artic 595 Posted September 16, 2010 Report Share Posted September 16, 2010 Rabbits aren't as easy as folk think, pups need to learn to turn and strike which can oftenh take time imo.......... Took my older dog endless short sessions to catch his first lamped rabbit. Dogs are all individual. Spot on Simonan. 1 Quote Link to post
no ban 1 Posted September 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2010 Have a dog bred same way and about the same age and yes hes missed his 1st few bunnies (on a daytime mooch yesterday), overshot 1 on a turn which quickly made it to cover, ran one lovely turned it away from fence, oh ya beauty hes gonna nail it thinks me...dissapears from under his nose down a hole, whilst hes trotting back to me he spots something in distance and goes off, half a dozen bunnies go in different directions straight into heavy cover he trys his best to run them all...lol, I call him back and decide thats enough excitement for him for one day. On the positive side, Im confident he will catch sooner rather than l8tr, an to be fair to him the ground was difficult with lots of gorse, thorn bushes, ragwort and fearn, not the place to start a young dog really but I had heard that there was a few bunnies there so went to take a look. Bumped into the crofting clerk whist i was there and discussed the rabbit problem there, its open grazing land covering a few acres ( altho no livestock on it) and he was explaining that the whole area is undermined with warrens (his jcb sank up to its axles in some big old tubes) and that if you come out early morning or evening the place is over run with bunnies, Ive never seen so many holes in one area. Hes going to cut back a lot of the cover a little later in the year and he gave me permission to hunt there anytime and its only 30 miles up the road also sounds a good place for a spot of ferreting,thanks for reply, and good luck with your dog Dunk.. Quote Link to post
Bosun11 537 Posted September 16, 2010 Report Share Posted September 16, 2010 I'd agree with Simo. Thing is, not to flustrate a young dog, if you find its not catching, maybe a little more time is required or a better night or a better speck? Never overtry! Give your pup 'THE' best possible chances, he/she must go home on a 'high', either with a few successes or a few 'near' misses. Confidence, not flustration is the key!! Quote Link to post
donkdaniel 236 Posted September 16, 2010 Report Share Posted September 16, 2010 we went out last night we had my mates whippet grayhound x perfect night and we only slipped on easy or squaters walked up hes 8 months old and had 4\5 my mate was made up we ended the night on 32 rabbits and some other stuff cracking night good pup carl Quote Link to post
kenny14 656 Posted September 16, 2010 Report Share Posted September 16, 2010 My lurcher caught on his first night out, 1 slip, 1 rabbit, perfect live to hand retrieve . . . . . . . . . i repeated it for 2 nights, i was SO pleased, thinking i had the worlds best dog . . . . night 3 . . . . It was like carry on lamping!! There was all manor of wildlife breaking out of every cover, streaking across fields, dog was full tilt, striking at anything, tripping up, recall became nil and void, returned 20 mins later a fizzing, quivering, drooling mess!! . . . i was absolutely gutted!! Its all a learning curve, even now sometimes when i take him out and he will have shocking night, its like he totally forgets what he has to do! It great fun watching them mature though, and realise what they are meant to do. Best of luck with your pup. I agree, it's a learning curve (for us as well as the dogs lol). And I think we've all probably had many nights like that, but that makes the good nights even better. Quote Link to post
Top Lamper 2k10 169 Posted September 16, 2010 Report Share Posted September 16, 2010 My bull x pup has been out 4 times now and he's only cought 1 rabbit lyk but they sharp learn after a couple of outings atb with your up mate Quote Link to post
bird 9,860 Posted September 16, 2010 Report Share Posted September 16, 2010 Bryn is my only lurcher as a pup, that caught on is 1st night,and had lurchers 25years. 1st slip and he caught it, maybe luck but he does seem to have thay knack of catching rabbits on (any) ground. Dont forget all ground is diffent, some more harder than others.?? And they soon learn anyway, 1st night or not . Bryn Quote Link to post
benny 1 5 Posted September 16, 2010 Report Share Posted September 16, 2010 i took my bitch out for first time bout 9 month old bit young but couldnae hold her back anymore first rabbit i sliped her on gave her a good run then hit the bramble bushes with my bitch straight in after it after abit o comotion out came the rabbit way my pup right behind it as it went to turn to hit them again she banged it just before it made it bak in bitch retreved it tail waging n proud as punch gave her a good rest and tryed her on one on the seat she seen it sitting so i sliped she was straight down the beam and lifted it before it got a chance so with two in the bag i called it a night i left her for bout a month and took her back out gave her 3 runs she lifted two off them so as you can imagine i was thinking i have a natural so bout a month later after plenty of walking i took her out with my freind talking her up the the max and she made a laughing stock off me after all my banter gave her 5 or 6 easy runs in witch she never looked like catching any off them now at 16 month shes turning out to be the best rabiting dog ive had so as many have said some will miss first time some wont stick in with a couple of runs and built them up slowly and they should come good all the best ben Quote Link to post
Dunkanon 380 Posted September 16, 2010 Report Share Posted September 16, 2010 Have a dog bred same way and about the same age and yes hes missed his 1st few bunnies (on a daytime mooch yesterday), overshot 1 on a turn which quickly made it to cover, ran one lovely turned it away from fence, oh ya beauty hes gonna nail it thinks me...dissapears from under his nose down a hole, whilst hes trotting back to me he spots something in distance and goes off, half a dozen bunnies go in different directions straight into heavy cover he trys his best to run them all...lol, I call him back and decide thats enough excitement for him for one day. On the positive side, Im confident he will catch sooner rather than l8tr, an to be fair to him the ground was difficult with lots of gorse, thorn bushes, ragwort and fearn, not the place to start a young dog really but I had heard that there was a few bunnies there so went to take a look. Bumped into the crofting clerk whist i was there and discussed the rabbit problem there, its open grazing land covering a few acres ( altho no livestock on it) and he was explaining that the whole area is undermined with warrens (his jcb sank up to its axles in some big old tubes) and that if you come out early morning or evening the place is over run with bunnies, Ive never seen so many holes in one area. Hes going to cut back a lot of the cover a little later in the year and he gave me permission to hunt there anytime and its only 30 miles up the road also sounds a good place for a spot of ferreting,thanks for reply, and good luck with your dog Dunk.. thanks mate, yes ferreting is what Im planning for this place. atb Quote Link to post
all.rounder 3 Posted September 16, 2010 Report Share Posted September 16, 2010 my bitch got her first rabbit the first time out.but it had run into my mates boot.but she got 3 on her second time out.i have been lamping her for she was 8 months Quote Link to post
Malt 379 Posted September 16, 2010 Report Share Posted September 16, 2010 My beddy/whippet caught on his first ever slip, but we were out with the air rifle & lamp and it was only a runner. Quote Link to post
hullhunter 219 Posted September 16, 2010 Report Share Posted September 16, 2010 my 1st bullx didnt get a rabbit till her 5th time out lamping and she has turned out a cracking all rounder. her pup got one on the 2nd night and the next few nights she has had 10 in total now but the last time i went out with her i sliped her on a squatter and she ran stright over it and went to the back of the feald were she had got a rabbit the time before then did a few laps of the feald and the one next to that. so when she eventually came back she was put stright on the lead and home she went pulling on the lead trying to get back into the feald. then the next time we went out she was a dream got 2 rabbits out of 3 slips so i think she new if she started prating about she would be going stright home. so in reality EVERY dog is differant. the best advice i could give anyone entering a pup is make its 1st couple of slips as easy as you possibly can even if it takes all night to find the right slip it will be worth it in the long run. atb hullhunter Quote Link to post
kenny14 656 Posted September 16, 2010 Report Share Posted September 16, 2010 Bryn is my only lurcher as a pup, that caught on is 1st night,and had lurchers 25years. 1st slip and he caught it, maybe luck but he does seem to have thay knack of catching rabbits on (any) ground. Dont forget all ground is diffent, some more harder than others.?? And they soon learn anyway, 1st night or not . Bryn Great pics bird! Quote Link to post
Sam H 80 Posted September 16, 2010 Report Share Posted September 16, 2010 My dog was 2 last month hes only just realy started picking the rabs up only had a couple of trips last year mainly because the ground was like iron all season, but had quite afew trips since August this year and hes now catching as many as hes missing. Cheers Quote Link to post
scotty2306 37 Posted September 16, 2010 Report Share Posted September 16, 2010 the bitch i have at the min my 1st lurcher got a bunny on its 1st outing but missed a few then she was terrible but now she has made a clever decent lamper,my pup which i started at 12m caught 4/5 on his 1st outing only really missed the 5th as another got up and confused him he has been started for about 2 month now and is doing quite well time will tell though Quote Link to post
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