Rabbit_Hunter-April_2012-Finding_Briar - Huntinghoundsmen.com

headed off as if on a normal run,
the true ditch still was ahead of
but it certainly did not end up that
me, steep sided and with a couple
way. As we moved to get into
feet of water in it. Twig stood on
position to try to intercept the rabbit
as it came around, the barking
sion over everything. I imagined
the other bank cowering in confu-
of the dogs stopped, or at least we
Briar must be somewhere doing
could no longer hear it. The wind
the same. I gently called for Twig
had picked up considerably, so we
to come across, but he was not
could not hear their bells, or any
going to come freely through so
barking. After several moments of
much water. I went down the
not hearing anything, I began to
steep bank, hoped the bottom was
worry. If they were making a
not muck that I would sink into,
check then they should open up
and took a long stride into the
soon, but it seemed to be taking
middle of the water. The bottom
longer than it should have. I
was muddy but firm, and I was
called. No bells or barking. I
able to cross in three steps with
called again with more emphasis
the water going over my knee
… still nothing. I shot my gun, an
high rubber boots the entire way.
action that always gets the dogs’
I got to the opposite side and
attention and brings them back
pulled my self up the bank to
nearly immediately, nothing after
Briar and Twig weren't this clean
where Twig waited. He let me put
several more minutes. What had
after getting lost in the woods.
the leash on him and lead him to
happened?
the edge of a nearby field where I
My mind raced through scenarios. I knew Pete was somewhere
along the hillside in front and to the left of me, and I did-
off Twig and began petting him heavily. He was very glad to
began scanning and calling for Briar as I took the shock collar
n’t hear him calling for the dogs as if he’d seen them. Did they see me. He probably thought nothing of being over there until
run the rabbit over the hillside only to bump into some bedded all the shooting and shocking started and he found no way to
deer on the other side? Would they have taken off after those get back to me, then he probably got frightened as dogs will.
deer or maybe a coyote? But I never heard them open up hot as Now Pete and dad were calling for Briar, as I had told them I
if sight chasing a deer. And I don’t think they would be that had Twig. Both shot their guns and listened. After more minutes
of nothing I tried to shock her again though I dreaded to do
interested in running a deer just off scent, not when they had
been running rabbits. I pulled out the shock collar transmitter. it. At this point I knew she was not running trash. She was
I hated to shock them if they weren’t running trash, but hitting somewhere trying to find me or running scared due to all the
them with a low setting would elicit a bark which would let me confusion, but if we didn’t know where she was, we would not
pinpoint where they were. I hit Twig first with a low setting and know which direction to move to. I hit the button and we heard
a yelp immediately came back from somewhere ahead of me in a yelp way in the opposite direction by where we had entered
the distance. I started calling non-stop. The dogs usually come the woods after coming back to this area; at least it sounded
back to me immediately after getting shocked. But I heard no that way in the wind.
approaching bell this time. I kept calling for both dogs now. Pete immediately headed that way. Dad slowly went to where
Still nothing, but then Pete must have sensed my urgency there was a chair someone had left in the woods to sit due to his
because he called too. Now I needed to confirm where Briar hampered mobility from the twisted leg. I went back down the
was. I didn’t know where or how they ended up where they ditch and crossed the water dragging Twig behind me. He was
were, but I knew Briar could get there and into trouble faster not too anxious to get in there. I passed Dad and grabbed his
than Twig, but I hated to shock her even on a low setting leash and passed Twig off to him. I told him to take his time and
because of her timid nature when it comes to such things. head out to the open field as I raced ahead to get out there. I
I hit her with a low setting, and over the wind moving all of heard Pete calling and by the time I was out through the woods
the brush I thought I’d heard her give a yelp, so I began calling and to the edge of the field he was already up on the hill overlooking
the area. He saw nothing as evidenced by his continued
in earnest again repeatedly to allow her to get a fix on my position,
but there was still nothing coming my way. I moved forward
and heard Pete call out that Twig was on the other side of looked across it to the field behind the woods we had entered
calling. I called too as loud as I could. I went to the ditch and
a large ditch that contained quite a bit of water and he wouldn’t
come back across. I made my way through the tangles all done. She must have been on the other side of the ditch with
but saw nothing. I tried to replay in my mind what she had
the while calling for Briar as loudly as I could. I had hoped that Twig, and for whatever reason they got separated enough so
she was by Twig and they were merely on the other side of the that when he got shocked he stayed where he was, but she must
ditch. But when I got to Pete and saw only Twig my heart have been moving along the ditch trying to find a way back
dropped. The task remained to first secure him before getting when I shocked her. She must have run all the way along the
after Briar.
ditch back to where we had crossed and then been in the field
I unloaded my gun and went down the ditch to where I knew when I shocked her again. But now where was she?
it narrowed and crossed it, but then I realized that what I had After several minutes of calling, my dad emerged from the
crossed was only what was draining out of the swamp and that woods and decided he was going to take Twig back to the truck