Ferret Master Posted February 9, 2008 Report Share Posted February 9, 2008 Hi, It’s taken me a week to get around to typing up last weeks exploits but better late than never! I had agreed to meet up with my mate Will for an early morning ferreting session on some new permission of his that he has just got for when the game season ended. Me and my friend Jack arrived at his house bleary eyed at 8:15am and loaded the kit into his truck. Before we set off to the land we were invited to meet all three of his ferrets, 2 black eyed whites and a monster of a hob. Also in his animal shed he has a pet skunk called Brian which I must say was a fantastic little creature! Me with Brian. You can tell it was early and I had only gone to bed a few hours earlier. After a bit of chinwag we bid my Dad (otherwise know as the supervisor) farewell and set off in Will’s truck to the bit of land we were going to work. Upon arriving we unloaded all of our gear and taped up the MK3 ferret finder collars and checked they worked on Will’s locator. One of the battery connectors has snapped on my MK3 so it is somewhat dodgy in operation at the moment so it was good to have another locator along with us. We walked along the hedge line bordering a quiet country road for a few hundred yards before we came to a likely looking rabbit bury of about a dozen holes. We netted this up with a mixture of hemp and 10z nylon nets and decided to enter one of Will’s white Jill’s. There were a few very hard to reach holes under a dead tree in the hedge so Will crawled in there and entered his ferret there as well so if there were any bolts he could get the rabbits quickly reducing the risk of any escapes. After a couple of minutes we had a bolt right by Will and this rabbit was dispatched with a minimum of fuss after Will had blocked the bole with his foot to prevent other rabbits escaping. The ferret had gone back to ground after briefly appearing at the hole to check on the rabbit and a few more minutes past before we had a rocketing bolt my side of the hedge into the field. The rabbit pursed in text book fashion and I dispatched it. The ferret then showed little interest in going back to ground and it became apparent that there was nothing else at home but 2 rabbits was a good start! One of Will's jills checking we had killed the rabbit to it's satisfaction. We then followed the hedge round until we came to a warren of about 20 holes along a bank. We were just netting up when a deer stalker walked over and asked us how we were getting on. After a quick chat we said we would follow him round the valley so as not to spoil his sport. This warren only produced one rabbit which bolted upon entering Will’s jill and my old poley jill Echo (the mole), this was a shame as it looked more promising. A picture taken of Will silhouetted against the sky with some cows. (I was trying to be arty) The bag after the first 2 buries. After we had finished that bury we walked along the hedge a bit more until we came to another set of holes in a bank with some bolt holes out into the field. After we netted this up I entered Grace one of my poley jills who is known for throwing fear, common sense and intelligence to the wayside as soon as she smells rabbits. This season she has had a bold patch shaved into her head from a rabbit kick and lost a canine and she’s not even seen as much work as I would have liked. She hadn’t been to ground for long before we had a bolt in the bank. However this rabbit while it was rolling around in the net managed to hook it on a barbed wire fence and escaped. A couple of minutes passed before we had another bolt out in the field and this rabbit was netted properly and dispatched by myself. After this burrow was finished being worked we walked round to a burrow in a hawthorn hedge and bank with more holes in the open field as well. This took a long time to net properly and I ripped my Barbour again in the process. After we had netted up Will’s other jill was entered along with the mighty Grace. Not long after entering the ferrets I could hear squealing which implied one of Will’s monsters had latched onto a bunny underground. I was about to get the spade as we had a solid mark at 3ft but my plan was somewhat sidetracked by a rabbit hitting the net out in the field shortly followed by another behind it escaping out of the same hole. Grace then came shooting out of the hole and I removed her from her quarry before dispatching the rabbit. There was another bolt in the thick of the undergrowth and Jack dived in and pulled the rabbit out before handing it to Will to dispatch. Will’s ferret then emerged from the warren licking its lips which strongly implied it had killed the rabbit where I got the earlier mark. We decided to try and break through as it’s a waste leaving the quarry underground when it can be retrieved. This idea was strengthened by the fact that the rabbit that the ferret had pegged underground had managed to take a purse net down with it and snagged up in some roots so we couldn’t pull it out. After a 3ft dig we broke through to a very dead rabbit snagged up in the roots and after a few minutes more subterranean tugging we extracted it from the hole and backfilled. B) Will digging. The Wererabbit pulling Jack underground. Posing for a picture. Sod this for a game. They are heavy! Wait for me! As the day was drawing on we decided to walk round the field further and do a quick reccy and one more bury. Will and Jack netted up one bury at the top of the valley and I took my ferrets down the valley with half a dozen more nets to see if I could find some small buries to do on my own while they worked the warren at the top of the hill. I found a nice little 5 holer on the open hillside and after netting up I collared up my sandy jill Nippy and entered her. Five minutes passed before I had a bolt by my feet but the rabbit pushed aside the net and made his bid for freedom. One week on I am still annoyed about this as I have nobody to blame except my shoddy net setting skills. Nice scenery though! Jack then walked down the steep incline and told me they hadn’t seen the ferret since they entered it and were on an absolute pig of a dig. As I got there the finder was reading 3ft and they had already dug 2ft through the rocks. Just as I started to have a go with the spade the same ferret that had killed in earlier popped it’s head up out behind me as if to say ‘What’s all the fuss about?’ We decided to cut our losses as far as the quarry/nest underground was concerned and just box the ferrets up and collect the nets as we wanted to get back home to watch the rugby. It was a good day out in the countryside and we shall hopefully be doing it again soon. I’m afraid I forgot to take an end of day shot and I apologise for the fact so you will have to just get an idea of what we were up to from the other pictures and take my word for the fact our final bag was 7. Thanks for reading, Ollie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarlair Posted February 9, 2008 Report Share Posted February 9, 2008 Great write up and brilliant photos. Well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatingisbest Posted February 9, 2008 Report Share Posted February 9, 2008 This season she has had a bold patch shaved into her head from a rabbit kick and lost a canine Everything ok with the lost tooth? i guess the bunnies on my permission are a tad tougher than she is used to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted February 9, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2008 It didn't seem to put her off then did it? And Echo got sent airborn that day too! FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 Great rite up! Really enoyed the read... makes me excited about getting my ferts... All the best, R. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAVAGE HMR Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 Great write up and pics mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teal Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 Sounds like a very good day out there FM - thanks for sharing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 Good day out their Ollie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new to the flock Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 Sounds an excellent day out Olly. I hope you are keeping copies of these right ups for yor journal, you will love looking back on them later. NTTF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loopy bunny blaster Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 nice one mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dead-eye Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 good write up ollie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyboots Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 great pics and great write up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soreshoulder Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 looks like a good day but a rubbish end with wales vs england Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted February 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 looks like a good day but a rubbish end with wales vs england I walked out at the 75th minute to gut rabbits. Got 3 pigeons today too. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonna Shoot a Wabbit Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 excellent write up and pics. well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missed again Posted February 11, 2008 Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 good write up! well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natures_son Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 All my tuition went to waste young un if i remember correctly we had a lot of digs when i took you out i blame those jills of yours to blood thirsty All the same looks a cracking day out mate and i look forward to getting back over in september and being the guest this time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretman Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 nice1 pics mate god i love ferreting lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretman Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 i am going to have to get u up ere sumtime you will love all the bunnys round here i am always getting bags of sumtimes 50 in a day normal is 15 to 25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grasshopper Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 Excellent account of the day,enjoyed reading that GH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted February 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 All my tuition went to waste young un if i remember correctly we had a lot of digs when i took you out i blame those jills of yours to blood thirsty All the same looks a cracking day out mate and i look forward to getting back over in september and being the guest this time Actually mine never layed up when I was out with you. Echo bolted 2 out of the first bury. Then one of your jills got 4 in a stop where a bolt hole had been blocked by the plough where we had to dig. Then we did that big burrow where you deployed the longnet and your jill killed under and we never retrieved the bunnies. Then we walked round and had a dig to your jill on a rabbit. Then on the last warren we had a dig to your jill on a rabbit but we didn't get the bunny. That was also the ill-fated warren where I was slipped on that escaping rabbit... Infact that day was 2 years ago today! When your back home your more than welcome to come out with us anytime. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted February 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 i am going to have to get u up ere sumtime you will love all the bunnys round here i am always getting bags of sumtimes 50 in a day normal is 15 to 25 Sounds like you have plenty of bunnies down your way. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth Stalker Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 Great write up & pics Olly Hopefully the Herts boys are getting busy with some bunnies Saturday. I'll let you know how we get on. SS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natures_son Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 Must be getting old my memory is failing Was that the one where the rabbit ran off with one of my bloody nets? and i remember you took some incriminating photos of a notorius poacher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted February 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 Must be getting old my memory is failing Was that the one where the rabbit ran off with one of my bloody nets? and i remember you took some incriminating photos of a notorius poacher Yes but I FOUND a hemp net to replace it with. There will be more when I find them. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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