DIGGING DURIN THE SUMMER

[bluedogge 1]

coz thats when the keepers want/need it done fella u cant be doing it when the birds are down as they aint got the time and nor do they want blokes tramping round all over the place . . . .simple really

[the_stig 6,614]

coz thats when the keepers want/need it done fella u cant be doing it when the birds are down as they aint got the time and nor do they want blokes tramping round all over the place . . . .simple really

?? if a fox is a problem its a problem weather your tramping around or not ..the keepers i`ve controlled for dont mind us on when birds are down imo its a case of knowing your permission having a good relationship with the keeper and if your doing things in the right manor no one would know your thr or have been i`d like to think all our control work has been done well enough for keepers and farmers not to have the need to call us out after the end of march latest - Edited April 13, 2009 by the_stig

[Hepher 86]

1 SHOOT WHERE I CONTROL VERMIN DON'T HAVE BIRDS ON THE GROUND UNTIL LATE JULY!! AS SCENT SAYS NO POSTS ALL WINTER THEN BOOM COME THE MILD WEATHER THERE'S FOX SLAYERS EVERYWHERE!! I SUPPOSE A FEW MARKS FOR THE SHOWRING WOULDN'T GO A MISS!! AS FOR THE COMMENT ABOUT KEEPERS DON'T LIKE YA TRAMPIN OVER THERE GROUND???? IT'S WHEN THE BIRDS ARE RELEASED IN SEPTEMBER I GET MOST CALLOUTS AND I'VE YET TO MEET A KEEPER/FARMER THAT DOESN'T WANT ME TRAMPING ALL OVER THE GROUND WHEN THERE'S VERMIN TO CONTROL.

[skycat 6,174]

Wild bird shoots have to be even more willing to let you get the job done once the warmer weather's here. Having said that: there's precious little to ground at any time of year where I am: they only go to ground to have/rear cubs. Too much cover to lie up in round my way for a fox to need to go to ground.

[Dabhand 887]

good on you for not digging this time of year mate,i don't do much either unless the farmers ring on the lowland farms, the place we were the weekend was having terrible trouble ,if we hadn't of gone there and sorted it he would have got somebody else, and then that's the end of the permission,

i do not agree just going to places digging when vixens are busy nursing their cubs and going on over kill for no reason,

these are the boys that when its wet and cold and windy cant get out of bed to go, but when its nice and warm and they can put on a t shirt they are out in force<c**ts>

[alimac 882]

well scent, as im one who posts very little about digging over the winter and have recently put up a thread about den time digging i thought id better put my thoughts on the subject on your thread....

 

birds arrive in late june, were dogging in and feeding from dawn till dusk, then by the time october comes the shooting is in full swing, so if were not getting ready for our own days then its off beating or picking up on other eststes, this goes on till the end of january... by the time we have been away for a holiday and cleaned up the estate , pens, feeders etc its almost the time of year that most of you winter diggers are putting your gear away for the year... I dont denie that i get more digging at this time of year than any other( may be because our hounds are a out and out gun pack and have forgotten how to put preasure on old raynard), prob about 15 days on the trot dealing with about 2 or 3 a day...

 

As at this time of year there is very little in the way of working threads going up , and the only thing that rises at this time is the bitching threads etc, so i put up one of a couple of the more memorable digs iv had this spring, not just the little 5 minute turf lifts that alot of you post through the winter, iv no interest in posting about such digs as there ten a penny, and serve no real purpose as most dog men have seen hundreds of these types of digs..

 

now i can see folk adding up how many foxs that we deal with that could be there next winter, but i promise you it dont take long for them to move back in over the summer months.... as for why keepers are so hard on them at this time of year, for me the odd fox kicking around picking up a wounded bird or two during the winter is a easier pill to swallow, but a pair of foxs feeding a litter of say 6 cubs, when the wild birds are away to start sitting on nests and poults arrivials are very near then they must be delt with..

 

i hope this explains a little for you, but as similar threads go up every year im sure you already knew the answer( just too add i dont go out once the cubs are up and red as they make a good dog look shit, digging a dog that cant get on, these are delt with with a bit of patience and a rifle)

Edited April 14, 2009 by alimac

[valerio 32]

I dont know what the things are in uk but here in southern tuscany there are very little foxes to ground during the winter,only in the coldest days of jenuary or febr or the rare days it snows,as the climate is too warm and the mediterranean vegetation is so thick it offers good cover all year round.So if you need to controll fox numbers in pheasants and hares reproduction areas you need to do it at cubbing time.Sad but true.

[Guest WILF]

Ali, I think anyone in there right mind knows the criac when it comes to keepering........my impression is that Scent was talking about lads who just go digging for the hell of it at this time of year.

[TOPPER 1,809]

i for one dont post much about what i am doing full stop, iam a great believer in respect for your quarry and summer time digging is pure pest control or leave well alone for next season theres no piont in killing your sport for the sake of it

[scent 509]

Ali, I think anyone in there right mind knows the criac when it comes to keepering........my impression is that Scent was talking about lads who just go digging for the hell of it at this time of year.

exactly wilf and allimac i understand the position your in on the shoot so thrust me the thread was not aimed at you

[Hepher 86]

IMO THERE ARE A LOT OF PPL WITH TERRIERS THAT NEED EDUCATING ON RESPECT FOR THEIR QUARRYAND THEIR TERRIERS. I UNDERSTAND AND KNOW FULL WELL WHERE YOUR'E COMMIN FROM ALIMAC, AND YES THERE ARE A FEW LADS IN THE SAME POSITION AS YOURSELF, BUT WE SEE IT ALL TOO OFTEN, DIGGING POSTS GOING UP THROUGH THE WARMER MONTHS. LETS NOT FORGET THAT EVEN IF A VIXEN IS GOT AT THIS TIME OF YEAR AND SHE DOES NOT HAVE THE CUBS IN THE DEN WITH HER THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT SHE DOESN'T HAVE CUBS ON THE GROUND. TOO MANY PPL ARE QUICK WITH THE "PEST CONTROL" OR "PROBLEM FOX" ANOTHER FAVOURITE IS "CHICKEN KILLER/THIEF" AND FINALLY "LAMB KILLER/THIEF". LAST SEASON FROM FEBUARY THROUGH TO SEPTEMBER I ATTENDED 4 CALLOUTS AND I HAVE SOMEWHERE IN THE REGION OF 16,000 ACRES OF PERMISSION IN VARIOUS PLACES, ON MY PERMISSIONS I HAVE KEEPERS/FARMERS THAT REAR ALL TYPES OF STOCK FROM GAME BIRDS TO DUCKS,TURKIES,GEESE TO CATTLE. ON OCCAISION I HAVE SEEN THE ODD FOX DO A LITTLE DAMAGE BUT NOT IN THE WAY SOME DESCRIBE IT ON HERE. ANY GENUINE MEN CAN TELL THE MESSERS APART. AND AT THE SHOWS ANY DOGS SHOWING FRESH OR NEAR FRESH BATTLE WOUNDS ARE EASILY SPOTTED. IT'S SAD THAT THESE PPL LACK RESPECT FOR BOTH THEIR TERRIERS AND THEIR QUARRY, PUTTING A TERRIER TO GROUND ON YOUNG CUBS IMO CAN AND DOES MESS WITH A DOGS HEAD SO THEIRS A DISRESPECT FOR THE DOG THERE ALSO. I'D SAY WE WILL STILL SEE THE POSTS GO UP THROUGHOUT THE WARMER MONTHS WITH 1 OF THE AFOREMENTIONED TITLES AT THE HEAD OF IT!! IT'S A SAD FACT AND IT ONLY GIVES SH1TE TO THE ANTIS TO SLING BUT AT LEAST I KNOW I GIVE MY WORKERS AND QUARRY THE RESPECT THEY DESERVE. TO ALL YOU SUMMERTIME DIGGERS THE SPORT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU.

[Guest miller1989]

If peoples ground is on game shoots, then its the only time they are going to get out and do some digging. Aslong as its in the name of pest control and not for shits and giggles then i got no beef with it what so ever

but is only the summer that keepers want rid of the foxes

 

And that makes sense really doesnt it seeing as thats when they will be taking more and more birds.

 

What i mean is that the keepers aint gunna be wanting blokes and dogs mooching about the place when every birds counts in the shooting season.

 

Like i said, i got no beef with it if its for pest control. I would guess if you get a call out and say "nah mate, not sporting sorry" you wouldnt keep hold of your permission for to long.

 

spot on mate,only to pest control,if they want to do something to keep yourself busy and a bit sport for next season built some artificials like we are and next season and the one after and so on will provide sport for you and your dogs! Unless the phone rings and your needed cubs should be left to get get bigger when it will be sporting!

[foxfan 479]

If it's a job that comes up, and you've got to do it, why post about it ?

The more you put it in the public eye, the more it seems normal, and less distasteful. Then people who know no better think, its ok everyone does it.

OK its pest control, i get it, but no need to keep shouting from the rooftops.

[bluedogge 1]

so what you guys are saying is that if you get a phone call asking you to help sort a problem out you say "no mate sorry can't do it" load of boll*cks!!! you'll go just like everyone else would. . . . . if you want to keep/gain permission you wont need asking twice. oh to be so self righteous!!!!

[digger63 3]

If its a good peice of land for fox they keep coming anyway,no matter how many you clear in the winter on good land there's phonecalls from farmers and keepers,

 

I once took 28 adults off one peice of land in the winter,and got 3 phonecalls at this time of year,who would say no to the keeper and lose it? the surrounding land was out of bounds and un keepered.

I wouldn't do it unless asked though.