Too much blade action! (even for me.)

[Brimmer 220]

Continued on our campaign again today, same spot as last week only a little further along, the two runners Jed and Robbie who were nearly redundant again today, myself and the old feller, and the two 4 yr old albino jills, B'stard and Eyeball, who are getting into fine physical shape now due to the graft and grub thats being thrown at them. They are not lean, and not heavy either, just getting strong and robust with muscle starting to develop on them, I can see these two jills being busy for a couple of months, they will end up gettting a good few days a week out in the near future, and has me wondering how far i can push the pair of them, if i can get them matching in physical state to that of the feral ferrets i caught a few years ago, those animals were built like brick outhouses, full of muscle from daily graft, and eating well.

Only downside though may be the jills get too handy, today i knew they were in good shape, a few hard weekends and decent bags split between the two of them have seen them last all day, their metabolism is speeding up, they are getting strong, feeding hard and as a consequence, today saw me digging well above normal amounts for the bag.

I expect digs on a day out, I can expect digs all day if i'm using the hobs, but expect a good few less from the jills, especially when we are doing everything right. I have had a few conversations with a few blokes off here about wind affecting the bolt, noise affecting the bolt, temp affecting the bolt, sighting affecting the bolt. Today as always we set the nets quietly, the dogs were leashed and hooked on the spare spade, we kept on the top side of the warrens (hillsides) but from the off, you knew it was going to be a blade day.

We only covered an area about 50 yrds by a 100 yards all day, with probably 300 net sets, and the 100 yrd longnet alongside (Waste of time!). one jill at a time was sent to work, Eyeball first, who i though was being a pain with her 'finishing style' seeing me dig twice in the first half an hour,. I could maybe have left her for longer, but i think the outcome was inevitable, and with only a couple of foot digs, i did not want one of the workforce getting tired early on through an ongoing battle.

B'stard in for the next shift, saw a similar pattern, digging, about half bolting again, but getting stuck on a good few again, one rabbit saw me dig 3 times to 3 foot as it moved across a big open ancient tube as the gravelly roof caved in as i broke through, eventually B'stard finished the job, and i got it out.

Same for the rest of the day, ferrets swapping shifts, one at once, clearing the warrens probably 60/40 bolting and digging.

It had got to approx 3 pm, and a double bolt at once saw a netted rabbit followed out by a skipper, it somehow managed to drop back down past a net without being backnetted. as we had the area netted up, i thought i;d chance moving it, along with any others in there.

As it happened, it saw B'stard knocking at over 6 foot down, and not moving after 20 mins. Now 3.30pm, with the changed clocks seeing the sun dropping down behind the hill brought a new urgency to the day.

Got the old feller sat on top with the knocker box keeping his eyes open, rabbit in hand to tempt her on showing. i started the clean up operation, longenet put away, half the bag legged and strung, then carried down to the motor saw me arriving back up there with no sign of B'stard showing, allthough the old boy said she had moved a little.

I set off down with the second half of the bag, and nets. with the old feller still waiting up there. I planned in my head what to do if she was stuck fast, thats block off, and start digging until it was proper dark, and return in the morning to finish the job

I need not have worried, by the time i got back up there the old chap had managed to coax B'stard out and grab her, obviously the bunny down there was gone, and it twists me to leave it, but sometimes these things happen.

Today was hard graft, saw probably around 15 plus digs, maybee its down to to one dig causing another dig, and snowballing, or the wind, or the weather, or the noise, or rabbits seeing us, i personally think the jills are becoming more capable due to there physical state.

We will see over the next few months.

Ended up with 36.

 

 

Oh the dogs got a run at the end in the meadow, quite good to watch after a hard day, it was nailed with all the desperation in the world after a days spectating!

[obby 10]

Enjoy reading these reports,well done on what sounded like a good if slighty hard day a good few bunnies there too nice one all the best,ob.

[richie198 28]

well done sounds like a hard but good day was had all

in all great to get out.

nice write up keep up the good work

[frank300 0]

looks a nice bag and great write up mate wel done

[RAGBONE 14]

champion bag that well done

[stroller 341]

Same as us the guns were manky from the soil on our hands due to the bloody spade being used every five minutes

[Guest vin]

had a very similar day last week on a place where they normally bolt easy..ended up digging 7 out..and a few moved about with the smaller ferrets so they were double dug..It sort of reminds you every now and then that it cant always be perfect. . .good bag at end of day there mate.

[TOMO 24,871]

Yes well done brim.......mind you want to stop fecking around with one ferret, and tip the lot in................

[The one 8,396]

Great read and numbers mate glad your back posting

[Bosun11 537]

Good write up Brimmer, enjoyed that..

[Brimmer 220]

Yes well done brim.......mind you want to stop fecking around with one ferret, and tip the lot in................

 

Thats the second time in a week you've said that Tomo!

Me thinks you want to see me in the middle of ten ferret, hillside excavating, multi net tangling, explosion of carnage, bodies and trenches!

Probs would make a good yorkshire dales disaster movie!

[stealthy1 3,964]

Another good outing Brim

[Moe 108]

good bag there mate,the old man looks well chuffed,i agree with tomo get some more ferrets in and get them moving .a few digs and a bit of diving about and you could end up as fit as the ferrets LOL.

[ferretville 69]

Another good read brimmer and respectable bag considering the amount of digs . Personally i have to agree with tomo and would be using more ferrets to push the rabbits out . Not knocking your methods as you know how your ferrets work . We all go about our ferreting in different ways and have different opinions on hunting styles and techniques . Thats what i enjoy about hunting is the learning of new ways and seeing how people do things differently , atb fv

[linde 17]

Nice post mate, very interesting.

ATB Andy