New To Ferreting

[GunnySonics 12]

Hello all, i've just been given a couple of polecats from an old boy down the road from me who is in his 80's and says he's too old to keep ferrets, he gave me a couple of 6 week old ferrets a hob and a jill and 2 hutches, food and about 40 purse nets just about everything.

I've been shooting bunnys for over 20 years and would often throw a few his way for his ferrets, i guess thats why he he offered them to me.

Before i get shot to shit i have no intention of taking them out until i know what im doing, which will hopefully be in a few months. I've chatted to the old boy about ferreting for hours, ive looked on youtube and ive bought brian plummers book on ferreting.

 

My main question is this, obviously its best to leave ferreting until the rabbits have had thier young and the does are no longer in season, but with the freak heatwaves and unusually mild weather we're having i fully expect rabbits to be breeding well into the end of october nowadays as while ive been out with the rifle i see more and more rabbit kits later in the year.

 

Is there any other rule of thumb that can be used to judge weather or not out ferrets are gonna come against a doe protecting her litter or do we just chance it when sending them down the warrens???

 

Hopefully i dont sound like some fricking chimp on this subject, like i said ive been shooting bunnys for over 20 years, i want to get into ferreting but i want to get it right first time i see no need to risk my ferrets on my negligence.

[Guest norseman]

that's a cracking setup you've been given there your doing the right thing by researching first. as for ferrets welfare I would advise getting a locator. the season is usually around sept/oct but everyone is different. best starting when the cover dies back, saves a lot of bother. as you said about rabbits breeding later in the year, its almost certain you'll kill doe's in kit ect.

 

just get out there and you'll learn shitloads

have fun

[GunnySonics 12]

cheers Norseman, I managed to find a locator and collars on the forum today so hopefully ill get them early next week and test them out a few times prior.

So far so good my 2 year old JRT no longer see's them as an easy kill since the old boy that gave them to me also had a Jack Russell so they are used to the dog hassling and sniffing them. A good success earlier today was that the two kits and my terrier all tucked in together eating a bunny I shot this morning, the dog making sure he got more than the lions share, but hey its a start for the team.

[Guest norseman]

your off to a good start. you could try and see if someone will take you out and show you the score. its nice to just have an extra pair of eyes and hands (when the season starts of course)

atb happy hunting

[pie-eater 377]

Sounds like a good setup. Simon Whiteheads book is well worth getting especialy if youre new to the sport. Plummers books are entertaining but not entirely factual.

[GunnySonics 12]

cheers Pie-Eater I just purchased one of his books off Amazon for £19.00 on your recommend, having watched him on youtube its fairly obvious he's what I would class as an "expert" on ferreting, thanks for the tip I didn't even think to look up if he had a book out until you mentioned it

[GunnySonics 12]

i've looked about and put the word out for other local ferreters but heard nothing back yet, i only moved back to this part of Scotland in April after 22 years away in the submarine service so quite a few local hunters that are older and bolder than i am are still "sussing me out", which is fair enough, i have no issues working alone anyway but like you said an extra pair of eyes or an experienced ferreter to slap me around the ears when i get it wrong wouldnt go a miss

[Jamie m 668]

You have all the gear get out start on small burrows , no show on the ferret out with the locator go home with a couple of rabbits and all your stinkers result .

[The one 8,397]

As above books are fine but learning at grass root level is better

[GunnySonics 12]

i took my kits on a "training day" today, i went to a well used warren that i shoot every weekend, i netted up and put my gill down first, collar on i showed her the hole and she flew down, quick as flash she appeared at another exit, i walked over and she was more than happy for me to pick her up and i put her down another another hole. This went on for about 20 minutes, i couldnt believe how quickly she would appear at various other exit holes, bolt hole etc. I then swapped over to my hob and exactly the same, and he was quite happy for me to pick him up and place him down other holes, no issues at all with disapearing or running off.

I saw no bunnys unfortunately but like i said it was a training day, getting them used to warrens and i am more than happy with them both so much so i let them sit on my shoulder for the 1 1/2 mile walk back to my van and treated them both to some chicken when they got home, both of them flat out in thier hutches after a great day.

Edited July 24, 2013 by GunnySonics