Dales virgin makes best of a bad night

[lurcherman01 16]

i just think well done,firstly for braving the weather an geting out there,i wouldnt give a damned wether the rabbits were fast ones slow ones,heavy ones thin ones,i would be elated if my dog caught that amount.again well done.

[BrianSteven72 369]

round my way no dog could catch 30to40 rabbits a night even on a good night coz you just wont see that many in one night , easy rabbits or not think yourself lucky you have rabbits to chase , i would love to have that many rabbits to chase in one night about me !

[poacher3161 1,766]

2.8 whats been your best score up there??

 

My pal told me back in the 70 ~ 80s you could just roll up pay a farmer a fiver and ferret and get 60 plus in a afternoon. Was it just fit to burst in them days or was that pockets of rabbits in secluded places??

 

Different days now I imagine.

 

I aint been but have been to places in northumberland ~ north penniens, where the rabbits where in good numbers they where easy compared to local rabbits I put this to them being very green and sitting tight most where short slips and had stone walls to bounce off.

 

 

I also find fell type rabbits are a good couple of pounds heavier.

 

I still recon any dog taking a decent amount of any type of rabbits most be a good dog not ever run will be easy..

Very true the first time i went up in the 80s ferreting as it broke light on the ground we were to ferret i had to sit down and have a drink from my flask as i was convinced i was halucinateing the amount of rabbits i was seeing.

[john*1 17]

well done mate lucky some of us have that amount of rabbits to run

 

i was doing 200 mile round trip for that amount now with the vhd hitting it im lucky to see half of ur catch so enjoy wile uv got it mate

[Simoman 110]

The dales rabbits may be assumed to be easier due to the lay of the land, but due to the large numbers this can present a different set of problems. My dog always looked good on local ground but only ever managed half a dozen a night, up there 30 runs tested his stamina, it was something he wasn't used to and it taught me something. I think a dog used to picking up a few conies a night could be sickened or jack if the lamper doesn't have the fieldcraft to work WITH the dog. In my opinion a dog lamping the dales needs to be very fit.........

[2.8 guy 403]

giro, the best day was by my mate and a few freinds he got 100 ferreting i dont do big numbers normally i consider my best night 21 rabbits in just over 30 mins nomal days just walking about on the tops from 8 til 12, 30-40 every time ,but its not like this now i have over 10,000 acre and i say catching rabbits up there is like trawling for fish, weather and other things make them move about i do have some hot spots thoe which i do when all els fails, running dogs hard is allways going to be tough and fair play to any man woman who has a dog doing this but my old dog could do 30 odd on the lamp not even break sweat as for the walls well in some parts of my estate the feilds are bigger than my local ones and a clever rabbit runs over them or dives in at top speed all my dogs have had teeth injurys because of this.I think the point of any dog catching good numbers is fair but the dales is no place to judge a super dog you just wouldnt see its full potential. the rabs are much bigger than my local ones and are slower because of this. i was going to do the ton just to show how easy it would be and i bet the guys dog would do that on its own, its owner would far more drive than me lol

[Ginny Spinner 455]

Nice one mate. Good bag for the time of year. Sounds like you've got some awesome ground to keep the dog's ticking over.

[2.8 guy 403]

JUST read page 2 thanks chauk warren i dont do numbers normal in fact i dont count, my mate postie will back me up on this as he is my text book friend and what i mean buy this is he puts it all in a book and im allways nervouse when he turns out because of this. but just of late natural england have been on the keepers back so its a case of get more or the box traps go in wich does do the job, its all about the dogs for me nothing els just love to be out with my dogs and watch others i allways see poeple getting shot down on here for somthing or nothing im new to the forum game and enjoy the banter thoe

[TOMO 26,178]

without a dowt the dales is the place to do big scores,, unless you go on a scotish island,,, and i would agree with 2.8 that on the hole the bunnys are easier,, especialy if your used to catching them on winter seed with thin hedges,, or of course golf courses..

 

any fields that are tufty and slow the rabbits down are going to be easier,, you tend to get more of these the higher you go,,, and very often more rabbits up there as well.............on the other hand we have some farms in the vally bottoms,, with short fast running ground,, some of wich is fenced, and some with nothing just bankings that bunnys fly over,, and of course these are more testing.

 

with regard to 2.8 coment about going to do the ton,, just to show how easy it is,,,, i think is abit over the top,,,and ile give my reasons.

 

of course there are plenty dogs out there capable of good scores,, but the sheer TIME involved in catching a big bag ,, and the more you catch the more tierd your dog becomes,,,,,,,,you also need perfect conditions,,, as you proved on this night,,, one dog catching 27 or 29 aint the same as that dog catching 50,,,, and certainly not the same as one catching 100...

 

lets not forget ,,, even if the dog has a quik 20 second sprint on a fairly easy rabbit,, its still sapped some of that dogs energy reserves,,, so yes if a dog can catch say 30 lowland it may well catch 50 up on the tops,,,,, but its still going to get tired.

[pernod 466]

This was quite an interesting thread, with some good input from some knowledgable guys.

But im afraid it took a bit of a nose dive with the quote

''i was going to do the ton just to show how easy it would be and i bet the guys dog would do that on its own, its owner would far more drive than me lol'' a statement like that does make the poster sound like a bit of an arse.

Only my opinion of course.

 

Yours in sport Pernod

 

 

[Giro 2,648]

poacher3161 ~ Are you still getting to the dales now and is it the same or are the rabbits on the decline..

 

When did the farmers stop pay on the day ferreting lol..

[poacher3161 1,766]

poacher3161 ~ Are you still getting to the dales now and is it the same or are the rabbits on the decline..

 

When did the farmers stop pay on the day ferreting lol..

No mate not been up for a wile now the last time was ferreting for lads with the hawks and the places were in decline then that they had permission on.

[reddawn 2,173]

there are still a few places in the dales ye can turn up an pay for ye days ferretin, there is also some places ye can just turn up an ferret an nobody bats an eye lid lol,

i agree way tomo i have lamped the dales a couple a times now lol, an them bunnys up there are still running for there lifes, sure they may not be the best bunnys in the country but they still run an take energy out of dogs, my bitch's best up there is 38 an she was fooked, she can do 20's in the fields with hedges local most nights if ye want them, but she was still fooked after them nights up dales, an she was an a decent shape before i even started her, to do the ton up there takes determinded dogs an determined fell'a, i hope to get it 1 day

[trigger2 3,145]

well done a decent you had there . imo this 100 rabbits job is alot more easier said than done. i think you have greatly underestimated just how testing it can be for the dogs. ive been lucky enough to have been given a invite and see some dales bunnies run for myself.

[philkemp 50]

I have to admit the dales rabbits are far bigger than the ones local to me which makes them slightly easier to catch but the ground i hunt on up the dales is full of limestone rock n trust me it takes agood dog to take them from these parts we out getting absouloutly smashed to bits n lamping this place is totally out of the question unless u want a dead dog but large numbers are done we ferrets n dog in daytime, over there in morning hopefully get a good few but numbers dont really matter to me jst like being out working the dogs