old rooster Posted February 16, 2005 Report Share Posted February 16, 2005 Had a very interesting day out with VD today, no not the sort you catch from naughty ladies !! I mean Vermin Dropper. He's a top guy, brought along some interesting long nets all pre rigged with pegs in place on a very smart carrying device. Only small negative point was that they don't really have quite enough bag but they did catch some bunnies. We had 9 (if you include the vampire rabbit and the teensy weensy one we got in the long net but agreed to release cos we are both such lovely people). Photo attached of Leigh holding said baby bunny of which there were quite a number. Managed to lose the maniac Hob called Ungadoy so yours truly has to go back tomorrow to see if he can be found. Sincere thanks to Leigh for staying on until well after dark trying to find the little devil. Will be taking the air rifle as we saw many nice three parts grown bunnys that just sat waiting to be shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermin Dropper Posted February 16, 2005 Report Share Posted February 16, 2005 Thanks again for today Roost, as I said I had a top day and only wish that your Hob hadn't done a legga, Your a top bloke mate and I will be repaying the invite as soon as either the shooting picks up or when the ferreting is back on, (I think we could both do ok out of the arrangement) I reckon if we went back to that place we could take around 500 yards of long net, and just net up everything before we sent the ferrets in, it would be a fine start to try for the 500 next season. I do have to say though.... That has to be the worst photo of me I have ever seen, not quite a smile and a proper bad hair day, cute little bunny though, be nice eating come July, Thanks again Mate, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted February 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2005 I thought you looked quite a sweetie in that photo Almost innocent...but then not quite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted February 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2005 It's official; Ungadoy has left the building Got back to where we last saw him at first light today, walked all the area we had been working and hedges round all the adjacent fields. Not a sign of the little blighter. The guy who owns the land is going to keep a look out and I called in to tell the farmer on the adjoining ground that we'd lost him, he's going to keep a look out as well. First time I've lost a ferret in all my years ferreting, apart from one which got badly mauled by a fox in a bury we were working, that wasn't really lost as we dug down 4 feet in sand to recover her. Too badly injured to do anything but put her out of her misery. So anybody got a good young hob looking for a decent home please bear me in mind. Has to be a worker in good shape and not vicious, will have plenty of work next season and will enjoy luxury accommodation 24/7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waddy Posted February 17, 2005 Report Share Posted February 17, 2005 It's official; Ungadoy has left the building First time I've lost a ferret in all my years ferreting. What a ****** :( What are his chances of survival in the wild and staying in the area you lost him? He's not like a cat that will travel miles and suddenly turn up on the door step, but what are the chances of him wandering? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted February 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2005 He's what I term a "hedge hunter", by that I mean that he will work a bury really well then get bored and go down the hedge like lightning if he's not picked up quickly. The bury we were working could really have done with another couple of blokes to watch it to be honest, my guess is that he's done a runner and could literally be miles away by now. Vermin Dropper and myself went round and round the area all afternoon looking but couldn't see or hear him, he tends to chuckle away to himself while he's working so easy to hear above ground. If he stays in the area where we lost him there is plenty of food, trouble is he is a domesticated animal and wouldn't run from a dog or fox, both of which would nail him without a second thought. There is a remote chance he will get picked up but I'm not holding out much hope as it's far from densely populated where we were ferreting. At least we did all we could to get him back, guess it's not bad to have only lost one ferret in over 30 years of working them, still one too many though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretmanabu Posted February 18, 2005 Report Share Posted February 18, 2005 Old Rooster, I'm sorry to hear you lost the ferret. I lost a ferret when I was working him once and it got too dark to find him. Luckily, my friend owned the farm and he had a few live catch mink traps so we baited 5 of these with half a rabbit each and set them out near where we lost him. We found him a day later. It might be too late now but I thought it might help to let you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted February 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2005 Hey that could be worth a try !!! U know a guy who has a few rabbit cage traps which we could do the same with, why didn't I think of that before !!!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coney hunter Posted February 18, 2005 Report Share Posted February 18, 2005 I’ve read that if you block up all the holes of the warren except for one and put the ferret box outside with his smelly straw in it he might be curled up in it by the morning. Only a thought sorry to hear the sad news. Coney Hunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretmanabu Posted February 18, 2005 Report Share Posted February 18, 2005 It was just a suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted February 18, 2005 Report Share Posted February 18, 2005 I have recovered the odd lay-up, by leaving an open carrying box next to the warren overnight. They have always been asleep in it the next morning. Best of luck finding yours, old rooster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted February 18, 2005 Report Share Posted February 18, 2005 It's official; Ungadoy has left the building Got back to where we last saw him at first light today, walked all the area we had been working and hedges round all the adjacent fields. Not a sign of the little blighter. The guy who owns the land is going to keep a look out and I called in to tell the farmer on the adjoining ground that we'd lost him, he's going to keep a look out as well. First time I've lost a ferret in all my years ferreting, apart from one which got badly mauled by a fox in a bury we were working, that wasn't really lost as we dug down 4 feet in sand to recover her. Too badly injured to do anything but put her out of her misery. So anybody got a good young hob looking for a decent home please bear me in mind. Has to be a worker in good shape and not vicious, will have plenty of work next season and will enjoy luxury accommodation 24/7 Don't lose hope Rooster. This is a true story of what happened at Xmas: My father had been out doing holes for foxes with the terriers and they had come across one in a popular but very rocky hole. After a few hours the old terrier hadn't shown and although they could hear her in the hole she seemed to be stuck. Well they left the hole for the night and my father left his coat beside the hole incase the bitch came out. Because of the huge rocks there was no chance of digging. He checked the hole everyday and after 9 days he could no longer hear her, so he presumed she was dead, but he still checked at the hole everyday. After exactly 14 days he checked and the bitch was sitting outside the hole without food and water and miracously was still alive Some of my fellow NI members may have seen the article which was posted in a couple of the papers a few days later. So keep hope O.R. it's possible that you may get the old boy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooke103 Posted February 18, 2005 Report Share Posted February 18, 2005 try putting some live traps out i wouldnt say its too late if you bait it with rabbit the ferret should be able to smell it. best of luck jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted February 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2005 It was just a suggestion. Sorry if you thought I was being off with you mate, meant to say "I know a guy with some rabbit cage traps....." the I is next to the U on the keyboard and I pressed it by mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermin Dropper Posted February 18, 2005 Report Share Posted February 18, 2005 Hey Roost, If you are going back out there to put some cage traps down, let me know and as long as I'm not working I'll come with you, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted February 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2005 Thanks for the offer VD, if it wasn't such a stretch from here I'd give it a go but my gut feeling is that he's done a runner mate. You saw what he was like, maybe he will turn up on the doorstep at the farm house, he's cheeky enough and with all the racket he makes they'd be only too pleased to hand him back I reckon. Been talking to the guy I had the Jills from last year and he's going to put my name on one of the hobs he breeds this season, should be ready to use by autumn, just hope it don't turn out to be another "hedger" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretmanabu Posted February 19, 2005 Report Share Posted February 19, 2005 It was just a suggestion. Sorry if you thought I was being off with you mate, meant to say "I know a guy with some rabbit cage traps....." the I is next to the U on the keyboard and I pressed it by mistake. No worries rooster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermin Dropper Posted February 19, 2005 Report Share Posted February 19, 2005 Roost, I'll be going to see Rose at the Ferret Welfare soon, I'll let you know if they have any Hobs in, (after I've had the pick of course, ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fert Posted February 24, 2005 Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 any luck with the hob roost? nabu my hob got out last night and got through a hole in the fence into the nieghbours garden. i only new he was in there because i heard the nieghbours dog attaking him. fortunately nabu was giving the dog what for until i could jump the fence and fetch him.meanwhile during the fight. one of the gills got out.no sign of her.so i locked all the others upfor the night hoping that gizmo hadent been attacked by a cat. and i would search for her in the morning.wake up in yhe morning and sure enough giz is poking her head out from under the hutch with my sisters cat playfully watching her. licking its lips. i lost one of my ferrets for nearly three weeks once mossop. she turned up on a womans patio about 1/4 of a mile away from where we where ferreting.it was pi**ing down with rain and there was nothing to her i nursed her back to health with warm rice pudding alittle sugar with a drop of milk in.mossops 9 now i still take her out but only for a few hours poor owd mossop gets a bit tired now. but it just goes to show how long they will last in the wild. best of luck finding ungadoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul in North Lincs. Posted February 24, 2005 Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 He may still trun up Rooster, A couple of years ago I lost a cracking small jill, which incidently was collared up to. Couldnt locate her or find her. About two months later, whilst ferreting in the same area, a locomotive drive on the tracks stopped us and said "have you lost a ferret, theres one about 200 yards up there popping its head in and out of a hole". We had a walk across, banged a dead bunnie in the said hole and out it popped. Funny thing was, it was the jill I'd previoulsy lost!!!! and she'd fattened up that much, that the colar was nearly strangling her!!!!!!!!!! Paul In North Lincs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old rooster Posted February 24, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 I've asked the guy who runs the place to keep a good look out, he's out and about quite a lot so who knows, the little sod might still turn up. There are plenty of big burys and loads of easy food with the baby bunnies all over the place, this cold wet weather could be a propblem for him but there is no telling how far he's gone by now with his athletic prowess. Should have kept him at home for ferret racing in the summer, could have got our resident napster to build him up a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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