Tough ground

[Kye 77]

Well we took the kids camping at the Lake the other day...it wasnt real hot, but it soon warmed up, and in true Brit fashion, i managed to get a sun burnt face!.. ..After two days of being in close quarters with two kids and a truck full of terriers, i decided to have a nice quite stroll around the lake, and see if i could find any "Sign"..its a big lake, about 70 miles long...i didnt want to walk for nothing, so i took the little red bitch (Bricca) the Male Stag pup (Blister) and the Bitch Stag pup (Tor)..

The edge of the lake is a funny sort of terrain, it has some terrible ground...some areas are pure quartz, which would be like running a dog on glass...some places are like stiff sand, which is nice to put a dog on...

It had been a good kind of day already, i had caught a decent Catfish (the first i had caught in the day time) which the wife had cooked for us...it was only about 2lbs, so it didnt have the lake bed taste to it, which some of the bigger ones have!..As we walked through the "Wet-weed" ( i dont know its real name, its kinda like a small tree version of Ferns, but when you brush against it, it releases a kind of water which is NOT toxic..the dogs love it as it cools them down) i saw plenty of carp and Strippers in the shallows..i made a mental note of the area, as it should be a good place to spear fish in the summer...Bricca was busy as usual, checking all the rock piles, and "Wet-Weed"...she is a very easy bitch to read...when i was in the UK, i broke her to rabbits, as i wanted her for digging...so when she smells a bunny, she stands there looking at it, but has her tail low to the ground...if i stare at her, she will lower her head and walk away from the rabbit...if its ANYTHING else, she just attacks!.. ...so anyway, she comes to a load of "wet-weed" and does the "Oh-shit-its-a-rabbit-im-in-trouble" look...i call her away, and hold the Stag bitch buy the colar, but send the male Stag to have a look...he knows the score know, and lunges, only for a nice cottontail to take flight into a rock pile...he did go after it, but it was 30 yards from cover, and he only saw it about five yards from the rock, so what can you do?...its all good exsperiance though, as i like my dogs to hunt as well as chase...we had another look around, and i found a huge wash that led into the lake...there was small amounts of water going into the lake, and the sand was soft enough to have left sign of any animal that had been there...there was a few Yote tracks and even a Bobcat track, which was nice...it was getting dark buy now, and i had heard a mob of Yotes about 400 yards up the wash, so i didnt want little Bricca ending up as diner, so decided to head back to camp...i was just enjoying the sunest when i noticed that Blister was missing...As i turned around, i saw, what i though was the terrier running right at me...as it got closer i could see it was a big old jack rabbits, and Blister was only 20 yards behind!!!

I grabbed the Stag bitch buy the neck (she aint old enough) so she couldnt join in...the jack rabbit was making for the wet-weed, but Blister was gaining fast...REAL fast!

The jack was yards from cover, but them Blister just dived at him!...the jack rabbit turned, and Blister over shot into the weed!...

Buy this time im thinking "f*****g hell!..he might even catch this!"...the dog made up the ground again, and turned him again, he was getting closer every turn!..."Get on dog, get on" i was yelling!

He manged to bend that hare four times, and he was striking at it!...then the jack had a lucky break, and found a small fence...THE WORST KIND!...a single strand of barb wire, just a foot of the ground...the hare shot under there, but THANK GOD, the dog some how saw it and jumped straight over it!...the hare was lost, in the weed, but the dog continued to hunt for the that hare!...thats what i like!...determination!...he came back when i called, tounge lolloing out, sides heaving..."Good lad" i say, and he wags his big long tail...i checked his feet, and he had cut his stoppers...both have healed nice now after some magic cream i put on him...we walked back to camp, listening to the Yotes talking, and had some nice grub cooked over a nice open fire...

I stayed up late that night, with the dogs laying around camp...every now and then, we heard a Yote yodeling to his mates, and the Stags would raise there heads, and hackels, and the red bicth would jump up and growl...the scene hadnt changed much from all them years ago, when the first pioneers would have been camped out, listening to the same thing with there Staghounds...

Not a succesfull hunt, but one i enjoyed and the dog showed promise...more than enough for me.

Kye..

[Royston2 0]

Good post mate

When are you fecking moving though

[socks 32,253]

nice post that mate sounds like the best move you ever made that mate

[F.R. 2]

Sounds like a nice time Kye. Find sign of any earthdwellers? Where you planning on moving to? Sounds like the pups are coming on well. Can't wait to see those staghounds.

[IanB 0]

I enjoyed reading that post kye, I love a hunting camping trip, especially with a few 24packs and a load of grub to cook on the BBQ

[badger 91]

$38.67 ANNNNNNND i'll throw in a used head lamp. take it, it's a fair deal

[Kye 77]

Badger!...NEVER!.. ..LOL...im gonna call you later mate, i might have a terrier of two for you if your still wanting one?...

FR...found a biggish earth, it had debris and cobwebs in it though...none of the dogs showed a likeing to it though...im thinking mayeb an old Gray Fox?...who knows...mental note of it made though!..

FR, i will try and call tommorow, and tell you about where we MIGHT be moving to...if i had MY way, we would be there next week!..lol.

Ian, you would love it here mate!, you will have to have a trip over!

Kye..

[IanB 0]

I only live in a neighbouring state :ph34r: :ph34r: :ph34r:

You not seen my US Flag...

[Kane 2]

Nice post mate,when you got back to camp did you have a nice plate of beans waiting(like in all the best westerns).Are those coyotes common over most of the states or just in certain areas,read quite a few good articles lately about coyote hunting with dogs.I would of thought being quite a large predator and everyman seems to be after them,shooting aswell as dogging.They are under quite a bit of pressure or are there plenty to go round.

 

Hope everything works out well for you on the digging side.Perhaps one day the USA will be the last stronghold of working dogs,truely the land of the free.

[F.R. 2]

Kane,

 

The coyotes are everywhere, absolutely everywhere. They've taken over quite honestly. Open season anytime where I am and I don't know of anywhere where there's a season to be honest- could be but I've not heard of it.

[Kane 2]

Cheers F.R.,sounds like they realy are a problem and not just a good hunt.

[Kye 77]

Yeah Kane, as FR said...they seem to be at there highest peak, and yet everyone is trying to poison, trap, dog, shot etc these wiley ole critters!...As much as some people despise them, you have to take your hat of to them!...Nothing can keep them down...and in my eyes, they are the ultimate test for a Running dog!

As for the states being the last strong hold for the working terrier?...imo, the show scene has already RUINED the Russell over here, and its starting with the Lakelands and such know...there are some people in the UK and Ireland that sell stuff over here, and bull shit about what the dogs have done and such...so, imo, the black/red dogs are off to the wrong start already!...there are a few diehard terrier lads/lass' out here though, some i have met and hunted with, who have VERY nice, well bred stock...hopefully they will continue to work there dogs as they should be and not towed around a ring hunting "Paper" instead of fur!

Kye..

[J Darcy 5,871]

great post kye...... lets have some more, you southern puff... :ph34r:

[Jordan 1]

great post kye a very good read

[jack260 8]

excellent post mate your 1 lucky guy