rabbit hunter Posted December 24, 2003 Report Share Posted December 24, 2003 What is the best type of spade to use for digging? I have a folding spade but it is ****, the screw-tightening thing is nakkered, and it cant take the leverage if im pulling at a root. I was told a "ladies gardening spade" are the best, something to do wid its sharp-er edges. Where could I get one from? I would prefer one with a wooden handle rather than stainless steel. I had to dig for ma ferret twice this morning. I think its cos she's too full, i dunno wot she does down there, but once im a few inches away from the tunnel, she moves, n usually just as i get into tunnel, she pops out a hole a few yards away. The other morning i dun the same thing! but while i was on top of dyke, digging, the cows were hanging around and annoyin me, and this big black bull got one of my hemp nets, and eat the flaming thing, the only thing left was the peg, which he crunched and fell out his mouth - how he will digest the rings n the hemp, i dnt know!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted December 24, 2003 Report Share Posted December 24, 2003 I used a trenching spade. This has a narrow, curved, blade and is made for the job. The narrow blade means that you only dig out the hole, not 6" either side of it. Not so tiring. Mine remained in the vehicle until I needed it. Digging was a last resort and I would give the ferret plenty of time to come out on its own. I wouldn,t start digging until I hadn,t seen, or heard, the ferret for 30 minutes. Young, inexperienced ferrets, will play around the warren entrances and be slow to come out, but a dead rabbit can be used to tease them out. "Lay-ups" usually occur, when the ferret has killed, or become trapped behind a rabbit, or has fallen asleep. The first two causes can,t be helped, but its a mistake to work tired ferrets. We have all done it ,"just one more earth" and the end result is a laid-up ferret. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbit hunter Posted December 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2003 LOL. i know about lay-ups. Sunday morning, waited about 50 minits before digging. This morning waited 40 mins (the first time) and 1hr 15mins the second time. The second time was a bad head, because I cudnt get on the top of the dyke to dig, but in the end i just crashed myself in, got a few scrapes and cuts to prove it !!!!! I dont mind the waiting and digging, I just hate it when you cant dig ( dyke is too thick) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted December 24, 2003 Report Share Posted December 24, 2003 Its always risky doing earths that can,t be dug easily, or not at all. I use to do those as the first of the day, while the ferrets (and me) were fresh and raring to go. If you are noisy setting your nets (or have noisy friends helping you), this can make rabbits reluctant to bolt, causing lay-ups. I don,t like to see dogs too close to the holes, when ferrets are working underground, for the same reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbit hunter Posted December 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2003 If you are noisy setting your nets (or have noisy friends helping you), this can make rabbits reluctant to bolt, causing lay-ups. I ferret in two ways With my dad We are as quiet as we very well can-be. We do not make any noise, never talk to each other over the dyke etc! With my mate We make a fair bit of noise! Talk to each other over the dyke! I get rabbits either way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vimm Posted December 25, 2003 Report Share Posted December 25, 2003 Hi Rabbit hunter if your looking for a purpose made shovel look no further than the "Rabbiting spade" made by Bulldog tools. Around £30 could be more could be less. I have used this shovel the one in the picture for the last 3 seasons and its the best bit of kit i own,lol. There`s nothing worse than using inferiour tool for a mans job some of these ex army shovels either new,folding or suplus types just aint up to the job. As for how long a ferrets down there aint no time limit or best time to wait? Use your common sence if your ferreting a small place and the ferret aint shown for 10 minutes or so then go give him an hand. He might be in a stop end with one or several bunnies. Dig him out and move on then you have save 10 or 20 minutes standing around. If you have a scan with the locater and the ferrets moving then stand back and get ready.If ferreting big places then pour the ferrets in and get the action started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted December 25, 2003 Report Share Posted December 25, 2003 Vimm, that looks like the "trenching spade", I mentioned. Do you work your ferrets with locator collars on from the start ? I never did. I only put a "collared" ferret down, to locate the laid-up ferret. Thats why I waited for quite a while before digging. I use to use mainly jills for working and the hob to locate them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vimm Posted December 25, 2003 Report Share Posted December 25, 2003 Thats a special purpose spade made by bulldog crany called the Rabbiting spade/Planting spade the reference number in the Bulldog catalouge is 5514T28n. The Trenching spade or cable layers spade aint too good. The Grafting shovels are ok but a little too heavy. The spade in the picture is good and i mean real good its what every pro Rabbiter needs,lol. As for collar`s cranny YOU and everyone else SHOULD use collars on all ferrets well if you value them. Makes the job easyier and faster. I would never ever enter anyone of my ferrets with out there collars on. Time to change your ways old boy,lol. As for Hobs versus Gills i have allways worked gills but this season i have started with a strong dog ferret and i wish i had used one sooner. He sure means bussiness when he`s in the ground they either bolt or they die,lol. Im having him vasectamised if thats how you spell it when his balls drop. Here`s a better picture of the spade along with a bulldog round mouth shovel for terrier use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted December 26, 2003 Report Share Posted December 26, 2003 That looks exactly the same as my "trenching spade", which I have renamed, my "Rabbiting/Planting spade". I don,t work ferrets with collars on all the time, as I am concerned about them getting hung up in roots and I believe the size and weight of the collars, hampers the smaller jills. What I do ,works for me and what you do, works for you. Fortunately, I have never lost a ferret underground and rarely have to dig. Only once have I had to leave a carrying box at an earth overnight. As it was too dark to continue digging. The next morning, the rather fat ferret was asleep in the box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teal Posted December 26, 2003 Report Share Posted December 26, 2003 Hi vimm I don't know if that is a picture of you, but I find it alarming you see the need to black out your face. I think we have nothing to hide, we are doing nothing wrong. From the people I have met many on hearing I shoot are appalled. Few are veggies - for those which are I ask them if they drink milk - calves slaughtered, or how about their leather shoes!! For those which claim to be "perfect" veggies or vegans I say well I don't ask you to eat meat so don't tell me if I can eat meat. Then I come onto meat eaters, I also come onto the veggies who say well eating meat is different from shooting!! I ask them would they rather be a chicken cooped up in a barn or cage never getting to stretch its legs or a pheasant free to roam about the countryside. Also mention that the pheasant has no boundaries and if it does not like your piece of land it is free to leave at any time. Plus since you're after rabbits explain that you are simply ensuring that they get their vegetables / grain, remind them grain = bread. On the most part they say - oh I never thought of it like that and have a new respect and idea of what shooting is about. *Incedently and off topic I heard recently a rumour of a shoot digging a hole for shot pheasants- this is disgusting and this is what makes shooting be in the position it is. I say people who let their shoot be like this should be jailed, often they are just rich and so fines would do little to effect them. * Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vimm Posted December 26, 2003 Report Share Posted December 26, 2003 I have never seen or heard of a Ferret caught up by the collar by any roots but i have seen them get tangled in the purse nets by them. But if these collars impeed your ferrets then i sugest your ferrets are too small for the job in the first place. If they aint strong enough to move around with a collar on then they aint going to push past a strong Buck rabbit,lol. Come on cranny treat your self to another collar for the ferrets and enjoy Hi willy that picture aint of me its of this Welsh poof that accompanied me out a few days ago. I had to black his face out as his skin complection was quite off putting Here`s another picture i took today at a place where i always use to walk past because it was too difficult to work (Ferret). I used one of my small gills on her second season and she worked great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted December 26, 2003 Report Share Posted December 26, 2003 Vimm, you have to remember that I use to use marked line, to locate my ferrets, when digging was necessary. The electronic collars, were the biggest benefit there has ever been in ferreting techniques. But, I still hate to have to dig. I can understand anyone not wanting their picture on a public Forum, that deals with hunting and/or shooting. The BASC sticker came out of my last vehicle, when it was scratched for the third time. There is nothing illegal in displaying that sticker, but there also seems nothing to stop someone giving it a crafty scratch, in Tesco,s car park. I don,t support the BASC enough, to pay for a respray every few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teal Posted December 26, 2003 Report Share Posted December 26, 2003 Hi willy that picture aint of me its of this Welsh poof that accompanied me out a few days ago. I had to black his face out as his skin complection was quite off putting Hey ****, thanks for being so considerate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vimm Posted December 26, 2003 Report Share Posted December 26, 2003 Marked line cranny is a Bas***d around tree roots worse than any collar,lol. But like you say the best invention since Antibiotics those locater`s As for stickers in car windows i took all mine out after an incident involving some couple driving through Manchester. THEY had a Ban Hunting With Dogs sticker in the side window so i attempted to force them off the road Easly labeled you see plus i dont want Meeky to reconise me as he`s threatened to bot me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbit hunter Posted December 27, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 I got myself a spade today. Its a "wilkinson sword" border spade, it looks good, but i'll soon find out when i start digging with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted December 27, 2003 Report Share Posted December 27, 2003 Yer wasted yer money there RH.... As has been said before ..BULLDOG BUILD SPADES FOR MEN !!!!! all the best yis yp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jester Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 try digging the garden at home to get the spade nice n sharp :yp: a well worn spade is the key , a ferret finder is well worth the cash , I usually wait 10 mins once the ferret hasnt shown , then have a sweep of the area with the finder , if the ferrets less than 3 foot I have a quick dig , usually 'breaking' into the warren within 10 spades full , and directly above the ferret, care with the spade should be uppermost in your mind once your near the correct depth . As mentioned before , silence is the key , your dads got the correct method Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.