Entering Kits

[Gavin.worrall 0]

Well folks, whats the craic? long time hunter first time poster.

 

Always been a lamping and digging man, but have recently taken on two gill kits, they are around 5 months at this stage and I'll be back on the lamp this week so I wanted to know if more experienced ferreters would be entering kits at this age?

 

They are well fit for it think in terms of physicality, but I dont ferret with anyone else so I dont have a grown jill to 'bring them one'

 

So whats a man to do? enter one? enter them both? I just intend to bolt for the lurchers. any advice welcome

 

Gavin

[The one 8,598]

Mate i'd of spent the summer running then threw pipes in the garden getting them used to movement and noise .Then i'd of tried them in a small burrow with a older ferret .

 

But reading your post all you can do is enter id say both of them in a burrow and see what happens

Saying that after a day of entering my kits to small burrows i moved on to large 30/50 holers with two older jills and while i dont think there working them right there getting to see rabbits

 

So be patient give them a go and see what happens

[stroller 341]

As above really i have two young ones and ive been putting them through holes with my mates two experienced hobs they are only playing at it at the moment but the young hob did bolt a rabbit the last time and he looks all the keener for it. the young jill is still jumping around like a looney fighting with my boot laces.i cant but help laugh at them when they are mock fighting.

 

its all practice though and sensitive confidant handling around the holes will reduce the risk of turning them into skulkers (Diving back into holes when you approach). i always put my young ferrets into cages on the floor in the main passage to the back door as this gets them used to feet going up to and past them.

 

ive just weaned off the late litter my old jill had so she will be back in operation and she knows the game so its just a matter of perseverance.But ive found that some ferrets are better at the game than others and if any dont make the grade they go to pet homes

[Gavin.worrall 0]

cheers lads much appreciated,

I'll take that all into account.

 

good huntin'

Gavin

[Brimmer 220]

Nice to see somebody considering the young uns might need a gentle breaking to the job.

 

Years ago I'd get the kitts going as soon as possible around the end of Sept, at which age they were usually around 4 - 5 months old.

They did'nt just get a few rabbits to shift, they had to earn there keep and mix it with the experienced ferrets within a few trips, to be honest they got hammered.

I didnt need too, but impatience got the better of me, I always kept the whole litters I bred on, and tried them before any were moved on, mixed results to be honest, but one thing for certain, the early learners were always the best workers in the end.

 

One thing I did notice though, was I had a better success rate with the hobs out of the early learners than the jills.

 

Sometimes seemingly faultless young jills, which had taken to the job without any trouble, suddenly gave up, and jibbed on rabbits not wanting to move, they never returned to form, even after a season. Hobs as well, but they faired better.

 

It was down to one thing, I'd given them too much, too young. A little light work of a few rabbits would have been fine, but when you walk miles onto hilltops, carrying a box of ferrets, they had to work, instead of 3 and 4 rabbits in a day they should have had, they were getting chucked at 30 - 40 bags. My Fault.

 

The ones that did come through the boot camp were amongst the best iv'e seen and owned.

 

Since I've had quite a few jills, not started them until after Xmas due to having a lot of experienced animals on, and they have become very strong workers, up with the best of them.

 

Makes me wonder if they'd made the grade back then, or its the fact they had been started later.

 

Personally think its due to starting them later, although physically they look up to the job, mentally when they get the uppercut of a decent buck refusing to move, they were'nt up to the job at that age.

 

Let us know how you get on, and start them slowly.

[Gavin.worrall 0]

I'll keep you posted on there antics, thanks very much.

 

Also I'm going to be running a lakeland/fell cross with my lurchers, one of the most inept creatures i've ever owned, but crazy about rabbits, constantly getting herself stuck in warrens, back in the day I fear this young dog would have been wearing the 'tin hat' for walking off its quarry.