Cross Border Raiding . . .

[Ideation 8,216]

Well, you asked me to write it up (you know who you are!) so here it is . . .

 

I went to bed Saturday night, looking forward to the morning. Walking the dogs as the light was fading, the frost was beginning to creep across the grass, making it crunch underfoot, and promising some 'proper' ferreting weather for the morning. I woke up before the alarm, dressed and loaded the two dogs and a pair of jills into the car, a long with the kit, and then crawled back into bed for a final ten minutes of warmth, fully dressed, much to the mumbling annoyance of the misses.

 

Heading off as it was getting light, I picked up johnnyboy and another friend and we headed across the border to do some raiding. The plan for the day was to go to one of our favorite bushing spots, and as the cover is now finally starting to die back, see if we could do a bit of ferreting a long the way. We had with us my whippet and hound, johnnyboys collie cur Bron, and our friends young lurcher bitch Missy. Arriving, and piling out of the car, we were soon walking the land, and the dogs began to work.

 

There are a good few rabbits at this spot, and we always have a bit of fun. Quite quickly the dogs were working a few around the cover, and soon enough we had a mark. In with the ferret and we had one in the bag. We mooched about, down an old railway line, letting the dogs range. They were doing their job well, working the cover and putting rabbits to ground around the place. We did a mixture of netting and just letting the dogs cover the holes, sometimes all together and sometimes split up. Johnnyboys bitch Bron was was on the ball, learning her craft well, and taking some nice bolters. Young Missy is a fast learner and was soon ignoring the ferrets and settling into the game. My two were their usual selves, with Finn marking and working well, always off searching for the next mark as we finished up and gwen generally crashing about the place, baying, while we got on with it Both myself and our friend, made a nice hand catch each on a bolting rabbit. After a while, we had a dozen rabbits in the bag, and stashing them for later, continued on.

 

The rest of the day continued in much the same vein, with some really good sport and great company. We had some good hunts, and the dogs and ferrets worked well. We went a long picking off ones and twos, in a nice relaxed manner. At one point I think we had a fox to ground with the ferret, but we bolted two rabbits and escaped with the ferret unscathed, so no drama there. We also picked up a white / silver rabbit and had a double bolt into one net. . . . it seemed that luck was on our side.

 

As the day began to draw in, we about turned and headed for our stash spot. . . . as we approached, we could see a shape lurking by our rabbits . . . .Charlie having a free meal! Well, he had half a meal.

 

Collecting up our stash, we had a count up and the days final tally was 23 and a half healthy rabbits and one mixy, which we left for the foxes. It was a really enjoyable day in good company, with all dogs, ferrets and people doing their part well. If only they were all like that.

 

And it looks like we might have some more good sport there as the season progresses

 

 

 

 

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[Astanley 11,588]

Great write up Naz ,.looks like one of those days that comes close to perfection.

[Ideation 8,216]

Well. . . . . I came home to a cracking Sunday roast . . . . . so it might just have been perfect matey

[cookiemonsterandmerlin 145]

Thank the lord

 

Great day Cookie

[johnny boy68 11,726]

About time you stopped being a messer.

 

Good write up and pics butty, fair play was a cracking day, everything just had a relaxed feeling about it.

[R.A.W 1,987]

great write up mate.... that sounds like an fantastic day.

 

Is johnny's dog 39 inches ?

[cookiemonsterandmerlin 145]

great write up mate.... that sounds like an fantastic day.

 

Is johnny's dog 39 inches ?

Nah 39inchs is ref to how tall Johnny is

 

Cookie

[johnny boy68 11,726]

[cookiemonsterandmerlin 145]

Why are all the black ones and whites and gingers so much smaller than the natural ones

[R.A.W 1,987]

 

You don't see many of them about

[johnny boy68 11,726]

great write up mate.... that sounds like an fantastic day.

 

Is johnny's dog 39 inches ?

 

 

great write up mate.... that sounds like an fantastic day.

 

Is johnny's dog 39 inches ?

Nah 39inchs is ref to how tall Johnny is

 

Cookie

 

Ry.

 

Cookie I'm actually 65 inches tall. .....

[Jamie m 668]

Well done chaps good stuff , great effort ideation ,

[simonrocco 175]

good write up pal looks like a good day out. im out on sunday for the day with the ferrets cant wait atb for the rest of the season

[takman511 42]

nice 1 lads and a good bag well done

[NEWKID 27,687]

Good write up Jai and photos... particulary like Johnny's "I'm a little teapot" impression

 

Sounds a top day