traditional or technological???

[KawValley 131]

I'm wondering if there are any folks who choose not to use electronic locator collars and instead the old ways. At first thought it seemed irresponsible to send a terrier to ground without a modern locator. But then I got to thinking, people have been working terriers for A LOT longer than there's been locating collars. I just got to wondering if anyone intentionally opts out of the modern equiptment in order to hone more traditional locating skills/techniques... Much like a traditional bow hunter might shun high powered rifles with scopes, etc for a more traditional approach- knowing full well that it is less precise. The rifle hunter may argue to the bow hunter "use a rifle dummy! Longer range accuracy, more humane kill, etc" but the bow hunter is more interested in honing forgotten skills than owning the most modern equiptment... Maybe I'm way out of line but when I thought of it using that analogy I began to wonder if there was a sub-group of guys intentionally limiting their repetoir to the old ways. Also what were/are some of the tools and methods used to "pin-point" dogs in the ground pre-locators? Rods, etc

[lukey 1,621]

Would makes sence to try and locate by ear bar ect to see how you get on but why put the dog to ground without a collar on? they didnt use them years ago because they didnt have them, we do.

[fat man 4,741]

I have worked terriers pre-locator but think it would be very irresponcable to put a terrier in the ground now without one on.Back then it was nearly all sounders that were used as a hard silent type was of little use in any earth with a bit of depth to it and most of the big deep places were a no.no where as now you can practaly drop a terrier in most places that are diggable as the locator systems get better all the time.Now we can keep a varity of terrier types,hard,sounders,dont matter as we can locate them pretty easy but i would like to think if something went wrong like a collar failing or something similar that i would still be confedent enough to find the terrier.We always have a t-bar with us,if not at the earth then in the van just incase.The locator was a brilliant invention and many the terrier life has been saved because of it where as in the old days they would have perished.

[KawValley 131]

So a traditional approach would be to use sounders and hope for a bolt... If no bolt then use the T bar to help locate... Is the T bar driven directly into the tube occupied by the dog and fox? Then remove the T and listen?

[KawValley 131]

If a european badger was confronted with a sounder pre ban would it ever bolt? I know a NA Badger would probably dig away

[Bosun11 537]

So a traditional approach would be to use sounders and hope for a bolt... If no bolt then use the T bar to help locate... Is the T bar driven directly into the tube occupied by the dog and fox? Then remove the T and listen?

 

Yer, and if you can't hear anything after all that tradition, turn the box on and locate your worker safely!

[the durham digger 127]

The hunting act states that all terriers used for earth work must be fitted with a collar and dug to as quickly as possible! Using a box and collar is not only conveinient for the fast location of the terrier but it is also a practical tool for the welfare of terrier and prey

[paulus 26]

you wouldnt choose a bow and arrow if you were sent to a war zone

[the durham digger 127]

Hahaha iv got some anti tank arrows if u want to buy some?

[paulus 26]

Hahaha iv got some anti tank arrows if u want to buy some?

ok john rambo :laugh:

[the durham digger 127]

Lol

[fat man 4,741]

The european badger,PRE-BAN did not bolt too easily either,most had to be dug to.The t-bar was a tool used to try to locate the terrier with also a lot of lying about on wet cold ground listening for the faintest sound of the dog and then trying to pin point it as near as possible.Sometimes the bar would drop into the tube,depends on dept,our bar would be about 5ft in lenght and then the dog could be heard a lot clearer so a dig would be started.Why put a terrier in a position where its life is in danger when there is no need for it,some will argue the terrier is not doing the time to ground like it did in the pre-locater day but there geting dug a lot more now because of it,jmho..

[bobby blackheart 1,209]

Too true-without locators it can take allday/days to locate the dog-these days with the kit thats availible you can get a few digs in-so surely the dog is working as hard?most people if they are honest have had a dog to ground without a collar and lets be honest its a shitty feeling imo-i respect my dogs to much to send them without one-you dont use them-you will pay out the coin in the long run-so save the heart ache-better to retrieve a dead dog than no dog at all imo atb

[bitchie 292]

i never work a terrier with out locator, but i like to find them "old school" and then i controll with finder!

the reason is when the locator suddenly dont work (out of order) then i´m trained in "oldschool" terrier finding.

That version can save terrier life!(just my opinion)

[Waz 4,293]

Digging to a dog without a collar will have a lot of peoples arse going into twitching overdrive.

I dig to friends fox terriers, teckels and some jagds without locater collars. Before I rocked up they had never even seen a terrier collar. & back then it was the deben knocker box.

Even now they wont bother to use my collar on their dogs most times. The odd time when itsa new spot that could run deep I might ask them to consider it LOL. & between me and you in some countries until recently locater collars where outlawed......

 

Its just not their habit, their habit is climbing half way into holes, waiting for the first sounds from the dog, locating with bars, maybe digging 1 or 2 (sometimes more ) holes than are needed and spending half a day more than is needed sometimes on a sette. But you know what... I fcuking love it, but more often than not im biting my tongue getting annoyed, but its the way they do it, and they are happy and I like the foreign b's LOL for the good things and the bad.

 

Ill always collar up my own dogs, but only about half the time I will need to switch on the box to find them, finding a dog the old way is an art, and the lads ive been digging with a good while have taught me well. So long live the old ways and the stubborn miserable old sods.