Pup And Squatters

[jwhizz420 177]

Started me pup on the 14 month dog pup on lamp, why doesn't see the squatters till they bolt ?

He's missed a few easy catches aswell, he won't run till they run

[MIK 4,763]

time

[pip1968 2,490]

some dogs never see them even when their standing right on top of the rabbit iv seen it happen plenty of times,i think they just like moving things tbh and just look out for that movement

[snappeer 464]

Some times my bitch will see them from 100 yards away and pick them up some times she runs right over them a think all dogs have off nights

[Alimac2 321]

As mik says, it will come with time & remember that it ain't as easy to see for the dog, being 4ft lower to the ground that you.

[bird 9,969]

some dogs never see them even when their standing right on top of the rabbit iv seen it happen plenty of times,i think they just like moving things tbh and just look out for that movement

spot on, because what ever the rabbit it will be moving in secs so the young dog will do the same, so inits head like above its looking for movment in the beam simple as that. what you got to do is get as close as you can, keep the beam on the rabbits and make a noise as you going to slip the dog, (don't) slip the dog until it sees the rabbit, it may take dozen or so nights for it all to click.My young dog was mad for few runs at 1st, then clicked in his head and started to take them of the seat, keep at it .

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

Some dogs pick it up quickly some don't. .I bet we've all slipped a pup on rabbits they haven't seen ..dog runs by gives the bunny yards start before it sees it and the "easy" one escapes lol... build the trust..nowt wrong in walking a pup right on top of a squatter...atb

[slip lead 862]

Repetition, the more you get out the better he/she will become..

 

Happy Hunting.

[iceman001979 1,316]

Try hunting her in real short fields ( grass) sheep fields are best where a squatter stands out.

[Qbgrey 4,138]

walk dog up to sitters,saying,rabbit,rabbit,or whatever u chose,keep beam on em till you get close enough till it bolts,slip dog.........repeat ,repeat dog will learn then you can just keep dog off slip ,beam on sitter,and dog will fly in and snap em up.

[krawnden 1,036]

Like has already been said, some dogs never get the hang of squatters. My first lurcher caught a very high percentage of everything he ran on the lamp, but he never ever twigged to picking up squatters. I had some where I'd walked so close we were virtually on top of them - if I'd stuck my leg out I could have nudged it with my foot. Held the beam on 'em the whole time and I'd be thinking "How the hell can he not see that?" but for whatever reason he just couldn't seem to see them. But the minute it moved he was away.

[jwhizz420 177]

‘Squatters’ is the name given by night time hunters to the rabbits which choose to squat down when the beam of the hunters lamp illuminates them. They don't do this because the lamp is blinding them; it is a natural freeze response. The rabbits natural instincts tell it to stay still to avoid detection. In many cases it works and the rabbit is overlooked. During the night when illuminated with a lamp the rabbits eyes glow red in the beam which gives them away. Many novice and unskilled lampers make the big mistake of walking their dogs as close up to the squatting rabbit as they can. When they get close the rabbit inevitably jumps up and the dog pursues it by reflex with the lamper illuminating its escape path. The dog has learnt nothing here. I've seen some shocking antics over the years from lurcher men doing this when lamping. One man once told me that “Practice would make perfect” as he insisted on walking out to squatting rabbits which his dog kept failing to see and then missing when the rabbit finally did jump up. Practice only makes perfect if you are practicing the right things! Otherwise practice simply makes permanent. To keep doing the same thing and expecting different results is madness {A.Einstien}It is the dog’s job to go up to the squatting rabbit on its own. When the lamper walks the dog up to the rabbit himself he is simply teaching it NOT to look down the beam and NOT to go down the beam itself. The late Harold Wyman in his excellent book 'The Great Game' describes perfectly how a lurcher should work the lamp and squatters {page 95 - 96}. This Welsh poacher certainly knew his trade. The lamper should illuminate a squatting rabbit by holding his lamp as high as possible creating a downward spot of light on the rabbit. A correctly schooled lurcher should then trot out or run {depending on how it is bred} towards this beam of light. It's very unlikely that even the tallest of lurchers will always see every squatting rabbit, especially on rough ground. Remember how much lower your dog’s eyes are to yours. Try putting your eyes at the same height as your dogs and see what you see. Despite the nonsense that a certain prolific field sports author used to say about lurchers not using their noses at night, a good one will. Yes it is right that a lurcher shouldn't hunt on with its nose after missing a rabbit but it will certainly use it to pinpoint a tightly squatting rabbit it might not be able to see, thus helping it zero in. Remember you should be hunting with the wind in your face and ideally the rabbit’s sanctuary behind you. Once the lurcher reaches the spot of light it will in most cases be rewarded by the rabbit jumping up {positive reinforcement} and hopefully running back towards you the lamper providing you have correctly positioned yourself against the fence / hedge / wood. If the rabbit sits really tight and the dog can’t see it this is when you will see a good dog use its nose to pin point its prey before striking. Once a dog has been correctly conditioned that the spot of light is likely to hold a rabbit it will go out remarkable distances to it whether it can see the rabbit or not. My own dogs always know when I raise my lamp high and form a spot of light out in the field that a rabbit is there awaiting them. In brief, you teach your dog to go to the spot of light so in never matters whether it has seen the squatting rabbit or not.A dog is best conditioned alone and there will be some moments when trainees go steaming off into the night or tread on squatters whilst looking elsewhere. If you persevere and work on short distances of around twenty yards or so first it doesn’t take long for them to cotton on and start going out further. Remember to always have the wind in your face. If your dog doesn't pick the rabbit up from its seat and it jumps up, your dog should be pursuing it towards you providing you positioned yourself correctly. If you rock your lamp beam making a strobe type effect it will often knock the rabbit out of its stride and help the dog make its catch.

[toby63 1,236]

In time your dog will know when you keep the lamp on one place for long enough theres goin to be something there its all about getting the dog to look down the beam. Try using a old sock with tennis ball inside . Play with the dog during the day so it knows its a toy then take it on short grass and throw it then lamp it up so your dog will see it then slip the dog and it will get use to looking whats there