That wasn't the plan

[lampingboy 221]

Got out one day this week for a mooch,  checked a few spots and nothing home, tried a place new to me on recommendation from the farmer. Steady walk to the place and all dogs marking well, looked promising. 

I dropped an older dog in that I've got on loan. 10 mins later he's baying away strong. Got a mark at .8, 1ft off breaking through and the mark changed. Opened out anyway and found they were big tubes.

Let the dog work for another hour or so, he was getting pushed back and forth but eventually settles at roughly 2m and I believe he's at a stop end. 

Decided to start digging down, the ground was tough, full of rocks and shale, sharptooth and bar job. 2ft from  breaking through and the dog showed through the hole we'd previously dug, turns around and goes back down. We looked at eachother and didn't say anything. 

10 mins later, 1.5ft to go, the loaned dog shows again so out he comes and back on couples. 

Now I had my 12 month old bitch pegged out with me. This is only the 3rd time she's been out, had one rag on a dead one but hadn't been entered.

Now although she's changed a hell of a lot the last few months and seems keen as mustard, the plan was to just peg her out a few times this season and leave her mature until next season but admittedly, curiosity and impatience got the better of me. 

We were only 1.5ft from breaking through, the place wasn't at all rangey and I was sure we were at a block end only a few meters from the original hole we'd opened so I collared up my bitch and let her go. 

Down she went of her own accord and the nerves set in........nothing. a few moments later, she let's out a few yaps and starts baying away and settles at the same mark I had with the older dog. 

Bad judgement on my part as the ground just got tougher through the last foot and half, she was in just over an hour, didn't move from the mark and bayed away steady the whole time. I was relieved when i broke through to find her without a mark on her and within range of her quarry. 

Two accounted for, farmer happy and some experience and lessons learned for both me and im sure the bitch too. 

 

 

Edited Monday at 23:27 by lampingboy

[Bakerboy 4,714]

Is the dog on loan going back to the owner....

[lurchers 2,765]

8 hours ago, Bakerboy said:

Is the dog on loan going back to the owner....

That’s were I would e sending it