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nz rabbit country


toolebox

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This is the type of country I hunt local ,the rabbits have been hounded non stop for years so they know to keep out of sight .One of their habits is to stay above ground as much as possible ,hiding in the thick faces of solid gorse or down in the rubbish at the bottom of gullies and tree lanes .Once they are  found they will run down  or up as  fast as possible then sneak back in the ole double back trick ,if that fails they then go to plan B and race into a hole or under a shed ,some hell hole that makes it as hard as possible for the wee small dogs or ferret to shift or kill them  .Around or under old wool sheds is a favorite when over the years the sheep shit has build up to the gratings  so that they safe from the dogs .The  dogs know this and usually go into the shed and locate the bunny by scenting though the grating ,once located some will enter and dig till they can get a hold or flush the rabbit .The old car shed has provided a good number of rabbits over the years ,helped by the dogs digging over time allows a easy catch or bolt .The system I use wont suit every body  but it works for me & has enough sport involved to suit me ,however I cant muck about all day as Im being payed and must give value for money spent .The result the farmers want is to have the rabbit population at the lowest level they can ,so given that I cover 100,000 acres   I will always a rabbit to chase . Finding ,chasing and catching a rabbit can take several hours and not only requires team work but a high skill level from the dogs .

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Edited by toolebox
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The lovely local rolling countryside of eastern southland  ,I had a reported rabbit living on this face above a road ,the very road I happen to live on ,so I actioned it this morning after the first attempt failed yesterday due to a black bird warning all that I was about .I wasnt keen to use any of the dogs here atm due to a stock truck coming and going all morning carting cows from their winter block ,that along with some sharp  corners before and after this area ment that a dog unsighted could be run over .I value all of my dogs so think carefully before I start work ,once things are started they cant be stopped quickly if the chase is on .The dogs are spit into two packs of 15  ,day about,this  gives fresh hounds .Its not very often that we had that many as there's always  some on kennel rest due to wire rips or some form of injury ,some bitches on heat (ATM 8 bitches are in cycle )or feeding pups . Depending on the place and situation I may only drop out a couple of dogs . 

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3 hours ago, toolebox said:

The lovely local rolling countryside of eastern southland  ,I had a reported rabbit living on this face above a road ,the very road I happen to live on ,so I actioned it this morning after the first attempt failed yesterday due to a black bird warning all that I was about .I wasnt keen to use any of the dogs here atm due to a stock truck coming and going all morning carting cows from their winter block ,that along with some sharp  corners before and after this area ment that a dog unsighted could be run over .I value all of my dogs so think carefully before I start work ,once things are started they cant be stopped quickly if the chase is on .The dogs are spit into two packs of 15  ,day about,this  gives fresh hounds .Its not very often that we had that many as there's always  some on kennel rest due to wire rips or some form of injury ,some bitches on heat (ATM 8 bitches are in cycle )or feeding pups . Depending on the place and situation I may on drop out a couple of dogs . 

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North Island, looks very similar to your second picture;

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Cheers.

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I wait until snowy #6 returned to the surface  and went off to action the second of the pair of rabbits the dogs had run into one of two holes and set snowy  to work once he had tidied up the buck and since the remaining remaining two dogs had also returned with some bloody on them.  We hunted out the gulley and climbed back to the truck.As we had to pass  close to the first hole i sent " Happy" to retieve  the rabbit  the two dog had dug up and as excepted he returned with a doe .Then it was on to the next spot a worked up paddock with a gully running along its length at the bottom of the hill.

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The dog routed this brown hare out one of 6 for the day  and ran it up and down the ridge till I shot it as passed me .A very hot day and too many hares only drains the energy out of the dogs .Most get away as the dogs normally know if they are going to get a result and quit after a short  race .The dogs caught another 3 rabbits iand ran another into a hole under a native vine in the gullies below the worked paddock.The dogs atm aren't very fit due to a 6 week lay off over lambing however given a week or two of work and they will  be once again field fit.

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