The Brown Rat

[fireman 10,869]

The trouble with this internet lark is your preaching to the experienced ,the new starters ,the wannabees ,the wankers and the antis all at the same time .Anybody who hasn't seen more than 200 a day will be understandably bemused by talk of gameness when ratting as will a ratter be unable to comprehend a decent dig to a decent dog .Ratting to me is definitely a lesser challenge for a dog but no lesser a sport .It grates a bit when some think the plummer is the be all and end all when ratting as virtually any terrier will make the grade the difference is getting them out doing it which the plummer lads are good at .When a terrier gets to know a farm or ground it is virtually unbeatable on that patch as it knows the runs ,the likely escapes and only a fool matches a dog in such a place .Its a shame more plummers arnt tested proper but that's just my view .

Agree with 99% of that FD,but a good dog is a good dog and own ground don't really come into it a lot of the time.Admitedly on a known patch a dog in the know will do better but on strange ground i'm still yet to see any dog of any sort find,mark and catch better than my plummer.She's a sporting terrier for me as are all my terriers as if they were just diggers then they'd spend to much time in kennels for me and i like to get out doing all sorts with them,but your so right about more need testing proper as less folks would do the usual slagging bollocks,but a lot of folk do get a plummer because there a multi task terrier rather than a one job dog.My own plummer is 9 now and can still put in a shift under the soil but it is my russell that gets grabbed first for a dig because that was why he was bred and that's why he's here and he's good enough for me at it,but ratting he gets left at home because to be honest he's shite at it .Horses for courses ...

[stumfelter 3,034]

Rats have hard bites although ferrets can kill them with ease. I don't see how a ground dog would be turned upside down.

You obviously don't do much ratting with ferrets if you think they kill rats with ease. A big old doe is more than a match for a Jill.

[keith j 1,088]

FD I also work a collie in my team ,and I wonder if I posted about collies alone 'ratting'!would it create the same controversy?Plummer owners always get singled out on here and given stick.But in all due respect your comments or anybody else's means nothing to me anyways,And if you think sharing a few days hunting Is bigging my dogs up.well that's your opinion.But don't you think THL would be a better place if more people shared there experiences rather than pulling other folks to bits. But all the same FD I wish you well as after all its only the internet and take it for what it is.But I think this has ran its course don't you, so keep up your good work ad will I atb Keith j

[keith j 1,088]

Fox bolter haven't you gone to bed yet?almost forgot it's the weekend and you've no school tomorrow,You my friend come out with the utmost load of crap I've heard in a long time. Do you actually Work or even own a dog.your bed time story's are having an affect on you kidda, ,so on that note I bid you good night xxx

[foxbolter 447]

Good night Keith old mate

[neil cooney 10,416]

I'm no expert on rat hunting, the trap nowadays being the most common method I use to catch them. But when we were at it we did manage over 100 five times with the biggest tally being 169 with 5 terriers in 5 hours. We'd have kept going only one of the terriers got a cut that needed the bleeding stopped.

To me the two sports (ratting Vs digging) are completely different, the only common denominators being that terriers are used for pest control.

Another BIG difference I've noticed is that when a dog is to ground a calm level head is essential.

But on a rat hunt a calm level head is impossible, LOL.

 

Edited to say Pest control,

Edited November 14, 2015 by neil cooney

[stormyboy 1,352]

The hard biting brown rat pmsl ha ha dreaming me and on drugs in fact I was deemed a plummer went to ground

 

WTF does that mean?? Like I said.......

 

You've said you've seen one Plummer-this is what you base your 'opinion' on? You shouldn't really comment on things you have no experience of because it casts a lot of doubt on your point of view doesn't it cupcake? There is a saying-a wise man speaks because he has something to say. A fool speaks because he has to say something. Do us a favour and have a think about that before you post one of your illiterate ramblings......

[foxbolter 447]

Good night kreth

[keith j 1,088]

Had a few canny weekends out with the team,no big numbers couple 20 odds and a forty odd.My nephew joined me on these hunts,he's 12 year old and keen as mustard,doing his fare share and getting mucked in,digging ,smoking and lamping.managed to get a few canny shots of the weekend gone.We done to farms one of which the farmer kindly moved a few things around for us,i would like to say rats started fleeing out every where but wasn't the case ,still nailed 23 and the collie nailed a fleeing stoat.A great day overall ,the youngin loved it as did myself.few pics ATB Keith j.

[hjckcff 1,738]

nice pics and the young lad looks like he is loving the sport.

[stevo79 569]

Good job mate them plummers in great nick. Keep posting and doing what you enjoy doing. I've done quite a bit of ratting with my collie x jack and patterdale its def gets your blood pumping specially smoking them out.

Atb

[oz0707 65]

Great pics. Can't believe you're using disc cutter as smoker they fetch good dough! Have you altered it or are you just running it rich?

[keith j 1,088]

nice pics and the young lad looks like he is loving the sport.

He dose love it bud,always asking questions and wanting to learn and not scared to get tucked in.

[keith j 1,088]

Great pics. Can't believe you're using disc cutter as smoker they fetch good dough! Have you altered it or are you just running it rich?

Just run it on normal mix,most of the time just run it on tick over unless holes are deep no need to make the mix rich,atb.

[Chicken_man 1,651]

Keith do you ever bolt rats with ferrets?

Great pics again. Dogs look great.

Atb