Will my ferret speak to me again?

[chrismdd 787]

Hi folks,

 

Managed my first trip of the season and went alone with my sandy jill to tackle a couple of warrens on my new permission. These were big old thick hedgerows and so were quite daunting to tackle by myself but I had my locator ready and went for it. As the hedge is on a bank most of the holes were going out into the field and so netting from one side was not too bad.

 

A few holes out in the field were easily netted but those in the thick of the hedge were at times a nightmare. Waht made it worse was that the side of the hedge had been cut by the farmer a month ago and so there was loads of small broken twigs and brambles around the holes and getting caught in the nets.

 

Netted the first warren (27 nets), entered the ferret and waited. Five minutes thump thump and rabbits start shooting out in the hedge. Due to the twigs the nets didn't purse neatly. So on that first warren twleve rabbits bolted, three were caught neatly, five hit the nets and were caught momentarily before kicking free ! and another four came from unseen holes deep in the hedge .

 

Onto the second warren (15 nets) which I thought was all of them. Down went the ferret and within ten minutes two more rabbits were neatly caught. Then it went all a bit pete tong, what I thought was a separate warren was actually joined on and before I could get nets down five rabbits had bolted clear. The ferret then worked her way back up and a final rabbit hit a net in the hedge which didn't purse neatly and as I pulled it up out of the hedge it kicked free and was away. I then looked down to see my ferret at the hole entrance and I swear she gave me one look of disgust.

 

So the ferret worked well with at least twenty rabbits cleanly bolted but I only managed to catch five of them .

 

Is my netting wrong, basically I place the lower ring into the hole, the peg above and the net draped round. By looking at each hole I assume which way the rabbit will leave and so position the net so that they will run over the lower ring and into the mesh. Is this wrong or is it just down to bad luck and the twigs fouling the net operation?

 

Regards

 

Chris.

[stealthy1 3,964]

I think your ferret will get over it in time I dont use the ring down the hole way of setting, I use the spiderweb setting

[Malt 379]

I don't put the ring in the hole either. I think the line needs to run freely through both rings for the net to purse properly, and I reckon this happens best if you put a ring either side of the hole.

 

JMO though.

 

Nice write up BTW, and better luck next time.

[oakey 57]

did you clear the holes first by sweeping around with youre hand ?

[chrismdd 787]

Hi Oakey,

 

Yes I did start to clear some of the debris away but I was a bit concerned that human scent may prevent a decent bolt.

 

Chris

[para1 11]

You set the nets correctly mate.You just need to clear the crap away first.By the time the rabbit gets that far out the hole It is unlikely to smell where your hands where .Good luck in the future P1.

[netfull 0]

Hi Chris,

Don't worry about leaving a human scent around the holes,that rabbit has just caught the scent of the ferret in the hole and is leaving by the nearest exit at 30 mph!

(Was it Brian Plummer that had his nose broken by a bolting rabbit?)

Regards Netfull

[The one 8,403]

No two holes are the same mate and you need to adjust the net to suit the burrow but the main thing is you learn by your mistakes and get the rabbits the next time

[whin 463]

stop complaing sounds good warrens plus get youre self a decent dog mate , and theyll soon get the ones you miss

[max abell 196]

If the nets catch on any crap they dont purse properly

If the place you intend to ferret is local to you try and get over there a couple

of days earlier and clear the crap from around the holes you intend to ferret

if not local try and do it as best you can when you get there but be a quiet as poss

[dso88 15]

set nets tidy and brian plummer broke his in 2 places from a bolting rabbit (just finished reading the book)