The real cold wet day on the dales

[john hubery 9]

Saturday night I got a call from my rabbiting partener Warren to say that maybe we should knock Sundays planed trip up on the dales on the head, the weather was looking bad with winds and snow forecast and to see what the weather was going to be like locally and do a bit of mooching around the doors with the little pack, so when I got up Sunday morning and the sun was peeping out with not a bit of wind it was straight on the phone, to see what was happening up his way. He said it was much the same as it was with me so we decided to take the risk and go, so I picked young John up and sorted the ferrets and loaded up the van and away we went, taking Boo the teckel pup along for her first ferreting outing, Warren was taking Otter his border and old trusted lurcher Nell, about 5 mile off the place we were going you could see across the valley that the weather was much as the forecast had said with a blanket of snow and the hill tops covered with a haze that is none other than falling snow in the distance, well past the point of no return we pushed on and pulled up in the keepers yard, had a cup of tea and waited to see if things were going to clear , they did not a lot but we were here now and it wasn’t that bad, so off up onto the dale we plodded with the wind in our face’s flurry’s of light snow biting at our checks, the dogs were away working the bracken beds, Nell nose down doing what see does best with the pups in tow, it wasn’t long before she was pointing her first rabbit frozen with her eye on the clapped bunny then bang she strikes into the dead bracken and comes up with her prize in her moth and back to Warren, being pestered with pups trying to see what it was she had, then she was off back to work soon marking another rabbit, this time the bunny wasn’t sticking around and it was up on off with Nell hot on its tail a couple of quick turns and it was in her mouth again to watch Nell work this sort of ground is truly a pleasure, it is an art she as off to a T , we can come off this land with 30 plus rabbit in no time just letting her find her own game

 

 

 

Nell marked a small three hole sett letting us know buggy’s was at home followed by the pups taken an interest in the holes this is what today was about, not big numbers but getting the pups to use there nose’s and find rabbits, things looked promising, we decided not to net up and let Nell run the rabbits as they made a run for it, I had brought with us today for there first outing a young jill and hob from a mating between a large hob we call the bear and a little silver jill I slipped them go ground and it wasn’t long before there was bumping, the jil showed a couple of time but no sign of the hob so I collared up the bear and droped him in to find the young hob soon we had a mark at one foot which is the norm a on this land, out with the spade and number three joined the days bag,

 

 

Nell and Otter look on it’s a first for them seeing Warren with the spade I think he had found the instruction in his shed some where over Christmas

 

Number three with Boo the teckel pup taking a closer look and finding out where the rabbits come from

 

 

We moved on soon Nell was at another small bury so same again this time with a collar on the young hob no waiting the bunny was straight out with Nell on it in a crack and back to Warren, then the bumping was there again out with the locator and spade, as I broke through and pulled out the rabbit I was just about to despatch it when another come out like a bullet past my face and Nell was on it with little Otter in hot pursuit, the bag now was five and the wind and snow was starting to bite a bit so we made our way back down to the van picking another two up with Nell on the way

 

 

 

Nell waiting for a bolt

 

In all not the best of day weather wise but we headed for home with seven rabbits and two pups that had seen what the game was all about and on there way to becoming rabbiting dogs, we where wet and cold but all had enjoyed the outing and young John had a chance to try out the new camera he got off santa

Edited January 19, 2009 by john hubery

[The one 8,529]

Still a good day out cant get over how that lurchers the spit of oldblues lurcher

[whin 463]

saw nell work as ayoung dog with my old collie line bitch and saluk, a nice little bitch ,had some good days down that way ,

[Guest mickyrichardson]

Nice pics and decent write up john you got out that was the main thing

its good to see nell back doing it after the litter of pups and to see warren with a spade it must have been cold ha

[stealthy1 3,964]

Cant be bad, seven rabbits and a day out with the dogs.

[andy s410c 61]

Good post & pics John,least you took the plunge & went out The weathers all too cock for the rest of the week...desperate to get out meself

[Tuzo 251]

Brilliant write up John.....looks a top day out.

[Brimmer 220]

Good day , always good to see young dogs coming on!

[andy mecca 5]

well done john we made the jump on sunday aswell up in northumberland managed a few hours before weather had us beating a fast retreat

[john hubery 9]

Trevor good to hear how the pups are doing, if brought on right these pups should make every thing you could need from a lurcher

 

Netman it wasn't the best of days to be out and about

[biffa 0]

nice bag mate evan thoe the wether was bad you cant beat it.

 

that lurcher is really nice same ass your pupps

biffa

[chalkedup 14]

good read and pics,sounds like a enjoyable day out even if the weather wasnt in your favour