Hello

[jwe 10]

Hello all,

My name is John and I am new to the ground dog. I have been around a few Jack Russels but just got a Patterdale pup. She is 12 weeks now and I have had her for a month. What an experience this has been. She is so eager to hunt. She was on mice at 9 weeks and last night finished a pound and a half fox squirrel with no help.

I read about some of you being unable to hunt badger due to laws, and find this hard to imagine. I live in Idaho USA and we are as far from this as possible. I cannot verify it , but have been told by a local biologist that I live in the highest concentration of badgers in the world. We have so many that there is a 12 month season on them.

Thanks for all of your writings, I have really enjoyed reading them and learning. What a waste of many years hunting without one of these dogs.

[marshman 7,757]

Welcome john ! Put some pics up of your dogs ?

[jwe 10]

This is my pup, Kate and my sons Jack Russel. We went out for a couple of hours this morning and she got her first contact with a badger. I shot it but I think she thinks she got it. This is also typical ground we hunt them in, you can see it is littered with badger holes. There are enough badgers we can get on at least one almost every time we go out. We seen 3 today but let two go as we have a tournament in 2 weeks.

[jwe 10]

The terrain.

[Blaise 2,322]

very interesting Jwe.

 

I think the american badger is different than european. Are you agree ?

[jwe 10]

I would agree that they are quite a bit different, but I am not to familiar with the European version. I have taken a couple that were just over 40 pounds, but would guess the average fall time male to be about 20-25 pounds. And they are aggressive! I would also think American badgers have a shorter more powerful head and jaw.

[paulus 26]

As your topic appears to be in the wrong section, (a non hunting post), we have moved it to the appropriate forum.

 

This is an automatically generated reply.

[rob284 1,682]

any pics of the earths you work. looks like vast land.

[Blaise 2,322]

How do you hunt them ?

[jwe 10]

We just spot and shoot. We had a real wet spring so the grass is taller than normal this year so its a little tough. I have always had Border Collies and if you could catch them far enough away from a hole they would sure hold them till you could get there with the rifle, but if they made the hole it was over. Around here there are very few people (at least that I know of) with terriers. By next year I sure hope to be hunting in a manner that would make you Europeans proud.

[rob284 1,682]

We just spot and shoot. We had a real wet spring so the grass is taller than normal this year so its a little tough. I have always had Border Collies and if you could catch them far enough away from a hole they would sure hold them till you could get there with the rifle, but if they made the hole it was over. Around here there are very few people (at least that I know of) with terriers. By next year I sure hope to be hunting in a manner that would make you Europeans proud.

in the day?

[jwe 10]

Mostly during the day, however you can get a spot light permit but it cannot be attached to a vehicle. A couple years ago my son started hunting on a Friday afternoon and hit them pretty hard so he stayed on them all weekend. When he finally ran out of gas on Sunday afternoon he had gotten 27. There is almost a new one killed on a 30 mile stretch of highway every day.

[Hot Meat 3,109]

Do you plan on digging them ??

[jwe 10]

Yes I do! As stated I am new to these dogs and cannot believe it has taken me this long to get into them. Kate is my first (but not last) Patterdale and at 12 weeks I have a while before I can dig.

[Hot Meat 3,109]

I'm sure there is a video on YouTube of a black n tan an a patt I think during a dig over there, could be wrong tho, it's not best of vids lol be interesting to see how you get on