Shite morning

[rob190364 2,594]

I was in two minds whether to get up early this morning to go ferreting as I've got a wedding tomorrow so was thinking I might have a lie in....set alarm anyway and eventually decided to give it a whirl so was out at 6am ready to get going at first light.....even driving to the farm I just had a funny feeling it was going to be a poor day, not sure why!

 

Anyway, to cut a long story short I was out for 3 and a half hours, paddling through mud, getting nettled to feck and walking for miles (all perfectly fine if you actually catch a few)......which I didn't, absolutely f'ck all!

 

The reason why I'm writing this up is for some reason my lurcher was giving false mark after false mark all f'ckin morning! her marking is normally absolutely bang on! I netted up at least 4 warrens after a positive mark and bolted jack shit from any of them. Has anyone else ever had this? The only possible explanation I can come up with is that a stoat had recently done the rounds and cleared the warrens, and she was reacting to the scent of the stoat or already bolted rabbits....I can't think of any other explanation at all.....anyone got any other ideas?

 

Normally I either get decent marks and catch a few, or don't get any marks but have the dog bolting them from cover and catching a few....I don't even mind if I walk for miles and don't really see anything, it's nice to be out.....but it proper gets on my tits when I spend 10-15 minutes netting up for no reason, over and over again! :censored:

 

On a positive note, I've done 8 early mornings in the last 2 weeks and this is the first shit day I've had so it's not all bad

[fitchet 788]

The false marking is Probabley due to mixy rabbits in the sets mate. The ferrets kill them so quick they soon lose interest.

[Carraghs Gem 1,699]

Could be worse... At least you and your animals came home unscathed.

Im hoping to bring the stinkers out tomorrow... But ive a feeling its our turn to stay with an elderly relative who is dying

 

[bird 10,014]

if the mark is norm good from the dog, and the dog marked .Maybe the stinkers aint going deep in the berry, and there is rabbits there but they aint or carnt find them.? I am lucky with Bryn as he will give a 100% mark(by scracting at the berry and pulling the grass. Somtimes he walks over a berry few times and as look, but its only when he does is norm stuff you know there is a rabbit there.

[rob190364 2,594]

The false marking is Probabley due to mixy rabbits in the sets mate. The ferrets kill them so quick they soon lose interest.

I hadn't thought of that! I haven't seen any up top on that farm but there are a lot of foxes around there so they probably get snapped up pretty much straight away. That would make sense actually because the dog would mark, the jill would go down for 10 mins or so and then come back out, and as I'm picking the nets up the dog is still marking the warren. I've had quite a few rabbits out of there in the past week and none of them have shown any signs of mixi though

[rob190364 2,594]

if the mark is norm good from the dog, and the dog marked .Maybe the stinkers aint going deep in the berry, and there is rabbits there but they aint or carnt find them.? I am lucky with Bryn as he will give a 100% mark(by scracting at the berry and pulling the grass. Somtimes he walks over a berry few times and as look, but its only when he does is norm stuff you know there is a rabbit there.

Maybe, although my jill is usually spot on and will keep at them until they bolt, no matter how long it takes. Having said that when I was out on Wednesday she took a bit of a hammering off a big buck rabbit, she killed it in the end by the time I dug to her but it did knock her about a bit. Maybe she's still sore so wasn't putting everything in to it?

 

I'm only using one ferret at the moment until my hob is ready to go out so it is hard work at times!

[Mick C. 229]

If the dogs a good un its got to be a lack lustre effort on the ferrets part.

 

They can have an off day.

 

Put your mates ferret in then- usually sorts it out

[fitchet 788]

The false marking is Probabley due to mixy rabbits in the sets mate. The ferrets kill them so quick they soon lose interest.

I hadn't thought of that! I haven't seen any up top on that farm but there are a lot of foxes around there so they probably get snapped up pretty much straight away. That would make sense actually because the dog would mark, the jill would go down for 10 mins or so and then come back out, and as I'm picking the nets up the dog is still marking the warren. I've had quite a few rabbits out of there in the past week and none of them have shown any signs of mixi though

Or could be vhd rabbits dead in holes and the ferrets ragging them getting bored and moving ? If it happens again get the locater out and if the ferrets still dig and see whats there.

[ftm 3,357]

surely if ferrets had caught underground you would have seen signs of fur or blood on them another possibility could be rabbits being chased deep into set where there may be water lying and we know ferrets hate water just a thought mate -billy

[rob190364 2,594]

surely if ferrets had caught underground you would have seen signs of fur or blood on them another possibility could be rabbits being chased deep into set where there may be water lying and we know ferrets hate water just a thought mate -billy

not always, after she'd killed that buck the other day she was just covered in muck, no fur or blood on her. Could have been water though, it did piss it down last night.....hadn't thought of that either!

[rob190364 2,594]

If the dogs a good un its got to be a lack lustre effort on the ferrets part.

 

They can have an off day.

 

Put your mates ferret in then- usually sorts it out

Could be, I have had her working her ass off recently so maybe a rest is needed....I'll give it a rest for 2 or 3 days I think.

[Mick C. 229]

If a ferrets not firing on all four it will run the rabbits around.Once the rabbit gets itself in a stop end the ferret will more than likely call it a day.

 

Happens a lot when a ferret has had a lot of work.

 

You need another to share the graft

[rob190364 2,594]

If a ferrets not firing on all four it will run the rabbits around.Once the rabbit gets itself in a stop end the ferret will more than likely call it a day.

 

Happens a lot when a ferret has had a lot of work.

 

You need another to share the graft

I've got a 4 month old hob that I'll be starting soon so it'll be OK then, my hob snuffed it the day before the season started so I haven't really had a choice other than to run with one. To be fair to my jill though she's worked like a trojan before today, perhaps one session too many....

[Mick C. 229]

Done the same thing meself mate.

 

She be sound after a break

[stealthy1 3,964]

Try two ferrets next time, maybe one is not enough to inspire the rabbits to bolt, maybe the one ferret is just getting run ragged