mackay 3,680 Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 Ok, I started ferreting in 1976, and I've never used a locator/collar on a ferret, also I've never lost a ferret although I've had a couple misplaced for a few days, but have been retrieved through various methods. I'm willing to concede I've left dead rabbits underground but as long as I retrieved my ferret I was happy to move on. I had lurchers that would mark a kill, arse scratcher, with the same accuracy as a collar and would lead me to the kill. I would use the dog to locate the ferret and rabbit and when digging, upon coming to a junction the dog would indicate which way to go, in fact on many occasions I had to shove said dog aside as they tried their best to dig to the kill themselves.A good ferreting dog is a godsend and I've seen dogs that wouldn't leave a burrow whilst a rabbit was in residence, the minute the last rabbit bolted they headed off to mark the next burrow. The point, well,is technolgy taking fieldcraft out of hunting, our ancestors knew nothing of locators and got by without them as did I, as I'm sure many on here do, so, have we entered a new era, could the people who use locators get by without them?, we claim as hunters to be in touch with nature and sympathetic to all things natural and then use modern technology in the pursuit of the humble bunny, for me personally ,technology, locators etc have no place in the field for the to use such methods might increase bags but reduces your natural hunting instinct and your hunting credibility which in turn detracts from the whole reason behind hunting. Quote Link to post
Guest vin Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 oh the good old days... I remember ferreting without locators in the early 80s. I remember the long waits. I remember blocking up holes going back next day and day after waiting for said ferrets to come out. I remember not having a decent dog. I also remember not catching many rabbits most of the time was spent retrieving or waiting for ferrets. Each to their own mate...but I would not leave home without a locator. Quote Link to post
albert64 1,882 Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 so what your saying is you just trenched through the borrow and the dog would show you which way to dig, any half decent dog would do that so the dog did'nt pin point the kill from above ground? your talking about field craft and being at touch with nature well all i can say is you must of F****D some borrow's up over the years you see it might only be a humble bunny but i was always brought up to have respect for your quarry not leaving dead or rabbits with half their arse's hanging out all over the place you want to treat yourself to a locator technology's a great asset Quote Link to post
Country Joe 1,411 Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 I also have been ferreting a long time 43 years, also started with no locator, now would not go out with out one, in fact the last time out, my battery went, i do usualy carry spares, but had left my spares bag at home, and ferreting was not the same, I did bolt a few, but could have had more with the locator. Ferreting has moved on for the better with this tecnology, and also the same with feeding, you hardly hear of anyone feeding bread and milk, and ferret complete for the Summer Months has been a good thing. I often wonder what locators will be like in fifty years time. Quote Link to post
Tyla 3,179 Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 Im in favour of locators. I never had one when i started out as a kid and got by fine, lots of waiting, lost rabbits etc though. As soon as i could i bought one and now wouldnt put a ferret down without a collar, its got nothing to do with fieldcraft etc just respect for my stock and quarry. I dont want to loose ferrets and i'd rather not leave dead or damaged rabbits behind. I know I could get by without because i did in the past but why would anyone want to? Quote Link to post
masmiffy 82 Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 (edited) When I started ferreting with a mate we never had a locator we always used jills loose and had a 'liner' (hob) in case of a lay up. If the jills killed or got 'stuck' he was introduced to the warren, after a wait to see if they returned to the call, on a collar and line. This was knotted every yard so we had an idea of how far he was in! Digging was not that frequent but you did have to trench dig and follow the line. Fieldcraft was basically silent approach to warrens and as little noise as possible in setting nets, no talking until the warren was 'empty' And in way over 15 years ferreting without a locator I never lost a ferret! I have since ferreted using a MK3M and have to say, in this day and age, it is a godsend. They do have drawbacks, nets get pulled off when collared jills go thro them and I think they tend to make you impatient! Nothing happening? OK lets wander over the warren make a bit of noise and let the rabbits know we are about so they sit tight! They do make digging less of a ball ache tho if required. My old 'teacher' told me the idea of ferreting aint to dig mate but to get a dinner! Edited March 4, 2012 by masmiffy Quote Link to post
TOMO 29,290 Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 intresting mackay,,,, i dont nessaserily hold with the theroy that , technology HAS ruined field craft,, there are still plenty dogs out there that are grate ferreting dogs,, and will pinpoint a mark from above of a ferret stuck with a bunny............although i dont think any dog can do this on a deep lay up................say 6 foot or so. like you makay i started my ferreting with out the locator back in 79,,, of course they were availible then and within 5 years i had one............i always rember the first time my long time ferreting partner paddy used one,,, 5 out a stop end,,, that was him hooked,, and hed started ferreting befor you ,,,,,lol Quote Link to post
The one 8,594 Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 I also started out ferreting with out a locator and you never loose it if the locator or collars pack in i can still get the ferret out . but the time they save and amount of dug out rabbits added to the bag makes them worth while in my eyes . And some of the places we ferret now are huge and deep and we use a load of ferrets and we wouldn't be working them with out a locator . The only way they have killed field craft is some guys wait five minutes the ferrets not showed out with locator and in with the spade . Quote Link to post
Nobby 65 Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 (edited) Started with out a locator but as soon as i could get one i did i would not be with out one now. I am not to keen on the new ones but know they work well enough.I can sort of see what your saying about people relying on locators and not having the know how of what to do if the collar fails.when i started ferreting with the locator i only had the one collar so i put it on a hob and used loose jills then when i got a lay up i put the hob in to find it to dig it .On the whole the use of technology can only be good for ferreting like when Tomo and Vin found that ferret in the drop box if it had a collar on then it probably would not of been lost. Edited March 4, 2012 by Nobby Quote Link to post
micky 3,325 Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 a few years back ferreting was not really considered a a very good way of taking rabbits off of the land,its allways been good fun but not that productive ,the locator has now made ferreting better, easier, and more productive. Quote Link to post
Ideation 8,217 Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 I was thinking about this yesterday. Why does it need to be only one or other? I admit, plenty of folk rely on technology too much, and donthave the common sense, or knowledge to manage without it, but just as many folk dont have a handle on the technology, but also have little field craft. My choice would be using technology to your advantage, AND having fieldcraft, and a good dog. 1 Quote Link to post
Ideation 8,217 Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 a few years back ferreting was not really considered a a very good way of taking rabbits off of the land,its allways been good fun but not that productive ,the locator has now made ferreting better, easier, and more productive. I wouldn't agree with that mate. Quote Link to post
Ideation 8,217 Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 Ok, I started ferreting in 1976, and I've never used a locator/collar on a ferret, also I've never lost a ferret although I've had a couple misplaced for a few days, but have been retrieved through various methods. I'm willing to concede I've left dead rabbits underground but as long as I retrieved my ferret I was happy to move on. I had lurchers that would mark a kill, arse scratcher, with the same accuracy as a collar and would lead me to the kill. I would use the dog to locate the ferret and rabbit and when digging, upon coming to a junction the dog would indicate which way to go, in fact on many occasions I had to shove said dog aside as they tried their best to dig to the kill themselves.A good ferreting dog is a godsend and I've seen dogs that wouldn't leave a burrow whilst a rabbit was in residence, the minute the last rabbit bolted they headed off to mark the next burrow. The point, well,is technolgy taking fieldcraft out of hunting, our ancestors knew nothing of locators and got by without them as did I, as I'm sure many on here do, so, have we entered a new era, could the people who use locators get by without them?, we claim as hunters to be in touch with nature and sympathetic to all things natural and then use modern technology in the pursuit of the humble bunny, for me personally ,technology, locators etc have no place in the field for the to use such methods might increase bags but reduces your natural hunting instinct and your hunting credibility which in turn detracts from the whole reason behind hunting. I will tell you something else, i am not in the hunting game to gain 'credibility'. Quote Link to post
BEARINATOR 2,924 Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 My choice would be using technology to your advantage, AND having fieldcraft, and a good dog. :yes: Quote Link to post
Guest cookiemonsterandmerlin Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 When a hunting guy who lives purely off the land with no internet conection no car to transport and any other modern technologly then I may take notice of him and his views on not using technology. Until then I let them live in the LA LA world and carry on using a knocker box. One word Hypocrictical . ATB Cookie 2 Quote Link to post
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