What Would’a You Done?

[bshadle 5]

Ran into a farmer I know Monday evening, said he’d just harvested two fields of winter wheat that he planned to replant in beans, saw a lot of groundhog holes, and asked if I’d take a look for him. Sure. Why not? Told him I’d be by Saturday and he was fine with it.

 

Got there this morning, the two fields were sandwiched between standing corn on one side and standing beans on the other. Started in the one bordered by corn. Sure enough, plenty of holes but most covered with wheat straw from the earlier harvest. Not likely anything there.

 

Spotted one ‘hog out in front of us that ducked into the corn. Dot picked up the scent as we approached, followed it into the corn. Could see the den a few rows in, but couldn’t dig it so called Dot out before she got too serious on it. Spotted a second ‘hog out ahead, hoped it would dive into a field sette, but it went into the corn as well. Took a wide course around it, didn’t want Dot following it into the corn and have to call her back a second time.

 

Got to the end of this field, crossed over to the one bordered by beans. Again, found a good number of holes all covered with wheat straw indicating they’ve not been used lately. From the look of the bordering beans, groundhogs can’t be too plentiful here in spite of the number of holes.

 

Finally came on one Dot liked. Two hole sette, Dot’s in. Block the bolthole with the pack. Main tube seems to run straight toward the bolthole, but there’s a tight tube y’d to the right right inside the entrance. That’s the one Dot likes. Digging, scratching, barking, she’s in and working. Give her some time to settle, mark her about five feet in and three feet down. Start to dig.

 

I like to set the first layer of topsoil off to one side so when backfilling it can go back on the top. The second shovelful I notice that the soil is full of germinating beans. Damn. He’s planted the field sooner than he said, and I’m digging in the middle of a fresh-planted field. Toss the soil back, and call Dot out of the hole. Put her on lead and head back to the truck.

 

So my question is - what would you have done in the situation? Pull the dog like I did? Keep digging and probably piss off the farmer? Give her more time to work and hope for a bolt? Not sure if there was a best course of action here, all options I can see suck.

[Big bald beautiful 1,231]

you did right, call at the farm and tell him he called you out to dig a fresh planted field ..see what he has to say

[midnight walker 8]

always best to keep the farmer happy i would have pulled the dog you done the right thing

[jack spratt 4]

G

Edited August 3, 2007 by jack spratt

[Guest Haggler]

I don't have a terrier I can call out????? Digging a hole in a bean field would ruin fewer beans than letting the Groundhog live on to eat beans all summer. I guess I would have had to dig the terrier and toss the farmer $20 for the $2 worth of beans he lost.

 

Haggler

[Guest pip]

I WOULD GET RID OF THE DOG

Its sometimes handy to have a dog you can call out but they re not for me ,me prsonnally i certainly would nt be breeding from it and me personnally i would pts however all depends what suite your work

[Tonymac 0]

Bshadle,in my book you did the right thing. Tony