Under And Over The Moon

[2.8 guy 403]

Ive been taking a steady approach to rabbiting this year mostly because my young dog hasnt really shown anything that has really impressed me, she has however started to improve over the last couple of months and a few steady jaunts out have been proving fruitful getting ten or so runs and calling it a night in the beginning her catch rate was shocking mainly being down to her laid back running style and not showing any real prey drive.

 

A week or so ago I had a jolly out on the lamp and she was really showing commitment running at stuff hard and at times maybe being a bit over keen but I like the new attitude she was wearing and that night she caught 11 rabbits and missed much fewer than the norm

to say she is growing on me would be a fair statement and I have to give her credit were its due she didnt make me look stupid when I was invited down lincolnshire last weekend and all the weight watchers jokes was soon eaten up by the guy who was stood there opened mouthed as she scorched up to a local land dweller and gave it what for until the dyke showed her in experience and his specialist bred thing that looks like it needs a feed was well lets say no more impressive.

 

But its lamping what I enjoy and what my dog was really bred to do so I was waiting for the snow to clear and for it to warm up a little and then the moon ffs I was itching to get back out and had just said to the wife probably could get a few hours in lamping tonight she just said bitter in the fridge that new war film and dont forget your doing the food for the ladys rugby tomoro eye its a full moon any way lol

 

So I got comfy on the couch and the wife says rye just text you fancy lamping on him feck it, text keeper see if its fit and text back yeh if its fit to go within 30 mins all bets was off and we was heading for the motorway this was around 5.45 nigh on a couple of hours later we was pulling up on the land and it was pritty dark about 3 degrees and ok underfoot bits of snow still lurking but nothing major.

 

I dropped my mate off at a spot and said follow the fields on meet up with me later, I was on a hill side were ive hunted many many times I often think back to a bit of a walk out me and the then underkeeper had one night were there was three of us and we took it in turn slipping my dog fran caught 20 didnt miss the keepers dog lish did twenty and didnt miss and the other well that didnt fair as well, but on this spot now the rabbits arnt as bountyfull as yesteryear but the 100% catch rate sticks in my head.

 

The first rabbit was lined up and got to as close as I dare a slip and catch no bother the next few was pritty much the same me not going for long or daft slips but just cherry picking the ones as you would for a novice she was catching well her strike was with meaning her running was clever not too gun ho and she was following the beam and going down it much much better her retrieving was fair but far from sitting down and offering it up to your hand but a vast improvement from four months ago.

 

I was very impressed 5 runs 5 kills my confidence was growing in the dog and although the slips was not foolish I was giving the bunnys a little more chance by the time number eight was bagged I was felling over the moon and thought shall I call it a night but two more runs was had just to round it up and yes two more catches so yes that was me done and set off back to meet my mate.

 

We met back up and I asked how he had fared ok a few about down there but didnt really no were to go and found it hard to carry, how many you got 9 good do had ten runs ten catches so well happy then a bunny come through a gate headed towards us and sat instinct took over and bobo was off I also new rye was wanting to see her have a run but as she got there the rabbit darted left and with a swift body twist and strike bang she had it not much to see really 11 from 11 now this was me definatly done.

 

So you ready for off got to get up early awe not yet mate lend me your carrier and ill do them fields down there ok im off to van to get some coffee dont be too long after having a coffee and the dog whining I was tempted to go do some more but I drove down the hill a little so my mate didnt have to walk all the way back up and there he was big and round rising up in the sky sat before me mr moon and I realised id beat him the dog has had its best chances and I wasnt going to break its now record, not long after rye returned with another 8 and I think he was happy he had more than me but I was very happy not a massive score but its going in the right direction.

 

Best run of the night was a slippery little get that was run to a wall from a longer slip then up and down a wall edge looking for its escape it was making the dog dizzy but she kept on the pressure and although it deserved to get away it got picked liked the rest.

I had come up under the moon but gone home over it atb 2.8

 

 

 

[LIGHT ON LIGHTS OUT 71]

Good read that mate, good luck with it