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Homing polecat ?


dougstermw
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I was ferreting a new permission which is about a mile uphill from my house and out of the town (that we recently moved into) on 28/12/15. It is a water storage tank with high bankings around it which have burrows a plenty. I started off ferreting beside the brick built pump-house nearby and put a 2yr old jill polecat called dixie and also used ziggy, a 4 year old hob polecat, both are experienced workers. I was a bit concerned that the ground was very soft and sandy and was a bit worried it might cave in. 2 rabbits bolted in quick succession in to nets and were despatched.Another was heard thumping underground so i quietly waited for it to hopefully bolt. Then all went quiet. After 1 hour Dixie appeared, with no evidence of a kill underground. 3 hours later and no sign of ziggy. Usually if my ferrets kill underground they come back up. I realised he was in trouble and to try to dig into sandy ground like this would cause a big cave in.With darkness arriving fast i decided to leave the 2 rabbits inside the burrows and seal the entrances and return later with a live capture trap. I returned at 7pm and opened up the burrows rabbits hadn't been touched. I set the trap baited with a rabbit and left and returned next morning, still no sign. Thinking he was probably the victim of a cave in i lightly sealed the burrows and returned a day later, still no sign.I have been ferreting for about 29 years and have never lost a ferret in action and was most upset, at myself for puting a ferret into sandy burrows and maybe causing him a horrible death. On friday 22/1/16 i let my 3 labs out my back door and they went immediatly to my ferret huches which was unusual,There was a scream from under one of the hutches and on looking there was ziggy. I could't believe he had got out and travelled all the way down to my house, he wasnt skinny but had 5 ticks which i removed.. I took him to the vet and he's fine, never thought i would see him again and we are amazed at his return, we live in a fairly large town so his return was not by chance, the only thing i can think is that he smelled the other 6 ferrets i have 4 of which are his offspring. Anyone heard of such a incredible homecoming ?

Edited by dougstermw
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Yes it is something i have never heard happen to anyone else, but how did he know what direction to head in ? Reluctant to use him again ? Would not use any of my ferrets in that location again but will be out at my usual ferreting ground which is on a sporting estate , next weekend , weather permitting :)

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hi doug

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I was ferreting a new permission which is about a mile uphill from my house and out of the town (that we recently moved into) on 28/12/15. It is a water storage tank with high bankings around it which have burrows a plenty. I started off ferreting beside the brick built pump-house nearby and put a 2yr old jill polecat called dixie and also used ziggy, a 4 year old hob polecat, both are experienced workers. I was a bit concerned that the ground was very soft and sandy and was a bit worried it might cave in. 2 rabbits bolted in quick succession in to nets and were despatched.Another was heard thumping underground so i quietly waited for it to hopefully bolt. Then all went quiet. After 1 hour Dixie appeared, with no evidence of a kill underground. 3 hours later and no sign of ziggy. Usually if my ferrets kill underground they come back up. I realised he was in trouble and to try to dig into sandy ground like this would cause a big cave in.With darkness arriving fast i decided to leave the 2 rabbits inside the burrows and seal the entrances and return later with a live capture trap. I returned at 7pm and opened up the burrows rabbits hadn't been touched. I set the trap baited with a rabbit and left and returned next morning, still no sign. Thinking he was probably the victim of a cave in i lightly sealed the burrows and returned a day later, still no sign.I have been ferreting for about 29 years and have never lost a ferret in action and was most upset, at myself for puting a ferret into sandy burrows and maybe causing him a horrible death. On friday 22/1/16 i let my 3 labs out my back door and they went immediatly to my ferret huches which was unusual,There was a scream from under one of the hutches and on looking there was ziggy. I could't believe he had got out and travelled all the way down to my house, he wasnt skinny but had 5 ticks which i removed.. I took him to the vet and he's fine, never thought i would see him again and we are amazed at his return, we live in a fairly large town so his return was not by chance, the only thing i can think is that he smelled the other 6 ferrets i have 4 of which are his offspring. Anyone heard of such a incredible homecoming ?

Glad you got him back mate. A lad not far from me lost his ferret the wind had blown his hutch over ( cheap rabbit hutch type) the ferret had been gone for acouple of days he had checked the gardens up and down from him but no luck....then after acouple of days he took rubbish out back garden and found his ferret in his garden very wet and a little skinny.....I was shocked to find out it was back..

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I have had a Similar experience with one of my hob polecats a couple of years ago one escaped from the cage,I never thought that I would see him again so I went and purchased another to keep the remaining hob company ,after about week while I was feeding them in the morning PJ as he is called suddenly appeared non the worse for it ,so I now have three ferrets ,PJ has escaped again on a couple of occasions since then ,but he has always returned.

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