Jackpot!!!

[Toka 10]

What an afternoon...what I thought would be a long walk to exercise Bilbo to ease my guilt at putting him in kennels for 4 days as of tomorrow ended up in a mad couple of hours at the farm.

 

We had a long walk down the fields but nothing presented itself. By the time we had got back to the yard the farm hands were well on their way, clearing an area behind the duck pen. They shouted over about rats they had seen so I put the gun away and walked around with Bilbo, stick, shovel and gloves.

 

As we neared the area Bilbo flew over to the side of a nearby chicken shed. He was marking an area under the side, so I started to dig. He was moving along the side and as I was part way through a spade full I saw a large rat run out from under the shed a few yards away and re enter at the corner. I got Bilbo over there and he started to mark again straight away. I found a small hole in the end that allowed access to my stick. I pushed it in and gave it a wiggle, it produced no action so I left it there. I started to dig where Bilbo was showing interest and after a couple of digs I realised the stick was shaking, apparently of its own accord.

 

As I looked down at ground level I could see a rat wedged between the base, wood frame and my stick. I knew it was a large one as its tail was a good thickness. I managed to hook its tail out with a stick and took hold of it, removing my stick gave me the space needed to tease this rat out between the wood and soil. It came away angry and snapping. I threw it towards Bilbo who was waiting at the side. He struck as it landed, it managed to get a nip in at the corner of his mouth but no sooner had it done this than Bilbo shook it forcibly. Although perhaps not badly damaged by this it was quite obviously stunned. Bilbo grabbed it further up its torso and crushed it a couple of times. That was lights out and the first rat.

 

The duck pen was our next port of call, nothing in there interested Bilbo but there were plenty of holes and rat runs throughout. Perhaps once the weather really closes in thye may return in numbers.

 

It was then over to my firm favourite, the manhole and chicken shed. Bilbo gave it a once over but nothing seemed to grab his attention. That was until we got to the far side, Bilbo started to try to get under the shed. I was aware that some rats made a home under and in the floor of the chicken shed, but in all my time with Bilbo he had never really taken an interest inside so I had never pushed it. On top of the fact that the free range hens are particularly flighty and a month ago I would not have risked such a confrontation.

 

Today though I felt the time was right to see how he would go. I let us in through the gate and. keeping Bilbo on the lead, I let him scent around the inside of the shed near to where he had marked on the outside. Within seconds he started to dig, he had paid the hens no notice so I let him off the lead. I started to help with the digging. There was a veritable maze beneath our feet, Bilbo seemed to go one way, then the other, picking up scent from most of the tunnels we uncovered. Some tunels were only a couple of inches deep, in the sawdust but others were under the thick layer of sawdust and droppings, about another 6-8 inches under the soil.

 

Within 15 minutes we had a snaking path through the shed but no rats. I was starting to wonder if there were any about when one popped out of a hole a few yards away and ran out through a small opening in the shed wall. I carried on digging and within a few minutes we found ourselves only some 18 inches from the end of the shed. Suddenly a rat rushed out towards Bilbo, who grabbed it and shook it, he threw it about and chased after it. As this happened another rat flew out of a hole and disappeared through another hole in the wall. Taking a hint I used chunks of the floor we had dug up to block further escapee's. I am glad I did as no sooner had I taken another spade full away than two small rats flew out, Bilbo grabbed the first, shook it and with it still in his mouth caught the second. On shaking them both they flew from his grip, the first one dead but the second still alive. It lasted no more than a few seconds.

 

My spade, left where it was was blocking a chamber, I could see tails and bodies behind it and as I lifted it slowly another shot out towards Bilbo. I managed to get my camera out for this but the action meant I wasn't able to concentrate on filming. As Bilbo finished that rat I tried to get him to the hole, he took his cue and within a second had pulled another out of the hole. From that stage it was bedlam, my camera was away now, just in time as Bilbo went after two others that popped out of a nearby hole two more were trying to make their escape while he was occupied.

Not wanting to let Bilbo down, and having my gloves on I decided to help out. I grabbed the first rat and threw myself at the second, blocking its way and changing its course. This allowed me a second grab and both were caught. Bilbo had sorted the other two and I let one of mine go, followed by the other. Both were dispatched quickly and efficiently.

 

Bilbo had started the session concentrating on 'his' rat alone. Reluctant to hand it over or consider looking for anything else. It was great to see now that, aware of all the rats coming out, he was not spending too long on any one. He was happy to bite and shake and move on to the next one. It was only if the action calmed down that he would return to one of the many strewn bodies to pick it up and get possessive.

 

A few more digs and a larger rat, together with two smaller ones exploded from the ground. Bilbo caught the first, while I went after the second and biggest. It managed to scale the wooden upright and squeeze through the corrugated tin wall, minus a small piece of tail left in my glove. The third sought sanctuary under a hen that was sat down watching the melee. Bilbo approached the hen and as he did it stood, the rat losing its protective barrier fled and Bilbo took it, leaving the hen to catch up to its friends.

 

This was the last rat we found, Bilbo, although still scenting was not marking any other possible rats. The far end of the shed had all the chickens in, I decided to leave it for the day in the hopes that the other end would produce some more of the same another day. We did leave and try to look for the three that got away. Bilbo was not marking outside at any point I thought likely. He was interested in the area of the shed that the rat had climbed out of. As he was on his toes scenting I looked up and saw the tail and side of an old scaly tail wedged under the tin roof.

 

Again using my stick and gloves I managed to prize it out and give it to Bilbo for him to despatch. I managed to get the bodies together at the end and was greeted by a happy farmer to say the least. I was on top of the world. Bilbo took to multiple rats better than I could have hoped, I think he was bitten a couple of times but was not swollen and was still rearing to go. I can't wait till the holiday is over and we can get back to work!!

 

Here are some of the pics and video....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[just jack 998]

nice write up, will this be going the CMW?

[stormyboy 1,352]

Nice one toka. He's certainly on the ball and muscling up too.

[willum 89]

nice 1 mate cant beet a bit of ratting with the dogs keep it up atb mate.

[Toka 10]

nice write up, will this be going the CMW?

 

If they see fit to publish it....hope they do!!!

 

Thanks he is filling out a bit now...got him on this Squire And Beaumont stuff and he seems to love it.

Sometimes he seems slightly clumsy but today he really switched on....its one of them today where I feel ten feet tall [even if it was all his hard work!!]

 

 

ATB

[Cleanspade 3,322]

good write up

[bedrock 16]

Nice one well done bilbo

[darrell jnr 16]

well done bilbo..nice write up toka..gets exciting dont it.. are you gonna be trying him to ground???yis..darrell.

[MrsChamp606 553]

Another enjoyable read from you, thanks for sharing

[Toka 10]

thanks for the replies....as for going to ground....I have a couple of pieces of land with foxes on. One, the turkey farm wont want foxes around as they predate on their fowl. Bilbo has already been into one of the sets [self entered], luckily there was no one home. It isn't something that I had really planned but I want him to develop naturally. Fox is a scent he is well aware of and he seems to find it easily. I think when the time is right he will go to ground. I will have to keep an eye on him [and get a collar/receiver for him].

Sounds soft but I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to him... but I want to keep things real. On the whole I usually try to get any foxes with the rifle...but I won't ever forget my first dug to fox, back in Wales with the Machynlleth hounds!!

He is still young now but give it another 6-12 months and we will see. He 'met' his first mink the other day..and that didn't put him off!!

 

 

ATB

Edited October 2, 2009 by Toka

[marsy 0]

Well done Toka and Bilbo great read keep up the good work

[Ratter 0]

cracken write up + vids mate. im out sunday with my two hopefully will get some action

Edited October 2, 2009 by Ratter

[layla 0]

great stuff mate the dog looks good cant beat a day out rating

[craigyboy 1,274]

excellent write up mate ya cant beat a bit o ratting,nice dog,i would of liked to see him rattle that mink

[Attack Fell Terrier 864]

Fair play, nice bit of ratting footage mate.