The revised bill wants to ban hare coursing, what if your (longdog) works fox's is that ok? and how will licenceing affect terriermen like myself.

Admin Edit: Terms Of Service

Here is the Hunting Bill. See the exemptions in Schedule 1.If your terriers only work rat or rabbit where you have permission or own the land you are OK. Otherwise move to Northern Ireland and be at Westminster for the protest on Monday 16th December when the Second Reading happens. Or you could forget hunting and try to get a well paid job on The Hunting Tribunal (yes, another quango). I'm only grateful that the Countryside Alliance has remembered those of us who work dogs on foot at last.

Thanks for the reply, looks like ime gonna have to find a solicitor to work/walk my dogs with me. ("all aplicants must be handy with a shovel")

The second reading of the Hunting Bill is scheduled for Monday December 16th and there will be a mass lobby/protest of the Government at the House of Commons, London.

Turn Up Or Give Up

It amazes me that the dog owning public of the UK still do not realise what this bill will mean to every day dog owners. No doubt everyone will wake up when it is to late! If you are a dog owner and you haven't already done so - READ THE BILL :-) Todd, I believe that *Ratting* will be allowed to continue. Obviously a rat is vermin but a fox isn't :rolleyes:

Hi Leigh, I got a email from the CA yesterday about the bill, we have a notice up in our vets for pet owners to read to see how it will effect them too - which I thought was a good idea! (you sure you're not related to him?:D) Julie:)

Had two foxes running through the shoot today, one carrying a freshly shot pheasant! I was also disturbed to see a Mink running along the river bank! I'm glad to say that one was dispatched by one of the guns. Mink are one of the most vicious animals around but thanks to the loony fringe are now settled into the countryside killing anything they can get their mouths around

John

I used to whip in for the mink hounds John. One of the saddest sights I know is to see a stretch of river where mink live. There is not a duck, coot, moorhen, vole, kingfisher to be seen, just an eerie silence because they have killed everything. About 5 years ago we had some black swans on the ponds and the mink killed every single cygnet, about 20 altogether.

Its not just along rivers. A friend of ours is from a coastal village in northern Scotland. It used to be a protected habitat for rare sea birds until 'animal lovers' liberated a mink farm some distance away. Now you see the odd seagull: the mink killed or destroued the eggs of everything else. Horrible creatures.

I live on the outskirts of Birmingham and walk my dogs down by the canal, this Summer I was devastated to see a large Mink scurrying along the towpath, needless to say the Mallard broods paid dearly, I watched one brood go from 10 ducklings to 3 in a few days, Thankfully someone beat me to it and put a .22 pellet into him.
As for Ratting has anyone at Champdogs had any experience of Ratting.

Yes Craig, good sport and not just when you and your wee cousins jump up and down on a sack of them :). BTW you haven't been trying to e-mail me by any chance? If had a couple of messages that contained pics but wouldn't download properly. Couldn't be sure from what little I did get but thought they might be from you.

not me........unless the photographs are of a man in a pvc cat suit, 2 midgets ,lots of whipped cream,and a monkey called Eric riding a motorbike......in that case I sent them to you by mistake ( your email address may be similiar to The editor of Fetish International ) and if you are in the Police Force, I deny all charges.......they made me do it

LOL @ Craig. No this seemed to be about dogs.

yes craig...lots of ratting experience thank you! ;)

Its somthing I have always wanted to try, I shoot and have asked various people, including a few landowners and nobody knows anybody who ' Rats'.
I live in Birmingham and with the current climate against Fieldsports peolple always seem a little wary of ' strangers' asking about who does or doesn't take part in certain sports ( I understand why, I'm the same when people ask about my shooting ).
How did you get into Ratting ?

Get countrymans weekly Craig!

Hi all, there was an excellent feature on a tv prog. Clarissa and the Countryman (or Clarrie and Johnny:D) on ratting with JRT's . there was a club in Merseyside, for young men and their JRTs, and they were called out to help a farmer with a rat problem , these dogs were awesome. Perhaps a Working JRT Club (do they have them?) could help you! Julie:)