Lamping amongst livestock

[Rainmaker 7]

Alright folks?

 

As the subject line says. I don't mind amenable cows by day, or horses, sheep and all manner of stock. But something of the caveman inside me says it's bad news crossing huge fields full of large unpredictable stock at night. In other words, it scares the living daylights out of me!

 

My mate on the other hand has no qualms, and thinks I'm just a little bit poofty

 

Take this for example: He'll quite happily cross fields containing all but wild horses in the dead of night, zero lighting, with the dogs. When (and it is when) they stampede around and get generally agitated, rearing up at us and whinnying, he just shouts at them and waves his lead around in front of them. Me? I want to be on the other side of the fence LOL

 

Not long back we were smack bang in the middle of a field of very large, snorting Aberdeen Angus with calves at heel. After 2AM he's insisting we walk through the herd in dead blackness with lurcher and terriers in tow. Result? Stamping, snorting bulls, several charges in our direction and a noisy worried herd.

 

Did we leave? Nup. He proceeded to run a rabbit sat SMACK BANG in the middle of the "protective circle" of adults (they'd surrounded their young calves at this point) and aimed the lurcher for all intents and purposes right at the young uns! Cue one massive stampede type affair, one "tossed" dog, and me stood alone an acre from the nearest fence/hedge/boundary with no lamp, and a dozen, highly pissed off, 1,000lbs of burger-on-the-hoof headed at me

 

He shouts "Get lost, go on!" at them and looks for the next rabbit (again by where the herd settled, with the bulls refusing to lie down and staring intently at us above our head height! ).

 

Now, I think he's certifiable and that hunting shouldn't have underwear as the main consumable product, rather it should be a leisurely, enjoyable walk out mooching, digging, whatever. He on the other hand thinks I must be batting for the other team being worried so, and that you just "tell 'em to bugger off" (until they trample you to death?).

 

Thoughts/comments, anyone?

[elma-fudd 0]

sorry for having a chuckle mate but f**k you must have some exciting nights out on the lamp.

ps one of them cows would fill your frezzer for a year

Edited January 28, 2007 by elma-fudd

[Guest MOLLY]

I dont go through fields with cattle with young, i like my legs and spine the shape they are now

I did once lamp a rabbit in a field unaware there were some cattle with young lying in the corner. Of course the rabbit headed straight for them, Jazz caught it running through their legs, BUT she did hesitate and give one of the very young calfs a look like he was next.....so im doubly wary now.

Once the lambs are out i wont even walk the dogs off the lead near them, just takes one mistake.

MOLL.

[Guest Frank]

Agree 110% Moll.

 

Over here, even though your dog is stock broken, if a farmer seen what your mate did rainmaker, then the cops would be called right away and the dog would be shot

 

Same with sheep, lambs, if a dog is even on a lead and you dont have permission to be their, the dog is shot, if the farmer kicks up stink.

 

Allways respect stock and dont draw attantion to yourself folks.

 

Happy and SAFE hunting.

 

Frank.

[Ossie 11]

bloody hell! you're lucky you've got all your limbs intact!

tis true, if you make a lot of noise at a bull, "run at it, shouting!" Withnail & I style, it'll usally bugger off in the other direction. cows with calves however, are another matter entirely... luckily i'm in the middle of 50-acre-field land, the only cows i ever see are the 20 or so beef bullocks on the little farm down the road, and they're kept on the field outside the farmhouse at night. no sheep for at least 8 miles.

i'd rather walk a mile round than go straight through a field of angry cows with calves at heel! and there's NO F ING WAY i'd let my dog off within earshot of them!

horses i'm not keen on either... i know of a shire called Maverick, who trampled a "hard as nails" bull terrier to death. he even head-butted a thoroughbred, and knocked it out!

Edited January 28, 2007 by Ossie

[Rainmaker 7]

Terrier man, there's walking THROUGH a field, and then there's lamping AT cattle at night! LOL

 

Glad to hear it's not just me that thinks its bonkers anyway. Like I said, stock by day doesn't hold problems for me. But under the scenarios in my OP? I don't mind holding my hand up and admitting my arse twitched - a lot!

[skycat 6,173]

IMO only a total fool would lamp near cows with calves, and horses are usually a right nuisance charging all over the place if they get the wind up> I value my dogs' lives and my own far more than a chance at a rabbit: sounds like your mate doesn't really care if he and his dogs live or die!

[Guest Macnas]

This time of the year you'll be running cows that are in calf, which would give any farmer, good enough to give you permission in the first place, reason to shoot you himself.

 

Shouting and waving your arms will stop them from getting too close, most of the time.

If it's a fresian bull, then you will be shit out of luck and no amount of arm waving will work. Angus and hereford bulls are far more placid than people think. Fresians are the crazy ones.

 

It sounds like a bit of a lark doesnt it? all those cattle milling around? I'll tell you mate, if it was my land, my stock, you'd be told to get out and I'd pass the word as well.

[Guest JohnGalway]

This time of the year you'll be running cows that are in calf, which would give any farmer, good enough to give you permission in the first place, reason to shoot you himself.

 

It sounds like a bit of a lark doesnt it? all those cattle milling around? I'll tell you mate, if it was my land, my stock, you'd be told to get out and I'd pass the word as well.

 

:thumbs-up:

[witton 6]

I lamp a field with cows in almost every time im out, never had a problem but this field is used by loads of dog walkers so maybe the cows are used to it? Im not sure. Me and rew once ferreted a set right next to a herd of cows with calves and all tho they did not look happy they didn't do anything, and my dog was running around. I think its just a case of risk assessment, if it feels safe then go for it but if your worried then dont.

David

[Ray Mears 272]

sounds like you got a mad man on your hands

[Rabbithunter 456]

had a bad experience with young bulls once.... usually cows will just run towards you and circle you, (i only cross stock fields, wont run them) but one night a herd of young bulls just never stopped, they kept coming at me & my uncle.

 

I havent a clue what my uncle did but i managed to get out the way and hurdled the fence.

 

Went through cows, bulls, bullocks, the works, but i really do hate and avoid at all costs going through cow & calf fields.

[pointer28 1]

Trust me on this!

 

Cows with calves are every bit as dangerous as a bull and there are usually more than one of them.

 

Be very careful around horses, that shaggy mare in January just may well be a thoroughbred that cost 6 figures carrying a foal worth a hundred grand, so if any farmer sees you annoying them, you're well and truly done for.

 

I avoid bulls like the plague, but I've been told that Charolais's are about the quietest of them all. But in saying that, never, ever turn your back on one.

 

The same with stalllions, I work with 8 stallions, most of them are very quiet but I would NEVER trust any of them, I know too many men with pieces missing that took a stallion for granted.

[SINDASOX 256]

After 2AM he's insisting we walk through the herd in dead blackness with lurcher and terriers in tow.

 

Just wondering.... ....how you've got terriers out with you when your lamping

 

SINDASOX

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

All about common sense and respect, isn't it? I don't personally know if cattle, with or without calves, bulls or otherwise, what ever breed would bother me at night. I've simply never tried to find out. I steer clear of them (Groaner there, eh?!).

 

My neighbour, Patrick, seems to look on his herd as a man might his only children. Worships and worries over the bloody things. And he's given me outright permission to go where I like, set what I like, pursue what I like how I like, all over his land. He only mutters one small proviso; That I don't do it near where ever he has his cattle that day (or night). So I don't. Period.

 

If you're doing it legally, with permission, you're a Guest. Don't guests act with a modicum of respect and good manners?

 

If ye there without permission? Double bad, isn't it? Ye not only disrespecting the landowner, ye taking the piss too. Asking for it. Sooner or later liable to get it as well. Then what? Come on here bitching and screaming about how " Some b*stard in a land rover shot my Dog! " ? He'll be just as furiously shouting to his mates how " Some b*stard was on my land, amongst my 'stock flashing a lamp around and running a f*cking Dog amongst them! ". But, if you were in the wrong, he'll be in the right. Any way ye look at it.

 

RM; I'd personally find someone a bit more f*cking responsible to hang out with, mate. Why let someone like that drag ye down? Do ye really think it's worth it? Any of it?