tips on ferrets and ferreting

[Sterry 0]

-Dont set nets too near to electric fences that are on! doesnt help with the being quiet.

-Always make sure you find a good place to stand and wait and dont step backward into a hole you missed under the leaves, bloody hurts and good job i had the bolt pulled out of my gun.

-Oh and if you have a special sign language, make sure everyone knows what each sign means ....you just look like a tit otherwise.

[leegreen 2,099]

Empty your arse before you venture out because it can ruin a good day.

wise words

keep still and out of site of holes, this goes for your dogs aswell. Don't smoke whilst ferret is down. Keep hands free of smells ie fag smoke, perfume (deoderant etc) while setting nets. All of the hand smell stuff for setting any animal traps.

[Corky(amateur) 0]

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Make sure you turn the 3M collars on

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Check your mark regulal as you dig as many times, the ferret will move on when hearing the noise

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It pays to leave the nets ona waren that you've just done if your doing the one next door. many times the rabbits have slipped the nets and backnetted in the first warren.

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If trying to call the ferrets out, squeek and bang with the flat of your hand on a hole entrance

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ALWAYS make sure you handle your ferrets regularly when young as it pays divenends later. ignore anyone who says ferrets that dont bite dont work and that your ferrets need to be starving, and rearing to rip your fingers of your hands :realmad:

 

There are 5 to name but a few

Corky

[ulverston moocher 60]

When you go out and feed your ferrets make a noise every time for example I used to feed my ferrets cat meat when I had my first two and used to knock the meat off the fork on the edge of the tin and when my ferrets used to lie up or escape it didnt matter were they were tap a fork on a tin and they would come running and not just for food they knew it meant handling ,fun, exercise and of course dinner give it a try works realy well now I whistle them every time I go near there cage.

[AndyL 0]

my nets up all have ellastic band around each of them when I put a net down I put the ellacy band in my pocket make sure to put all bands in the same pocket then when you collect your nets up off the set if you still have a band or two in your pocket you know theres still nets down this has saved me hundreds of nets and saves having to count them all the time.

 

I also use elasticated bands for nets, found these are better over your forearm than in your pocket though, wouldn't be the first time I had got back to the car and found one of the bands in my pocket.

 

Paint the top of wooden pegs with flourescent paint, metal spikes I tie a piece of flourescent yarn to, makes them a bit easier to spot especially when using hemp nets in autumn / winter or a rabbit has managed to tangle and pull one of the nets partly down a burrow.

 

Carry a small pair of rose type cutters, handy when your nets get tangled in gorse or bracken, especially when you have rabbits bolting out of burrows simultaneously and you need to recover with spare nets quickly.

 

Take the time to lay out spare nets close too hand before sending the ferret down, makes it a lot easier if things get busy.

[victor 10]

Wear ladies stockings and suspenders under your trousers to keep warm...............................

 

excuses,excuses....

[victor 10]

AHH!! I have thought of another one I do.

 

If you have had a kill and you cant or dont feel like digging, heres the way I get the ferret/s out. Tie a rabbit to a purse net, I normally leg them and loop the net through the legs. then peg the net in very securley next to a hole and place the rabbit down the hole, all it takes is the ferret to grab the dead rabbit and the nets will move. if you set a few around the bury then you can easily keep track of it all my watching for the nets twitching. Obviously make sure the rabbits are tied properly or your fecked.

 

Lets see how many slate me for that lol, it really does work well though.

 

HJ

i usualy dangel the rabbit there, but what if it is the first warren of the day and the only one yoove seen go6t away or the one you may have to dig to

??

[whin 463]

tip for begginers go out with guys who have done it for real to make a living or on a course ,youll learn more in a day than on a comp in a month , only way to learn nowadays is to go out and do it ,ive learned very little on a comp most self taught and with knowlegble freinds ,only way was awy this morning and the students lol klearned all about the art of catching game

[stubby 175]

AHH!! I have thought of another one I do.

 

If you have had a kill and you cant or dont feel like digging, heres the way I get the ferret/s out. Tie a rabbit to a purse net, I normally leg them and loop the net through the legs. then peg the net in very securley next to a hole and place the rabbit down the hole, all it takes is the ferret to grab the dead rabbit and the nets will move. if you set a few around the bury then you can easily keep track of it all my watching for the nets twitching. Obviously make sure the rabbits are tied properly or your fecked.

 

not good if theres still other rabbits down there though, as you could loose potential rabbits, either wait longer, or take up a sport that dont involve digging

[ANTHONYCHEZ 27]

AHH!! I have thought of another one I do.

 

If you have had a kill and you cant or dont feel like digging, heres the way I get the ferret/s out. Tie a rabbit to a purse net, I normally leg them and loop the net through the legs. then peg the net in very securley next to a hole and place the rabbit down the hole, all it takes is the ferret to grab the dead rabbit and the nets will move. if you set a few around the bury then you can easily keep track of it all my watching for the nets twitching. Obviously make sure the rabbits are tied properly or your fecked.

 

not good if theres still other rabbits down there though, as you could loose potential rabbits, either wait longer, or take up a sport that dont involve digging

take a bottle of water with ya , for your dogs and ferrets if your out all day. also you can clean your hands after gutting the rabbits you catch

[ferret boy charlie 0]

stubby could you maybe pin this thread so all ferreters can quickly find it if they need too ?

[Hob&Jill 258]

AHH!! I have thought of another one I do.

 

If you have had a kill and you cant or dont feel like digging, heres the way I get the ferret/s out. Tie a rabbit to a purse net, I normally leg them and loop the net through the legs. then peg the net in very securley next to a hole and place the rabbit down the hole, all it takes is the ferret to grab the dead rabbit and the nets will move. if you set a few around the bury then you can easily keep track of it all my watching for the nets twitching. Obviously make sure the rabbits are tied properly or your fecked.

 

not good if theres still other rabbits down there though, as you could loose potential rabbits, either wait longer, or take up a sport that dont involve digging

 

 

 

I see what you meen, but you can set a net over it and sometimes when in a sticky situation I just want to get the hell away.

 

Also I dont need to take up a sport without digging, as I am far from spade shy.

 

I was just putting up a couple of different things rather than 'keep quiet' etc that everyone knows...

[Guest tewkesferreter]

i put my nets in sets of ten in sandwich bags,stops em tangling and i know if ive missed any when packing up.

[Matt 160]

Probably teaching granny to suck eggs, but here are a few from me:

 

• Always have a spare net with you so that you can quickly re-net a hole when a rabbit is caught.
  
• Learn how to neck rabbits in nets so that you don't have to untangle them first. When you catch a rabbit, neck it, re-net the hole, and then untangle the caught rabbit at your leisure.
  
• Vibration is as important as noise. When netting up, try and step gently, and don't jump around on the bury. DO NOT ever use a hammer to bang in purse net pegs (yes, I once saw someone doing just that!)
  
• Carry a few disposable latex gloves in your pocket (cue anal examination jokes...), for gutting your rabbits. It saves you getting that lingering smell on your hands.
  
• Don't try stretching nets over multiple holes. If its two holes, use two nets.
  
• The old rubber band method is a great way of making sure you've picked up all your nets. It is very unethical to leave nets lying around on buries, and gives ferreters a bad name.
  
• Keep your eye on your nets. It is easy to backnet a bunny without realising it.
  
• Rest your ferrets regularly. It is hard work for them chasing bunnies around buries. Some food and water during the day is good for ferreter and ferret.
  

 

There are probably loads more tips, and experience is the greatest advantage when ferreting. I love ferreting with my best mate because we've done it since we were kids, and we both know exactly what we are doing without thinking about it. A good ferreting partner is gold dust these days.

 

Edited to run spellchecker!

Edited January 15, 2009 by Matt the Rat

[victor 10]

another one, i always leave a handful of cat biscuts in there so if thay are hungrey thay eat them and hopefuly not the rabbit