Fantastic result for the crew today

[stevethefish 80]

After sorting the weekly ferreting trip out I had a bit of a set back when I found out I had to drop my son off at the railway station. This was to shorten our day and lower the numbers, or so I thought, oh how wrong I was.

We set off to a small spinney/hedgerow that we do every year, you may remember me writing about it in the past as it's really hard work. Most of the netting is done on your belly crawling under blackthorn and scrambling like a snake to get to the nets when they bolt. We don't mind it, you have to take the rough with the smooth as to say, and when the keeper asks if you will do it you have to really, part of the job.

We initially struggled to get down the track as the track was really bogged down and the ruts were deep, ok for some though (Stevo) sat driving while we were pushing. That was backbreaking I can tell you, wish I had gone in the 4x4 now.

We let the dogs out to do their bit fertilising the field but Tilly went straight to the first set right at the side of the van and marked 3 holes immediately. Well it would be rude to leave them so we were off to a good start 3 rabbits in 5 minutes, not a bad start to the day. This was just the first bit where the hedgerow is thin and very easy to do but we knerw what was to come.

The sets all seem to be holding three's and we were happy with that, but we knew there were some mega sets further down and these do hold plenty. If you can remember last year we ran 50 nets out and netted 13 rabbits and lost 19 through un netted holes, this would not happen again, learn by your mistakes etc.

The cover was really thick and thorns, nettles and rose bushes were taking their tolls, we will be sore tomorrow I can tell you.

Most of the rabbits bolted pretty easily but we always have a few digs, we don't wait if they are not out in a few minutes they get dug, that's the only way to get numbers. Bear in mind this is not north yorks with clean open fields of grass and so easy to do, this is the pits, dark, painful and hard graft and to get good numbers you need to get stuck in without fear.

Some of the digs were tricky just to get the spade in a position where you could get an angle to dig not uncommon but this one was a gem. Stevo dug to a ferret and rabbit but we saw a pile of leaves and some feathers so we both said stoat, and you know what happens when you put your fingers in a stoats nest OUCH! I shouted Ray over, " Ray come and grab this rabbit we can't reach it " he came over and asked if there were any rats about, we both said NOOO. As he put his arm down the hole I pushed a long stick down the hole and rattled it, it scraped on his jacket and he pulled his arm out and screamed, "a rats trying to get up my arm" well laugh, I was it tears, he ran about 100 yards before he realised what had happened.

"You Feckin b*stards" was his response, I sh*t myself, so we asked Chaz to get it out and he got a surprise too. As he grabbed the rabbit and pulled he nearly threw up, yes it was a stinker, an old dead rabbit the stoat had been eating.

 

The odd rabbit did drag the net off as to be expected in all this snaggy pit but most were recovered by Flash, not bad for the circumstances as he was struggling in the cover. It's a pitty I forgot the camera again, I had to wait for my son to get home and bring it up for the catch shot, lucky he got home in time or we wouldn't have the picture of our cracking days sport.

I think the keeper will be happy as we notched up a brilliant 72, with just a handfull of losses, but we left half of the hedgerow so there will be plenty to top it up for next season, can't take em all. Some think that taking numbers like this is stupid but believe me it will be the same again next season, it always is. The pic just has 71, one in the van for redeployment

Edited January 9, 2013 by stevethefish

[pip1968 2,490]

you certianly bag up lads well done

[carp man 1 219]

72 dont think i seen that all season with ferritin good read mate

[tegater 789]

Great write up Steve, glad to see you back into them again

[stevethefish 80]

Nice to be back, don't know how long for though, the cover is already starting to come up on the hedgerows around here, so the kits wont be far behind.

[manaboutdog 3]

great today mate, realy enjoyed, keen for sat, ha ha,

[stinkers 102]

Another great session lads and not one kidney complaint in the whole thread :hmm: lightweights. no vodka :icon_eek:

[stevethefish 80]

Ha ha ha had a couple of days on the waggon then back to normal now,

[The one 8,395]

nice numbers once more

[muddy 6]

Well done guys, great pic

[Brimmer 220]

Brilliant Steve, great to see some cropsafe carnage once again, can i swap my old man for one of your able bodied crew?

Looks like you understand the need for conservation, and manage them well. Top Job!

[Guest vin]

nice one lads...I would have loved to see a Video of Ray and the stick trick ! we miss the cropsafe videos lads.. Looking forward to some more before end of season.

 

That is a top score on the land you lot were working today.

[takman511 42]

well done lads canny bag

[frogspawn 2]

yawn!!!

[stevethefish 80]

Yawn!!!