

[jultaylor1972 2]

Love numbers 8 and 9 of your learning curve. Great post. Really enjoyed the read and the pics!

[bshadle 5]

What draw dog have you got and if you dont have one get one. it sound like i would have came in handy.

No draw dog, just the two JRTs in the avitar. The larger male in the back is 14.5" and spans 19", too big for most of our tubes here. Being new to this, I only take one into the field at a time. Someone told me two hands per dog is a good ratio unless you really know what your doing, and I've not experienced anything yet to prove 'em wrong. He goes out with me for what I think you call bushing there, and for hunting squirrels. Might just start telling folks he's a feist.

 

Never hunted with one, but from what I've read of 'em a lurcher might have come in handy. If it was a really fast one.