the ratcatcher

even so called pets will work one of the best i had was given me as a pet and as got me many rabbits and i also used it on rats

i only ever got permission to do some rabbiting on nt land with the ferrets amd dogs many years back but was told that if either got stuck down hole i wasnt not allowed to dig for them

i have had ferrets for more than 30 years and all have been outside all year round i feed flesh so they use the fur and feathers for bedding and i tend to give more bedding come the winter

you dont have to breed either hob or gill if you dont have a hob you can take the gill to the vet for an injection that will bring them out of season i personally havent done this but my mate as for a few years and his gill is still goin strong and a great little worker again for working then i use both hob and gills and both have given excellent results so i think its a personal choice the hobs tend to be bigger and gills smaller but they work just as good as each other as for the dog i keep a couple of hobs that i use just for teaching the dogs i let them run round in my garden with the do

there are a few methods you could use ferrets, dogs or guns, netting, snares or even traps but your best bet is to find somebody near to you that is willing to take you out and you can learn first hand and hopefully learn correctly atb

opinell ive had mine more than 20 years and still using it i used it when i worked on the farm and now i use it for skinning and cutting up infact wednesday i used it to skin and joint a couple of roe there was no need to use anything else

i totally agree its pure cruelty they wasnt gonna take it and eat it and its one thing shooting a rabbit but totally diferent when shooting and injuring livestock

he shouldnt be allowed a gun maybe if he gave it to a kid they might get rid of the rats

can i just point out that its not only the travelling people that take things i remember many years ago i guy in the dog world was arranging to get his friends dogs nicked as a result i have never spoken to this guy now for nearly 30 years sometimes it just down to pure jealousy and yes there may be some travellers that take things but on the same principle how many none travellers go out on the rob not just for your dogs but for what ever they can carry away and sell for there drugs and there are good and bad in many walks of life

i agree get yourself a good pocket guide book and identify them properly before you attempt to eat them i have been out collecting with people before now and they asked if one was edible as they didnt no so i playing a joke on them told them i didnt no and that there was only one way to find out as a put a piece in my mouth lol and ive had people offer me mushroom soup on a few occassions but thats one i wont eat because they are so easily mistaken

the spade as always been a ferreting accessory and i always have at least 1 in my car when i go out but i havent had to dig to a ferret now for over 25 years and i also think the weather as a lot to do with it i was out week before last i didnt use my ferrets i used someone else's and i thought i was gonna have to dig but i just sat it out waiting till the ferret came out with the rabbit lol

i use peanut butter and or dog biscuits with excellent results but placing the trap is the key if the hole is on your land then place the trap near the hole so the food is onhand before it goes on for anything else again ive done this and usually had the rat in the trap the very next morning

well i dont think the farmer will want your dogs running all over his strawberries so get yourself a decent gun and use your ferrets and nets

at least you got it back how many people would of just given up and left it ive been out before and pick ferrets up that people have left behind i hope a bacon buttie went with that brew

i cook mine with rabbit in vodka