Intresting

[Danny Evans 11]

 

Hole is big enough to get down its under a old tree loads of room down there and these a hole other side of it so possibly a bolt hole? My bitch has only been used for bunnys and I've only had her a week so not sure haw she would react to something bigger than a bunny haha it is tempting but not sure if my dog would be ready and wouldn't want to Nock her confidence

 

Danny if you're not 100% committed then leave her out, holes under trees can be a nightmare with roots and you don't want to be digging on your own, I'd be getting her out with some terriers that know their stuff in an easier place just to see if its in her, at least then you will know what she's about, WM

Deffo mate I won't rush her but she seemed keen to go down but I'm not 100% she would do the job so only time will tell on future working days,she could well suprise me tho but will take her out soon

[Haiddheliwr 1,911]

On a serious note Danny if she shows interest and is keen let her go! As said previously though if you are worried have someone with an experienced dog on stand by! It would just kill me never knowing "WHO DARES WINS" and all that lol. Best of luck ATB

[Danny Evans 11]

If she's keen I suppose she thinks she's ready for new task I suppose haha

[neil cooney 10,416]

 

 

My bitch led me to this today pulling very strong on the lead and making a few noises, something could have been at home but it looks like a old hole dosent it?

I never go by looks Danny and theres only one way to find out and thats collar the dog and enter it, you can have fresh looking heavily padded holes that hold nothing and yet get one in a hole full of leaves, quite often they get run to ground unseen and will hole up in the first place of refuge whether its a hole,drain or anything, WM

You must be wrong mate, all the real experts on here say their terriers can tell if theres something in before they even get to the holes

 

Cheers, D.

 

I argued on here a while back that the only way you can tell if an earth is holding or empty is to have a terrier check it and at least travel some of it.

I was surprised by the amount of lads who said they could check an earth with their terrier still on the lead and walk away 100% satisfied that it's empty.

I reckon them boys leave quarry behind and don't even know it.

[HBG 350]

If ya have to let a dog go down every set of holes to check if it's occupied you'd waste a lot of your day netting up for nothing.

[Rabbit Hunter 6,613]

I disagree with that Neil. I've had and seen other dogs that can tell you whether theres one at home or not. It's about watching you're dogs attitude change and what their different mark is. Some whine, some pull soil back, some just freeze on the lead and cant be pulled away etc.

It depends how you raise your pup I suppose. Some let theirs run empty earths and run loose with the locator collar on etc. I like to be strict with mine and when out hunting keep them on the lead etc. Theres not as much game up around me and if you let them run empty earths youd be wasting a lot of time. A marking dog is essential I think.

Edited September 26, 2016 by Rabbit Hunter

[neil cooney 10,416]

How much time would you waste in a days hunting by letting a terrier run every earth to see if they're holding ? Over a day would it be even 20 minutes ?

I do agree that those who use nets would have a pain in their ass netting up every earth before letting the terrier off. But IMO in big places unless the terrier gets some soil on it's back there is NO way you can say that place is empty.

Scent at an entrance doesn't always mean he's at home (he might have just pissed there) and no scent at an entrance doesn't mean it's empty.

It might mean that whoever's at home mightn't have stirred for a while.

 

Also, regarding rearing pups and having them travelling empty earths ?

Some lads seem to think a youngster needs to be dug to every time he's entered early in his career.

IMO terriers that have never been in an empty earth often go on to be the ones who'll eventually waste half a day "ghosting" ,to use an old term, in an earth.

A terrier IMO needs to know that not every earth holds and that an earth needs to be checked quickly, efficiently and if holding then there's a job to do.

A terrier that's been spoilt by being entered every time to an occupied earth is IMO not learning it's trade properly.

[Rabbit Hunter 6,613]

You could spend longer than that for a dog to be checking empty earths I think. Everyone has their own ways I think and there's no rights or wrongs aslong as your getting results. Everyone up around where I live has the same method of keeping the dogs on leads, like I say because its a time saver more than anything else. Obviously you'll get the times where the dog gives a slight mark (fresh scent etc) and let the dog run through to make sure but not on every earth.

 

Ive no idea why some dogs mess around or 'ghost' in earths like you say. Is it because theyve been encouraged to enter by an over enthusiastic owner? Is it fear of the game theyre supposed to be working? God knows.

[Craic 203]

 

 

 

My bitch led me to this today pulling very strong on the lead and making a few noises, something could have been at home but it looks like a old hole dosent it?

 

I never go by looks Danny and theres only one way to find out and thats collar the dog and enter it, you can have fresh looking heavily padded holes that hold nothing and yet get one in a hole full of leaves, quite often they get run to ground unseen and will hole up in the first place of refuge whether its a hole,drain or anything, WM

You must be wrong mate, all the real experts on here say their terriers can tell if theres something in before they even get to the holes

Cheers, D.

I argued on here a while back that the only way you can tell if an earth is holding or empty is to have a terrier check it and at least travel some of it.

I was surprised by the amount of lads who said they could check an earth with their terrier still on the lead and walk away 100% satisfied that it's empty.

I reckon them boys leave quarry behind and don't even know it.

Every dog is different IMHO, a few years back a dog I had would never travel an empty earth, twice in a week the hounds marked and the terrier said no , I walked back to the quad the huntsman said my dog was shit, I said okay then let's get another dog preferably one of yere dogs they tried a few different dogs again nothing at home, I trusted the dog 100% that's just one instance of how he proved a few people wrong .

[Lenmcharristar 9,660]

We always walked to earths with dogs on lead then Unclipped to let him check the holes on his own, don't expect any mucking around the dog got a go if it's there or not if nobody at home

[neil cooney 10,416]

You could spend longer than that for a dog to be checking empty earths I think. Everyone has their own ways I think and there's no rights or wrongs aslong as your getting results. Everyone up around where I live has the same method of keeping the dogs on leads, like I say because its a time saver more than anything else. Obviously you'll get the times where the dog gives a slight mark (fresh scent etc) and let the dog run through to make sure but not on every earth.

 

Ive no idea why some dogs mess around or 'ghost' in earths like you say. Is it because theyve been encouraged to enter by an over enthusiastic owner? Is it fear of the game theyre supposed to be working? God knows.

Would the reason most lads check earths with their terriers still on the leads be because they can't let their terrier off unless it's 100% certain someones home ?

I'm not talking about puppy earths but how can a terrierman walk away from a place saying it's empty unless it's been proven to be empty ?

Quarry can lie in an earth for days without venturing out, believe it or not.

 

Ghosting ? Some lines are known for it. Some times an overly game terrier wont take NO for an answer and will check an earth, check it again and then check it 10 more times. In my experience this sort when he settles down and learns his job can become a great worker.

But then, you have the youngster who has always been entered after an old reliable has said someones home and every time he goes to ground he's dug to.

When he's asked to do it him self in an empty earth he's wondering where it is. He wont take no for an answer and goes around and around and around looking for his quarry. Owner unhappy and young terrier bewildered.

Terriers are a hunting type of dog and should be able to find, hunt and bring their quarry to a successful conclusion, same as any hunting dog.

They're not dogs that you point at quarry and let them go.

JMHO.

[neil cooney 10,416]

 

 

 

 

My bitch led me to this today pulling very strong on the lead and making a few noises, something could have been at home but it looks like a old hole dosent it?

I never go by looks Danny and theres only one way to find out and thats collar the dog and enter it, you can have fresh looking heavily padded holes that hold nothing and yet get one in a hole full of leaves, quite often they get run to ground unseen and will hole up in the first place of refuge whether its a hole,drain or anything, WM

You must be wrong mate, all the real experts on here say their terriers can tell if theres something in before they even get to the holes

Cheers, D.

I argued on here a while back that the only way you can tell if an earth is holding or empty is to have a terrier check it and at least travel some of it.

I was surprised by the amount of lads who said they could check an earth with their terrier still on the lead and walk away 100% satisfied that it's empty.

I reckon them boys leave quarry behind and don't even know it.

Every dog is different IMHO, a few years back a dog I had would never travel an empty earth, twice in a week the hounds marked and the terrier said no , I walked back to the quad the huntsman said my dog was shit, I said okay then let's get another dog preferably one of yere dogs they tried a few different dogs again nothing at home, I trusted the dog 100% that's just one instance of how he proved a few people wrong .

 

LOL, been there done that and hounds are NEVER wrong.

"He must have been in it earlier" or "He must have bolted before hounds marked."

In saying that, in some places the terrier has a very, very hard job to even find if hounds have been at the mark for a while.

It's then that a good terrier needs a good handler.

[Craic 203]

 

 

 

 

 

My bitch led me to this today pulling very strong on the lead and making a few noises, something could have been at home but it looks like a old hole dosent it?

 

I never go by looks Danny and theres only one way to find out and thats collar the dog and enter it, you can have fresh looking heavily padded holes that hold nothing and yet get one in a hole full of leaves, quite often they get run to ground unseen and will hole up in the first place of refuge whether its a hole,drain or anything, WM

You must be wrong mate, all the real experts on here say their terriers can tell if theres something in before they even get to the holes

Cheers, D.

I argued on here a while back that the only way you can tell if an earth is holding or empty is to have a terrier check it and at least travel some of it.

I was surprised by the amount of lads who said they could check an earth with their terrier still on the lead and walk away 100% satisfied that it's empty.

I reckon them boys leave quarry behind and don't even know it.

Every dog is different IMHO, a few years back a dog I had would never travel an empty earth, twice in a week the hounds marked and the terrier said no , I walked back to the quad the huntsman said my dog was shit, I said okay then let's get another dog preferably one of yere dogs they tried a few different dogs again nothing at home, I trusted the dog 100% that's just one instance of how he proved a few people wrong .

LOL, been there done that and hounds are NEVER wrong.

"He must have been in it earlier" or "He must have bolted before hounds marked."

In saying that, in some places the terrier has a very, very hard job to even find if hounds have been at the mark for a while.

It's then that a good terrier needs a good handler.

Neil it wasn't a case of the hounds being at the mark for some time, it was about me trusting my dog over a shit huntsman an hounds and the huntsman trying to save face by saying my dog was shit, atb Craic

[dytkos 17,776]

How would a "marking" terrier react at an earth to a fox that's just entered one hole and come out of another maybe 30 yards away? You might trust your dog but you can never be 100% unless it runs the earth IMO

 

Cheers, D.

[Mary 352]

We always walked to earths with dogs on lead then Unclipped to let him check the holes on his own, don't expect any mucking around the dog got a go if it's there or not if nobody at home

90% of the time I'm out alone and only have one earth dog with me so she's loose with collar on from get go, on 3 different occasions last year after checking known dens, which looked active but dog was not interested, she instead found and entered previously unknown dens within a couple of hundred yards from known dens, small dens not very big or deep but without the dog they did not look active and would not have been found. If dog not free running for me I would not get half the digs I get.