About Books And The New Authors Nowadays.

[neil cooney 10,416]

The topic started of about working terrier books but as we're now talking about all fieldsports I'll mention a few of my favourites.

Walshe's book Lurchers and Longdogs was good and IMO ahead of it's time. LOL, he had to get a lad to pose in daylight with his DIY lamp as he couldn't take a photo at night.

I think Rod Adairs "A chain of Bubbles" and "Reflection upon a chain" will be classics in time and the work he put into those books was unbelievable.

Herbert Atkinsons best known book IMO is also a classic.

I used to have all of Plummers books and sold to them a man who was every bit as big a dreamer as Plummer himself. Funny enough I thought Rogues and Running Dogs was enjoyable. Pity those who deserved credit never got it. Hunters All was another that as a youngster I read many times.

Walshe's The Poachers Companion was another well researched and well written book.

 

Tell me this, was Michael Shaw really Plummer ?

 

Three more classics, "I walked by night" "Fresh Woods" and "The Poachers Handbook."

And lets not forget Fred J Taylors "Shooting Times Guide to Ferreting." Possibly the first practical book on the subject.

[Bosun11 537]

Good post WM, answered what i only knew part of. Though i knew Jimmy before he left, I didn't know to ask him but I will speak to Joe.

 

Just on books, Norman Mursall's books are a fantastic read and i highly recommend them.

[pointer 543]

I haven't read many of the newer books but it's sort of nice that books are still published these days when there is so much stuff on the Internet. Over the years there's always been issues about weather or not some people should have wrote a book and questions about the authors experience etc. but I think it has to be remembered that many of us on these forums have typed more words and shared more pictures than any of the published authors like Plummer. Different times I suppose but thinking about it putting an opinion or a write up of a days hunting on the Internet is no different than the same person having similar stuff printed off and made into a book.

It's kind of a shame modern books aren't just put on the Internet for free for newbies to read many of which will be kids without much money but I suppose if someone spends the time to write a book they want to make a few quid. I like my hunting with Hawks and Fishing and there's a load of really good e-books out there to read on Kindle Unlimited. I feel it's a shame the youngster wanting to get into terriers/lurchers/ hounds and ferrets isn't as catered for but then again forums like this are full of info a quick search away.

Edited May 27, 2015 by pointer

[Bosun11 537]

 

Good post WM, answered what i only knew part of. Though i knew Jimmy before he left, I didn't know to ask him but I will speak to Joe.

Just on books, Norman Mursall's books are a fantastic read and i highly recommend them.

I'd like to see a book with mohatt,shearo,nicko the hislops etc Paul,when you gonna write it mate? Atb AT

Ha! So would i mate, each of them would need a book of their own, well Moatt and Nico definatley, their tales should be in print... And dont tempt me mate, the ammount of time and effort would all but kill me..!!! Lol

 

[Astanley 11,562]

Plummer asked me to write his biography ,and I only spoke to him twice.

[Lutra Lutra 611]

 

 

 

 

There absolutely no point posting in this terrier section now, getting scrutinized for everything you write by people who think they are experts hidden by usernames so no one knows who you are! Some people use better grammar because there better educated and not a thick c**t! Does this mean they can't be any good at digging?From the short time I've been on here you can tell there is only a few lads that go around terrier work in a professional manner! There are a lot of lads of here who think only hard terriers with lots of scars work quarry well, and it's the same lads that think posting scared up dogs on a public forum doesn't do any harm to terrier work! In fact probably won't affect them if terrier work is banned as they probs just go where they want! But for gamekeepers who actually fort to keep terrier work as a tool of there job,( gamekeepers exempt) its all these knackers that have to tell the world about there 1 dig a year with there hard smashed up dogs that are slowly ruining terrier work!

My reply to 5 foot downs comments. There is actually someone on this forum who has agreed in what I have said and has the intelligence and opinion on the working aspects of terriers.The truth of the matter is, that hard dogs and their owners give the terrier-game bad press. So simple and a fact which would be shared by anybody who has been involved with good dogs. I am not for one moment pulling hard dogs down, I am not. They have their place and uses. However, like I have mentioned before I don't think it is a good idea to parade dogs with open wounds at shows to all and sundry to see....5 foot downs comments being so accurate and for once an intelligent comment. There should be more people like him on these forums. Also I have been at the mercy of certain attacks about styles of writing and communicating on this forum. How do people expect one to write, when that is only what one knows? I could if I so wish post photos all day long, but I don't have to comply or certainly prove a point. I have been constantly attacked by Foxdropper for only a reason known to himself. I haven't tried in his parlance to educate anyone; that isn't my style. If I was of a kind, I could write about all types of experiences with dogs and all the so-called celebrities I have known and met. But I don't have to blow on my own trumpet! Also to all the Irish guys who might put into question my ability with dogs. I have met some of the giants, if I can use that terminology from all parts of Ireland. In fact they might even be some on this forum listening to these comments now. All the big boys in the game and worthy of respect I will know. I have also sent some good terriers over in many parts of Ireland which have remained in their kennels until their latter days. Further proving not just my point but also other sensible comments by other terrier lads that baying dogs are of more use. That is a fact! I will of course await for certain negative reactions from certain corners. Also again to Foxdropper.' DON'T TRY AND TELL ME ABOUT THE WORD(TRUTH)'.That is cerainly one subject I will beat be you on. Hands down! Once again thanks to all the guys who haven't been a critic of myself. It is good to know that there are still some good people in this complicated life...... D.R.M.

P.S.Once again my many thanks to (5 foot down) for is truthful, intelligent comments. 'We would'nt be in such a dire situation if many more people thought like him.

 

Hard dogs and there owners give the terrier game bad press,thats some statement to come out with about a lot of lads you neither know or ever met.Not all lads parade there dogs around the ring,i for 1 dont and never have.Then you say you have done a lot of diging,well i reckon with your sounders you probably have and i mean diging.You also say that if game wants to move then it will and no dog will stop it,well imo you have not seen many good dogs work but then again everyone has different standards.

 

Fatman, it is obvious through your statements you prefer a different dog not just to myself but to many others also. Also I have never said all terrier men and their hard dogs give the terrier game bad press as that would be an unfair statement. Certain guys have paraded terriers at the shows with open wounds; I have seen it and if people are honest they have too. At the end of the day it all depends upon your definition of an hard dog. I have seen iron hard dogs go for a little while, but in the end they have come to a sticky end. Another statement you made was about myself in your words not seeing many good dogs. I had to really laugh at that one. If I was an arrogant type and wanted to show off or prove a point, I could quite easily post photos on an open forum of certain Russells which had been all over the British Isles. Also, I have sent dogs over to your country to some of the old hands at the game. They would soon blow your accusations a sunder! I don't think it is a good idea to get into a personal slanging match just based on different views about dogs. I don't know you at all and you could be a nice genuine person, so of course I will refrain from forming any attacks upon yourself. But just through interest, could you answer me one question please? Why haven't you taken any other person to task when they have posted their ( SENSIBLE COMMENTS) about baying dogs and their quarry? I have read quite a few comments and certain people prefer baying dogs. So why am I in the wrong? Very strange that is for sure! Lutra Lutra.

 

The truth of the matter is,hard dogs and there owners give terrier work bad press,your words not mine.As for your russells that were all over the british isles i have also seen terriers that got about a lot but they were in my eyes no good,as i already said people have different standards.Lads that parade terriers at shows with fresh open wounds,well thats there buisness,not my cup of tea for sure.Posting pictures of certain russells still would not prove that they done the buisness as i have also seen plenty that looked the part but were also crap when put to the test.I am not geting into a personal slanging match with you or anyone else just giving my opinion same as you and to answer your question i have had a few little barneys on here with lads over the same thing,for instance at a time before we ever seen a patterdale or fell type we used bullxrussells of every % and up until recently i had a halfx bullxpatt,dog was well worked,hatrd at his work but put a lot of quarry on the sod.In the 70-80s there were a lot of bullx's about and they worked to a very high standard,pre-ban,pre-locater but for some reason the bullx terrier is not rated on here by a lot of lads but then again thats there opinion,but i wonder did these same lads ever work a good bullxrussell.Lastly LUTRA,you are knocking the hardish type terriers and blowing up the bayers so i am entitled to to my say and to defend the rough type terrier,as you say we all have our preferences.

 

Fatman, you made some good valid points and I totally agree with your truthful comments. Very good! I did see one guy in the early 80s walking his terriers up and down at a show in Harrogate, Yorkshire. The young guy in question proceeded to do so in view of many people who attended the show that day. The 2 terriers he had were in a terrible state, jaws twisted, lips hanging,old scars but more worse being fresh open wounds. Anyone knows with just a little amount of knowledge those type minority, give the game an whole bad impression upon the ordinary 'Joe public".I agree also at the end of the day scars are not always an indicator of a good dog. How many times do some terriers get cut up in kennel fights sometimes? Another question from myself would be to certain terrier men that they think it is a necessity in a terrier that it is an hard dog that is required.I have, and so have many others, seen hard dogs that in truth only ever managed to see just a small amount of work due to their habit of being too hard. By the other flip of the coin however, I have encountered other peoples terriers that have been too afraid of their quarry, standing back at such a distance that digging became somewhat fruitless! At the end of the day it is all about what one wants from their dogs. In my honest opinion, if a certain owner is pleased and somewhat satisfied in their dogs; 'any dog', would it not be fair to say that it is a good dog?Perhaps not in your eyes or perhaps mine, but to them it would of course be deemed to be good. I was not knocking hard terriers in their entirety but just stating certain facts. Everyone should know and realize that you don't need hard dogs to succeed in terrier work. I had a little bitch that bayed but also on many occasions would be seen to be going into too hard at times and she had killed many foxes. To people who had never seen the bitch work or had even seen her, they would have been surprized at how small she was in size. Also Bert Gripton told me on one

occasion that the hardest dog he'd seen was a ( Border dog) . But then that would be another story. Like I asked before do any lads buy books about the intended quarry species they hunt? Also to Myersbg. It was interesting to hear that you knew David Grayling and I would love to hear more about your involvement with him. Like I said before I had many dealings with him regarding the book situation; and I had first bought books from him perhaps 30 years ago. He was a man of outstanding integrity and loyal to his fellow man. Do you know who actually bought his book business from him? He was also master of a pack of Beagles was he? I have met many good hunting characters from Cumbria and also have hunted with many of the fell-packs. Please write more, I would be very interested also to hear about your involvement with sporting books. Thank you. Also to (Fatman), perhaps we do disagree on certain aspects of the working terrier and its values and working abilities . However, I am not an arrogant person and I do respect certain peoples opinions regarding all types of subjects. I wish you well in your search for further knowledge. Lutra Lutra.

Edited May 27, 2015 by Lutra Lutra

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

The Hunting Gene ,Robin page ,Gone To The Dogs same .

Poachers Handbook ,Ian Niall

I walked by Night ,LiliasRider Haggard

Guide to Ferreting ,FredJ Tailor.

All the Darcy titles and Harcombe books

The thirst for knowledge never ends but the appreciation or feasability within the pages changes according to how much we have seen ourselves i guess ,something Sean Frain never mastered to get around .

Poetic licence is alloweable in areas as long as it dosnt take the reader away from the truth to fantasy and back .

Blucks book Digging the dirt ,was in all fairness a good read

If i was to jot down a few memories i would have it entitled" I Dug It My Way ".

[myersbg 1,385]

Lutra Lutra, David Grayling was master and sometimes huntsman to the Bleasdale beagles, somewhere i have one of there hunt badges given to me by David, the first time we met we would have been rabbiting with the dogs and ferrets on the farm land around his house, he was not that happy to start with but when he spoke to the farmer and found out we had permission he was sound,over the years we had a few good cracks and always had a pint at Rydal show, I am afraid i cant tell you who bought his book business as i dont know.

I stopped buying dog books from this country as i got bored with a lot of the same stuff over and over again, i am buying books from Canada and America,mostly trapping a wants and wilderness stuff. If any body wants to have a good read have a look at Call of the wilderness a trappers tale by Dave Van de Meer, its a hell of an adventure by a young man of 17 yrs old.

 

Another working dog book not mentioned yet is The English Whippet by Ted Walsh and Mary Lowe, excellent read and now worth a few bob in 1st edition.

 

Brian

[darbo 4,774]

A poachers tale fred speakman

Highland deer forest L. macnally

Pennine poacher richard fawcett

The time of life sir john buchan hepburn

[Lutra Lutra 611]

The Hunting Gene ,Robin page ,Gone To The Dogs same .

Poachers Handbook ,Ian Niall

I walked by Night ,LiliasRider Haggard

Guide to Ferreting ,FredJ Tailor.

All the Darcy titles and Harcombe books

The thirst for knowledge never ends but the appreciation or feasability within the pages changes according to how much we have seen ourselves i guess ,something Sean Frain never mastered to get around .

Poetic licence is alloweable in areas as long as it dosnt take the reader away from the truth to fantasy and back .

Blucks book Digging the dirt ,was in all fairness a good read

If i was to jot down a few memories i would have it entitled" I Dug It My Way ".

' I dug it my way'! I will be the first to admit that was an excellent thought, plus very quick and exceedingly funny. Brilliant!

[Astanley 11,562]

Some great books mentioned here ,I have read and enjoyed many of them ,one of my favourites is ..Memoirs of a hunter ,by Fredrick Remmler , I would highly recommend it

[Waz 4,252]

Id love to one read a book about Ken Gould.....Just saying.

[undertaker 831]

Columbo that wud be a good book to read he might tell us the truth how some of his dogs were breed lol

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

Be the first if he did lol.

[Bosun11 537]

Be the first if he did lol.

PMSL