What's your opinion on an ideal foxing lurcher ?

[dogs-n-natives 1,181]

Never a truer word spoken elisderyn, but I think it should apply for all lurchers. Even the small whippets should at least be keen for them, and many are.

 

I was a gamekeeper before the ban and my dogs were the main tool for foxing over the 12,000 or so acres of hill ground I looked after. I prefered the dogs as they were the most reliable for getting results at any time day or night when I had a spare couple hours. I expected my lurchers to run with the bike all day, hunt away if they came across scent of fox, and also go check holes as we do our rounds. My main fox dog started to call me in if there was something to ground, maybe out of frustration, maybe to actually guide me in, either way it was a great help on many days. So solid marking is a must. Totally 100% rock steady with everything from hens, chicks, partridge, grouse, phessies, sheep and all livestock, must also be a gentleman around kids, dogs and sound with strangers and strange dogs. Must hunt hill ground both on its own and also alongside hounds. I found the nose of my line bred half bull/grey is excellent, and he can trail a line an hour or more old for quite a long distance often leading to a mark to ground or if he gets sighted a kill. That dog also kills his foxes pretty much on impact, no messing about, one crunch and shake and he spits it out, looking for the next one to hunt. My lurchers also need to work the lamp well, following the beam into the distance even when quarry is unsighted to them. My bull/grey will follow a fox that leaves the beam for whatever reason like over a hill or into a wood, and sometimes this pays off, with a kill or put to ground. My other lurchers return if the fox is lost from the beam, which is not something Ive taught them but is handy as I can work these dogs in busier areas, and lowland fields, alongside busy roads etc places where I may choose not to run the other dog.

[paulus 26]

twin barrelled shotguns are far more popular than single barrelled ones, as that second chance is often what puts the game in the bag

[skycat 6,173]

Never a truer word spoken elisderyn, but I think it should apply for all lurchers. Even the small whippets should at least be keen for them, and many are.

 

I was a gamekeeper before the ban and my dogs were the main tool for foxing over the 12,000 or so acres of hill ground I looked after. I prefered the dogs as they were the most reliable for getting results at any time day or night when I had a spare couple hours. I expected my lurchers to run with the bike all day, hunt away if they came across scent of fox, and also go check holes as we do our rounds. My main fox dog started to call me in if there was something to ground, maybe out of frustration, maybe to actually guide me in, either way it was a great help on many days. So solid marking is a must. Totally 100% rock steady with everything from hens, chicks, partridge, grouse, phessies, sheep and all livestock, must also be a gentleman around kids, dogs and sound with strangers and strange dogs. Must hunt hill ground both on its own and also alongside hounds. I found the nose of my line bred half bull/grey is excellent, and he can trail a line an hour or more old for quite a long distance often leading to a mark to ground or if he gets sighted a kill. That dog also kills his foxes pretty much on impact, no messing about, one crunch and shake and he spits it out, looking for the next one to hunt. My lurchers also need to work the lamp well, following the beam into the distance even when quarry is unsighted to them. My bull/grey will follow a fox that leaves the beam for whatever reason like over a hill or into a wood, and sometimes this pays off, with a kill or put to ground. My other lurchers return if the fox is lost from the beam, which is not something Ive taught them but is handy as I can work these dogs in busier areas, and lowland fields, alongside busy roads etc places where I may choose not to run the other dog.

 

And what you've just described fits my definition of a proper working dog: one that works with you as part of a team, not just something to be run off a slip. OK, so most people don't get the chance to work their dogs day in and day out in this way, but IMO it is something that all hunters should aspire to.

[South hams hunter 8,885]

Ideal foxing Lurcher? Well being purely a lamper the dog should be able to firstly catch the fox wether it is one that jumps up or one I call. The dog shouldn't require a slip and run the beam when told to.

[elisderyn 496]

theres nothing great about to 70/80 pound bullxs streching a 14+ pound fox,, if they aint doing it single handed they aint fox dogs simples.....

 

true mate , but how many times have we all been out with the 1 dog, that we know will smash a fox on its own, but its lost the fox that night night for what ever reason.? You begin to think there are enough lamp shy foxes out there, you dont need anymore. So running 2 dogs at least there is greater chance of catching it , and its not the size of the dog it , its if its got the heart for the job.Lets face it a 16lb pat will kill foxes day day out , but i do think have some bull in the lurcher does put more heart in the dog. Ihad a 26in 70lb 1/4 bull 3/4 grey that would do them no prob solo , but did loose few in the night they carnt catch'em all, you will always get more with 2 dogs . this was all before the Ban .!

if it aint on permission it aint pestcontrol its sport and theres no sport in running doubled up,,! and a fox killing terrier is a different thing all together

[borderbitch 24]

bedlington whippet or a beddy cross

[downsouth 6,859]

Pre ban a coursing dog was gauged on its ability to kill hares single handedly if it was a 3/3 dog or a 5/5 dog it meant it would kill tat noumber on its own.Same as if a terrierman said he owned a 100% fox dog it generally meant the dog went to ground and stayed there untill the job was done ON ITS OWN.And any terrierman putting more than one dog to ground would be frowned upon by proper terriermen and rightly so.But when it comes to catching foxes with dogs 3 or 4 times the size of a fox it seems to be acceptable to a lot of lads even the norm.I think that to many lads are only kidding themselves that they have good fox dogs thats why ther is so much shit about.

[MOO 730]

bedlington collie dh grey x bull cairn saluki grey

[Mixed Bag 603]

Pre ban a coursing dog was gauged on its ability to kill hares single handedly if it was a 3/3 dog or a 5/5 dog it meant it would kill tat noumber on its own.Same as if a terrierman said he owned a 100% fox dog it generally meant the dog went to ground and stayed there untill the job was done ON ITS OWN.And any terrierman putting more than one dog to ground would be frowned upon by proper terriermen and rightly so.But when it comes to catching foxes with dogs 3 or 4 times the size of a fox it seems to be acceptable to a lot of lads even the norm.I think that to many lads are only kidding themselves that they have good fox dogs thats why ther is so much shit about.

 

good post mate i have never understood why the need for more than one dog to catch any quarry thats smaller than the dog chasing it. regardless of whether its got teeth or not

[South hams hunter 8,885]

A lot of people also think ds that because the dog has done a few double it will definitely do it alone.

 

The problem is a lot of people look upto people and some of them rightly so but the problem is they look up to them and ask them questions about a topic they know nothin about. For e.g if you wanted to know about ratting ask Plummer but I'm sure he'd have also given his opinion on fox dogs.

 

I've read a few articles in the cmw lately where hey have talked about foxing yet what is described I personally wouldn't kennel, things like dogs grabbing the brush then getting a throat hold. Now if you looked upto that writer an had a dog that did that you would accept it as a good fox dog however I'm pretty sure most serious fox men wouldn't even entertain it

[downsouth 6,859]

All i know is when i kept lurchers and i only had 1 good fox bitch and 1 very promising youngster out of her which had a few under her belt when she went to a good mate of mine and went on to make a very good bitch i would have rather missed a fox than slip another dog in.I would have rather had 2 singlehanded than 10 doubled up.Same with the terriers i would have sooner failed than drop 2 dogs in.

[South hams hunter 8,885]

Exactly that, don't keep terriers but i won't keep a Lurcher that needs a partner for any quarry

[STUNTMAN 552]

A pup that comes from parents that did the jig. If the were good fox dogs thats a dam fine place to start.

[ferret13 8]

Macky what would you ave said was a harder test pre ban 2 dogs doubled up killing 6-8 foxes in a night or 1 dog single handed killing 3-4 foxes

Looks like youve been blanked on that one mate.

[Boss-Hog 269]

ye har never a truer word said, all the same good vids with stubbles and crops