Locaters

[Tiercel 6,986]

Wud'nt leave home without mine and I find 2 bells on the collar are extremely helpful too

I bet you wear a belt and bracers too.

 

TC

[GreyRake 108]

For the peace of mind, knowing where my ferrets are, it's worth it. Recently added bells to the mix too. Snagging on nets and slipping off can be pain, just got to have them on very tight. But overall it was a good buy, despite the high price.

[Tiercel 6,986]

 

Wud'nt leave home without mine and I find 2 bells on the collar are extremely helpful too

I bet you wear a belt and bracers too.

 

TC

 

Jokes apart, I was lucky to start my ferreting career before the advent of the locator. where if you did not want to sit round all day waiting for a ferret, you quickly learned how to ferret effectivly. Noise to the minimum possible, how the wind affects the warrens and most importently get to know your ferrets. Those were the bread and butter things that you had to learn, BL (before locators)

 

As I have said previously in this thread, locators when used correctly are great tools, of that there is no doubt. The major problem I see with them is that people totally rely on them and a spade. If all the "we hate Deben" threads are to be believed then malfunctions in the locators are common place so what do you do? I have asked this question before and the overwhelming concensus was, we go home?

 

I cannot believe that people who call themselves hunters would shy away from hunting an animal with another animal without a saftey net? IMHO locators have lead to a loss of field craft that may never be regained.

 

Tommy takes his son ferreting, the son is told it does not matter how quiet you are or how loud you are, as we have the locator and we can always dig the rabbit out. As I stated on a previous post I ferret for food and for the love of it. I feel that as the years go by. ferreting as an art will be lost, I suppose you could say thats progress! Well if losing skills like being able to read a warren, looking at the contours of the land, the weather for the last few days, and trying to predict where the rabbits are likely to be held-up in the warren and where they are likely to bolt from and too is progress? Then I am glad I am coming to the end of my hunting life.

 

TC

Edited September 30, 2013 by tiercel

[Country Joe 1,411]

If mine packed in, I wouldn't go home, I also use field craft, using my ears, and watching the dog gives me a good idea what's going on underground, as i said with this bit of kit, I have dug out rabbits, that I would have missed.

My only gripe, has been Debens stranglehold on this piece of equipment, I don't want to get into the argument what's best, I use a mark1, and if someone made a new upgrade of the mark1 i would have one.

Tiercel ,if you enjoy your ferreting without using a finder, then carry on.

[Phil Lloyd 10,739]

@Tiercel....

Edited October 1, 2013 by Phil Lloyd

[rabbitcatcher 1 287]

Yes I used to ferret without locators when I was younger and I understand some people only do it for a rabbit for the pot or a bit sport but now I have a locator I wouldn't do any burrows without it and when a farmer lets you on to control the rabbits he doesn't expect to see half a dozen rabbits sat outside the burrow you just ferreted after you have gone, I know a lad who had some real good permission and he used to go up and take no nets just the dogs to bolt em to the dogs, trouble was when 3-4-5 rabbits bolted he'd only catch 1 possibly 2 so he wasn't doing that good of a Job(controlling the rabbits) long story short he lost the permission

I'm not saying you or I can't ferret without locators but it makes life easier and if your ferret get stuck or trapped you can dig down and get it back

One particular example was my ferret had a rabbit in a stop end another rabbit came up the same tube behind my Jill so she turned round and killed the rabbit behind then started working the rabbit in front of her,anyway the rabbit behind had gassed up a little and blocked her route back out

If she didn't have a collar I would of had a very long wait or a dead ferret, also it's time lost/wasted waiting for the ferret when you could be onto the next warren,

But each to there own as long as we're out and catching who cares

Atb rc1

[rabbitcatcher 1 287]

 

 

 

 

Wud'nt leave home without mine and I find 2 bells on the collar are extremely helpful too

I bet you wear a belt and bracers too.

 

TC

Jokes apart, I was lucky to start my ferreting career before the advent of the locator. where if you did not want to sit round all day waiting for a ferret, you quickly learned how to ferret effectivly. Noise to the minimum possible, how the wind affects the warrens and most importently get to know your ferrets. Those were the bread and butter things that you had to learn, BL (before locators)

 

As I have said previously in this thread, locators when used correctly are great tools, of that there is no doubt. The major problem I see with them is that people totally rely on them and a spade. If all the "we hate Deben" threads are to be believed then malfunctions in the locators are common place so what do you do? I have asked this question before and the overwhelming concensus was, we go home?

 

I cannot believe that people who call themselves hunters would shy away from hunting an animal with another animal without a saftey net? IMHO locators have lead to a loss of field craft that may never be regained.

 

Tommy takes his son ferreting, the son is told it does not matter how quiet you are or how loud you are, as we have the locator and we can always dig the rabbit out. As I stated on a previous post I ferret for food and for the love of it. I feel that as the years go by. ferreting as an art will be lost, I suppose you could say thats progress! Well if losing skills like being able to read a warren, looking at the contours of the land, the weather for the last few days, and trying to predict where the rabbits are likely to be held-up in the warren and where they are likely to bolt from and too is progress? Then I am glad I am coming to the end of my hunting life.

 

TC

To true and if I'm out and mine packs up while I'm out I will finish the days ferreting, but I wouldn't go out knowing it was broke I'd get it fixed first

I also know where your coming with fuel craft and everything else involved as I've been ferreting since I was 11 th second time I went out all I had was 1 ferret a pillow case and 3 hessian mesh tattey sacks and I managed 2 rabbits lol

I don't see everybody driving 40 year old cars around today as people move with the times

As do I

Atb rc1