Ideation 8,216 Posted October 23, 2011 Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 Well, today being Sunday, it was time for the traditional weekly attack on the bunnies, by johnnyboy and I. This week however we decided to do a bit of cross border raiding! And what fun it was! Got a text a couple of days ago from Old Real Tree on here, passing on an invite from malc1 to come up his way for a days ferreting, although he was not sure if we would be up for driving for an hour or so 'just' to go at a few rabbits. You can tell he hadn't met us yet Unfortunatly at the last moment Old Real Tree, got called into work, as you can imagine, he was fuming! Anyway, got up early doors this morn, and loaded the dog, nets and pair of jills into the motor, and headed down to pick johnnyboy up. Loaded his pair of dogs and another jill and made our way for the border, it was a good drive up there but we made ok time and found our way easily. Got up to malcs at about half nine, and met the man himself and his lovely wife, along with their fine collection of dogs. A cup of tea, smoke and chat later, we were off to make a leisurely start on the ferreting, a bit different than our usual first light expeditions, but as is the way with any new meeting, for the first wee while, we were more interested in the socialising than crawling under black thorn hedges. Malc and his wife took a long his pair of ferrets, his magnificant looking lurcher Murph and the star of todays show La la, the russel type terrier. We arrived at the equestrian centre that was to be todays venue (a new piece of land for malc1), and started down the first hedge row, very quickly getting a mark from Lala, which was confirmed by the other dogs. We netted up what we thought was connected, and what we could reach and entered the ferrets. Johnnyboy and malc1 on one side and me and lee on the other, After only a couple of seconds, the first rabbit slammed into a net on ourside, swiftly pinned by lala and picked up by lee. Almost instantly another couple of rabbits made their escape from what we thought were unconnected holes and went back to ground further up the hedge, followed by another that ran down the hedge, neatly side stepped the stop net and went to ground further down. b*****d things :laugh:Such are the joys of doing new land! Another rabbit bolted in the hedge, was grabbed by two dogs, and in the cuffufle managed to kick back down the hole as the dogs managed to grab hold of each other But luckily popped back out of a bolt hole that eagle eyed johnny had just spotted and swiftly netted up. Nets off and we moved further down the hedge, quickly getting another mark from the dogs, we netted up and in went a pair of jills, again, very quickly the first occupant hit a net on malc/johnnys side and was dispatched. We could hear another rabbit doing the run around and then nowt, silence, and my silver jill emerged with the telltale blood on her whiskers, i had the locator, but finn was already on it, trying to eat his way through the ground to the bunny, so a quick bit of spade action and another rabbit, minus the eyes was in the bag We carried on down the hedge, and again Lala (the legend) showed the worth of having a terrier when working hedges, marking nicely inside the fences. We netted this one of and gave the big hob Rupert a run, very quickly rabbit number one started to bolt, but unfortunatly the young bitch (a bit over eager) managed to head butt it out of the net and it ran back up to the sets we had just done the second rabbit was not so lucky, getting grabbed mob handed by two or three dogs as it tried to make it's escape. With five rabbits in the bag, we headed for the 'mound' which we had been told was a bit of a mission, and feck me, was it! We must have laid a good hundred nets on this bad boy, but still had to leave a dozen holes unetted in an adjacent gully (which i would like to add if our friend ORT had been there, we would have been able to net up!!! ). Anyway, we got it covered as best we could and spread a long it's massive length, attempting to keep an eye on the holes as best we could. All five ferrets went down on this one and quickly the rabbits started bolting. Within a short space of time we had two at my end, three in the middlle with johnny boy and another two at malc and lees end (including one back netted), and about five little b*****ds that made their escape out of the unetted gully holes and waltzed to safety down the gully With seven from the mound, we now had a round dozen, and the day was starting to draw to a close, but we decided to give it a go of finding another occupied set, heading a long the hedge, finn, disappeared and i found marking a nice small(ish) set under an oak a long a country lane. As we approached, two rabbits bolted lane side and made their escape, with all the dogs in the wrong place at the wrong time! As the dogs were still showing interest, we netted up anyway and entered Alice, malcs jill, after a couple of seconds the first rabbit bolted right up in the middle of the hedge, a bad place for man or lurcher to get to in a hurry, but perfect for lala the legend, who had it swiftly held by the head. The second rabbit vacated moments later into another middle of the hedge hole, and was nailed by Gem who bulldozed her way in. On the way back, we pushed a rabbit into a nice one holer, but couldn't ferret it with the dogs as the horses around it were starting to get spooked and very flighty, so we took the mutts and gear back to the car. However, you can't stop on fourteen, so off johnnyboy went solo, with a net and a jill to bolt it out. Sods bloody law there for four occupants in total in this one holer, who all came out in tandem, with only the first one being netted and the other three running around the horses (giving the dogs in the carboot the finger as they ran past!) and to safety! As you can see, we missed a few today (a rare occurance for johnnyboy and I), but we had a cracking day, in great company, and i think all our minds were more on getting to know each other than 'serious' ferreting. You couldn't wish for two nicer folk than malc and lee, and next time we will get the little buggers that evaded us today! Mind you, fifteen healthy rabbits in the bag is a good day by anyones standards We had a quick cuppa and chat back at the house and then headed back across the border for home, and a much needed Sunday roast! A massive thankyou to malc1 for the invite and to him and his wife for their company and hospitality! Atb, Jai. Not many photos as i was pretty distracted! 'The mound' 2 Quote Link to post
tegater 789 Posted October 23, 2011 Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 Hey. As usual a cracking write up. I was living the day as I read it. Nice countryside you have there and a damm good bag. Quote Link to post
darbo 4,776 Posted October 23, 2011 Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 sounds like a belter of a day. well done to everyone. Quote Link to post
malc1 544 Posted October 23, 2011 Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 its me that needs to thank you and johnyboy and ort for introduceing me to you guys theres no way me and the wife would have done all that mound on our own plus we got to meet two great lads off here i say two cos ive allready meet ort lala murph and the wife are fast a sleep murphs had a busy weekend and it would of been a weekend if fin the mad dog would of got his own way ha ha cheers lads thanks for a great day carnt wait for our next time atb malc lee lala and murph o and alice and ruppert Quote Link to post
Ideation 8,216 Posted October 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 its me that needs to thank you and johnyboy and ort for introduceing me to you guys theres no way me and the wife would have done all that mound on our own plus we got to meet two great lads off here i say two cos ive allready meet ort lala murph and the wife are fast a sleep murphs had a busy weekend and it would of been a weekend if fin the mad dog would of got his own way ha ha cheers lads thanks for a great day carnt wait for our next time atb malc lee lala and murph o and alice and ruppert Cheers mate, you are a gentleman. Still not worked out quite why my 21.5 " whippet wanted to shag your 27" male lurcher, over the three smaller bitches who were there? That dog has issues! 1 Quote Link to post
simonrocco 175 Posted October 23, 2011 Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 really good write up pal and a good bag of rabbits to, what cross is that little terrier is it a parson russel atb pal Quote Link to post
Ideation 8,216 Posted October 23, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 really good write up pal and a good bag of rabbits to, what cross is that little terrier is it a parson russel atb pal Cheers mate, i'm not sure what the exact make up is. You'd have to ask malc1. All i know is it's a jack russel 'type' terrier, although there was some chat that it might have some westie in it (not sure how serious?). But whatever she is, she's a little cracker, marks very well, bushes well, is very obediant and well mannered for a terrier and is quick as fook off the mark on the bolters in the nets, a real godsend, when doing thick hedges, with hard to reach holes! Quote Link to post
theferreter 311 Posted October 23, 2011 Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 good bag of rabbits looks like yous had an enjoyable day out Quote Link to post
old real tree 92 Posted October 23, 2011 Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 gutted i missed this trip over the boarder, looked a cracking day... after a nights lamping friday and out again saturday night then a all day ferreting session i bet you and murph are tiard lol... good read jay catch you soon.... LALA MY HERO........ Quote Link to post
troter58 1,711 Posted October 23, 2011 Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 good read that mate well done to you all atb Quote Link to post
old real tree 92 Posted October 23, 2011 Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 oh by the way its nice to see all the rabbits presented tidy for the photo.... well done,,,, Quote Link to post
stealthy1 3,964 Posted October 23, 2011 Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 Always nice to meet new folk with a similar interests Quote Link to post
malc1 544 Posted October 23, 2011 Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 the wife made me put them the same way as jay not to tierd it will hit me tomorrow lala the jrt is a jrt i think some were down the line she has westie in her whatever is in her ill never find another one like her shes spot on once again cheers lads thanks for a great day and the lessons on ferreting atb Quote Link to post
simonrocco 175 Posted October 23, 2011 Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 really good write up pal and a good bag of rabbits to, what cross is that little terrier is it a parson russel atb pal Cheers mate, i'm not sure what the exact make up is. You'd have to ask malc1. All i know is it's a jack russel 'type' terrier, although there was some chat that it might have some westie in it (not sure how serious?). But whatever she is, she's a little cracker, marks very well, bushes well, is very obediant and well mannered for a terrier and is quick as fook off the mark on the bolters in the nets, a real godsend, when doing thick hedges, with hard to reach holes! i was just asking cause it looks like the sister to my parson russel that my mate owns thats why i thought it might be a parson russel. it sounds like a really good worker you cant ask for anything better if it works as well as that. atb pal Quote Link to post
Bunny Boiler 177 Posted October 23, 2011 Report Share Posted October 23, 2011 Superb write up. Fancy a day out like that myself. Still trying to get into the right crowd though. Introducing myself to the hunting scene is a pain. Parents take no interest in it, but I'm getting there. Atb, Bunny. Quote Link to post
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