Chuffed to bits!

[Ideation 8,216]

This afternoon i took my 8 month out for a little mooch about to give him his usual exercise and just to get a bit of fresh air. I decided to head toward a little patch of woodland along the side of a road. It's really small, has never held that many rabbits, but has a few sets scattered about. I stuck the pup back on the lead when we got to the woodland as he's still not steady enough to trust along side a road and if a rabbit got up and ran that way. . . . . sods law it would be straight in front of a car. Anyway, the cover was still pretty up but we pushed through it, and half way through the pup pulled off to the side and started to sniff at a hole, which was part of a 6 hole set, he kept it up, getting down on his fore legs and sticking his head down the hole in what i would consider a pretty definate mark! He's only marked once before and that was when he pushed a rabbit to ground and saw it go down, apart from that he's had a sniff and showed a bit of interest to sets but nothing serious. Anyway, i pulled him off and continued the walk, heading out to some meadows where i let the dog have a run and did some retrieves with a ball, and watched him hunt up a hedge row, pushing out a couple of pheasants.

 

Headed home and stuck him back on the lead when we got to the woods again. I took him past the same set on purpose just to see, as we passed he sniffed at the same hole again but wasn't that interested, but then quickly pulled toward the other side of the set and started to stick his head in another hole, he then pulled it out and pushed through the leaves uncovering a bolt hole which he was very interested in. He kept his head glued to the bolt hole, occasionally lifting it to look at me as if to say 'how much more indication do you need?'

 

I pulled him off an headed back to the house, feeling pretty good that maybe the pup had started marking. . . . . but still not sure. f**k it, i couldn't resist, chucked the pup in the truck, grabbed one of the jills and a half dozen nets and zipped them into my coat pocket and shot down to the woodland. Pulled up on the road side, and crept up to the set, sure that knowing my luck if the pup had marked true, it would be sods law that the rabbit would have f****d off while i was not there. Anyway, i set the nets and dropped the jill by one of the holes. She shot straight down through the net, a pretty good indication that something is home as if not she has 0 interest in going in. I crouched down against a tree with a hand on pups collar (remembering the road) as he tried to work out what was going on. No sound for 5 mins and then bang, a rabbit hits the net nearest us, it purses perfectly and rabbit comes to stop neatly at pups feet, who immediately grabs it with both paws and pins it to the ground! RESULT!

 

Ferret out, nets up, back in truck and zip the 2 mins home! One very happy man and one proud pup! It might have just been the one rabbit but it was the first time the pup has taken any kind of active part in ferreting. He's been a nightmare to get on top of, the most independent and hardest dog i've ever owned but if he keeps on learning like he is i think he will be a cracker at this game, and as we know a dog that marks is worth its weight in gold!

 

:toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:

 

And the rabbits on the stove as we speak. I felt i definitely had to eat this one!

 

Jai.

[The one 8,493]

A good result mate

[Casso 1,261]

This afternoon i took my 8 month out for a little mooch about to give him his usual exercise and just to get a bit of fresh air. I decided to head toward a little patch of woodland along the side of a road. It's really small, has never held that many rabbits, but has a few sets scattered about. I stuck the pup back on the lead when we got to the woodland as he's still not steady enough to trust along side a road and if a rabbit got up and ran that way. . . . . sods law it would be straight in front of a car. Anyway, the cover was still pretty up but we pushed through it, and half way through the pup pulled off to the side and started to sniff at a hole, which was part of a 6 hole set, he kept it up, getting down on his fore legs and sticking his head down the hole in what i would consider a pretty definate mark! He's only marked once before and that was when he pushed a rabbit to ground and saw it go down, apart from that he's had a sniff and showed a bit of interest to sets but nothing serious. Anyway, i pulled him off and continued the walk, heading out to some meadows where i let the dog have a run and did some retrieves with a ball, and watched him hunt up a hedge row, pushing out a couple of pheasants.

 

Headed home and stuck him back on the lead when we got to the woods again. I took him past the same set on purpose just to see, as we passed he sniffed at the same hole again but wasn't that interested, but then quickly pulled toward the other side of the set and started to stick his head in another hole, he then pulled it out and pushed through the leaves uncovering a bolt hole which he was very interested in. He kept his head glued to the bolt hole, occasionally lifting it to look at me as if to say 'how much more indication do you need?'

 

I pulled him off an headed back to the house, feeling pretty good that maybe the pup had started marking. . . . . but still not sure. f**k it, i couldn't resist, chucked the pup in the truck, grabbed one of the jills and a half dozen nets and zipped them into my coat pocket and shot down to the woodland. Pulled up on the road side, and crept up to the set, sure that knowing my luck if the pup had marked true, it would be sods law that the rabbit would have f****d off while i was not there. Anyway, i set the nets and dropped the jill by one of the holes. She shot straight down through the net, a pretty good indication that something is home as if not she has 0 interest in going in. I crouched down against a tree with a hand on pups collar (remembering the road) as he tried to work out what was going on. No sound for 5 mins and then bang, a rabbit hits the net nearest us, it purses perfectly and rabbit comes to stop neatly at pups feet, who immediately grabs it with both paws and pins it to the ground! RESULT!

 

Ferret out, nets up, back in truck and zip the 2 mins home! One very happy man and one proud pup! It might have just been the one rabbit but it was the first time the pup has taken any kind of active part in ferreting. He's been a nightmare to get on top of, the most independent and hardest dog i've ever owned but if he keeps on learning like he is i think he will be a cracker at this game, and as we know a dog that marks is worth its weight in gold!

 

:toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:

 

And the rabbits on the stove as we speak. I felt i definitely had to eat this one!

 

Jai.

 

 

Good write up and great result bud, sounds like he's coming good for ya, best of luck with him,,

[johnny boy68 11,726]

Well done Finn and you Jai........next time we go out bring him along with my lurcher he can learn a bit of socialising aswell as maybe pick a bit up off my dog.

[Ideation 8,216]

Thanks for the nice comments lads. Aye, to be fair i was chuffed to bits with him, he's been hard work but is coming good. John, it was that bit of wood up off the z bends before the chicken farm. Sounds good about taking him out with your bitch next time. . . . . .. when is next time? I'm game.

[buddylove 6]

Thanks for the nice comments lads. Aye, to be fair i was chuffed to bits with him, he's been hard work but is coming good. John, it was that bit of wood up off the z bends before the chicken farm. Sounds good about taking him out with your bitch next time. . . . . .. when is next time? I'm game.

[buddylove 6]

Thanks for the nice comments lads. Aye, to be fair i was chuffed to bits with him, he's been hard work but is coming good. John, it was that bit of wood up off the z bends before the chicken farm. Sounds good about taking him out with your bitch next time. . . . . .. when is next time? I'm game.

[old real tree 92]

good result mate.

 

well done...

[albert64 1,882]

well done mate first of many, its great when all the bits come together

[Ideation 8,216]

well done mate first of many, its great when all the bits come together

 

 

Aye mate, coincidentally it hit one of your yellow nets! They work an absolute treat.

[Ideation 8,216]

Went out for a wee walk along some public footpaths with the missus and pup today and he found me another seven to ground (lucky i just hapenned to have a ferret in one pocket and some nets in the other ). Thought we had a problem at one point, doing a nice little four holer and heard the scream from below ground near one of the holes stuck my arm right down but couldnt feel anything. Now where we were digging was not going to be a good idea, luckily after a little bit the ferret popped out one of the other holes. Just to try i dropped her down the hole where i had heard the scream. A minute or so later out came the little jill dragging the not quite dead rabbit into the net! Score! So yer, another good day of learning for pup and a pleasant stroll for me and the missus. And there's a rabbit and bacon stew on the stove as we speak.

[nicjhas 2]

Well done!! Enjoyed the read mate

[johnny boy68 11,726]

Many more good days ahead for you and that little dog mate........keep it up

[Ideation 8,216]

Many more good days ahead for you and that little dog mate........keep it up

 

 

Here's hoping matey! He met the hound pack this morning and funnily enough was a lot less confrontational

[runforyourlife 361]

nice one jai, gona have a gud un there mate.... good write up as well...