May Have A Field With Rabbits

[kim & Tilly]

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As some of you know i have been trying to get a field so i can take my dogs out rabbiting. It seems i may have one :thumbsup:

But what do i do now? what time do i go out? what do i take with me ie lamp etc

can i just walk my dogs there and hope for the best?

I would like it to be more organised though..

Help needed

 

[mally]

As some of you know i have been trying to get a field so i can take my dogs out rabbiting. It seems i may have one :thumbsup:

But what do i do now? what time do i go out? what do i take with me ie lamp etc

can i just walk my dogs there and hope for the best?

I would like it to be more organised though..

Help needed

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Early morning walks around dawn can be quite rewarding and this will help get the dogs used to chasing before you start lamping.

If you walk your dog on a slip lead and try to get close to the rabbits before you slip the dog you have a much better chance of catching. But remember you may see the rabbits much sooner than the dog as your much taller. Make sure the dog has seen the rabbit before you slip him/her.

I would advise you to go lamping with an experienced person before trying it on your own.

 

[Conor]

As some of you know i have been trying to get a field so i can take my dogs out rabbiting. It seems i may have one]

Hi there,

I'm new to this site so please excuse any errors. Lucky you getting a field for rabbiting, well done. I've been trying for permission for a while now, but with no luck. I only have permission on an airfield, which is not ideal & doesn't have many rabbits. I think it may be at least partly because I'm Irish (Happy St. Patricks day!). I think people think that if they give me permission that I'll turn up with an extended family of about 30 members in 6 caravans!

How did you go about getting permission? I've tried writing, emailing, phoning & I've now resorted to the scariest of all - calling in person.

I've never had to do this before, in Ireland nobody got permission, I just went where I liked, when I liked. Then when I moved to the Oxford area I know a farmer there & can still go on his farms but unfortunately it's a 3 hour round trip from where I live now.

But what do i do now? what time do i go out? what do i take with me ie lamp etccan i just walk my dogs there and hope for the best?]

Here is what I do. My dog gets his main meal in the evenings usually & just a handful of food in the morning. But on the day I'm going to lamp, I give him his handful of food in the morning but no dinner. Instead, I give him about half a cup of milk with a table spoon of glucose dissolved in it. This will be utilised quickly, give him energy but not sit in a big useless lump in his belly like his dinner would.

I think walking there would not be a bad idea as it would warm up his muscles & help to avoid strain injuries.

I take my toggle slip lead, lamp, battery, whistle, knife for legging any rabbits caught & string with shoulder pad for carrying them. I also have to put leg protective covers to protect him from cuts if he turns on the runway. You might want to take water for yout dog but I just let mine drink from ditches etc., he drinks very little anyway. But you can get handy foldable canvas drinking bowls.

Some people prefer to go out at particular times of the night but I go out any ole time.

I would make sure you know how to dispatch a rabbit quickly before you go.

Have fun!

 

[whippeteerThe1st]

what about bolting the rabbits using a ferret,,,,i find that a good way in training them,,, ur dogs must be quite thou,,,after a few times they pick it up quite quickley,,,,then take it from there i.e lamping e.t.c :thumbsup:

 

[wild whippies]

I would make sure you know how to dispatch a rabbit quickly before you go.

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Definately first priority IMO, Like Mally said, if you can go with someone who is experienced you and your dog will learn a lot more. Good luck :luck:

 

[Mark Roberts]

As Mally has said your best to take them to the area early morning and let them have a run about, sooner or later they will put a rabbit up (if theres plenty there) this way they will find squatters and have some easy chases.

you realy need to get them going in the daytime 1st before trying them on the lamp plus their recall needs to be very good before you lamp them.

as for bolting the rabbits with a ferret for them, in 1 way it's a good idea as they get plenty of runs but it can be dishartening for a young pup as the rabbits leave their warrens at a far pace and often jusat bolt into the next available hole so it can be disheartening for a yound pup to keep missing them.

if possibly try and find someone local to go out with you with an experianced dog to show yours the ropes.

you'll find very soon they get into the job.

 

[TheWhippet]

Ditto previous correspondences regarding this post, I would add that if you have your whippet on a slip (a length of baling twine will do) and you walk your field at dusk/dawn tight to the hedgeline you will hopefully be able to isolate feeding rabbits out in the field.

When you are at right angles to your rabbit walk quietly toward it on a line that just misses it by a yard or two (this will make it less likely to bolt early :thumbsup: ) Then just let nature take its course and let the dog see the rabbit

 

[springfield]

if trying ferreting it is a good idea to get dog and ferret accustommed to one another.Got 2 whippets both ferret and lamp they can be a bit tempremental on retrieving the first 2 as they are buzzing at a live kill,but they soon bring it back.I find about 10 months old has been about the right age to start whippets lamping only allowing them to catch 1 or 2 then progressing from there.retrieving/obeidience is must before commencing this.I live in Cornwall and the whippets are best suited to the small fields down here as they have a great turning ability.

 

[nigelmcfc]

Like others have said, make sure you can dispatch a rabbit quickly before you even think of taking your dogs out rabbiting on your own, for obvious reasons. I would walk the field early morning , just after first light or just before it goes dark . Keep your whippet on a slip . or even a rope slipped through it`s collar. Look for a rabbit

away from any cover and walk up on it slowly , get as near as you can and slip the whip. Hopefully your dog will see the rabbit and chase and hopefully catch it. You might have a few attempts before everything comes right , but sooner or later your dog will catch it`s rabbit. Don`t make a big fuss , hopefully your dog has been trained to retrieve , so let it bring the rabbit as near as possible to you whilst you praise the dog.

Once you`ve got the rabbit off the dog and dispatched it if necessary :- " then make a real fuss of your dog , it`s a real milestone for both you and your dog , you`ll never forget the first rabbit your dog catches, so make sure your dog remembers it too .

Don`t overdo it once your dog is catching , do a little at a time, otherwise your dog can get overworked and tired , and may start opening up if it starts to fail to catch.

It sounds daunting , but it`s really just natural to your dog , you just have to harness it.

Again,like others have said try and find someone experienced locally who can assist you , this will make the task a lot more easy

 

[~Helen~]

Brilliant thread for those of us who've thought about rabbiting but never tried it. The despatching bit is the part that I'd find most difficult - I presume there is a knack to it? I've seen necks stretched down the thigh and it looks very polished and extremely quick in the hands of someone who's used to it, but is it something you can get the hang of quite quickly?

 

[Lakey]

A lot of sensible advice is been given here my only part to add is dont do to much to soon especilly (spelling ) with your pup. Bean is still at a very young age, alot of damage can be done to her developing bone structure if worked too hard too soon.

 

[kim & Tilly]

i thank you for all your help and info...

i think there is so much information i need to go out with some one first.

So i think i will arrange with Mikefromhereford to go up and see what he does..

Then have a go after......

i wouldnt work bean cause she is way to young yet

 

[Mike from Hereford]

Your welcome to have a walk out in the Herefordshire countryside, its a pleasure to invite folk off K9.

Rabbit hunting is legal, with the use of dogs, and I have some lovely areas to hunt.

Mike

 

[frodo baggins]

Hi all, interesting thread, havent been on for a while so just catching up on things.

I have been known to do a bit of ferreting

If you decide to go down the ferreting route and you have young dogs out with you, its worth trying longnets to stop those fleeing bunnies in thier tracks, this gives the pups a confidence cause they get to catch the bunnies most of the time.

If you go down the lamping route try and find somewhere where you and your dog have the advantage, i.e a rabbit fence where the young dog can put a bit of pressure on the rabbits where it will make a mistake.

Get out with someone else first to show you the ropes, and remember to have fun, thats what its all about.

Good luck.

 

[Lakey]

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Looks like a good day out that you've had there :thumbsup:

Over the last two months I've got a couple of ferrets get my pup used to them, they're now drinking milk out of the same bowl at the same time and she does'nt bother them at all

 

[~elizabeth~]

Your welcome to have a walk out in the Herefordshire countryside, its a pleasure to invite folk off K9.

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Sounds lovely Mike, rabbiting with the Black Mountains as a backdrop, might join you :- " :lol:

I have a lovely place to take mine, lots of black ones which helps get their eye in when starting off. Never caught one though, I guess only the wiley ones survive.

Good thread :thumbsup:

 

[frodo baggins]

I hate to say this, but giving dogs and ferrets milk

Ive noticed on a few posts people mentioning this.

If you give ferrets milk it scoures them, runny shite yes?

Definatley a no no with ferrets. The days are long gone when people used to feed the ferrets on bread and milk, use either raw meat or get some the complete ferret foods and for drinks just plain old water.

Dogs can be funny with milk too, water it down if you have to give it to them.

 

[Lakey]

I hate to say this, but giving dogs and ferrets milk 
Ive noticed on a few posts people mentioning this.

If you give ferrets milk it scoures them, runny shite yes?

Definatley a no no with ferrets. The days are long gone when people used to feed the ferrets on bread and milk, use either raw meat or get some the complete ferret foods and for drinks just plain old water.

Dogs can be funny with milk too, water it down if you have to give it to them.

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My ferrets get a dried food diet suplimented with fresh meat, the milk with a little honey is given in very small quanities and only when i whistle or shout them when i go to handle them when i get home from work. The reason i let the dogs drink at the same time i purly to get the ferrets and dogs accustomed to each other and its working fine for me, granted it has given the ferrets the runs when i did give the to much on one occasion, they only get two eggcups full now getween two ferrets a two whippets

 

[kim & Tilly]

Not sure i will get ferriets...but i can still hunt without them cant i ??

 

[tony b]

Not sure i will get ferriets...but i can still hunt without them cant i ??

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you dont have to have ferrets,get out with a lamp on a windy night and if you get somebody experienced to come with you that would help.as you have permission it makes it easier because you dont have to keep looking over your shoulder :- "