Hard work ferreting, came back empty handed

[Tug]

After waking up in the small hours to hear the rain lashing against the side of the house, I wasn't sure that my alarm clock would be getting me out of bed.

 

It was a different picture at 8am when I left the house with the boot full of gear. My plan was to visit two sites I've been asked to look out with a view to carrying out a brief recce for future visits and pushing the pugs through any manageable warrens.

 

The first site had a number of moderate sized warrens that straddled the boundary, I will need to check out who owns the adjacent land and do a bit of door knocking. Some of the other rabbit activity is centred around flagged walkways and concrete structures - definitely not suitable for putting my furry companions to ground. With the exception of one large bank that is riddled with active looking holes, which isn't a solo task, the only other holes looked fairly inactive. I pushed the boys through before closing them up and levelling off to remove the trip hazards that are causing such a problem.

 

Site two had no such boundary issues but is on a 60 degree sloping embankment that is hard to walk up, let alone work on.

The bank is getting eroded very badly, and I've been asked to see if I can clear the rabbits and level off where the worst damage is.

 

Working the steep bank, coupled with the high winds due to the exposed location it was very difficult to get the nets down. I set down about 25 purse nets and a two big poke nets and had a quick cup of hot chocolate to let the rabbits settle before introducing my first hob, within less than a minute one rabbit bolted out of the only hole I'd missed :(

Second rabbit bolted shortly after that from a hole that had been netted but the wind had blown the net off and number two was across the field to freedom :(

After five more minutes I popped the other hob in as well because there was definite bumping under my feet, a third rabbit bolted from a hole at the far end of my set and managed to kick free of the net by the time I'd scrambled across the bank to it. :(

 

I decided to call it off and return with helping hands and a long net to catch any that slipped free but the hobs had a different plan, neither of them surfaced for the next ten minutes. Out came the locator and I tracked one to the edge of the set, a couple of squeaks brought him out of a hole and I switched off his collar and put him back in the box, I think he'd worn himself out chasing coneys around the warren and was having a lie down. A thorough search with the locator pinpointed the other hob as being 5' down and a good way back from any of the holes. Luckily the ground is a mix of soil and sand with no major stones, the dig was still an unwelcome task as I had to remove my coat to allow me movement and stop me sweating but the wind was biting cold. I started to go carefully, checking with the probe until I located the run he was stopped up in. I was starting to worry he might have just slipped his collar as he doesn't normally lay up this long so had to keep checking the edge of the bank to make sure he wasn't slinking off. As I broke through I felt the fur of a rabbit which took my touch as a cue to get moving, he ran up my back and out of the hole joining his three burrow buddies in safety. As I swore and cursed into the hole I made eye contact with a very surprised looking hob who was squinting at the light after being underground for almost 30 minutes, if ferrets could display a look abject disappointment then he certainly would have been.

 

 

 

If I hadn't already decided to go home that certainly would have convinced me, working solo is no fun when you can't see all the holes at once.

 

On the bright side I was out in the fresh air, getting exercise with some spectacular views. It certainly beats staying tucked up in bed or watching junk television. Better a blowy day on a hill than a sunny one in the office.

Edited November 27, 2011 by Tug

[huntsman]

Great reading dave,we all have had days similar to yours,sadly by the looks of things the area you tried to cover single handed was atad bit harder than you can imagine.

If you need a hand in the future let me know,have nets will travel I gave my polecatss away due to work commitments,but will never give my nets away.

 

Have a spare ferret cage surplus to requirements if you need it.

 

the ones that got away will be the tastier in the pot

[Tug]

Great reading dave,we all have had days similar to yours,sadly by the looks of things the area you tried to cover single handed was atad bit harder than you can imagine.

If you need a hand in the future let me know,have nets will travel I gave my polecatss away due to work commitments,but will never give my nets away.

 

Have a spare ferret cage surplus to requirements if you need it.

 

the ones that got away will be the tastier in the pot

Cheers Huntsman, I'll bear that in mind. Whereabouts are you?

 

I've got a couple of buddies and we usually go out as a trio but didn't want to make the lads drive down because we hadn't seen the state of the sites. As they were nearer to me I went out for a look and more of a survey than a serious session.

[MM]

Good effort though dude

[artschool]

i heard the same rain lashing the side of my house that morning.

[Tug]

No commitment to the cause Mr Artschool, that's why most of your kit still has the wrappers on

 

Cheers Mart

[Bleeh]

Spend a bit of that Xmas money and get yourself a couple of 50' long nets. In flat grassy land like that they are a piece of **** to set up and put away (You can do it as fast as you can walk backwards).

 

You'll can then pretty much surround where you are working, meaning that 95% of bolted bunnies don't get away!.

[Tug]

I sold my long nets not too long ago because they didn't see any use. Most of my land is thick cover so no chance of running them out. Once I've done a few more purse nets I might bite the bullet and make a new one.

[MM]

ive a load of nets here, just let me know.