Good Opening Day Mooch.

[Ideation 8,216]

Apart from a couple of bits in gardens, and sorting out a brace of bunnies last week for that kids camp, our ferreting season proper has not got underway, which is unusual. We're usually out on the 1st of September as a bit of a ritual. But with it being like June, Johnnyboy and I have struggled to get motivated. But with the weather turning a little this weekend, we thought it was time to rectify that.

 

We planned today, to go and check out a couple of new bits of land, and have a wee mooch about some other spots, and gauge what was what. I loaded up Gwen and a pair of jills this morning as the darkness began to fade. Both my best ferreting dog and best ferret are out at this stage, the ferret unlikely to return, as she had a stroke and has been retired, and its still up in the air with the whippet. So I had my second best jill, and a new starter, and the hound, who is also new to the ferreting game. I went and sorted out the pheasants, and then headed a long the road to pick up Johnnyboy and his daughter Caitlin. John also had a reletivly new starter with him, in Bron, but luckily, he also had old Gem. While she is always a key member of our ferreting team, never more so than when the rest are learning the ropes, and we're rusty after the summer. You can always rely on the old bitch to take up the slack, she's the best ferreting dog i've worked with.

 

Anyway, we headed to the first spot, and had a wander, finding a good number of warrens, but all empty, due to the amount of cover about and the weather. We headed into a piece of woodland, and the old bitch gave us a mark. We netted up an dropped in the older jill. Soon enough we had a bolt, with Gem on it. As I removed the rabbit from the net and necked it, I looked over at Johhnyboy with a big grin on my face and saw that he had the same. Whatever anyone else thinks, it's one of the best feelings in the world, standing in some forgotten woods, with a good ferret, a good dog, and good friends, with a bunny in the net.

 

Unfortunately the second was not so easy, with the peg pulling from the ground and the rabbit just evading the old dog, to drop into an old badger set. We gave it best, not wishing to dig 10 foot in the baked soil.

 

Having seen enough for a return visit, we moved on, to some horse paddocks. We had a couple of marks, with one in the bag, and one missed, when I found myself the wrong side of a fence, in a tight hedge, with no dog support, and a rabbit skipped the net and made it across a road. . . . I really missed Finn then. . . . that rabbit would have been dead.

 

We wandered on through the paddocks, having a chat with the owners and munching on some blackberrys. Deciding that it was way too hot in the sun, we headed into the woods again. As soon as we got into the shade, you could tell the scent had improved, as the dogs began to cast about determinedly. Soon enough we had a good mark, from all three dogs, and netted up. This warren held two, and both rabbits skipped the nets as they bolted, with Bron scooping up the first, and Gem picking the second up as it headed for safety. On we went, following the dogs, who marked the odd set we ferreted, pushed a few bunnys to ground that we left for another time (due to the cover). The old bitch Gem, had one particular good catch, snatching a bunny from the air as it bolted, with a well timed strike.

 

Heading back to the car, we had nine, not bad for a wander. But I couldnt resist trying for the tenth. . . . . . which of course resulted in lots of fannying about, digging around roots, in the cast iron ground. . . . for an hour an a half. . . . but we got the tenth rabbit

 

All in all, a very pleasant day, with the dogs putting in a decent enough performance, despite the time off. It was great to be out and about in good company, and get a bit of sport. Fingers crossed, it will be a decent season.

 

Photos to follow. . . . when I figure out how to get them off my phone!

 

Oh yer. . . . and I got fecking stung by a wasp! Twice!

[RossM 7,979]

Good read, look forward to the pictures.

[Ideation 8,216]

Don't . . . . they're shit

[The one 8,411]

Nice read we had a drive round my permissions last week looking at the cover i wont be ferreting soon

[simonrocco 175]

good read pal im back out at the end of the month on one of my permissions in the north east i cant wait should be a good day. atb for the season

[paulf 820]

nice read mate ...

[foxtails 272]

always good to read your posts, i too went out a week ago but the sun was just too much, bring on the cold mornings . ATB mate

[Dan25 87]

Nice read mate sounds like you had a good day any sights of any young still about

[northern lad 2,292]

Good read as allways Jai,wheres the pics ?

[Ideation 8,216]

No signs of young and only one dig. . . . the ferreting gods must have been smiling on us, as I know there are young about still. . . .

 

N.L - Didnt have a camera so used my i-phone and can't get the fecking things off it!

 

Was gong to head out today, but got side tracked. . . .

 

There's always tomorrow!

[Jamie m 668]

Download drop box jia

[old real tree 92]

Sounds like a good outing mate....

[malc1 544]

glad you had a good first day atb malc

[NEWKID 26,501]

Nice one lads, good to get going again... Nice write up Jai, hope the whippet comes back good for you mate...

[Ideation 8,216]

Cheers malc and Kev.

 

Been out a couple more times since, but havent bothered writing it up, doesnt really seem a lot of point.

 

Nice to be back out though.