ferreting

[THE POACHER 13]

im just looking for abit of info on ferreting ive never really done alot as im into my terriers and lurchers but ive got a load of farms that need the rabbits thining out im going to get a young ferret how old can you start using them to work any info much appreciated

[Guest JDF]

get a couple of kits when they become available and they'll be ready come autum,start them off slowly and take it from there.if you've plenty of work for them a couple of pair would be better.

[THE POACHER 13]

i got alot of work for them mate i was thinking of getting 1 but if 2 is better ill get 2

[Guest JDF]

what size are the warrens poacher? if they're smallish you could get away with a couple but if they're the type that take up an entire hedgrow then you'll need more if you want a serious crack at it,if they're old abandoned badger type earths the again you'll maybe need more than two too push them from deep.

[THE POACHER 13]

they are in normal rabbit warrens in wooded areas and on fern banks

[Guest JDF]

a couple will probably be enough then feed them fur and feather and handle regular,come the season you'll have a bit of sport with them. :thumbs-up:

[THE POACHER 13]

thanks alot mate

[Garn 0]

With entering ferrets you want to leave them as long as possible before entering to rabbit as they sometimes get some good kickings. So the older they are, the more resiliant (theoretically) they are to rabbit kicks Saying that I reckon from 16 weeks onwards the ferrets are tough enough to receive a kicking. The work for the hell of it, though I find it takes at least 3 trips out for the ferrets to properly sus out whats going on. In time you'll be abble to tell whether there's rat, rabbit or a mixture of both from the bristling and behaviour of your ferrets. They even make you doubt your intelligence that you swore blind it was an entrance but is indeed a short stop that you carefully cut back the vegetation around, tangled your net on several times before this guaranteed bolt hole was netted up.

 

The most important thing when entering ferrets is patience. Let them enter at their own rate. Put them at the mouth of the bury, and let them explore. they'll soon twig what the crack is. But let them walk in on their own accord. it's all about confidence i believe. Generally some walk straight into the hole. If the ferret doesn't it'll just wander off in the opposite direction. just pick it up and place it back at the mouth of the bury. Eventually its curiosity will get the better of it, and it it will go.

 

The next equally important aspect is getting your ferret back out of the hole, as the last thing you want is a skulker. Never take a dog with you that isn't broken to ferret as the ferret may well skulk in the hole to avoid the dog. When the ferret comes to the mouth of the burrow, let him or her wander out a couple of feet or so, then pick them up. What I find to be good practice to preventing skulkers is to once the ferret comes to the surface let it hunt up scents leading from the warren (within reason) as the ferret learns that everytime is comes to the surface its not going to get snatched up and boxed. I find after a good few ferreting trips my ferrets tend to hunt me out when the warren appears clear to take them to hunt pastures new. On several occassion when i let the ferrets hunt above ground on their own accord they frequently find burys/ holes that weren't there several minutes previous