first time ferreting

[thurso jack 3]

i got a new ferret to bring on with my lurcher pup, and today i decided to go out with it for half an hour just to see how we all did, i had never done ferreting before and had only read books and whats posted on here to learn how its done.

 

we just went out at 2:30 and only had an hour before darkness started so it was a bit of a rushed affair, the first set of holes we tried produced nothing so we moved on, i took my russell bitch along who is usually very good at marking but as she wasnt used to the ferret i just kept her on the lead and i think this put her all to pot and just geared her up.

 

the next lot of holes were duly netted up as again none of us had done this before, ferret jill was then entered and after about 5 mins bang rabbit in the net success and what a buzz! by luck or skill we had managed to bag a bunty lol.

 

heres some pics of the half hours action

 

netted up and waiting

 

 

 

 

first bolt and in the bag!

 

 

 

the star of the day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

after the first we decided to head home only wanted to try the new ferret out and she done well, finding and bolting in some big warrens, really enjoyed the hour and cant wait to go out again!

 

YIS TJ

Edited January 3, 2007 by thurso jack

[mooster 1]

welcome to the ferreting game! every trip is different ...like most field sports i s'pose.

Your grandad looks a bit bored though!!!!

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

some big warrens

 

 

Thought as much, as soon as I saw the shot of that superbly clean rabbit there, laid out on what's obviously part of some pretty decent burys What a cracking introduction to the sport for ye, mate! Excellent! And how I envy ye that obviously superb ground too!

 

Now, may I offer a couple of suggestions, born of experiance? Nothing too heavy, I promise ye! Not here to spoil ye moment!

 

Only, one ~ as ye already know, in ye heart of hearts ~ putting a ferret down with just an Hour of good light is somewhat asking for it Try to leave that last hour - at least - for dealing with the bummers that the game can and will throw at ye.

 

But also, keep ye ears out for a nice Hob and another Jill to go with that one. Then ye'll have a proper little team. Really the least ye'll need for finding and shifting at least most of what's down those holes.

 

The odd, single bunny can't keep those big burys rubbed and up together on it's own. There'll be more down there who easily gave ye single ferret the slip. Two or more jills racing around the place will panic them. Good, steady ol' hob will soon find the hiders and evict those too. Then ye'll see some action!

 

Still, I suspect that now ye've felt the " Buzz ", it'll be the devils own job to Stop ye kitting up and cracking on, eh?

 

 

Oh, and how Nice not to even have read a mention of a bloody Knocker Box! If ye haven't got one, how about stepping aside from the modern herd; Carrying on using ye Senses and developing a bit of old fashioned Field Craft? Become a true Hunter. Collars on terriers, which may go down hellishly deep and stay there for days? Perfectly understandable. But a ferret??? Just feed the bugger right. Be quiet. Have some patience. I've Never used one of those things in decades of ferreting.

 

Imagine seeing a Leopard ~ not bad Hunters themselves, I'm sure ye'll agree ~ how about a Leopard stalking a gazelle for five minutes. Losing it's patience, saying " Oh, f*ck all this for a game of Hunters! " and unslinging a .243! :whistle:

 

That might draw me some flak. F*ck it. I can live with that. I need make no excuses for the way I've always done it

 

 

Enjoy ye future, mate. How ever ye go about it

[thurso jack 3]

welcome to the ferreting game! every trip is different ...like most field sports i s'pose.

Your grandad looks a bit bored though!!!!

 

i certainly enjoyed it, its something i have wanted to do for a long time but just never got round to it, and the grandad is my dad although he is a grandad, but im sure he will be delighted with the comment lol

[thurso jack 3]

some big warrens

 

 

Thought as much, as soon as I saw the shot of that superbly clean rabbit there, laid out on what's obviously part of some pretty decent burys What a cracking introduction to the sport for ye, mate! Excellent! And how I envy ye that obviously superb ground too!

 

Now, may I offer a couple of suggestions, born of experiance? Nothing too heavy, I promise ye! Not here to spoil ye moment!

 

Only, one ~ as ye already know, in ye heart of hearts ~ putting a ferret down with just an Hour of good light is somewhat asking for it Try to leave that last hour - at least - for dealing with the bummers that the game can and will throw at ye.

 

But also, keep ye ears out for a nice Hob and another Jill to go with that one. Then ye'll have a proper little team. Really the least ye'll need for finding and shifting at least most of what's down those holes.

 

The odd, single bunny can't keep those big burys rubbed and up together on it's own. There'll be more down there who easily gave ye single ferret the slip. Two or more jills racing around the place will panic them. Good, steady ol' hob will soon find the hiders and evict those too. Then ye'll see some action!

 

Still, I suspect that now ye've felt the " Buzz ", it'll be the devils own job to Stop ye kitting up and cracking on, eh?

 

 

Oh, and how Nice not to even have read a mention of a bloody Knocker Box! If ye haven't got one, how about stepping aside from the modern herd; Carrying on using ye Senses and developing a bit of old fashioned Field Craft? Become a true Hunter. Collars on terriers, which may go down hellishly deep and stay there for days? Perfectly understandable. But a ferret??? Just feed the bugger right. Be quiet. Have some patience. I've Never used one of those things in decades of ferreting.

 

Imagine seeing a Leopard ~ not bad Hunters themselves, I'm sure ye'll agree ~ how about a Leopard stalking a gazelle for five minutes. Losing it's patience, saying " Oh, f*ck all this for a game of Hunters! " and unslinging a .243! :whistle:

 

That might draw me some flak. F*ck it. I can live with that. I need make no excuses for the way I've always done it

 

 

Enjoy ye future, mate. How ever ye go about it

 

DS thanks for all the help, i just got the ferret and after planning to go out at 11/12 ish today, we got delayed one way or the other and never got out there until 2 pm im sure you know how it is lol.

 

 

after getting this fert and having such a craic the day with it, it is tempting i can tell you to get a few more but i think ill wait until next year, but im deffinately hooked!

 

re the knocker box, i have a mk1 and a mk3, but when i asked the old guy who i got the ferret from if he used them he said, lad ive been ferreting for 50 years and ive lost 2 ferrets, and ive never used any modern equipment, but ive been willing to wait on them.

 

so who knows, but i didnt use the collar and box today

[stubby 175]

great story and pictures...

 

but without putting the moccers on it.

 

quote;it is tempting i can tell you to get a few more but i think ill wait until next year, but im deffinately hooked!

 

 

dont leave it too long, ferts enjoy and benefit from the company of their own kind, and as has been said before, 2 are just as easy to look after as 1

[Fletcher 0]

Whose the good looking fella with yer Grandad?

[thurso jack 3]

Whose the good looking fella with yer Grandad?

 

lol i cant see any lookers in the picture? i can see a weirdo hawking dude but that is is??

[Guest Frank]

Dont wait till next year, get out their and get some more, get another jill and a locator, better safe then sorry.

 

Welcome indeed to the wonderfull, sometimes frustrating world of ferreting.

 

Good luck.

 

Frank.

[thurso jack 3]

well i suppose you are right i will look for another jill, just didnt want to rush in on anything, but what difference will it make, not a lot.

 

do 2 unknown jills get on ok or to you have to keep them separate for a while?

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

(Knocker Boxes?) I asked the old guy who I got the ferret from if he used them he said, " lad I've been ferreting for 50 years and I've lost 2 ferrets, and I've never used any modern equipment, but I've been willing to wait on them.

 

 

See what I mean? Jack; That gentleman has a spare few years on my own length of service. But in my time, I've lost One. And that my very first. I lost her because the men I was out with - me being just a lad then - were somewhat anxious to get off this ground, if ye see what I mean? :whistle: We left her, more than lost her.

 

As it happens, that was a big bury atop a chalk face. Holes exited straight out through the chalk, into thin air. I went back shortly afterwards and met some lads who worked at the foot of the chalk. Turns out she'd been found mooching about down there. She hadn't 'got lost' or 'laid up'. She'd simply had a freak accident of tumbling out of an 'air hole'. I doubt even a collar would have picked her up, twenty five feet beneath that chalk.

 

Anyway, since I'm here; I once accompanied a mate who did use a box. I can see in my minds eye, even as I write this, Kev. Bent over as he wandered all over the top of the bury. Finger raised for silence. Eyes manicly fixed on that damn thing in his hand. Completely oblivious to all else around him. It disgusted me. That wasn't Hunting.

 

Now I see the same fixed detatchment only in the eyes of kids hunched over 'Game Boys', or what ever they call those hand held computer game things. That too disgusts me.

 

Maybe I'm just another dinosaur? But my generation learned to Hunt using Field Craft and our senses. Not 'conveniance' gadgets and substitutes for a Hunters skills.

 

As ever; Each to their own.

[ginge2k6 0]

well said ditch well said

this is my ferret locator