A christmas eve mooch with Johnnyboy68

[Ideation 8,217]

Decided to have a day out today with Johnnyboy68, as our usual Sunday ferreting trip falls, this week, on a rather inconvinent day.

 

Woke up and loaded the car with Finn and a jill and headed to pick up Johnny, who was on fine form Contemplating the mission that was tying his shoe laces, with a hangover. Added Gem and Luna, along with another jill to the team and headed off.

 

Recently, instead of ferreting all day, we have been going for a good old fashioned mooch for the morning, and then ferreting in the afternoon. These walks are always good, to check out new land, and get a bit of more interesting work for the dogs.

 

Our first destination was a farm that i have aquired this season, and had bit of sport on, although it doesn't hold great rabbit numbers. We parked up and decided to have a good ratch a long one side of the farm, that consists of some nice braken bankings, and a load of mixed woodland, with some impressive ravines in. Immediatly the dogs were working hard, with lots of scent about, and as we made our way through the woods, they put up a couple of rabbits, which although they hunted well, they couldnt get on terms with amongst the cover. Eventually however, their hard work payed off, as Gem froze marking a patch of cover around the base of a tree. Luna and Finn swung around the other side, and as they got into position, Gem struck the cover, pushing the rabbit out into the waiting jaws of the two younger dogs, who both struck it at the same time.

 

After a bit more of a pleasant walk, where we put up a few more pheasants, and treed a few tree rats, we decided to head to our next destination.

 

Our second spot for the day was an old favourite of ours, an area of horse paddocks, that over the last few seasons have coughed well, although now we have really reduced the rabbit population. However, we hadn't been there in a few weeks so thought it was worth a punt. Some of you might remember the dick head with the 'scared' horse? Well, it was there

 

Anyway, we parked up and started off around the paddocks, and got our first mark on a set that is half in our permission, and half in the dick heads field. So a bit of covert netting later and we're good to go. Down goes the ferret and we wait. After a long time, the first rabbit bolts, but out of an unetted hole out in the field, it comes past us and disappears. Soon after another rabbit bolts, this time into a net and one of the dogs pins it, and it is soon followed by the third and final rabbit for this set, which is also well pursed.

 

We netted down and decided to go and look for our escapee, knowing it had gone to one of two places, wither a set inside a spinny, or a set the other side of the spinny, in the cornor of dick heads garden Needless to say, it was of course, in the garden set. So with Finn tied up (to stop him joining me in the garden and getting us busted) and the other two dogs firmly told to stay where they were, Johnny and i got down on our bellies and crawled under the fence, to net up the holes. Dick head was at home, and i was sure he was going to burst out at any second. Especially when Luna decided to ignore Johns express orders and went to shelter from the rain under some trees INSIDE the garden. Anyway, we managed to get the set netted and entered Johns jill. We were hoping for a quick bolt, but it was not to be. Eventually with a rustle, the rabbit made its bid for freedom out of a hole which had been entirely covered in leaves. However, i know the set and so had placed a net over the top of the leaves, so bunny wasn't going anywhere!

 

After escaping the garden, we strolled on a bit more, before getting a decent bit of interest in a long hedge set, which is kind of on a banking. We netted up about ten yards of the one side, and i stayed there with Finn, whilst John went to the other side with Gem and Luna, to cover the odd hole over there and stop anything that managed to get through the hedge. Down went the ferrets and after a bit of time, two rabbits bolted on my side, both of which Finn was on quick as a flash.

 

We decided at this point to call it a day ferreting wise and have a bit more of a mooch (as we were losing the light). We carried on through some scrubby ground and the dogs chased a rabbit to ground somewhere up a gully, which we left for another day.

 

As were were continuing to head back, Finn went off on his own a bit, as he does, and started marking a patch of cover, As he pushed in one side, the rabbit flew out of the other. Round he came and quick as a flash made the ground up on it in a straight line race, as he struck and lifted it i was thinking what a great end to a mooch, but then he hit something, stumbled and the rabbit kicked out of his mouth, and made it's freedom in the nearby hedge Ah well, you win some you lose some, still a good catch (almost).

 

Another day in great company! Hope you enjoyed the read, and have a great Christmas everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rocky1 942]

therly enjoyed the read ideaton and well done 2 the dogs and ferrets ,and a very merrychristmas 2 you and john

[Ideation 8,217]

Cheers Gaz matey, and all the best to you and your family for tomorrow

[rocky1 942]

Cheers Gaz matey, and all the best to you and your family for tomorrow

[takman511 42]

well done lads

[ferret-boy 44]

Nice read that mate looks a good day out, Merry Christmas and have a great new year to you and john,

ATB FB

[simonrocco 175]

well done pal atb for xmas & the new year

[Ideation 8,217]

Cheers lads, it was a good walk and it's nice to watch a team of dogs hunt together who work together regularly.

 

Have a good christmas yourselves, and may your new years ferreting trips be bountiful and exciting!

[malc1 544]

well done boys and dog and ferrets merrychristmass and have a good new year lads atb

[Ideation 8,217]

well done boys and dog and ferrets merrychristmass and have a good new year lads atb

 

Same to you, Lee, Liam and the pack mate and we will see you soon? Give me a text