Gonna Shoot a Wabbit Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 Hi all, its been a while since i posted a ferreting trip so sit back with a drink and enjoy. 3 of us out today don, den and your humble scribe with YTS unavailable due to family commitments and a general wimpish attitude to cold weather. The day has dawned sunny and cold with just a gentle breeze blowing to freeze the tips of your ears if uncovered. We are working today a new piece of ground in cheshire and hopes are high for a good day.So after a final equipment check, nets, ferrets, spades,locators, rabbit bonkers ( priests, hand made by don ) now please remember that phrase dear reader "rabbit bonker" off we jolly well went. We netted up a stretch of hedgerow some 50yds long that incorporated some 5 or 6 sets. Once done, i posted one of the ferrets and away we went. 2 rabbits bolted in quick succesion that den deftly dealt with on his side of the hedge, when i heard the underground rumbling so beloved of us ferreters and with best goalkeeping pose accomplished.......... whoosh went the net some 5 yds away and my 1st wriggling bunny is added to the bag, alas i hadnt seen the ferret for some time so out with the locator and she is some 2 feet done....... so out with the spade and......God bless sandy soil we are soon down to the ferret who hears the spade coming and does her usual running back and to from the bunny to the mouth of the hole. i broke through the tunnel and reached as far as i could but the feret was moving round the set again and surfaced so i grabbed her and boxed her up before the bunny she was rattling round could back itself into another hole. I backfilled the hole and we carried on, we steadily worked our way down the hedgerow and at the end we had 4 bunnies in the bag. So onto the next section of hedgerow, we netted up and in go the ferrets. Well the bunnys are bolting on dens side and i feel i should point out that den though not a trainee is a little sqeemish about the actual killing. I usually take the bunnies off him to dispatch but today he is flying solo and handling his own bunnies. He had 2 bolt in quick succesion and asked me to check his 2nd was properly done with the immortal words" Ade please check that bunny I have bonked it twice" (see 3rd paragraph) to which i replied Chuffin hell Den if you have bonked it twice it should be ruddy grateful HA HA HOO HOO perhaps just my schoolboy humour but collapsed into fit of giggles as a bunny bolts on my side and as i skid to a halt and grab for it it manages to wriggle out of the net and make good its escape, serves me right!! the next 1 that bolts is on my side and i make no mistake this time. But where is the ferret we aint seen it for 10mins. We find her 3 feet down so out with the spade. A quick dig and soon ferret and bunny are unearthed and the bunny duly dispatched. We have 4 from this section of hedgerow to give us 8 for the morning. So we decide to retire for luncheon. Luncheon provided by don is a sumptuous affair of bacon and sausage (left over from xmas no doubt) and suitably refreshed we head off again. We net up a 15 holer in the middle of the field and with hopes high post the ferrets and lo and behold not a single bunny at home so we move on. The next section of hedgerow is covered in rabbit signs so we net it up and in go the ferrets. Text book stuff here. with 2 bunnies bolting on dens side theat he and don deal with admirably. i have assumed best goalkeeper pose and am ready when the rumbling turns into a bunny projectile hitting the net. All is quiet for a few minutes when a bunny slips a net on dens side runs towards him then cuts into my side of the hedge..... spots me and gives the bunny equivalent of the old two finger salute as it disappears down a hole TAKING A NET WITH IT..... oh i do enjoy a backnetted rabbit....... as i haul it from the depths and admister the coup de grace one cannot help but feel smug. these 4 bring our total to 12 bunnies. We have promised the farmer we would work a mound of earth near a caravan before we finish and here is our final set of the day. So with my handmade hemp longnet deployed surrounding said mound and ready in go the ferts. Before long a bunny hops out and sits on top of the mound to be pushed on by one of the ferts. said bunny bolts like a good ,un into the reach of the longnet and is held fast whilst don deals with it..... i say a silent prayer please, please let one bolt near me...... let all the weeks of work netmaking come to fruition....... and whooshhhhhhhh a bunny explodes from near my feet to be firmly enmeshed and a very happy ferreter and netmaker admisters the coup de grace to no 14 of the day. With the time at 2pm we have got all the ferrets out and decide to quit whilst ahead. A fabulous day with lots of memorable bolts and 2 caught in my longnet too OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH wonderful stuff. So after a quick pic of the slain your humble scribe and 2 other very happy ferreters head for home. Thanks for reading....... all the best for the new year everyone!! rgds Ade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSS Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 Very good read and nice pitures too. I too had a great days ferreting yesterday, but we used shotguns. Keep it up mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 Sounds like you all had a really great day, well done. Good write up and marvelous photos too. I have to admit that I am a little envious - I went out for a walk about with the 17 HMR this afternoon and spent half of my time trying to get out of the snow drifts that are covering the permission that I was on. Only got 2 shots off but each one was a direct hit and clean kill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
here iam Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 write up mate cracking pictures nice healthy looking bunnies as well no white stuff their either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 great day out well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 Well done to you all In that first pic does the hedge do a sharp left after the tree line Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerseaDavid Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 Welldone guys I have not been out ferreting for about 6 -7 years now, me and dad used to go out with a mate who had ferrets and we used to shoot the rabits as they bolted from their holes, it used to be great fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 Welldone guys I have not been out ferreting for about 6 -7 years now, me and dad used to go out with a mate who had ferrets and we used to shoot the rabits as they bolted from their holes, it used to be great fun yes it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead-Eyed Duck Posted January 1, 2010 Report Share Posted January 1, 2010 All I can say is that the ferrets are better looking than wot he is. An excellent day out and in good company - the ferrets that is. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted January 1, 2010 Report Share Posted January 1, 2010 Great read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet boy Posted January 1, 2010 Report Share Posted January 1, 2010 Excellent Bag! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wesman Posted January 1, 2010 Report Share Posted January 1, 2010 Great write up. This ferreting lark sounds interesting. I better get into shooting properly before adding another hobby though. The mrs will kill me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomV Posted January 1, 2010 Report Share Posted January 1, 2010 great read a good sized bag also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeh Posted January 1, 2010 Report Share Posted January 1, 2010 Welldone guys I have not been out ferreting for about 6 -7 years now, me and dad used to go out with a mate who had ferrets and we used to shoot the rabits as they bolted from their holes, it used to be great fun yes it is I'm with you also. Though, it has to be said, I've had more close shaves with stupid shots while ferreting, than anywhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyh1988 Posted January 1, 2010 Report Share Posted January 1, 2010 nice job m8 keep up the good work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatjoe Posted January 1, 2010 Report Share Posted January 1, 2010 well done mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted January 1, 2010 Report Share Posted January 1, 2010 Really enjoyed that. Don't tend to bother doing them anymore for a variety of reasons but you may have just persuaded me to start making an account of our trips out on here again. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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