Dogs first rabbit

[ferreterni 29]

Went out for first night on the lamp. Just a wee run round a few fields. The lurcher will be 3 in jan and this will be her first proper season working. Had a few runs last year but not enough. So really want to make something of her before she is to old. The conditions tonight aren't perfect, dark enough but no wind and slight showers. Thought I'd go anyway.

 

Went into the first field and had a scan with the lamp and a couple of dots in the middle of the field, but the owner had buggered of before I got to it. 1-0 to bugs.

 

2nd run was a little further on with a rabbit that ran straight and fast then cut in at 90 degrees and into hedge and gone 2-0.

 

Carried on round the end of the field cos it normally holds a few and had a scan but couldn't see much. Grass and clover patches, so I walked into them and scanned about and a wee half grown dawdled off, the dog ran and it turned and headed for the hedge and bucked and ran. The dog couldv'e and shouldv'e caught it 3 times over by now, but that was her problem last year, she wouldn't strike them. She carried on the run and put it into the long grass at the side of the hedge, and ran it about, but it got away. 3-0 and that was a young un.

 

Walked on 50 yards more and flicked on the beam, there was a sitter 15ft out to the side. Called dog up and she walked toward it. Then it took off up the length of the field, turned and ran back to me, passed me with dog behind it. Dog turned it and it cut across the field to the opposite hedge. Dog turned it before it got there. It passed the dog and I thought it was lost but it didn't enter hedge just ran along it. Dog clipped it and that must've turned the switch cos she turned it one more time and nailed it. at 10.30pm I was up behind the farmers house squealing like a plonker "good girl". 3-1

 

She retrieved it near perfectly ( but not live) but wouldn't give it to me. Just held onto it and accepted the praise. As if to say it's mine I caught it hahah

 

Was so happy can't stop smiling, and the rabbit was in the ferret cage with the new kits, warm and fresh within 15 minutes of being caught.

 

Am so happy that on the first night out this year that she caught, give her loads of praise and came home. Hopefully a good sign of the season to come. No pics yet though.

[Guest smashygadge]

sounds like some frustration but then the joy nice story.

also its not a bad thing the dog holds on to the bunny mine does it now and again,

and i let him have a tug as a reward for bringing back

once the catch and retreives their your in for some fun nights well done

[ferreterni 29]

Just pleased that she finally cottoned on. Thought she would be a dud for a while there. Not much more exciting than seeing a dog run quarry, and hopefully I can get her a run or two at foxes this year. I know they are supposed to be common enough at the minute. Be happy for rabbits for now though. Have to make sure it wasn't just a one off hahah

Have you had any runs out yet?

[ferreterni 29]

pic of above rabbit, not much of a bunny, but it was her first and i was proud.

[ferreterni 29]

A week later than the above night, they were cutting and baling a field just over the road I had my eye on it all day and as soon as it got to evening I said right I'm away. As I was walking up to it I could see the tractors and trailers all leaving fully loaded with bales and thought bugger. Keep going cos it's probably their last load. Got to the field and still full of bales, bollocks I'll go round anyway now I'm out.

 

Started to walk round the edge and the dog is a different animal now she has had a catch. I wasn't expecting to see anything with them still working the field though. The dog seems to have her hunting switch thrown. She was running up to the bales stopping and looking round them, then on to the next one. I couldn't believe it. This dog around the house isn't always the sharpest knife in the drawer hahah

 

We kept walking round past the big warren that I know is there towards a couple of the smaller ones. There was a rabbit just hopping out from the hedge, now I have the wind to my back. Sod it. I crouched down and gee'd the dog forward. She started to head off at a gentle lope, not seeing it yet but knew I sent her up for something.

 

As she gets nearer the rabbit ducks in behind a bale, and the dog saw it, so she ran up to this side of the bale and stopped, stalked round it and started running. Now My sight was blocked by the bale, so I was watching to the side waiting to see it head to hedge, which it did and right on it was the lurcher, who just grabbed it at the edge of the long grass. Couldn't believe it, second catch. She retrieved it straight back at a run. But wouldn't guve it to me haha still live too. She will give up the ball and dummy etc, but not the two she has caught, I swear she is saying "if you want one, you catch it" hahah

 

So now in the space of a week my unentered lurcher has caught two, one on lamp and one at evening. I know it's not big numbers but it shows my dog can do it and it will hopefully be leaps and bounds now. And it keeps the new kits in rabbit, don,t want to run this field again as I am planning on ferreting a few buries this weekend or next and want to leave some rabbits in it to catch hahah

[big marty 41]

A week later than the above night, they were cutting and baling a field just over the road I had my eye on it all day and as soon as it got to evening I said right I'm away. As I was walking up to it I could see the tractors and trailers all leaving fully loaded with bales and thought bugger. Keep going cos it's probably their last load. Got to the field and still full of bales, bollocks I'll go round anyway now I'm out.

 

Started to walk round the edge and the dog is a different animal now she has had a catch. I wasn't expecting to see anything with them still working the field though. The dog seems to have her hunting switch thrown. She was running up to the bales stopping and looking round them, then on to the next one. I couldn't believe it. This dog around the house isn't always the sharpest knife in the drawer hahah

 

We kept walking round past the big warren that I know is there towards a couple of the smaller ones. There was a rabbit just hopping out from the hedge, now I have the wind to my back. Sod it. I crouched down and gee'd the dog forward. She started to head off at a gentle lope, not seeing it yet but knew I sent her up for something.

 

As she gets nearer the rabbit ducks in behind a bale, and the dog saw it, so she ran up to this side of the bale and stopped, stalked round it and started running. Now My sight was blocked by the bale, so I was watching to the side waiting to see it head to hedge, which it did and right on it was the lurcher, who just grabbed it at the edge of the long grass. Couldn't believe it, second catch. She retrieved it straight back at a run. But wouldn't guve it to me haha still live too. She will give up the ball and dummy etc, but not the two she has caught, I swear she is saying "if you want one, you catch it" hahah

 

So now in the space of a week my unentered lurcher has caught two, one on lamp and one at evening. I know it's not big numbers but it shows my dog can do it and it will hopefully be leaps and bounds now. And it keeps the new kits in rabbit, don,t want to run this field again as I am planning on ferreting a few buries this weekend or next and want to leave some rabbits in it to catch hahah

WELL DONE MATE, SHE WILL COME ON NOW THAT SHE KNOWS WHAT ITS ALL ABOUT,KEEP HER AT IT

[ferreterni 29]

Thanks, was never planning on using her for ferreting, but am considering letting her run some early year bolters to give her some practice. Have to take a wander round some new ground too, plenty of cutting been done. Really hopeing to stumble onto a fox for her soon too. Ran one a wee while back, but she didn't catch. Hope she will now though. In northern ireland so legal.