I was ferreting a new permission which is about a mile uphill from my house and out of the town (that we recently moved into) on 28/12/15. It is a water storage tank with high bankings around it which have burrows a plenty. I started off ferreting beside the brick built pump-house nearby and put a 2yr old jill polecat called dixie and also used ziggy, a 4 year old hob polecat, both are experienced workers. I was a bit concerned that the ground was very soft and sandy and was a bit worried it might cave in. 2 rabbits bolted in quick succession in to nets and were despatched.Another was heard thumping underground so i quietly waited for it to hopefully bolt. Then all went quiet. After 1 hour Dixie appeared, with no evidence of a kill underground. 3 hours later and no sign of ziggy. Usually if my ferrets kill underground they come back up. I realised he was in trouble and to try to dig into sandy ground like this would cause a big cave in.With darkness arriving fast i decided to leave the 2 rabbits inside the burrows and seal the entrances and return later with a live capture trap. I returned at 7pm and opened up the burrows rabbits hadn't been touched. I set the trap baited with a rabbit and left and returned next morning, still no sign. Thinking he was probably the victim of a cave in i lightly sealed the burrows and returned a day later, still no sign.I have been ferreting for about 29 years and have never lost a ferret in action and was most upset, at myself for puting a ferret into sandy burrows and maybe causing him a horrible death. On friday 22/1/16 i let my 3 labs out my back door and they went immediatly to my ferret huches which was unusual,There was a scream from under one of the hutches and on looking there was ziggy. I could't believe he had got out and travelled all the way down to my house, he wasnt skinny but had 5 ticks which i removed.. I took him to the vet and he's fine, never thought i would see him again and we are amazed at his return, we live in a fairly large town so his return was not by chance, the only thing i can think is that he smelled the other 6 ferrets i have 4 of which are his offspring. Anyone heard of such a incredible homecoming ?
