A First Outing

[Scully]

An early start on a cold, wet and heavily overcast Sunday morning, saw us taking last years ferrets out for their first taste of rabbits. 
It’s a long time since I have owned ferrets, and got a hob and a jill from a mate for three of the village kids. We set off on the quad with a few nets and shotguns to see what was what, and I decided to work the ferrets while the others shot. 
None of the kids had shot bolting bunnies before so it was going to be a first for them also, and as one of them was a no show ‘No, it’s too early!’ even after I threatened to insert a ferret under her duvet 🙂 it meant we could supervise one to one. 
The ferrets just wandered in and out of the first three likely looking places as if they were just having a stroll, and not having met a rabbit before that’s probably what they were doing. Anyhow, at the fourth location the hob was gone for some time, which is a good sign, so I put in the Jill to see if we could shake things up a little, and sure enough a single rabbit bolted along the hedgerow, followed by a wide of the mark shot. It never ceases to amaze me just how instantly quickly that initial appearance happens! 
No cigar but big grins all round, and both ferrets still underground, so I told the two guns to get ready, closed guns and safeties off, because you simply don’t get time to do either once that rabbit shows. 
Another one bolted and was followed by two misses, but even bigger grins; this really does get the adrenalin going. One of them commented that he couldn’t get the gun into his shoulder quickly enough, and at first he’s right, but it all comes with practice practice and more practice. 
The hob was well up for it now, and realised what he was there for; he had a dirty face and a well spread out tail, and after sniffing about to see what all the fuss and noise was about, disappeared again. 
I told them to get ready as I caught a fleeting glance of grey rabbit and yellow ferret as they scuffled in the mouth of the hole before vanishing again, and then told them to break their guns as I spotted the back end of the rabbit in an adjacent hole. As I quickly made for the rabbit to grab it, it broke free and bolted, just as the jill appeared behind it, but there were no shots as both guns were broken. 
It’s a frustrating game at times! 🙂
We bolted another two without results, by which time both lads were feeling the cold, so we called it a morning. 
They seemed to enjoy it, I know I did, and I’m pretty sure the ferrets did also, and at least now they’ve had their first introduction to rabbits and know what they smell like! 

Edited January 16, 2022 by Scully

[bigroomboy]

Great report!

[Scully]

Thankyou! 

[WalkedUp]

Interesting to read, I’ve never ferreted. Know plenty of people with them but never had the inclination myself. Bet it’s exciting sport when the rabbits start bolting. 

[Scully]

3 minutes ago, WalkedUp said:

Interesting to read, I’ve never ferreted. Know plenty of people with them but never had the inclination myself. Bet it’s exciting sport when the rabbits start bolting. 

Indeed, very much so. Bumped into the eldest of the lads this evening and he smiled and said how much he’d enjoyed it. Wait until he starts connecting! 🙂

[30-6]

Scully,

you just brought back some very good memories, when my oldest boy at 12 years old had his own SGC, and wanted to be with me all the time. He was like a SAS ninja on his elbows between a sheep fence and hawthorn hedge setting nets.

Then at about 15 or 16, Welsh youth trials for rugby, girls and lager steered him away. I remember a Welsh  Rugby Union coach telling me lager and girls were the downfall of many a promising player.

I used to love bolting rabbits with the terriers from the hedges and blackberry bushes to the shotgun, with my brother and farmers son. Then go forward a couple of years and found the pleasure of ferrets and had some brilliant fun with them. Built them a 4 tier hutch set up all connected and a 7 foot by 5 foot court, all under a lean to. They had so much room to run around in their pipes you never knew where they were.

I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, well done.

[Scully]

16 hours ago, 30-6 said:

Scully,

you just brought back some very good memories, when my oldest boy at 12 years old had his own SGC, and wanted to be with me all the time. He was like a SAS ninja on his elbows between a sheep fence and hawthorn hedge setting nets.

Then at about 15 or 16, Welsh youth trials for rugby, girls and lager steered him away. I remember a Welsh  Rugby Union coach telling me lager and girls were the downfall of many a promising player.

I used to love bolting rabbits with the terriers from the hedges and blackberry bushes to the shotgun, with my brother and farmers son. Then go forward a couple of years and found the pleasure of ferrets and had some brilliant fun with them. Built them a 4 tier hutch set up all connected and a 7 foot by 5 foot court, all under a lean to. They had so much room to run around in their pipes you never knew where they were.

I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, well done.

Good. 🙂 I agree, you really can have some great times in the field with ferrets, and if there are kids involved also it’s even better. When my two were small they would put the ferrets on the trampoline, which was quite surreal at times! 

My ferrets are living in three tier accommodation, the top one of which I can isolate for when the jill is in season. They have drain pipes to slide through and ladders to climb, and hammocks in which they can chill out and sleep. 🙂

Its great to have my own ferrets again. 👍