Point of Release

[Guest rogue]

Hi,

Wanting to get started with a bit of lamping this season. My bitch is OK but I think I let the team down on the few times I have casually let her go. I seem to be to impatient and slip the lead to early. The other question I have is it best policy to keep moving field to field or just sit tight in a down wind corner until they all reapper. As I say just starting dog is around 18 month old so any advice would be appreciated.

[Guest Cork Boye]

keep on moving through the fields with the wind in your face shine the lamp around until you see the eyes switch it off walk up on your chosen rabbit get to within 30-40 ft of it wait for your dog to see it then slip your dog its worked for me so far

[Guest CharlieC]

Just get out there and do as much as you can, the only way to learn is by making mistakes, we all do it If you feel you are slipping too early and your dog is missing rabbits because of it, try to count to five as the rabbit rises from its seat and then slip. Personally I wouldnt worry too much about it as I run collie greyhounds, and with them its better to slip too soon than too late :11: :11:

 

The best way to attack your lamping ground is by walking it during the day and observing where the rabbits burrows are, where they sit and feed and where they are most likely to run to when under pressure. It also gives you a chance to note any obstacles or pitfalls which you might not notice in darkness.

 

Then once you are familiar with your ground and the lie of the land, approach the rabbits quietly making sure the wind is in your favour. Try to walk in front of the rabbits holes so that you are lamping out towards the rabbit and it has to run towards you to get to safety, rather than lamping the rabbit from behind and illuminating its path to safety. I find this is the best way. If your lamping a small field with say woods on either side, where the rabbits could run either way, just try for a good slip and hope the dog manages to turn the rabbit back towards you so you have the advantage from where your standing.

 

If your dog is new to lamping, it might be best to walk it close to sitting rabbits if it does not seem to see them. Or even make a wee noise to get them to run. If your problem is that your slipping the dog too soon on rabbits your not sure if it has fully seen, and it is missing them or running past them, it may be worthwhile waiting until the rabbit rises and then releasing your dog, once you have walked up to a few sitters and let them rise before slipping the dog, try lamping a squatter and sending the dog to it, sooner or later the penny will drop and once it does, the dog should go down that beam no matter where you point it!

 

If the dog runs past the squatting rabbit and fails to see it, give a little hiss or whistle and walk towards the rabbit flickering the lamp on it, if the dog still doesnt see it, call it back in, leash it and then walk to the rabbit and slip the dog when it rises. It will soon learn. Some dogs pick it up quickly, some take what seems like AGES . You may need to go out lamping many times before it realises exactly whats required of it. Once it does realise though, it wont forget! and its all part of the learning process, have fun and good luck!!

[Guest daz halford]

.............

[Guest CharlieC]

..................................

[Guest CharlieC]

Thanks Millet :friends: , I was just trying to help, I will always help someone starting out with dogs if I can, I wish I'd had someone to show me the ropes or give me advice, I had to learn everything the hard way

[rob reynolds uk 3]

im fecked if im going to count to five :11: my dog only just catchs them now never mind giveing the buggers a chance

[Guest CharlieC]

im fecked if im going to count to five  :11: my dog only just catchs them now never mind giveing the buggers a chance 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

same here Rob, I often have to slip mine before I even put the lamp on the bunny :11: :11:

If Rogue can tell us a bit more detail about why he thinks he is slipping too soon, whether it is cos the dog hasnt seen the rabbit properly or whether its cos the bunnies are too far away, then it might be easier to tailor the advice to suit

[Guest rogue]

Thanks guys esp. Charlie for his time and effort.

 

As you all say my release is to far away nad not giving the dog "Jakki" a fair chance. Did go out last night and was supprised at how close you can get to the sqwatters [bANNED TEXT] they run. Had 2 runs last night missed the first bunny went under field gate 2 run almost had but made it to hedgerow. She does not want to come back on the recall after having had a run.

 

They field I have permission to work at the moment are just small 1,2 acre paddocks.

 

Will work at the W/E at getting closer. How often can I lamp before the rabbits get wise to what is going on ?

 

Whatching the dog run even without the catch is a thrill and you can see the joy the dog gets from it.

 

Thanks again for the advice, as I don't know any one local to me SA43 that runs dog I will be relying on you chaps quit abit .

 

Rogue

[Kane 2]

Good advice from CharlieC there.

 

IMHO the ealy days of a lurchers working life arent about sport,they are about getting results (kills in other words) get as close to the rabbits as possable and give the rabbit as little chance as possable,has your dog ever been ferreting and allowed to catch a bolter or hold one in the net,that generaly gives them an idea of what lifes all about.Good luck [bANNED TEXT] the more you lamp an area the harder the rabbits become to catch and try finding some bigger fields that might aid your dog.

[Guest CharlieC]

ah now all is clearer Rogue

If you are slipping too far away, then simply get closer to the bunnies and make sure your dog has definately seen the rabbit before you loose it.

It takes self control but its worth it.

 

If you spot a rabbit sitting a fair distance out and keep the light on it for a moment or two and it clamps down, its worth walking out to, but if it looks jittery and starts to move, switch your lamp off and look for another. In the early days of running your dog you need to make it as easy as possible to build your dogs confidence.

 

If you chase a rabbit thats sitting well out and on the move when you slip your dog, the chances are it will miss and then two things happen, the dog loses a bit of confidence, and the rabbit gets educated to the beam.

 

I know its hard to do, but if your running a young dog, its better to put the light on a rabbit and let the dog watch it run away, while its going mad on the end of the lead, than to let it go after a rabbit it has a slim chance of catching. If you let a few rabbits run and let the dog see them, this will serve to build its enthusiasm even more!

 

Look for rabbits sitting with their ears back, once those ears go down the rabbit is 99% certain to stay there until you get close, so try and aim for these easy rabbits until your dog gets the hang of it. At first you want to get real close, but as the dog starts to pick up what its supposed to be doing, you can start to release it from its slip from further and further away and eventually the dog will go down the beam and lift the squatting rabbit at the end of it. It takes a while but you will get there in the end with practise.

 

Once you have lamped the same bit a few times, the rabbits will not be so keen to clamp down, and you will find you have to sneak up to the bits you want to lamp in the dark and get into optimum position before flicking your light on, and many rabbits will go straight to flight without squatting down, this is another time when you have to exercise self control, when your faced with several rabbits fleeing for home, it makes sense to pick out the one which has furthest to run to reach safety, so hold back from slipping and try to pick the rabbit your dog has most chance of catching.

 

Some people see lamping as sport and dont mind if their dog chases a few and misses so long as they get to see their dog run. I have a different approach, I would rather let a rabbit run and the dog watch it, than chase it and have it get away. I only send my dogs to what I think they can catch, and I ignore the rabbits that are sitting just a few feet from holes, or the ones that are high tailing it at top speed I always keep my dogs in beside me until I see a bunny they have a chance of catching, not only does it mean you get more bodies in the bag for less runs and energy expended on the dogs behalf, but it also means the dog feels confident as you are never pushing it to pursue impossible rabbits, and so the dog will be less likely to tire or quit.

 

This might not make sense to everyone, but its the way I do things, I would rather catch 10 rabbits from 10 easy runs and ignore another 10 running that I dont think my dogs will catch, than run 20 and only catch 10.

 

The rabbits that run to safety without a dog behind them, will be a little more "cocky" than ones which have been chased, and so you have more chance of bagging them another night.

 

Its hard to explain the art of lamping in words, I hope you can get the jist of what I mean, best thing is to get out there and make it as easy for you and your dog as possible, and have fun while your at it

[salclalin 240]

ah now all is clearer Rogue 

If you are slipping too far away, then simply get closer to the bunnies and make sure your dog has definately seen the rabbit before you loose it.

It takes self control but its worth it.

 

If you spot a rabbit sitting a fair distance out and keep the light on it for a moment or two and it clamps down, its worth walking out to, but if it looks jittery and starts to move, switch your lamp off and look for another. In the early days of running your dog you need to make it as easy as possible to build your dogs confidence.

 

If you chase a rabbit thats sitting well out and on the move when you slip your dog, the chances are it will miss and then two things happen, the dog loses a bit of confidence, and the rabbit gets educated to the beam.

 

I know its hard to do, but if your running a young dog, its better to put the light on a rabbit and let the dog watch it run away, while its going mad on the end of the lead, than to let it go after a rabbit it has a slim chance of catching. If you let a few rabbits run and let the dog see them, this will serve to build its enthusiasm even more!

 

Look for rabbits sitting with their ears back, once those ears go down the rabbit is 99% certain to stay there until you get close, so try and aim for these easy rabbits until your dog gets the hang of it. At first you want to get real close, but as the dog starts to pick up what its supposed to be doing, you can start to release it from its slip from further and further away and eventually the dog will go down the beam and lift the squatting rabbit at the end of it. It takes a while but you will get there in the end with practise. 

 

Once you have lamped the same bit a few times, the rabbits will not be so keen to clamp down, and you will find you have to sneak up to the bits you want to lamp in the dark and get into optimum position before flicking your light on, and many rabbits will go straight to flight without squatting down, this is another time when you have to exercise self control, when your faced with several rabbits fleeing for home, it makes sense to pick out the one which has furthest to run to reach safety, so hold back from slipping and try to pick the rabbit your dog has most chance of catching.

 

Some people see lamping as sport and dont mind if their dog chases a few and misses so long as they get to see their dog run. I have a different approach, I would rather let a rabbit run and the dog watch it, than chase it and have it get away. I only send my dogs to what I think they can catch, and I ignore the rabbits that are sitting just a few feet from holes, or the ones that are high tailing it at top speed    I always keep my dogs in beside me until I see a bunny they have a chance of catching, not only does it mean you get more bodies in the bag for less runs and energy expended on the dogs behalf, but it also means the dog feels confident as you are never pushing it to pursue impossible rabbits, and so the dog will be less likely to tire or quit.

 

This might not make sense to everyone, but its the way I do things, I would rather catch 10 rabbits from 10 easy runs and ignore another 10 running that I dont think my dogs will catch, than run 20 and only catch 10.

 

The rabbits that run to safety without a dog behind them, will be a little more "cocky" than ones which have been chased, and so you have more chance of bagging them another night.

 

Its hard to explain the art of lamping in words, I hope you can get the jist of what I mean, best thing is to get out there and make it as easy for you and your dog as possible, and have fun while your at it 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cracking reply Charlie

[Mrs Gaspode 0]

That was all interesting reading

 

Im trying to talk my lazy husband into getting out with the lamp and dogs and I want to go too so I may be able to teach him something tonight if I get him out

[graeme b 0]

really interesting that was charlie c

[Guest rogue]

Thank a lot lads

 

Went out last night, flicked the torch saw bunny up at far end had a slow walk to mid point relite Lamp and one went to ground so decided to pick on that one. Kept the lamp on it and walked closer and closer go to within 20-15ft and started to wounder if i'd picked on a stone. Then at 10-12ft up it got as she did I let Jakki slip. Chase begun Bunny heading for the hedgerow behind me dog in tow then as they got to the sheep wire I thought all was lost . No the next thing I heard was that tell tale sign of a rabbit squeek. Jakki retrived the rabbit still alive, but as I went down to take The rabbit of she went I eventually got to her and she gave up the treasure . So decided to finish on a so call sucess and home to show of our price