Tommy 9 Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 I've been into Running dogs for quite a few years now and have never had more than a passing interest in the terrier game, only keeping my terrier for bushing and never trying him to ground. That was until this morning. The terrier i have is a Red fell type and is now 4 years old and i've had him since he was 5 months. The only work i use him for is bushing both foxes and rabbits to the gun, and he's proved to be quite handy. This morning while at home waiting for the frost to leave the ground before taking the running dogs out i had phone call from a good mate saying his lurchers had marked a fox to ground and did i want to bring my terrier up to give him a try. Of course i agreed and i was soon ready to go, it was handy because the lands only about ten mins from my house so a quick jog soon had me there. As soon as got there he moved his lurchers away from the entrance i dropped my terrier and he shot to ground (I was surprised as he'd never been keen to enter before). We both both had a sit down on the opposite side of the bank and waited for some action. Soon my terrier was baying and my mate said by the sound of his baying he wasn't fully up to his quarry. I didn't have a clue as this terrier game's all new to me. After giving him some time his baying began to change to a more aggressive growl, and again my mate said he might be at his fox now. We left the dog to it and kept having a listen every now and then and then my mate decided to go back home for a spade, as we began to think we'd got a dig on our hands. By this time the dog had been to ground for around 40 mins. My mate had been gone about ten mins when the baying began to move around the earth, and then suddenly my dog showed at the mouth of the hole, so i quickly grabbed him. Turning around to pick up my dogs lead and my mobile to give my a mate a ring to tell not to bother bringing a spade, i turned round in time just in time to see a lovely bright red Fox bolt from the earth and then the terrier went berserk wanting to follow. In totall my dog had been to ground just under and hour and he was mad keen to go back. From my first experience i can see why you foxing lads love terrier work, but personally that digging game looks hard work and i'd much prefer to running my lurchers. All the best Tommy Quote Link to post
Guest mucker Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 some fell terrier that shouldnt let the dog down with out a collar mate. nice when they first go to ground Quote Link to post
Guest Uk_Hunter Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 nice 1 [bANNED TEXT] sounds like you had fun will u be doing it again or are u sticking to your runningdogs Quote Link to post
Tommy 9 Posted March 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 I felt a right twat when i thought we might need to dig him out and he didn't have a collar on, but i suppose we live and learn and next he'll definitly be wearing a collar. As for sticking to my running dogs, I run my saluki crosses usually twice a week throughout the season (wednesday - Sunday) and I dont do nothing on a saturday mornings so that could soon become terrier Day . Just a question for you terrier men, even though the dogs 4 year old do you reckon now he's been to ground and experienced working a fox that he'll be likely to enter again. As you boys can probably tell when it comes to terrier work i'm as green as grass All the best Tommy Quote Link to post
Guest Uk_Hunter Posted March 1, 2006 Report Share Posted March 1, 2006 I felt a right twat when i thought we might need to dig him out and he didn't have a collar on, but i suppose we live and learn and next he'll definitly be wearing a collar.As for sticking to my running dogs, I run my saluki crosses usually twice a week throughout the season (wednesday - Sunday) and I dont do nothing on a saturday mornings so that could soon become terrier Day . Just a question for you terrier men, even though the dogs 4 year old do you reckon now he's been to ground and experienced working a fox that he'll be likely to enter again. As you boys can probably tell when it comes to terrier work i'm as green as grass All the best Tommy well my terrier first went at a early age of 9-10 month after he did it once i couldnt stop him doing it again but if yours has done it then yeh it should do it again [bANNED TEXT] Quote Link to post
mouse 282 Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 if youre dog met charlie and was eager when he bolted then chances are it will fly down next time Quote Link to post
Guest Side by Side Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 I've been into Running dogs for quite a few years now and have never had more than a passing interest in the terrier game, only keeping my terrier for bushing and never trying him to ground. That was until this morning. The terrier i have is a Red fell type and is now 4 years old and i've had him since he was 5 months. The only work i use him for is bushing both foxes and rabbits to the gun, and he's proved to be quite handy. This morning while at home waiting for the frost to leave the ground before taking the running dogs out i had phone call from a good mate saying his lurchers had marked a fox to ground and did i want to bring my terrier up to give him a try. Of course i agreed and i was soon ready to go, it was handy because the lands only about ten mins from my house so a quick jog soon had me there. As soon as got there he moved his lurchers away from the entrance i dropped my terrier and he shot to ground (I was surprised as he'd never been keen to enter before). We both both had a sit down on the opposite side of the bank and waited for some action. Soon my terrier was baying and my mate said by the sound of his baying he wasn't fully up to his quarry. I didn't have a clue as this terrier game's all new to me. After giving him some time his baying began to change to a more aggressive growl, and again my mate said he might be at his fox now. We left the dog to it and kept having a listen every now and then and then my mate decided to go back home for a spade, as we began to think we'd got a dig on our hands. By this time the dog had been to ground for around 40 mins. My mate had been gone about ten mins when the baying began to move around the earth, and then suddenly my dog showed at the mouth of the hole, so i quickly grabbed him. Turning around to pick up my dogs lead and my mobile to give my a mate a ring to tell not to bother bringing a spade, i turned round in time just in time to see a lovely bright red Fox bolt from the earth and then the terrier went berserk wanting to follow. In totall my dog had been to ground just under and hour and he was mad keen to go back. From my first experience i can see why you foxing lads love terrier work, but personally that digging game looks hard work and i'd much prefer to running my lurchers. All the best Tommy well done [bANNED TEXT] gald you got the terrier out in the end!!!! but if he has been to ground once he will probblaly go again... but wait and see!!! and keep an eye on him happy hunting sbs Quote Link to post
Tommy 9 Posted March 4, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Well the terrier bug has began to bite !! As i wrote the other day about my terrier going to fox for the first time when it began to snow last night i planned to go for a walk with him this morning. It wasn't an early start, 7.30 and i was going on some rough wood land about twenty mins from my house. There was about an inch of snow on the ground and it was just great to be out and about. This time i had a locator collar on my dog as i had the idea of checking a few earths that i've found when been out with the lurchers. I showed him two earths and he wasn't interested, not even bothering to enter. There was one earth that i new of that i found when some other terrier boys had dug it two years back and i decided to go and give this one a look. As soon as i got close to the holes the dog started pulling on the lead and there was a strong smell of 'Charlie'. Before letting him enter i checked the tape on his collar and just checked that it was giving a signal. When i released him from his chain he checked a few enterances before going down the biggest. The earth is an old rabbit warren and seemed to be to tight for him, but he kept scratching and eventually (a good 10 mins) he managed to get in. He was in the earth about 5 mins when i heard a russle in the brambles, turning round to see a fox come flying out of a hole that i hadn't seem. Seconds later my dog came out looking rather confused and when i showed him were the fox had gone he hunted the cover for a while. I was pleased with the dog and totally surprised that he was now 4 year old he had never bothered going to ground previous to this. Happy with bolting one i decided to head for home but again thought i call at an earth on the way. Again as i got near he began to pull and i thought he might just be keen still from the last earth, but when i got nearer i noticed some tracks in the snow leading to the earth. I again checked the dogs collar and released him. This time the soil was really sandy/soft and with a small amount of digging he was soon in the earth. He had been in about 5 mins and had only given of the odd yip and then suddenly began a full out and out bay !!! I can tell you my heart was in my mouth, but i just sat back and let him work. After another 5 mins or so i decided to try and locate him, and i honestly didn't need the locator as the ground felt like it was moving under my feet. With the land been near my house i didn't take a spade with me as if i needed one a quick phone call and a mate would run one round to me. Giving the dog a little more time and him staying in one place, i decided to get a long strong stick/branch and use it to try and locate the tunnel. As soon as i stuck the branch into what i thought was the tunnel both my terrier and the fox decided to move. Luckily it was about three feet further up the same tube and sticking the stick into the tunnel again i found that he was only about about a 18 inch down. The soil was that soft i decided to get a bigger stick a began to move some earth down to my dog. Using the stick and my hands i was soon down to the dog and his first dug fox. The fox was jammed tightly into a stop end and my dog was trying to get to it. I reached and got hold of my dogs 'scruff' and gently pulled him out of the earth, much to his distaste. He had a little mark at the side of his eye, but nothing serious. I moved away from the earth agood 100 yards and sat quietly thinking the fox would bolt, but after 15 mins i decided to get of home. When i was a good 800 yards from the earth, all the magpies and crows began to 'cackle' in the tree's, so maybe the fox had finally bolted. On my home walking up a small track a mangey looking fox sauntered across the front of me and wandered into the undergrowth, not bothered by my presense. It looks like my terrier has decided he like's this foxing lark and i will now try and give a bit of earth work when i've got the time. All the best Tommy Quote Link to post
MartMc 0 Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Hopeing 2 get my 1 year old Welsh terrier started was worried that it may be 2 late 2 get her going but reading your story gives me hope!!!.What size is your dog?.Where did u get your collar from?.Need 2 get hold of 1 myself!!. Quote Link to post
Guest Uk_Hunter Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 i had a walk out this morning because the snow layed put the terriers to ground but nothing was at home we checked about 7 earths and still nothing i was gutted lol Quote Link to post
Guest Side by Side Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 Hopeing 2 get my 1 year old Welsh terrier started was worried that it may be 2 late 2 get her going but reading your story gives me hope!!!.What size is your dog?.Where did u get your collar from?.Need 2 get hold of 1 myself!!. well [bANNED TEXT] wse got given a little jack russel just after xmas hes about 2/3 and he going all right. his perents were working but he had been a house dog...... but he was fine in the run and was fine when we were out.. happy hunting sbs Quote Link to post
Tommy 9 Posted March 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 Hopeing 2 get my 1 year old Welsh terrier started was worried that it may be 2 late 2 get her going but reading your story gives me hope!!!.What size is your dog?.Where did u get your collar from?.Need 2 get hold of 1 myself!!. R 8 fella, My terrier is 15" and weighs around 18 -20 pound, this i've been told is pretty big ??? I bought my collar of a mate and used my eight foot ferret locator box, but most fieldsports suppliers sell locator equipment. All the best Tommy Quote Link to post
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