Ex townie JRT catches a rabbit

[Tiddlypom]

A rather naive baby wild rabbit ran straight towards the JRT this morning as I was poo picking in the field.

There was only one likely outcome.

Bunny duly despatched, the JRT brought her spoils into the garden and .... sat and wondered what to do next. Would we maybe take it and cook it for her ? She stayed there for ages until taken for a walk, whereupon I removed it.

Pic is distant and not too gruesome, but to be safe I’ve hidden it behind a spoiler alert as a warning (or I hope I have, I‘ve not used a spoiler before).

Spoiler

This JRT was brought up in Bolton and came to us as a rising 3yo. Raw meat is not to her taste, apparently. Her predecessor would have left nothing behind but the green bits ?.

 

[Bellasophia]

Instinct will out...your sweet dog looks both proud of his conquest yet unsure of what to do next.
I‘m loving your garden;what a wonderful space and beautifully maintained.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Mine would have disposed of it easily! One of their favourite things.

 

[cobgoblin]

But, but... You were supposed to show her what to do.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

She looks unsure should she be proud of herself or has she blotted her copy book in some way Our old JRT was an excellent hunter - but he never ate any of his kills, usually cocked his leg and peed on them and just casually walked off nonchalantly whistling to himself!

 

[Roxylola]

My little hound would catch and bring me live rabbits. I did firmly discourage this as it's a bit awkward when your walks are in places like heaton park (full of kids and townies). Also the live thing was an issue. She doesnt much like rabbit to eat though, and shes raw fed.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Terriers gonna terrier!

 

[MurphysMinder]

Unfortunately we seem to have a few myxy rabbits round here at the moment. Whereas the dogs will kill and eat rabbits normally they don't seem to want to eat the myxy ones, which I am quite relieved about.

 

[EarsofaSnowman]

Reminds me of when I moved from city centre to a cottage backing onto farm land. My sweet, timid, cat discovered what her teeth and claws were for. Unfortunately for me she not only caught a baby rabbit but proceeded to take herself off to under my bed, and eat it. Head first. This was early morning so I woke up to chomping sounds ?

 

[Tiddlypom]

Unfortunately we seem to have a few myxy rabbits round here at the moment. Whereas the dogs will kill and eat rabbits normally they don't seem to want to eat the myxy ones, which I am quite relieved about.

Oof, thanks for the warning. Myxy comes and goes in waves here, and we are about due another outbreak. Don’t think this little bun had it though, it was dashing about at speed but made the wrong call re direction.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Instinct will out...your sweet dog looks both proud of his conquest yet unsure of what to do next.
I‘m loving your garden;what a wonderful space and beautifully maintained.

She does very unsure, doesn’t she.

Thank you for you kind remarks about the garden. The low res picture of the lawn is a rather flattering one . Whilst we do mow it regularly, it has rather a lot of moss and weeds in it, oops.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

We had 2 farm bred JRTs from a long line of rabbitters and ratters who never caught a blummin' thing in their lives, despite running off across fields full of rabbits on a regular basis. Breeder always said that it was because they were born and brought up in the kitchen, rather than in a stable as the summer born pups were.

 

[PapaverFollis]

At least he dispatched it. When the spaniel caught one he just stood there like a goon with the poor thing screeching and wouldn't hand it over either. Little -bleeeeep- I think it died of shock or just drowned in spaniel slobber in the end. Usually he limits his activities to finding already dead ones but this one just appeared under his nose. Still feel guilty about it!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

At least he dispatched it. When the spaniel caught one he just stood there like a goon with the poor thing screeching and wouldn't hand it over either. Little -bleeeeep- I think it died of shock or just drowned in spaniel slobber in the end. Usually he limits his activities to finding already dead ones but this one just appeared under his nose. Still feel guilty about it!

We once had a Lab who picked up a baby rabbit on a walk through the wood. Then she put it down and it hopped away!

 

[PapaverFollis]

We once had a Lab who picked up a baby rabbit on a walk through the wood. Then she put it down and it hopped away!

I'm going to choose to believe that's what happened to the one the spaniel had! I didn't see him drop it as I'd walked away with the sprollie to prevent any games of tug ensuing! Spaniel reappeared sans rabbit and he hadn't been behind long enough to have actually eaten it. So maybe it got away.

 

[misst]

Bless her. You can't beat a terrier for instinct. My old girl once returned from the woods with the lower half of a rotting stinking deer leg. She dragged it from the field to the yard she was so proud of it. She was tiny and it was longer than her. The hoof was still attached yuk. Somewhere I have a picture of her sitting with it looking for all the world as if she had brought down and dispatched the whole deer

 

[Tiddlypom]

Meanwhile, the serious bunny control here is still ongoing. The individual who has taken on this task appears to have no fixed abode, and is unwilling to feature in an interview.

It’s the fierce black Tom who sometimes kips in our hay barn. He must get good pickings pouncing from this vantage point on a fence post, I often see him there. He won’t be leaving anything remotely edible behind after he‘s caught a bun.

 

[southerncomfort]

I wish my JR would catch rabbits (she does catch rats and moles though!). Rabbit man still hasn't caught a single one yet. ☹

Beginning to think the humane method doesn't work particularly well. ?

 

[MyBoyChe]

My jrt is useless, hes country born and bred and his father was a proper working ratter. On the one occasion he came face to face with one he backed off and it was left to Mr Spangle to do the business, He has neither the inclination or the ability sadly. In his favour he makes a fantastic hot water bottle