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Quixote

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Everything posted by Quixote

  1. Quixote
    Dont know if this has already been mentioned (couldn't be bothered reading back to check), but I drill a hole in my pegs, then thread some knicker elastic through & tie it into a loop. Once you've rolled your net up, secure it to the peg with the elastic, & it'll keep your nets from tangling in your bag.................you can also chuck a spare to your oppo' without it unravelling in flight. Also, if you get a hang-up, stick a bun with its belly pouch opened (but the gut still in) down one of the holes...............even if your ferts asleep underground, he'll come up & grab h
  2. Quixote
    I was going to reply in a similar vein.................how many people here think that farmers are happy for you to use your ferrets on their land purely so they can feel good that you're getting some sport? As tacit repayment for the farmers courtesy in allowing you access to his land, you have an obligation to do what you can to help regarding his rabbit population. If he was happy for the rabbits to be there, you wouldn't be!!! (The reason I mentioned that the 'season's coming to an end' was in the assumption that most people here would realise that was because this time of year sees n
  3. Quixote
    Err.....'mussels'? (sorry, just couldn't resisit having a wee poke!) Cook them first & then freeze them, otherwise all you'll end up with is mush
  4. Quixote
    What trap? What bait? Where is it sited?
  5. Quixote
    Can't make any assumptions about whether you're doing something wrong without knowing a wee bit more about the land itself? Is it woodland leading to open pasture? Predominantly wooded areas or open grassland with fences, etc? Are you setting the snares in the fenceline,or in runs? Most people new to snaring assume that if they set them in the fenceline the rabbits will naturally pass through the snare on their return to the bury.............but this just isn't always the case. So much depends on where the buries are, where the buns are feeding at any one time, and if the buries are perman
  6. Quixote
    Many thanks for all the welcomes! Hopefully I can offer you all a few posts
  7. Quixote
    You won't get an incubator that's specifically for quail eggs, but any of the smaller ones will do. I use a Brinsea Octogon that can hold up to 20 hens eggs & has it's own digital thermostat............£260-ish http://www.brinsea.co.uk/products/octagon-20-advance-ex/318/ If that's a bit steep you could always see if anyone local can supply you with chicks & bring them on yourself?
  8. Quixote
    'Mustels'?
  9. Quixote
    I am a pro, sonny But yes, I'll grant you...........perhaps hundreds of thousands is a tad on the high side
  10. Quixote
    Incidentally, the correct name for a ferret with polecat markings is a 'fitch'
  11. Quixote
    What type of traps are you using? If Fenns, then don't bother baiting them as this won't increase their effectiveness..............you need to ensure the traps are placed in a area that the rats are frequenting nightly. Look for the areas along the edges of buildings that lead to where the activity's most evident, then place the traps with the trigger plate facing towards the wall. The traps will need to be placed in tunnels, but if you don't have any make certain they're covered with a piece of ply or similar..............something around 2 feet long will do. Don't be surprised if the Fenns p
  12. Quixote
    The wild polecat/ferret hybrid's quite common, but they're an absolute bitch to handle & tend to kill underground a lot more than purebred ferrets. I believe they're used a lot in Eastern Europe insead of purebreds. I'm assuming you guys already know that the fert commonly called a 'polecat' is actually a purebred fert that just retains the polecat markings though genetic selection? (sorry if that's teaching some of you to suck eggs) I've never heard of a ferret/stoat or mink hybrid personally, but as they're all mustelids they share some common genes so a hybrid shouldn't be completel
  13. Quixote
    Not really been an issue with me, to be honest. If the rabbit's been shot then obviously you're going to pick it up first by the back legs? Transfer your grip to the neck & hold it behind the ears (with this method) then push the chin up & back. I should imagine it's very similar to why a rabbit will hang still when a cats got it? I've never had one kick or scratch, so I must be doing something right
  14. Quixote
    Aye..........best ignore all the info' provided by a body that's spent hundreds of thousands researching best practices nationwide & do it your own way
  15. Quixote
    Yep! My bad, sorry. Guess I better be more careful before I post in future, huh? Anyway, Why would anyone want to 'dig in' a cage trap?
  16. Quixote
    Yep, I'd agree with that! You'll need to spend some time counting rabbit numbers though..................you'll need about half as many traps as there are buns. Prebait them with chopped carrot or the like (keep your bait sizes & portions similar between traps & this will let you monitor bait takes) Place the traps a good 10 paces apart & check twice daily. Don't cover them, but you can paint them green to make them less conspicuous. It's unlikely you'll get many people interfering with them in the location you mention, but you can download & print off a wee poster that lets pe
  17. Quixote
    No worries! Any problems just post & I'll help if I can
  18. Quixote
    'lo mate
  19. Quixote
    No doubt someone here will flame me for this, but I've always found a legal-power air rifle to be more than up to the job for dispatching caged foxes. Obviously totally unsuitable at any other range than point blank!
  20. Quixote
    If you do it the way I've just shown you you'll do alright
  21. Quixote
    For an inexperienced rabbiter it can be hard to judge the amount of force needed to break the neck using that method. And for it to be successful you need a certain amount of strength to get it right every time. Using the method I've described is far more consistant, & is easier to perfect, I reckon. I've ferreted for over 20 years & have tried all other methods. This is the one I find is best, but the secret is to find the one you're most ultimately most comfortable with :wink:
  22. Quixote
    Best way I've found by far is to hold the bun around the neck with your left hand (thumb & index finger) with its ears back towards your wrist................hold it formly, then using the heel of your righthand push its chin back decisively until you disliocate the neck. You'll quite clearly hear the neck go. It takes very little effort & is less likely to result in too much stress to the rabbit. Practice on a few dead ones until you're confident you can get it right................
  23. Quixote
    Here you go................ http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countrysi.../snares-cop.pdf
  24. Quixote
    here you go! Don't pay any attention to the soil that's on the trap..........that just fell in when I lifted the plate. You can see how the trap's a fairly close fit in the hole? If it has too much play, the mole will fill it with soil as he dislodges it This is what you're hoping to see! And job done. One mole can dig out up to 20 metres of tunnel in a day, so don't be too dismayed if you come across an area that's very extensively damaged..........in really bad cases I ask the farmer to chain harrow the area first, barring where I want to set my traps. They can cause so muc
  25. Quixote
    Hello mate, Your best bet is to pick up some Duffus traps (they're around a fiver each..........don't go for the cheap copies as they'll fall apart on you) You can get other typwes (such as scissor traps, humane live-capture traps, etc, but I find these are the best.....for me anyway) You need to identify an area of recent activity (there should be a change in the soil texture in fresh mounds? It should be easy enough to spot as it'll be slighty damper) then find a suitable tunnel to place your trap................you'll need a 'dibber' for this. Mine's made from 5mm bar with a bulb mo
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