Loner's

[BlackDog1 134]

I always prefer to dig with a friend as you can both help each other out and also see each others dogs coming along. It's also good to have a second opinion in a tricky situation.

[kirstysdad 827]

Sometimes things go wrong when on your own mate broke a leg bad break with bone sticking out phoned wife who thought he was taking piss told her were he was still took his mate 3hours to find him passed out and dogs f##ked of took ambulance a while to get him out and to hospital and mate had to go and find terriers as well was digging with them weekend still take the piss about metal pin in leg interfering with locator

[neil cooney 10,416]

I've done a lot of digging on my own and it's all about preparation and routine, like having the chain already anchored and all tools to hand and maybe the gun propped up against the hedge.

But no matter how well you think you know a place you'll eventually get caught out. The handy place you've always dug with your mates will run to 8 or 9 foot the day you try it on your own. And a deep dig on your own is not nice.

I had a terrier at 15 foot 2 years ago and was down 8 foot with 7 to go when things went quiet. I got out and seen the game bolting down the side of the quarry I was in. I was never so glad to see something get away.

3 or 4 lads is a nice number and terriers can be tested properly in big places with a good crew.

 

Mind you, I've been on digs with anything up to 20 or 30 lads present and you know what they say about too many cooks spoiling the broth.

[francolin 449]

It's good to dig with 1 or 2 proper digging lads. good Craic and piss taking is what it's all about. I normally try to get out on my own when starting off young pups though. Gives them every chance to learn the ropes on their own with less activity around the hole.

with pups fair enough, some times too much going on and too much input from other folk, the pups don't get a fair chance ,patience is the key,and nobody takin piss when things don't go too well

[shovel 160]

 

 

It's good to dig with 1 or 2 proper digging lads. good Craic and piss taking is what it's all about. I normally try to get out on my own when starting off young pups though. Gives them every chance to learn the ropes on their own with less activity around the hole.

with pups fair enough, some times too much going on and too much input from other folk, the pups don't get a fair chance ,patience is the key,and nobody takin piss when things don't go too well

Exactly. Not all terriers will fly to ground the first few days out so alot of patience is required. The last thing a young terrier needs is some big mouth saying it should be doing this or cull that thing. Sometimes terriers that start off slower become great workers if given a small bit of time.

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

I would say a mixture of both suits me but then again I'm easy going and get on with most .Met a few lone diggers and one thing seems to ring true ,they are miserable feckers lol and probably have no choice .Like has been said the craic is half the day .

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

Id rather go out with a mate..

[neil cooney 10,416]

I would say a mixture of both suits me but then again I'm easy going and get on with most .Met a few lone diggers and one thing seems to ring true ,they are miserable feckers lol and probably have no choice .Like has been said the craic is half the day .

I must be a miserable fecker then, LOL.

BUT, sometimes you might find yourself with an hour or two to spare and it is nice to try a hole or two you'd nearly forgotten about.

[Grunter123 1,110]

I have done a fair bit alone with my old bitch but nowadays I like he company and he laugh,

[Waz 4,262]

I love a handy dig on my todd, excellent for 1 on 1 with youngsters, only downside is lugging the gear on your own. I do pick my spots though! LOL

Also have lots of digs with 10, 20 or even 30 folk peering in, on invites out in the sticks, the hunt club and their family, the farmer and their family, even had the mayor with us and a few seasons ago the local plod turned up, got a photo of them with us.

I just get on with it, not so great when you have a critter that wont be forced into a pot and your following the runaround with pensioners in the way.. or when your breaking through and the phones come out.. on the plus side, you normally get well fed and watered and only have to walk to and from the dig with terriers as you load anyone not walking with a stick with tools..

Chalk and cheese to having a rumble in the jungle on your own. I like the both, good memories of both, but digging on your todd is a bit more special

Edited February 2, 2016 by Columbo

[neil cooney 10,416]

One of the best men I ever seen digging didn't care if he was alone or in a group it was big deep places either way. And even if he had company he still did nearly all the digging.

A little bag on his back contained a torch,a saw, a finder and water for the terrier. In one hand he had a mattock and a shovel in the other hand was a terrier on a chain.

That was it and lets face it, a mattock is no good after 4 or 5 foot so it was shovel only after that. I seen this man digging 9 and 10 foot to his Lakelands and he do most of the digging.

Single handed digging doesn't have to be 3 footers only, if you want to do it.

 

Oh, and it kills me to say this but he was English.

[Dunkanon 380]

Ive done a fair bit of digging on my own, more so because of not having digging partners available. Ive had some good days, but I do prefer it when there is someone with you for a bit of banter and to give you a spell on the shovel. Ive had good and bad experiences both on my own and when in company. On your own if it starts to get a bit difficult or deep there is no one on hand to help, dug a few 8/9 footers on my own, not overly deep but deep enough when there is no one there helping keep up moral. I also prefer that after dig discussion with a digging partner...its not quite the same when I get home all excited telling the wife how well it went.......... And the same if its gone badly for whatever reason, I find its better when there is someone else there to exchange thoughts on it.

 

I will still dig on my own as if I didn't I would do even less than I do now. On the plus side I find digging alone more challenging and more rewarding as you know its down to just you and the tyke in the ground I feel then it becomes more a test of the man as well as the dog. I my opinion if we keep gamedogs then we also need to show some gameness.

[rob284 1,682]

One of the best men I ever seen digging didn't care if he was alone or in a group it was big deep places either way. And even if he had company he still did nearly all the digging.

A little bag on his back contained a torch,a saw, a finder and water for the terrier. In one hand he had a mattock and a shovel in the other hand was a terrier on a chain.

That was it and lets face it, a mattock is no good after 4 or 5 foot so it was shovel only after that. I seen this man digging 9 and 10 foot to his Lakelands and he do most of the digging.

Single handed digging doesn't have to be 3 footers only, if you want to do it.

 

Oh, and it kills me to say this but he was English.

quite satisfying doing a 10footer on your bill. Takes a while but if you have the dogs for it, whats the rush.

[neil cooney 10,416]

This man did Rob, big chunky ol' fashioned lakeys. Black N Tans or Blue in colour.

[Zilverhaze 1,627]

Good post dunkanon