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ferreting today


Gonna Shoot a Wabbit
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Hi all.

 

On my own today don and YTS cant make it, brought along faithful labrador for a walk. Never used her for ferreting but interested to see if she would mark (apart from lunch). Am in north wales with frost on the ground and the sun shining a perfect setting. I started off in a copse with a number of large 30+holes sets. the first set i worked yielded 1 bunny for some 30 nets laid ( i may be in the wrong area here ). The next set i tackled i used up every net in the bag and with some 40+nets down and ran out of nets too fingers crossed we will bolt some out of holes with nets on, HA HA fat chance 2 bunnies bolted out of holes that were not covered, but one made the mistake of bolting where we had nets and added him to the bag. here is a pic of the 40+ set.

largeset.jpg

With time passing i netted up the next set down with some 30 nets down away went the ferret. The familiar rumbling underground sounds and soon 2 bunnies bolt to be held fast in the nets. These were the only bunnies at home so after a walk round the rest of the copse where i found if you will indulge me i have a soft spot for snowdrops in the spring.

snowdrops.jpg

I decided to to move on with lunchtime fast approaching so here is the mornings bag, a little disappointing after the amount of netting up done but at least no digging. Faithful labrador had done what she does best spent the morning dozing, decorating the countryside and shooting me glances asking when lunchtime is?

morningsbag.jpg

After lunch i moved onto the outside of a large wood, i netted up a small 10holer and in goes one of the ferrets. not long before rumbling underground announces another bolt. WHOOSH go 3 nets almost in unison, so hurtling round the set i go and the three are added to the bag. Ferret surfaces to be picked up and pull the nets up and move again. The afternoon is moving steadily on as i net up a small 6 holer. Down goes one of the team (labrador has nodded off again HA HA) . Rumbling underground starts and whoosh!! another one well netted, and as i am dealing with this one another bolts and i realise we now have 9 in the bag. Ferret surfaces to be picked up and decide to take a chance on another set.

A small 6 holer that shouldn't be deep (he says) away goes the ferret after netting up and again the rumbling commences, to be followed by.........SILENCE..........OH POO!!! out with the locator and she is 4 feet down through clay and shale BOO HOO!! with a sinking heart out comes the spade. As usual the ferret in question is running back and too so i end up digging a trench some 3 feet long.

thehole.jpg

As i am about to break through i realise the locator is sounding directly below so gently does it... i break through and no ferret or bunny??? hmmm i am head and shoulders in the hole and can hear rumbling to the right, but the locator says straight below...i go with what i can hear and dig to the right, with heart attack fast approaching (shale is like digging through concrete) that beatiful little white face popped out to say hi dad keep going this way you are nearly there and before i can grab her she is back down, i notice she has lost the collar. OHHHHHH POOOOOOOO!!!!! Praise the lord i can see the bunnies back legs

bunnypreremoval.jpg

with a flourish the bunny is drawn from the depths and the coup de grace administered 10 bunnies in the bag WOO HOO!! with the bunny comes the ferret who i box up straight away (collar still missing) but at least the girls are safe. I clear the spoil from the hole and switch on the locator SILENCE in the hole OHHHHHH NOW WHAT yep its gone.... hang on a minute engage the grey cells check the spoil and sure enough a signal (thank you god!) a quick sift through the soil and whoopee her collar!!! i do tend to fit the collar a little on the loose side prefering to lose the collar rather than strangle a ferret if it gets stuck ( see don i am learning). Well 10 in the bag but not without a little effort and stress at the end, as always its that last set that always gets me when will i learn?? probably never and as always god bless locators (even when they come off)

1happyferreter.jpg

with the sun going down the slain are cleaned and a very happy ferreter heads for home, thanks for reading hope you enjoyed the pics.

sunset.jpg

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Lost without yer mates, and resorting to taking pics of snowdrops.

 

Found ferret collar in the soil that you dug out :lol::blush: :blush:

 

Chuffin amateur - let's hope that you perform better tonight with the lamp.

 

Another 10 years (with lots more tuition) and we might make a half decent ferreter out of you - maybe :lol: :lol:

 

Don

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Thanks for kind words everyone, glad you enjoyed the pics.

 

YTS is quite right i did indeed turn to give him the spade after all it is becoming of his lowly status to dig my ferret out for me.

 

Magman. i am glad you noticed that part of my abandonment by the rest of the team was being relegated to sandwiches and cold sausage roll, i mean the indignity :good: Don is definitely cooking next time out.

 

Dead eye duck AT LEAST THE SNOWDROPS AND I WERE THERE which is more than be said for some :hmm: Off chuffin' ballroom dancing indeed you will be putting sequins on your wellies next (but thats another story)

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