Caled and the Minshaws: Chapter Two

[D Lloyd 2,790]

My mate Mark, who missed out on the last trip, gave me a ring and said "Are you up for going, Dave?". My reply was "Definitely, mate!". He said "What about the shooters? They've hammered the place." There was another good spot I knew of but Mark really wanted to see the place he'd missed out on, so we decided to take the risk and hope there'd be a few left. We planned to go for four nights and, to cut a long story a little shorter, soon arrived.

 

I couldn't wait to show Mark where Caled and I did the ton. We arrived when it was already dark so went for a quick look. Well, I couldn't have been more shocked! We only saw three rabbits."Oh shit!", I thought to myself. "Mark, I think we're going to struggle, mate". We'd already known that we'd be up against it a bit as the moon was about half on our first night. We were prepared for this and didn't really mind; it's not all about numbers for us but, don't get me wrong, we like to get the best from our dogs.

 

Well, we set off on the first night a bit worried at how little we'd seen. When we got to the spot there were a few about but they were flying as soon as the lamp hit them. To be honest, after seeing the other place I was happy just to see some rabbits still on the land. We parked up and went our separate ways; me with Caled and Mark with Mae. It wasn't long before we were both back at the van. I can't quite remember what we had but it wasn't a lot - about 10 between us, I think. We moved up the road a bit and off we went again. This time we saw a few but really had to run them hard as they were on the move so quickly. I soon got half a dozen in the bag but then - disaster! Caled was chasing a rabbit; he went over a fence as the rabbit went under - headed for an rusty old car which was out in the field. He missed the car but the rabbit ran over the bonnet, which was lying on the ground. Bang! I heard. Caled had hit the bonnet up in the air! He then picked his rabbit up. He looked okay but I knew I would need to keep a close eye on him now. Mark and I kept meeting up now and then to see how we were getting on. This went on for five hours, pretty much non-stop. It wasn't easy with the stars and the moon out for most of that time, let alone the lamp-shy rabbits! I could see Caled holding his leg now and then so I went and met Mark by the van. Mark was happy with his lot, he'd done very well, as had I. We had a count-up - Mark had 40 with Mae and I had 66 with Caled. That was the ton done again, albeit with two dogs this time. Mark then got his bitch Lilly out. She was flying! She took five out of five in no time. Sadly then my battery went dead so that was us finished for the night with a grand total of 111.

 

Next morning both Mark's dogs were fine, bouncing about; just what you want to see. Caled, on the other hand, was quite stiff. The knock and the workload had taken their toll on him. After a good rub down and a stretch of his legs he looked fine. As soon as darkness fell, I could see that Mark was itching to get out so off we went. Caled didn't look right so I let him have a quick stretch. He got 21 and I decided that would do for him, given that we were out for four nights on the trot. Mae also wasn't going to be worked hard tonight but she soon picked up 15, even with them being shy. She's a very quick, up-and-at-them type of bitch with a cracking strike and retrieve. I must add that this bitch is only two and a half years old. I saw her run last season and it was great to see how she's come on. I think this bitch will do great things over the next few seasons. We then got Lilly out for a run. Lilly is Mae's dam and is six years old. She runs the same as Mae, up-and-at-them, flat out all the way. She got herself a very respectable 26 that night.

 

Third night out was Mae and Caled again. It was a really gruelling night for men and dogs. Not many rabbits about and what was there were dropping down holes. After three hours or more we thought we'd run out of rabbits and land. We had 44 at this point. Then we both came up with the bright idea of going back to where we started on the first night. We knew there would be rabbits there, but nowt easy. Oh, we did have fun. Mae got a bump and Caled bit an electric fence while picking up a rabbit and had to re-catch it. Poor sods! We got a good few in the bag separately then joined up together as Mark's battery had died. We picked up a few more but now there were holes everywhere and only a few rabbits sat right outside them. The dogs knew the score - no chance! They'd just walk to them and they would drop in. JACKERS! No, I joke - not at all. When Mae started doing this I could see Mark's concern. I said "Watch, Caled'll do the same now. That's not jacking, mate. If we see one on the way back to the van I'll show you, but not on these holes. These dogs are not as thick as some folk!". It was a long walk back. We spotted one rabbit, legging it for the fenceline. Caled was on it like glue. Up and down the fence, through the fence, up and down the road, through the fence on the other side of the road, up and down that field, back on the road, up and down, back in the field where he'd started, then - bang! He hit it right in front of us! I was made up. "You can see what I mean, Mark. Mae would do the same if we could find another rabbit" But we couldn't. We got 46 from this spot so that gave us 90 rabbits for our five hours. Not a bad effort from a slow start.

 

Needing a new spot for the last night we got up and went to look at the ground where I did the ton. We walked miles and felt sick - not for the lack of rabbits, but for the waste we saw. There were dead and decaying carcases lying all over the land. Looked like some shooters had had themselves a good time. Well, we saw only three live rabbits so we left them. We found a small patch of ground which held a few rabbits and decided that was just enough to finish the trip. We only wanted 37 to round us off at 300. We got on the land early; Mark had Lilly, I had Caled. Both dogs ran well, rabbits still giving them the dropping-in-the-holes treatment but we pushed on. Caled got 18, Lilly got 20 so that put us over with a tally of 301, but it turned out we'd miscounted (I blame Mark!) and we actually had 302 in all. We knew even if there were a few more to be had we would never get them in the van!

FEW PICS

THE VAN BE FOR THE KIT WENT IN

[duggy 142]

Your a very busy man by the looks of it Lloyd lol

Very well done again + another great write-up

Atb duggy

[pip1968 2,490]

wouldnt like to skin all them but you,ve done well at that place the dogs have worked there socks off you should be proud of that achievment keep posting

[tjones3862 3,423]

NICE pic,s but were wud you be with out this place,,,You dont catch any'think in the the mean time,,Months go bye and nothing,eles his in the bag,,,

[D Lloyd 2,790]

NICE pic,s but were wud you be with out this place,,,You dont catch any'think in the the mean time,,Months go bye and nothing,eles his in the bag,,,

 

now jim ernlad markbrick who ever is righting on this name to night jest chil out and in joy the post for wat it is two good mates have a bit of fun on the bunnys with thayer dogs nothing more nothing less.

 

if it was jest up to me i would of not posted about the two trips but its not, so i thort if its going to be done then ill try to do it right.

 

as for doing nothing ells caled had 3 weeks off between the to trips as he had to go under the knife in the vet to have lumps removed.

 

my bitch molly had pups early in the season and was going on the second trip not caled but she riped her self bad a week be for so had to take a not very fit caled with me instend.

 

thay get out plenty but may be i jest dont want to show you.dont need to post every thing as its not about tring to out do other lads on here or grow a ego to rivel the multipl name youser on here

[Mixed Bag 603]

well done a great write up and a cracking bag ignore the jealous losers why does it bother them what your catching or where your going

[nothernlite 18,080]

i wouldnt explain myself to no c--t of here well done mate if you ever want to share your work load a we pm would be smashing lol

[s.e.s.k.u 1,893]

great write up , well done men and dogs

[ernlad 118]

david right its not me,,good on for you for getting out,,,,and im clad your dog his ok,,,and now it his we no dowt see a lot more posts,,atb,,,jim not tj and by the way hits not new place you went to,,,,that pic has bin took at a/r,,,k,,your door to your digs are behind the line up,,,,

Edited December 23, 2012 by ernlad

[blue staffy 145]

can you not take a big box trailer and bring some of the rabbits back live and let them go in fife lol , nice going to lads and dogs looking forward to your next write up

[D Lloyd 2,790]

david right its not me,,good on for you for getting out,,,,and im clad your dog his ok,,,and now it his we no dowt see a lot more posts,,atb,,,jim not tj and by the way hits not new place you went to,,,,that pic has bin took at a/r,,,k,,your door to your digs are behind the line up,,,,

 

ok ernlad chad tj jim mb wat ever

 

stop with the back handed coments if i dont want to right all my outings all over the net thats my choice.

 

as for not a new place stop trying to read things in to wat is fact this is the first paragraph pasted for you have a nother read you geting to sound more and more like mb every day.

 

My mate Mark, who missed out on the last trip, gave me a ring and said "Are you up for going, Dave?". My reply was "Definitely, mate!". He said "What about the shooters? They've hammered the place." There was another good spot I knew of but Mark really wanted to see the place he'd missed out on, so we decided to take the risk and hope there'd be a few left. We planned to go for four nights and, to cut a long story a little shorter, soon arrived.

[FUJI 17,285]

What can you say other than AWESOME..enough said i think? ATB Andy. :notworthy:

[D Lloyd 2,790]

Your a very busy man by the looks of it Lloyd lol

Very well done again + another great write-up

Atb duggy

 

cheers duggy

[D Lloyd 2,790]

wouldnt like to skin all them but you,ve done well at that place the dogs have worked there socks off you should be proud of that achievment keep posting

 

cheers pip if the nockers stop nocking i mite do a chapter 3

[paulf 820]

f**k the knockers dai put it up anyway .