george123456789 Posted April 22, 2007 Report Share Posted April 22, 2007 Is a finder really needed to go out rabbiting with? I have been looking at them but they are too expensive for me (im 15 so strapped for cash). Any ideas please? Thanks, George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted April 22, 2007 Report Share Posted April 22, 2007 It depends on who you speak to. Some ferreters wouldn't enter their ferrets without them, others don't use them, or only use them to find a laid-up ferret. There have been a few lively threads on this subject, a "Search" would find them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibbz2000 Posted April 23, 2007 Report Share Posted April 23, 2007 I just bought a MK3 Deben Finder, an excellent purchase although a little pricey with the 2 collers (£170!) but well worth it, as im a little on the impatient side it let me keep an eye on which directions there headed in and if there stopping underground for any reason! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyboots Posted April 23, 2007 Report Share Posted April 23, 2007 i worked for years without a collar with very few problems but since i started using one i wouldnt be without it now saves a lot of time and also you dont walk away leaving dead bunnys that the ferret has killed below ground Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madcowz Posted April 23, 2007 Report Share Posted April 23, 2007 I think you owe it to your ferts & quarry to either use a collar & finder or learn how to use a liner. /Mad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul in North Lincs. Posted April 23, 2007 Report Share Posted April 23, 2007 Personally I think too much about my ferrets to work them without a collar....................warmer winters means more youngsters early on in what used to be prime ferreting time.........moire youngsters equals more lay ups .........fact........and I've got too much land to cover...........and cant afford to be hanging about with while they decide to pop back out at there leisure!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted April 23, 2007 Report Share Posted April 23, 2007 I'm a 14 year old lad who wouldn't enter his ferrets without one. Shop around. PM me if you would like to know where to get one cheaper that Dibbz did. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigbob Posted April 24, 2007 Report Share Posted April 24, 2007 Ferret finders are fine if you got the cash but i think there to blame for the skill dying out ,folk walking over to top of burrows ,reaching for the spade to quick etc.When i first started ferret locators weren't even thought of and when i went ferreting with my dad and uncle manys the time i was left sitting at a burrow waiting for the ferret to appear and they kept on ferreting .It certainly learned me to be patient and quiet round a burrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dead-Eyed Duck Posted April 24, 2007 Report Share Posted April 24, 2007 Ferret finders are fine if you got the cash but i think there to blame for the skill dying out ,folk walking over to top of burrows ,reaching for the spade to quick etc.When i first started ferret locators weren't even thought of and when i went ferreting with my dad and uncle manys the time i was left sitting at a burrow waiting for the ferret to appear and they kept on ferreting .It certainly learned me to be patient and quiet round a burrow I started ferreting when finders were just starting to appear, and I well remember the day when I first used one as it was a revelation. I used to ferret a large estate in Knutsford, Cheshire with a mate, and we relied upon selling rabbits to provide the money to buy shottie cartridges - I had a young family and a large mortgage and money was tight. We used to work like demons on a Saturday and Sunday and before the finder getting a dozen rabbits in a morning was time for celebration. With the finder we used to give the ferrets 10 minutes underground before we started to search for the ferret. If we had a 'sticker' then one dug the ferret out whilst the other netted up the rest of the hedgerow etc. It may not have been pretty to some died-in-the-wool traditionalists, but it worked. Horror or horrors, we also filled in the holes at the end of the morning so that we could see if any rabbits had returned to open up the holes again. After the finder we often had 25 in the bag in a morning - these were mainly easy sets in very sandy soil. So, I am all for tradition but I never did enjoy sitting by a set for an hour or so waiting for the ferret to appear - especially in the nissing rain. Sod that! Liner hobs; using bells on ferrets to try and tell you where they were; trying to retrieve a rabbit out of a hole with a length of bramble; leaving a box nearby for the errant ferret to find when it decided to come out - I've done it and what a bloody waste of time it was. Yes, there are some basic rules when ferreting and these can be quickly learned from any book, but technology in the right place beats the 'good old days' every time. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul in North Lincs. Posted April 25, 2007 Report Share Posted April 25, 2007 Ferret finders are fine if you got the cash but i think there to blame for the skill dying out ,folk walking over to top of burrows ,reaching for the spade to quick etc.When i first started ferret locators weren't even thought of and when i went ferreting with my dad and uncle manys the time i was left sitting at a burrow waiting for the ferret to appear and they kept on ferreting .It certainly learned me to be patient and quiet round a burrow Quite true................Personally under the guise of vermin control......the quicker I can lock onto a lay up and remove the rabbit...the quicker I can move onto the next......and I'm happy with that. Personally I much prefer a bolt.....and we all know that they will not bolt if thee's alot of activity upstairs. but layups are inevitable......In todays busy times and hectic schedules theres not many people that can afford to wait outside a burry all day waiting for a ferret to come out.......not only that but you can never be sure without a lcoator that he's not escaped out the back door and waddled off into the sunset!!!!!!! Ferret finders.......................one of the best devices ever invented!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popgun Posted April 25, 2007 Report Share Posted April 25, 2007 Ferret finders.......................one of the best devices ever invented!!!!! Thats spot on,you dig right to the dead ends with a ferret finder so you do no damage to the bury no lay up's next time round Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted April 25, 2007 Report Share Posted April 25, 2007 Personally I think it's quite a good feeling when you break through to see a little pink nose poking out as if to say 'look boss, got a few bunnies for you deal with in this here stop'. I also like the fact you know where your ferret is if you are working an area where it could just slip away above ground un-noticed or you can just know that it is still working the bury and where the ferret is in a larger bury so you can be prepared where to expect the bolts. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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