Why

[KittleRox 2,147]

I,ve been doing a bit of thinking lately ( not sure if thats a good thing lol ) but after walking fields at night chasing lamp shy bunnys I,ve become a bit demoralised with the game, not that the older dog Roxy hasn,t been working well but theres something about lamping that doesn,t quite hit the spot and I,ve began to question why ?

 

This got me thinking back to when I first got into lurchers and the type of hunting that used to push my buttons, when I got my first lurcher I used to do alot of mooching and a hell of alot of ferreting, maybe just a couple of nets a ferret in the bag and the dog, another collie bull grey the same mix as Roxy but much more racier, thinking back the days spent hunting with this team were the best I,ve had, because I hardly used to lay a net the dog became very specialised when it came to the art of ferreting and also bushing with a big stick and giving the dog a little direction, working this dog was a pleasure, getting a mark from the dog,approaching quietly and entering the ferret, the ferret creeping down the hole with its tail like a brush, standing back and just watching the dog give all its attention to whats happening below its feet, standing shaking with anticipation waiting for the bunny to make its move so he could snatch it up,

 

as I,ve said the dog became very specialised at this game and was a pleasure to work which is why I think I,ll be giving the lamping a miss, I reckon the ferreting is a much more rewarding PURER type of hunting and the style I,ve gained so much pleasure from, ultimately the reason I keep dogs and ferrets, To watch the teamwork and for me watch a dog TRULY WORKING, I probably won,t hang up the lamp alltogether but I suppose it ain,t really my thing,

 

Thanks for reading, cheers

[long dogs 580]

only you can decide what to do lad,atb

[lampingkid 56]

that's the same is my dad he has gave it all up ferreting as well he had two lurcher deerhound x and a berdi collie x and they where pretty good at the ferreting game and lamping but when they to died my dad lost interest but stills goes out with me lamping and ferreting but not as much and his mate but he says his heart isn't in it any more when they to dogs died

alb

[darbo 4,779]

i hunted with lurchers for 20 odd years lamping bushing with a terrier/lurcher comb my main passion was hare coursing. ferreted on/off for 12 years. then been doing it 13 years every season. enjoying ferreting more each season maybe a age thing with me now. last lurcher died 2 years ago have not lamped for about 4 years now. i can only use a terrier for ferreting on my permissions i have now. but i would be lost without the little marking dog, nowhere near as versatile as a ferreting lurcher. but i get out as much as i can and enjoy the ferreting no matter the size of the bag. its always a good day to be out.your 2 dogs look belters good luck with them.

[tegater 789]

Kittlerox. I have always felt this way with lamping foxes.

 

I do it because it is an effective method of fox control, but the buzz I get is setting up an ambush or spying a fox a long way off and stalking or whistling it up.

I personally don't feel that I am using as much skill when using a lamp, unless of course I am doing it on a very dark, windy night, totally on foot.

 

As I said at the beginning though it is effective, and that is what I have to be.

 

For that reason I can't stop lamping, but then again, I don't do it for the sport.

 

Good post.

[KittleRox 2,147]

that's the same is my dad he has gave it all up ferreting as well he had two lurcher deerhound x and a berdi collie x and they where pretty good at the ferreting game and lamping but when they to died my dad lost interest but stills goes out with me lamping and ferreting but not as much and his mate but he says his heart isn't in it any more when they to dogs died

alb

I,ll no be giving up altogether mate, just concentrating on the ferreting more, theres not as much game nowadays around here now compared to 20 yrs ago, probably part of the reason you,re Dad s not bothered too much,atb

[KittleRox 2,147]

i hunted with lurchers for 20 odd years lamping bushing with a terrier/lurcher comb my main passion was hare coursing. ferreted on/off for 12 years. then been doing it 13 years every season. enjoying ferreting more each season maybe a age thing with me now. last lurcher died 2 years ago have not lamped for about 4 years now. i can only use a terrier for ferreting on my permissions i have now. but i would be lost without the little marking dog, nowhere near as versatile as a ferreting lurcher. but i get out as much as i can and enjoy the ferreting no matter the size of the bag. its always a good day to be out.your 2 dogs look belters good luck with them.

I love to see a dog one on one with a hare as well mate, its very special, I,m a bit different from you though as far as the age thing though I think, I,ve always loved ferreting since I started 20 odd years ago rather than its grew on me as it has with you, thanks for remark about my dogs, Roxys turned into a good ferreting dog, not great yet but with a little fine tuning theres some good days ahead, I do like that beddy of yours as well mate, would love to see one working with the ferrets ,atb

[KittleRox 2,147]

Kittlerox. I have always felt this way with lamping foxes.

 

I do it because it is an effective method of fox control, but the buzz I get is setting up an ambush or spying a fox a long way off and stalking or whistling it up.

I personally don't feel that I am using as much skill when using a lamp, unless of course I am doing it on a very dark, windy night, totally on foot.

 

As I said at the beginning though it is effective, and that is what I have to be.

 

For that reason I can't stop lamping, but then again, I don't do it for the sport.

 

Good post.

If it has to be done as neccessity mate you have to do it, I know what you mean about the work involved though , its not the killing, its the chase, cheers

[Ideation 8,217]

KR - I'm with you mate. Don't get me wrong mate, i do love the thrill of a good nights lamping, and being out wandering the fields in the dark, and its great watching a good dog do its job, it's pure athetecism! (s.p). However, at the end of the day, i love to watch the dogs hunt, not just chase. I'd much rather go out into the rough land, or up the mountain and watch the dogs working hard to hunt up, push out and run 30 rabbits and only catch 2/3 in the daytime, than lamp those same 30, and catch 15/20 of them. The dog has to use all its senses and skills, and most of all it's brain. I'm finding with my lad now, although he can run well enough, the stuff i have done with him daytime has seriously hindred night time work. He's much more suited to be let off the lead and just let run, to hunt like a hound, rather than worked. If that makes sense.

[KittleRox 2,147]

KR - I'm with you mate. Don't get me wrong mate, i do love the thrill of a good nights lamping, and being out wandering the fields in the dark, and its great watching a good dog do its job, it's pure athetecism! (s.p). However, at the end of the day, i love to watch the dogs hunt, not just chase. I'd much rather go out into the rough land, or up the mountain and watch the dogs working hard to hunt up, push out and run 30 rabbits and only catch 2/3 in the daytime, than lamp those same 30, and catch 15/20 of them. The dog has to use all its senses and skills, and most of all it's brain. I'm finding with my lad now, although he can run well enough, the stuff i have done with him daytime has seriously hindred night time work. He's much more suited to be let off the lead and just let run, to hunt like a hound, rather than worked. If that makes sense.

I think me and you have the same idea about the style of hunting we seek, I remember you made a comment on general talk about lamping and you got hammered by some folk, I know what you meant though, don,t get me wrong Roxy is also becoming half decent on the lamp but for me " Oan The Lamp " just doesn,t compare to standing back watching a dog work through the day

[lampingkid 56]

that's the same is my dad he has gave it all up ferreting as well he had two lurcher deerhound x and a berdi collie x and they where pretty good at the ferreting game and lamping but when they to died my dad lost interest but stills goes out with me lamping and ferreting but not as much and his mate but he says his heart isn't in it any more when they to dogs died

alb

I,ll no be giving up altogether mate, just concentrating on the ferreting more, theres not as much game nowadays around here now compared to 20 yrs ago, probably part of the reason you,re Dad s not bothered too much,atb

 

proberly mate do u know a guy called james black from east lothian who is right in to shooting

[KittleRox 2,147]

that's the same is my dad he has gave it all up ferreting as well he had two lurcher deerhound x and a berdi collie x and they where pretty good at the ferreting game and lamping but when they to died my dad lost interest but stills goes out with me lamping and ferreting but not as much and his mate but he says his heart isn't in it any more when they to dogs died

alb

I,ll no be giving up altogether mate, just concentrating on the ferreting more, theres not as much game nowadays around here now compared to 20 yrs ago, probably part of the reason you,re Dad s not bothered too much,atb

 

proberly mate do u know a guy called james black from east lothian who is right in to shooting

No mate

[lampingkid 56]

aw i thought u live in east lothian

cause i my dad kens ur brother mark rake a boot and he said he new of u u might new jam

es

[KittleRox 2,147]

aw i thought u live in east lothian

cause i my dad kens ur brother mark rake a boot and he said he new of u u might new jam

es

Rakes not my brother, I know Rake knows your Dad though

[lampingkid 56]

aw i thought he was my bad sorry