Before locators

[Countryman62 539]

17 hours ago, Apache... said:

Reading your post there countryman, I don't think anyone would purposely leave a terrier to ground just to see how long it would stay (the dog can only fail), I think it's quite the opposite nowadays, but some dogs need more time to settle than others depending on work style as you most probably know, another point you make is interesting (so no snidey comments please ) I'm one for time to ground, for the 2nd and 3rd season anyway and I wouldn't disagree with your numbers first approach if it makes a good worker out of them.

Appreciate your response Apache, neither do I think anyone would leave a tyke to ground to see how long it could stay I could have worded that better, and I agree with you totally about tykes settling in to their task when let to ground, a lot of earth's we dug on permission land weren't that deep, ranging between five and six foot but some were bigger, every time we broke through into the tube or crag of rocks and that beam of daylight shone in, the terrier would grab hold of his quarry and hold it for us to draw it, sometimes we'd break through to terrier and dead fox depending on which tyke was used, main requirement for us when breaking through with the spade was terrier had to be with his quarry or inches away from it at most depending on that particular earth and like another guy said on here educated quarry was always a sterner test and our preferred prey,  Atb pal

[Rabbit Hunter 6,608]

It's nice to have a clever lurcher like that about AT, they seem to be as tuned in to the situation as the terrier working away beneath it. I remember a bull/whippet my mate used to have and it's party trick was to catch a fox from a hole before it bolted, literally crawling down 5 or 6 feet and drawing it from a hole as it was about to bolt, how it knew what hole the fox was going to bolt from I'll never know.

[howdeeposxxt 1,448]

11 foot dig today, a dig that could never have been dug without a locater but when we reached the last 3 feet or so something went a miss. The numbers where bouncing everywhere and after alot of fooling and farting about we went back to the hole and got in we could feel plenty a tumps, so we  decided to dig down with the idea that the locater was acting the bollicks and that dog was under us. We where right. On brake in with dog well on hold, a stupid mistake by myself while throwing up loose clay that kept falling in, I slipped and my foot came between dog and quarry and both broke and the shift was on. After alot a f***ing and swearing and head scratching we gave it 30 mins and could here both at it again down about 5 feet a the wall of the dug hole,  but straight in about 3 foot." Very lucky "After hearing the action we  did locate them in a few mins as we could poke about with the bar until we found them,  but it would have been an even messier day without the t-bar  I don't even want to think how much of a mess it could have been without it. I don't use it alot on a dig but I think it's a necessary tool on a dig just incase. Thank f**k I had it but only for the locater we could not have dug this place so both pieces of equipment together serve us well in general year in year out.

[Rabbit Hunter 6,608]

And maybe a more competent terrierman that doesn't panic on breakthrough?

 

[Rabbit Hunter 6,608]

Just kidding, at least the terrier stuck it out.

[howdeeposxxt 1,448]

26 minutes ago, Rabbit Hunter said:

And maybe a more competent terrierman that doesn't panic on breakthrough?

 

f**k off  lack  I'm solid broke up and don't need this banter haha.   Dog is 5 now and I have all the confidence in the world In him after we pulling him he was bouncing for more but we were not so he can lave it for another day please god.

Edited November 25, 2018 by howdeeposxxt

[donnyc 1,203]

Before the grey boxes were out the hardest strangest dig I had  on my own was when hounds really pushed a fox to ground in a single hole.I started digging and the dogs baying changed but still where I though it was..13 feet later I opened up to a broken doorway into a room with the fox and dog locked together ..It later transformed it was an old army ammunition room ..Hard dig I was knackered.The same place has now a large sett ranging from 5 feet to 17 very well used now..I never ever trenched on in them days its a knack you have either got or havent I still locate before my mate switches his box on  he always says Im nuts but 99% of the time Im right ..Dug this area many many years and know most of the places .I know of some idiots round this way that trench  and its sickening to see that and not backfilling in my eyes is a crime  leaving quarry in the hedge .Thankfully these lads are now disappearing ..Times are changing and not for the better .Everyone now seem to want hard dogs yes there is a place in anyones kennel for one  but not a kennel full of them .more time laid up when a good bay mix type with brains gets you more quarry

[foxdropper 17,092]

Good reply Donny .We've had same sort of thing with old air raid shelter covered in sheets of tin .Dog baying was amplified due to space until it bolted much to my disgust .