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woodyfirst

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Everything posted by woodyfirst

  1. I'm struggling to believe some of what I'm reading here. Feed pigeons with feathers on. I have fed THOUSANDS of pigeons to ferrets over the past 10 years and have never once had any problem with mites. Not once. Feed rabbits with fur on. Whole carcass feeding is pretty much the only way to ensure that your ferrets are getting all the nutrients they require. Fur and feather is important to that. Guts can be fed, I prefer to take them out, but that's purely to help me keep the court clean. Follow these guidlines for pretty much everything you get your hands on and you won't go far wrong. I'd only advise against feeding rats and mice. With these rodents, it's always safer to assume they have eaten rodenticide at somepoint. Crows, magpies, rooks, rabbit, hare, woodpigeons, collared doves, pheasants, partridges, ducks, geese, deer (not whole, obviously), chickens ANYTHING. I reckon that one rabbit between two ferrets each day is a bit much. Perhaps half a rabbit each day would be more on the mark. Just keep an eye on it, if they've eaten everything, good chance they need more. If they've left a little bit, you've got it just right.
  2. This is a tough one. The best rifle I've ever owned is a SuperTen. I went for it because I couldn't afford a Rapid. I sold it because I couldn't afford to keep it! I've just ordered the BSA R10, so hopefully that will turn out to be even better! The best springer I've ever owned is HW95. The Air Arms s200 and s410 are both amazing rifles, and one that's not made any more, but has to be one of my favourite rifles ever is the Theoben Fenman. Certainly a contenter for the best self contained. I think the BSA Lightning will turn out like the Meteor in years to come. Solid, dependable and affordable, and the way in which many people find their way into airgunning. All that said, I think the two best air rifles ever made are the Theoben Rapid and the HW80.
  3. I find that very surprising...nothing goes through my HW95k better than Accupels! Just goes to show, you need to test as much as you can!
  4. Still, what a great place to be out!
  5. Got out on a mate's lake yesterday, working my ferrets for my mate and his mate to shoot the bolters. I clearly set the rules, and the chaps were safe as houses with their guns Got to work around the lake- netting would've been impossible, as all the holes were under dense gorse and bramble bushes. We got off to a promising start when my hob bolted a rabbit withing a minute. However it just hopped to the next burrow and disappeared. We ended up working a burrow at a time, just shunting the rabbits from one to the next. Ended up with 2 from there. Absolutely no doubt that we'd've ended up with a lot more from the lake if it was possible to net all the holes, but it just wasnt an option, sadly. We then moved into the corner of a field, and managed to set some nets. After about a 20 minute wait, had a sweep round with the detector, and got a mark 3 feet down, a metre from the edge of the main road! Easy digging, luckily, and we pulled out two rabbits. Next we moved over to a hedgerow that is riddled with burrows, and bolted a few more over about a 45 minute period. The guys shot two, others weren't safe. Couldn't get a mark on my jill, but she appeared with claws full of fur so she'd definitely had an encounter! We moved over to another field in the village, worked a horse field, bolted two in as many minutes- one manages to get out of the net. Next one was netted well, but both were myxy. After that it was a few little burrows under some big trees, and some more in a wood. It was pretty much one bolt from every burrow, and all were shot well. Except one which went back underground, but I later pulled one from the hole that it went down after my hob had killed underground again. We managed 14 all day, including the one myxy, which we buried, so we ended up with 13. Didn't get any action shots, sadly, but photo of the bag and ferrets below. (not too great as it was dark, my torch was dying, and my camera isn't too good!)
  6. It's hard to say without seeing a picture, but I'd be inclined to say that theres nothing to worry about. Personally (lets not get into a debate!) I wouldn't be feeding dried food as the staple diet. Get em on fresh meat!
  7. I assume these are no longer availiable?
  8. My whole hob is eating loads at the moment! He's getting through a pigeon on his own each day, and my 3 jills are getting through one between them. I'm quite lucky to have a big freezer full of pigeons and rabbits, so my ferrets get carcass every day. At this time of year, I only feed them 6 days a week though.
  9. You could use a spring, but it should work simply on counterbalancing. As long as the pivot is not central, one side will be heavier than the other, so it should re-set itself.
  10. I would love to if I had the materials to build one, and the time to do it! I'll do my best to explain in words though! Right, so to start with, you need to construct a weld-mesh cage (with 5 sides...no top): It should be about 18" deep, by about the same size long, and approximately 1' wide. The size isn't really important though, I guess it depends on how many rabbits you expect to catch!! 1" square weld-mesh is fairly good for the job. Then make a frame to fit around the top of this cage, using 2"x1" or something similar, so you're left with a rectangle 12" by 18". You should construct some kind of small lip around on side of the frame. Attatch this to the cage. Next you need to build the door. The whole thing can be made from one piece of board. A piece of inch thick ply should be ideal. Cut it so it fits inside the frame, with enough room to move freely, but so there are no big gaps around the edge. Then its the tricky part! You need to attach the board into the frame with some kind of pivot. You could get some kind of 180 degree hinge, but as far as I can work out, it would work just as well with a metal bar inserted through the door (or attatched to the door), and through the frame work too. This should be done off centre, so that there's around 8" on one side of the pivot, and 10" on the other side. Then you need to build a tunnel over the smaller side of the door, big enough for a rabbit to walk through, making sure that it doesnt hinder the movement of the door. You should attatch some kind of lock to the 'non-tunnel' side, so that the trap can be locked. And thats basically it! You then need to dig a pit, the right size to accomodate the mesh cage, so that the door sits flush with the ground. It should be set so that the tunnel runs through a fence, and left locked for a few days or weeks, to allow the rabbits to get used to running through the tunnel, before opening the trap, and letting them drop in! I tried to make some kind of diagram in paint...I'll apologise in advance for the crapness of whats below! There is no scale in these images, its just to give you and idea...top view: side view: Hope thats of some help to anyone who's interested. Please move this thread if its in the wrong forum mods! Give me a PM if you need any more help with it!
  11. Hi Ferretboy, I'm a member (well, ex-member) of the CFWRS, I still keep in touch with a few of the guys though. I'd be happy to take some of the kits off you when they're ready. Drop me a PM, or an email (sam.wood3[at]btinternet.com) if you're interested!
  12. These things are awesome if you have a big problem. Its essential that you can get to the traps every day though. The can be made relatively easily from wood and weldmesh too (the subterranean parts being weld mesh...like a big cage under ground, and the tunnel and trapdoor being wood), but the galvanised steel ones that you can buy are much better, as wood tends to swell when wet / in the heat etc, so could get stuck. Definitely a worthwhile investment for a serious rabbit catcher!!
  13. Good work my man! I'm going out with a mate on peas next sunday, weather permitting, for the first time in nearly a year. I'll report back with photos.
  14. I once shot a starling (when it was still legal!), in the head at about 25 yards. I went to pick it up, and as i got about 5 yards from it, it got up, and flew away. I say flew away, it only went a few yards, but it was still alive. when I eventually got near it, I shot it in the chest, and it stopped still. On inspection, a good portion of its skull was missing. Hardcore birds! I also had a rat once a few years ago, head shot at about 20 yards. It was kicking a lot, but I assumed it was just nerves. When I got to it, I shot it point blank in the head again, just to be sure, and it carried on kicking. It was really going for it. After a few more shots, it actually got up, and tried to scramble away. I was in the midst of reloading, so my reactions were to kick it, to stop it getting under the shed. It was still going for it when I got to it. I then shot it once in the chest, and it just stopped. It was weird. Sometimes that happens!
  15. Caught a mxyx rabbit yesterday. Gutted. I just hope that it doesn't spread too far round my permission!
  16. Allan, did you put a MkII Buddy bottle on this?
  17. yeh me too...just keep twisting its head, quickly as possible, but no pulling involved, so no chance of pulling a head off! It works well for any bird!
  18. I'd say more £250 - £300
  19. woodyfirst

    vermin pell

    Ah right, must have changed their name then, cos I've got a tin of .22 MatchPells sat in front of me right now, bought a load in bulk a while back. Good pellets, as are all the crossmans. I tend to use the flat heads on rats mainly, but the shape of the pellet is irrelevant if the shot is well placed!
  20. woodyfirst

    vermin pell

    Are they the same as Matchpells?
  21. I refinished the stock on my HW95. It was a silly mistake! It looks alright now, but it took ages and wasn't worth the hassle! Don't bother.
  22. Didn't say it was dangerous, just not common practice! Don't worry!
  23. woodyfirst

    in coming

    I assume that means there's a congratulations is order!
  24. should easily get £250 for it i'd imagine.
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