Foxy Spots

[Oshea 20]

Good evening Gents,

 

Using this platform again as I find it a great way to reach out into a pool of knowledge and great experience.

 

Now I don’t work my terriers to hounds here in Ireland, but more than often will find myself having a wonder about my permission and trying the terriers in some common spots. However, I have noticed I’ve drawn more blank days than good and wanted to know what those who don’t work terriers under hounds provide consistent work for their own, how do you go about your day out to guarantee an earth will be occupied and how do you feel about drawing blank days.

I worry by doing so my terriers will go flat and maybe cause a negative impact on their careers as working terriers. 
 

Go stead, 

Oshea 

 

[terryd 8,384]

Just got to cover a lot of ground maybe try known earths that can hold. I all ways favoured bracken banks. Hazel type woods along the top edge or along the bottom. Used to do quite well and find a fair bit. I don't dig now a days but there are more foxes about than there used to be. I would imagine it would be easier to find foxes now a days but over here in sunny wales its not my thing any more

[Flacko 1,742]

A lot more on top in these winters we have or don’t pairing up now mate you’ve got to put leg work in just keep at it 

[Daniel cain 45,079]

A walk about first with a lurcher that marks ,will save you yomping about with terriers and gear

[dogmandont 9,802]

If your just checking earth's for fox then you'll have to have plenty to check, going over the same earth's every week might get the odd result but will mostly draw blanks. 

 

[Wales1234 5,489]

14 hours ago, Oshea said:

Good evening Gents,

 

Using this platform again as I find it a great way to reach out into a pool of knowledge and great experience.

 

Now I don’t work my terriers to hounds here in Ireland, but more than often will find myself having a wonder about my permission and trying the terriers in some common spots. However, I have noticed I’ve drawn more blank days than good and wanted to know what those who don’t work terriers under hounds provide consistent work for their own, how do you go about your day out to guarantee an earth will be occupied and how do you feel about drawing blank days.

I worry by doing so my terriers will go flat and maybe cause a negative impact on their careers as working terriers. 
 

Go stead, 

Oshea 

 

Or get a lurcher that will put them to ground for you

 

[jackthelad 1,893]

I was moaning about the same things a while back even contemplating packing the terriers in all together been flat out with work since august 7 days a week an think the man above is right about foxes behaving difrent what with the warmer winters there’s defo more about just don’t seem to be using dens as much 

[Wales1234 5,489]

2 minutes ago, jackthelad said:

I was moaning about the same things a while back even contemplating packing the terriers in all together been flat out with work since august 7 days a week an think the man above is right about foxes behaving difrent what with the warmer winters there’s defo more about just don’t seem to be using dens as much 

Finding foxes to ground randomly is very challenging Iv never found many maybe this time year on while pair up comes down to a lot of earth checking , we checked a earth in the snow on a big Welsh hill lurchers we’re keen but not home walked 100 yards he was sitting in the rush bed makes no sense Iv not terriers anymore for one reason or another but Iv cold marked 4/5 this season where as Iv probably run in 15/20 and had to just leave there 

[dogmandont 9,802]

32 minutes ago, Wales1234 said:

Finding foxes to ground randomly is very challenging Iv never found many maybe this time year on while pair up comes down to a lot of earth checking , we checked a earth in the snow on a big Welsh hill lurchers we’re keen but not home walked 100 yards he was sitting in the rush bed makes no sense Iv not terriers anymore for one reason or another but Iv cold marked 4/5 this season where as Iv probably run in 15/20 and had to just leave there 

And the best result we ever had was at the start of November on a warm sunny day when the mates terrier dropped in on a walk local to him and he rang me to bring tools and a lurcher, dug 4 out of different earth's along a bank 200 yards long, all tight little rabbity spots and the big old disused badger set that would of occasionally held had nothing at home. What made them foxes push in where they did and not use the big roomy spot I'll never know. 

 

 

[Lenmcharristar 9,727]

1 hour ago, dogmandont said:

And the best result we ever had was at the start of November on a warm sunny day when the mates terrier dropped in on a walk local to him and he rang me to bring tools and a lurcher, dug 4 out of different earth's along a bank 200 yards long, all tight little rabbity spots and the big old disused badger set that would of occasionally held had nothing at home. What made them foxes push in where they did and not use the big roomy spot I'll never know. 

 

 

Feck there was a place full of holes we checked this day, steaming fresh, cleared out but nothing home, 20 yards away was a broken pipe in the ground (concrete drain) and low and behold the terrier flew in the bottom end and the fox bolted a few secs later, they defo a hitmans nightmare lol

[Daniel cain 45,079]

3 hours ago, jackthelad said:

I was moaning about the same things a while back even contemplating packing the terriers in all together been flat out with work since august 7 days a week an think the man above is right about foxes behaving difrent what with the warmer winters there’s defo more about just don’t seem to be using dens as much 

unless you happen to run them in with the big dogs,I've found around me the only time they use the earth's is to cub,had places we would check that would almost be guaranteed yr after yr,but things have  changed...have more luck catching them on wires these days,but that's only if old Billy don't come through twisting and f***ing up my line

[harryshounds 943]

Weather will play a big factor here, getting fox in holes. All you can do is put the miles in, walk the fields, woods, ditches, stone walls etc....... You will have some success, a terrier that be be hunted off the lead will improve your chances.

[Hatch28 240]

Rainy day is your best bet here,go for sandy earths,or look for stray or grass pulled in

 

22 hours ago, Oshea said:

Good evening Gents,

 

Using this platform again as I find it a great way to reach out into a pool of knowledge and great experience.

 

Now I don’t work my terriers to hounds here in Ireland, but more than often will find myself having a wonder about my permission and trying the terriers in some common spots. However, I have noticed I’ve drawn more blank days than good and wanted to know what those who don’t work terriers under hounds provide consistent work for their own, how do you go about your day out to guarantee an earth will be occupied and how do you feel about drawing blank days.

I worry by doing so my terriers will go flat and maybe cause a negative impact on their careers as working terriers. 
 

Go stead, 

Oshea 

 

 

[dillydog 8,462]

They can be warm and wet, cold and dry but not wet and cold, saying that I used to dig or bolt upto 70 a year (not season), I wouldn't touch that now. Whether that's through just getting old and lazy or just seeing the danger in being where I'm not wanted or needed or just the damage the rifle does is all up for debate.

The way I used to look at it was I'd treat my area like spokes in a wheel, hit every earth in one area before changing areas the next day, sooner or later I'd cut down the possibilities because I'd been to enough or I'd left the stink of dogs on enough places, cutting down their chances.  That's how I USED to think, two things changed that. The first was I sent a mate the day after snowfall to check some pipes I'd checked the day before (sneaky b*****d I know) while I checked fresh places a mile up the road. I had a fox that morning and was chuffed with myself and my little plan until I bumped into the mate who'd had four from the place I'd sent him !

Secondly I've been a pro and amateur terrier man for a few packs of hounds and once you see the utter shit the fox will happily sit out in you'll lose all faith in weather watching. 

Edited January 1, 2023 by dillydog

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

If all else fails just snare one and stuff it down a hole