Tyla 3,179 Posted February 15, 2009 Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 Myself and a mate went out ratting today with herdwick off here. We took herdwicks four experienced jrts, Parker my jrtxwhippet and Ollie my borderxunknown. Parker has only ever killed rats round the stables and Ollie is totally green at everything as we've only had him a few weeks. We started out on an island used to feed a flight pond, lots of holes and rat sign but not recent so we drew a blank, same story in the pen and the cover crop. The smoker, converted from a saw last night, was also playing up but luckily the landowner had some tools so we got it going again. At the second location, where herdwick had a few last week, we started off round the pen. Herdwicks dogs were marking well, mine still not really sure whats going on, but after a dig we found alot of nesting material but no rats! We tried the other side of the pen which had alot more fresh sign and looked good, one rat bolted as the dogs were marking but was missed and then the smoker packed up again, this time it was totally dead so that put a stop to the ratting! As we had blanked on the rats we decided to have a mouch around the hedgrows to give Ollie a bit more experience. With Parker on the slip and the terriers working the bushes we flushed a rabbit and lost it then herdwicks Trilby caught and retrieved one to hand out of the thicket. A little further on another chase and they flushed both a moorhen and a rabbit, Parker had a bit of chase but it veered into the bushes and down a hole. At the same time Trilbys sister came out of the bush with the moorhen, ideal ferret food. As we were crossing under the railway Parker saw one out in the field and after a good course with a couple of turns he grabbed it just as it tried to get under the fence onto the railway . Ollie ran staight up to him and, wierdly as Parker is normally quite possesive, Parker let hime take it from him alive. This was the first time Ollie had tasted live game, he took it further into the field and dropped it and it ran, he then caught it again! He did this a couple of times before i took it from him. i was made up, a good run for Parker and some valuable experience for Ollie . That was it for the day, we started slowly but ended on a really good note. Both my young dogs did well and herdwicks pack, as usual, were working like pros. Sorry theres no pics, had the camera in my pocket all day and never took any . Thanks again to herdwick for the invite! Quote Link to post
herdwick 52 Posted February 15, 2009 Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 Glad you and Keith enjoyed yourselves and only sorry the ratting didnt turn out as planned. Still, the afternoon made up for it. Ollie's coming on! Considering how long you've had him, and his history I was impressed!! We'll make something of him yet!! Good Hunting! Quote Link to post
Tyla 3,179 Posted February 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 (edited) Glad you and Keith enjoyed yourselves and only sorry the ratting didnt turn out as planned. Still, the afternoon made up for it. Ollie's coming on! Considering how long you've had him, and his history I was impressed!! We'll make something of him yet!! Good Hunting! Yeah, i was pleased with him today. i shall just keep plugging away, im sure we will get there in the end. it does him a world of good working alongside yours, he comes on leaps and bounds everytime they are out together. Parker did well too! A good day allround The ferrets are enjoying that moorhen too! Edited February 15, 2009 by Tyla Quote Link to post
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