digging or bolting

[Guest grubygrafter]

Its true what you say gg but im not in it for the easy life

 

One of the shortest but the best posts Ive ever read.Perhaps some people are in the game for all the wrong reasons if there is no challenge whats the point.

 

i'm in the game to control foxes. the challange to me is to get the fox out of the hole and despach it

its more of a service than a challenge hope that is a good enough reason for you

[valerio 32]

Onother reason why I value a good bolter is tht we are not young forever.

I'give you an exemple,my uncle is 76 and despite being in good shape for his age he can't no longer dig but he still know hundreds of earths and he still shots better than me .So with a good bolter he can still enjoy a day out and do some pest controll while with a stayer he only can wait for it to come out

[Kane 2]

i'm in the game to control foxes. the challange to me is to get the fox out of the hole and despach it

its more of a service than a challenge hope that is a good enough reason for you

No its not good enough the priority should be quality of terriers, dig or bolt a lot of the time its the quarry that makes the choice for you the majority of foxes would bolt from a yapping yorkie rather than face it.Its that small percentage that wont bolt that I would hope most lads spend their dog time looking for.

[nelson 0]

How do you look for a fox that won't bolt

 

Only way to definately get a dig is to block all entrance's, i know i wont do that in some of the earths i go to and judging what some of the Welsh and Scottish lads have said, they wont be either.

 

So where is this post going ?, we'll be telling folk what breed colour and size of terrier to get and use, what stamp and who to get them off next. Facts are, what suits one bloke don't suit another, for a variety of reasons but the thing i get out of this is that some of the lads with bad spots don't want a hard, brain dead terrier.

 

With my digging partners this year i've seen a variety of size's and shapes, temperaments and working styles and ability's, they have all got the job done, some in fine fashion and some making a meal of it but they have all worked they're quarry and that is what is important.

 

As has been said before from folk who know far more than i will ever know about working dogs, have a variety of sizes and types in your kennel and cover all eventuallities. Problem is, when like me you only have limited space and need something that does everything well, a " one size fits all ", thats the time when you have to make do with a certain stamp and hope it does your job for you.

A bloke with a couple of terriers can't afford to have them both smashed up and out of action so the bayer/stayer is the thing to go for, unless you only go out once a month or borrow someone elses dogs.

 

Just my opinion's and i don't know as much as a lot of folk on here and like i said i've got limited space so my opinions are a bit one sided.

 

I do like a hard dog though, and i mean hard but i don't have any need for one at the moment

[Pumper dog 0]

I agree with Wink Hounds earlier post. I have acouple of average digging dogs which to me is the true test of a terrier, don't get me wrong. I do also have a failed digging bitch which didn't make the grade this dog I use to my advantage, big places, bolts for hounds (pre ban) etc. they have there place. But I wouldn't ever breed for one i.e. non stayer to bayer, you diminish the working terriers ability, like someone mentioned earler best to best everytime but if you can utilise a dog of this kind do so, a failed one I mean.

Edited April 3, 2007 by Pumper dog

[Shamo 319]

This is my take on it. I am not just in this to control Foxes, although it is a by-product of what I do. I am in this to maintain and if I can improve the 'Working Terrier'. I do not WANT or value a Terrier I can call off or a Dog that won't stay for ever. I WANT and value a Dog who will stay and if necessary kill his Foxes, with not too much baying. I WANT one who will stay until I dig to him/her, no matter how long it takes. Even if it takes Days never mind Hours. I will then determine where I tip it in. I would not tip it in Clitters or undiggable places. Because of the Terrier I WANT I would be limited where I put it, but I accept that.

HOWEVER I have been in Hunt Service with 3 different Hunts and a Dog like that can be a real liability and not needed in a lot of cases. So you have to 'cut your cloth' as they say. I know guys who go out on Saturdays working cover with Terriers and if one goes to ground they all do. They cover a lot fo ground in a Day and have their sport by shooting the Foxes they bolt. This is Fox control and what the Keepers want from them. I would not buy a Terrier from them, or breed from anything they have. I do not agree that what they do is 'Terrier work', but it is what they do and how they get their sport. Fine by me, I do not go out with them and like I said I don't want any of their Terriers.

If you cover a lot of Ground, or do Terrier work as part of a Job then there are times when a call out Terrier is good, a non stayer is good and a murder hard Dog is good. I am prepared to put up with having to dig my Dogs out and do not want to call them off either, so that is the type I look for and try to keep.

[alimac 882]

a none stayer and a dog you can shout out are two totally different things..

[Pumper dog 0]

Good honest post Shamo. ALimac that is also a good point, I have witnessed on many occasions a russell that could be called off, if not called off would stay all day, but that is the only dog I have witnessed that will do that.

[Guest mucker]

How do you look for a fox that won't bolt

 

Only way to definately get a dig is to block all entrance's, i know i wont do that in some of the earths i go to and judging what some of the Welsh and Scottish lads have said, they wont be either.

[Guest WILF]

I think Fellman sumed it up perfectly, common sense ...........

[Guest grubygrafter]

i'm in the game to control foxes. the challange to me is to get the fox out of the hole and despach it

its more of a service than a challenge hope that is a good enough reason for you

No its not good enough the priority should be quality of terriers, dig or bolt a lot of the time its the quarry that makes the choice for you the majority of foxes would bolt from a yapping yorkie rather than face it.Its that small percentage that wont bolt that I would hope most lads spend their dog time looking for.

 

where do you get off telling me whats good enough for me are you a jehovas whitness

i know what i need. you know what you need. i dont tell you what type of terrier you need. because i dont have a clue about you or the ground you work or how you go about it.

 

i dont work two dogs together. the best way to describe the way i use terriers . is like ferreting.

slip the dog stand down wind and quietly wait if after a while there is no bolt go to plan B. C. D.

A LOT OF FOXES ROUND HERE HAVE BEEN DOGGED BEFORE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE YORKIE THAT CAN SHIFT A WISE SCOTISH HILL FOX. they may not speak welsh but they can be tough custumers none the less

[Lew 111]

to me a call out dog that will stay if not shouted and hard dogs are....Handy...

 

but i would rather have a dog that bays/mixes any day imo

[Alhoy 0]

Well My 'pat'....bolts ..if the prey dosn't fancy its chances....the other way.....the outcome is inevitable... ...dog 1.....charlie...0.....but god does My back ache.....

[Kane 2]

[

hope that is a good enough reason for you

No its not good enough the priority should be quality of terriers, dig or bolt a lot of the time its the quarry that makes the choice for you the majority of foxes would bolt from a yapping yorkie rather than face it.Its that small percentage that wont bolt that I would hope most lads spend their dog time looking for.

 

where do you get off telling me whats good enough for me are you a jehovas whitness

i know what i need. you know what you need. i dont tell you what type of terrier you need. because i dont have a clue about you or the ground you work or how you go about it.

 

You asked if it was good enough reason for me and no it isnt,the working terrier is beyond value IMo and providing a service might be the be all and end all for some,if those you provide a service for are unwilling or unable to dig and the terrier you use wont kill a fox then f**k the service and the terrier,the majority of keepers shepherds Ive met would not be happy to leave a fox to ground because it wouldnt bolt,bolting terriers for hunts or non diggers a harder terrier for control.Isnt that why they bred coulored terriers?

 

How do you look for a fox that won't bolt

 

 

Obviously you cant pick and choose your foxes but rather one fighting fox than 10 that bolt how else you going to prove you terriers are game?

remeber were talking fox now LOL

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

Interesting read this and certainly sorts out what I would class as good dogmen and those that play at the game .If you are offended by this then you know what category you are in !.