The HAT-TRICK

[Tommy 9]

Come Febuary time every year and the season is quickly coming to an end i always try and set a few days away to be out with the dogs !!! This year has been no exception and starting from sunday 19th i had three great days out hunting.

Strike 1 !!!

I went out on sunday with my two running dogs, as usuall and had a good morning out as we saw plenty of quarry and had some good runs, with both both mine and my mates dogs. Its just great to be out and you always seem to appreciate it more towards the end of the season when you know the long BORING summers just around the corner. The down side of this sunday morning was my bitch breaking her toe, but i suppose it's better at the end of a season than the beginning as she'll have all summer to recover.

Strike 2 !!!

It was another early start on Monday as i went and watched some dogs run in the North Lincs area. I didn't take a dog but this didn't take away from the enjoyment of the day as i just love watching any dog run. The day was quite successful but my tired legs took a hammering when walking/beating the wind dried ploughs. The highlight of the day was seeing a young dog run a marathon, eventually pulling down it's quarry on the edge of a wood (GREAT STUFF). This is were i thought my short hunting break would end but it wasn't to be.

Strike 3 !!!

While i was cleaning the dogs out on tuesday morning the mobile rang and was a good mate of mine asking if i fancied a night out lamping, of course the answer was yes. My other dog was a bit foot sore from running sunday so i declined taking her and offered to slip one of his dogs. He arranged a time to pick me up and told me to bring a lamp of my own. While at work in the afternoon i was thinking about going out non stop. When he picked me up and we set of to our destination there was a strong breeze and rain, this later died out and the night became wind free. Undetered we had a good walk about and enjoyed some good sport. The rabbits were thin on the ground and the ones that were there were wary of the lamp, but we had a few good runs usually from longer than normal slips. The two dogs he had were infact related to mine, as they are the same bloodlines as my two bitches mother (Bedlinglington/Whippet/Collie/Greyhound/Saluki(roughly)). One of the dogs was seven years old and a real experienced lamper with plenty of sharp early speed and a really top class strike. The smallest mistake and the rabbits were in big trouble. At the of the night the bag wasn't massive, but this wasn't expected at the end of the season.

 

The three days proper wore me out and my legs are just recovering, but when i think back at the enjoyment they gave i can put up with been knackered. I look foward to making the most of the next few weeks before hanging up the slipleads for the summer break.

 

All the best Tommy

[Guest Cal]

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