Where Are You In Your Hunting Desire?

[the_stig 6,614]

i`m on my way out started with russells when i was 12 yr old i`m 55 now ....had my first lot off a fella called alan dodds they stood around 11 1/2 inch deep tan and white smooth coated ended up with 6 could`nt tell them apart ... had loads of fun with them ratting and rabbiting and the odd fox -- moved on to bigger rough coated terriers in the 80s for the bigger quarry had the odd lurcher .. enjoyed the showing side of it aswell won 100s of shows over the years my first in 1981 the last in 2005 .i do the odd invite these days .... my current bunch of terriers are pensioners the oldests 14 the youngest 8 they`ll see there time out with me we still have the odd day on the rats ..i would`nt be able to do a working dog justice these days so i would`nt run a pup on would`nt want one just to look at and no other breed really takes my fancy .. since i retired i feck about with my hobby buying and selling antiques and i project manage the odd building job for a mate keeps me busy ..i started sea fishing a couple of year ago and when the times right we plan to move to the coast ....i take life at a slower pace these days if it gets done it gets done if it dont thers always next week.. no mortage bit of cash in the bank i`m in peacefull and happy place these days

Edited May 2, 2013 by the_stig

[Born Hunter 17,646]

I'm only young I guess in comparison to you old timers. I have a career to build and bills to pay like most and you can't let the hunting get in the way of that too much....

 

I get out as often as I can and take what ever oportunities and experiences come my way. I've got mates I shoot with, mates I lamp with, mates I dig with and few others that fit somewhere in between but not had a few proper keen mates that want to be out in all weathers doing what I do all the time for a few years now. They all loose interest or their interest is 90% booked with other fieldsports/things.

 

I'm not living the hunting dream but I'm working on a happy compromise....

Edited May 2, 2013 by Born Hunter

[Astanley 11,498]

l,m 56 and get as much pleasure from watching a dog work as i ever did ,these days i tend toward quality over quantity and the desire for risk and adventure has ab a ted but i still love every single minute with the dogs .

[baw 4,360]

 

 

 

Perfectly happy thank you. Seen all sorts, good and bad - enough to form my own opinions of what I personally find acceptable. I am more realistic now, and my dogs have to fit around a full time job, but still find it very rewarding. If I am still out mooching with dogs when I am in my 80's/90's/100's ( god willing ) I will be a happy girl.

80's god willing!!!! You've made me feel really old change that at once to 110's/120's/130's

Is that better ?!

 

I'm not so sure it is

[paulus 26]

the minds still willing but the body is decaying If im honest iv just become a tad more specialised in what quarry i persue and quality is a far greater concern than quantitity these days, unlike when i was younger I think as you progress with dogs and your understanding gets better you realise how to use the dogs strengths and weaknesses to your advantage. these days a good day can be achieved in minutes rather than spending fruitless hours for the same end result when i was younger

[the_stig 6,614]

the minds still willing but the body is decaying If im honest iv just become a tad more specialised in what quarry i persue and quality is a far greater concern than quantitity these days, unlike when i was younger I think as you progress with dogs and your understanding gets better you realise how to use the dogs strengths and weaknesses to your advantage. these days a good day can be achieved in minutes rather than spending fruitless hours for the same end result when i was younger

sounds a bit like my sex life ...

[baw 4,360]

l,m 56 and get as much pleasure from watching a dog work as i ever did ,these days i tend toward quality over quantity and the desire for risk and adventure has ab a ted but i still love every single minute with the dogs .

I do as well mate, its just when you think back to that hunger youth gives you, that desire to climb that hill, go down that valley, back up the other side in blizzards etc, we all done it mate. Rain that froze your head but you'd be stripping off cos the distance you'd be walking. It's that desire I miss and fear ill never see again cos it just doesn't feel worth it anymore

[baw 4,360]

the minds still willing but the body is decaying If im honest iv just become a tad more specialised in what quarry i persue and quality is a far greater concern than quantitity these days, unlike when i was younger I think as you progress with dogs and your understanding gets better you realise how to use the dogs strengths and weaknesses to your advantage. these days a good day can be achieved in minutes rather than spending fruitless hours for the same end result when i was younger

Very good point mate. Those fruitless hours were all part of the learning curve though and make up some really good memories

[darbo 4,774]

49 years old. started going out with the lurchers 1984. hare coursing/lamping/ferreting.mooching etc. my last bitch died before her time a few years ago and has not been replaced due to personal circumstances. just have a 6 year old beddy dog who is a good marking dog for ferreting he does what i require from him. A new pup is on the cards next year hopefully.i worked dogs hard and as much as i could in the past. these days im happy to have a good ferreting session and a mooch. i love to watch a dog work daytime. i lamped for 20 odd years but havent for a few years now. it does not hold the same attraction for me these days.

[birddog 1,354]

the real downer for me ...........as a gallus youth i didn't realise just how good some of my mutts were and took it for granted that they could catch any amounts of all sorts of fur and feather...........2 really stand out a big hairy mick douglas bred dog that took daytime hares and roe for fun.........and a wee collie cross bitch that never missed a bolter...........if only i'd had a camera in those days.....

[fitchet 788]

49 years old. started going out with the lurchers 1984. hare coursing/lamping/ferreting.mooching etc. my last bitch died before her time a few years ago and has not been replaced due to personal circumstances. just have a 6 year old beddy dog who is a good marking dog for ferreting he does what i require from him. A new pup is on the cards next year hopefully.i worked dogs hard and as much as i could in the past. these days im happy to have a good ferreting session and a mooch. i love to watch a dog work daytime. i lamped for 20 odd years but havent for a few years now. it does not hold the same attraction for me these days.

I know what you mean about lamping mate. I used to love it but now itsore of a mean to an end. Id much rather see my dogs hunt up and catch a daytime rabbit (or whatever) than catch 20 on the lamp. Infact towards the end of the season it becomes a chore rather than enjoyable ...

[Astanley 11,498]

i don,t miss the things i did back in the day ,climbing ,walking ,swimming thing s ,just for the buzz is for young men , my buzz is different these days . we are different as we get older and find our enjoyment ln different ways .

[baw 4,360]

 

49 years old. started going out with the lurchers 1984. hare coursing/lamping/ferreting.mooching etc. my last bitch died before her time a few years ago and has not been replaced due to personal circumstances. just have a 6 year old beddy dog who is a good marking dog for ferreting he does what i require from him. A new pup is on the cards next year hopefully.i worked dogs hard and as much as i could in the past. these days im happy to have a good ferreting session and a mooch. i love to watch a dog work daytime. i lamped for 20 odd years but havent for a few years now. it does not hold the same attraction for me these days.

I know what you mean about lamping mate. I used to love it but now itsore of a mean to an end. Id much rather see my dogs hunt up and catch a daytime rabbit (or whatever) than catch 20 on the lamp. Infact towards the end of the season it becomes a chore rather than enjoyable ...

Good to see folk being honest. Good read these, keep em coming lads

[border lad 1,047]

I am the same as country Joe, retired 3 years, I started way back in early 50s as a wee laddie, had my first Lurcher,

1958 a collie/grey first x from Cotton King, who won the waterloo cup, His trainer old Hardie wright, only lived a couple hundred yards from My grannies place, I had a great job Asphalt Paving, brittians motorways, Virgin Land, Rabbits, Hares, Pheasants, from 1960 travelled the length and breadth of dear ole blighty, paid top dollar, and running my dog/s as were and as much as possible, ground permitting, my dogs were all schooled to Hunt off the road, even now with the Saluki wonder,

((( you wonder when he is coming back and with what??? ))))) I still Have the bug, Love to see a good dog do his job, truth Lads the Hares that were about, in my early years was beyond counting, there was NO SLAUGHTER No wastage, you had an hour or two out, a couple of rabbits, maybe a pheasant, definately, your dog had a course, not always successful but you had a good craick and you saw your dog work well, that was the main event, today, totally different, I am skulking about dodging the do gooders, with there Mobile phone, ((( a great invention, but can cause a lot of problems, As I said yesterday the spirit is strong but the flesh is weak,,, that is very true,,, Yes Baw I think you are a Tax collector, tucked away safely in your wee office, and I must mention my Old mate wee Jimmy from up near Wigton, he is 75 and still goes for a wee wander, with an ole collie x

[the pikey poacher 1,157]

Where are you in your hunting desire? Are you relatively new to it all and as hungry as a wolf? Or are you seasoned and still as hungry? I've been into dogs for 33 years, and fishing 36 years. The fishing has came and went but the dogs always remained. Really hammered it for over 20 years, out in all weathers, ferreting, hares, etc etc. It was like a badge of honor, while fair weather hunters were drinking in the pub, you'd be fighting driving sleet for a hare. Driving miles to new ground to poach. These days I'm fastly becoming one of those fair weather hunters lol. Starting to do more fishing than hunting. Like a mouch rather than ferreting 100+ net warrens. It might be cos I haven't a decent dog to run, who knows. But the appetite is still there, just not as strong. So, where are you the now in the grand scheme of things? Work, family etc slowing you down? I feel sorry for the guys who never hunted before the ban, you really missed out no matter what you might think.

baw me old mucca you say you have slowed down due to not having a decent dog what you need is a saluki x mate give it a go we all know you have a dislike to the saluki i think you must of just seen a shit 1 and it put you off for life give it a go mate when you get a good un you will want for nothing else and to be honest the ban means nothing to me i still go when and where i want and run what i want i just dont give a fook i will always go they can do what they want to me and if its jail as a last resort well so be it ive done a 5 1/2 year stretch so a few months inside will just be a break for me butlins here i come lol