Moll. 1,770 Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 I havent been around for a while due to moving home. No internet access for months and too much to do so here are our last 3 trips out ratting in one post The first two trips 2 & 4 weeks ago were to our usual hunting ground. After several years of constantly going at them the numbers are now much lower than when we first started our averages used to be 150-200 with our record on one day of 317. But it is still a fantastic day out with dogs working their little hearts out and humans having great days of good humour, swopping stories and experiences. More new dogs this year, pups out to get socialised, last years pups on their 2nd season and the old pros of course. For some reason this year they are all deep deep sets, so the boys had a fair bit of digging to do, plus thanks to the mild winter the cover crops are still very high and thick, so less for the lurchers to catch and less photo opportunities for me. Working hard on steep hills in thick cover.. Thick cover. Digging on from both ends meant the rats were all stuck in the middle with no-where to go. A lovely shot of the useless sex pest, looking very regal with a fantastic sky He was however taking full advantage of a warm lookout post He might even have had one or two rats in the 2 days out Olive the window licker bless her. This is her 2nd season, and she is still a 'special' dog And as this photo shows, she started to catch the odd rat much to the joy of her Dad Neale Rosie is now a fully fledged ratter and has nothing left to learn, she works hard all day. Baby Blossoms first time ratting.. Another newbie, with a huge appetite for rats, so much so, she simply wont let go! My favourite little terrier 'Pepper' This year she still does the walking around, little tail wagging furiously with her rat showing every human and dog what she has. This year she has upped the anti somewhat. She has sussed she gets a better reaction when she has two A teckel x border...possibly the prettiest terrier i have ever seen More pics.... End of day shots. Then onto our 3rd trip out yesterday, to the chicken farm we visited last year. Those who have been in these sheds will already know and remember the smell, for those who havent it is like nothing you have ever smelled before, your eyes literally water and you cannot get the taste from your mouth. The sheds had been empty for a few days with doors shut so it was particularly bad this time. No windows open and very few poor lights meant we were working in mostly darkness in 2 foot deep faeces. So any photos taken are extrememly lucky shots, the camera could not focus or work most of the time. But i was lucky enough to get some worthy shots from such a fantastic day. We dont have the luxury of machinery to move the earth/faeces and get the rats running, so all rats won were from dog and human work, digging, prodding, moving equipment by hand and luck. The entrace to one shed, gives you an idea of the darkness/conditions. One of my favourite shots... And my 2nd fav...they look so funny but these two positioned themselves here and were a godsend stopping rats which escaped on this side of the shed. Dogs were not the only animals mad enough to crawl under low grids to get rats Causing a mite infestation in a place i dont think he wanted... It was fairly dangerous for the bigger dogs, low metal beams.... And saw like metal thingys hanging low under the grids, they were lower the further down we moved, resulting in Rudie tearing his back whilst trying to run full speed practically on his knees Goooo on Adam More shots. Time Keepa went home.. Beating our best ever total...... 539 rats gathered, with many more lost in the sheds and faeces, plus at least 20 in Rudies stomach And a close up for those who want to try to count them Thank you to everyone for fantastic days out, and to those of you using half your night to read this post Quote Link to post
the_stig 6,614 Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 cracking ... 4 Quote Link to post
J Darcy 5,871 Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Absolutely top class pics Moll. Many thanks. 2 Quote Link to post
Accip74 7,112 Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 You need few words with pictures like those :-) good stuff 2 Quote Link to post
Chancer 23 Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 amazing well done fella yis chancer Quote Link to post
samba 534 Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 great sport ratting excellent pics Quote Link to post
neil cooney 10,416 Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Mad as hatters in my opinion, great pics. Quote Link to post
Millet 4,497 Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 It sure was a frantic energetic day Moll and it certainly sort's the men from the boy's ...with around 5 hr's of constant action on the last day the dog's sure did show there metal... and to be honest i could not fault any of them..and it just show's how well they did with the pup's and new comer's..which mean't the older seasond vetrans had to take a lot more punishment but they never wavered in any way.. which was good to see considering another 6 seasoned dog's would of came in handy to take turn in dealing with the rat's.. You done exptionally well Moll getting them great picture's in that low light.. .. aswell as all the other day time picture's.. Many thank's to Butler as these great day's would not be possible without him and to all the other good lad's who joined in with all the work we had to do to achieve this.. 3 Quote Link to post
RossM 8,119 Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Cracking going that moll. My best day ever was 200ish, what happened to rudies back? Quote Link to post
shellfish 63 Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 nice going nice mixs in the rat pack great pics Quote Link to post
Millet 4,497 Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Cracking going that moll. My best day ever was 200ish, what happened to rudies back? If you look at this picture you will see the saw shaped metal hanging down.. that will have been around 20in high from the surface...so a 25in dog running wild near them is not a good idea.. he was quickly removed from there once the hazard was found.. 3 Quote Link to post
Andrew Beirne 78 Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Brilliant post and cracking pictures Quote Link to post
s.e.s.k.u 1,893 Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 Love your ratting posts moll. .great shots of the days out. Well done all..atb sesku Quote Link to post
Plummerterrier 291 Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 What cross is the brindle and white terrier, great pics Quote Link to post
toby63 1,236 Posted March 3, 2014 Report Share Posted March 3, 2014 what you call a good day and fantastic pics as always Quote Link to post
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