Pup Did Well Ferreting

[FERRETBOY 680]

My pup GEM is about 9month now and yesterday I took her ferreting with the longnet. Shes been ferreting a few times now and absolutely loves it. What I really like about her is she will try going through any cover to get to a rabbit without any hesitation. Only last week she pressured rabbits to run from under the hedge into the waiting path of another lurcher that was being held on slip. This resulted in a couple catches for this dog and few more hit the stop net. If she wasnt so keen to go in then I don't think the other dog would have been slipped at all.

 

Back to yesterday and the first warren was in a wood, I was checking out the warren and then I noticed GEM dash of infront of me and strike a wood pigeon. She turns to look round at me and then brings the bird back to my hand. No shaking about or mouthing. A nice steady retrieve. I was chuffed to bits.

 

Anyway I sets up 10 yards of longnet and enters the ferrets and moments later we get our first bolt, it runs through the wood but returns back toward the net with GEM close behind. Somehow the rabbit slips under the net unlike gem that ends getting well tangled. I start untangling her and another rabbit bolts and gets pursed up. Eventually we manage to get both dog and rabbit out the webbing and then carry onto the next set.

 

We see a couple rabbits sink below the next warren. With both ferrets entered, we get 5 bolts and GEM gets a grip of one of these just inside the hole. I have to reach into the hole as well and get a beter grip as GEM loses hers. But together we manage to withdraw our second bunny. We continue to the 3rd warren, just 2 holes but the rabbit knew we were above and refused to bolt. So this time I drop in a second ferret to help evict this one from below. GEM misses her chance to strike so I shoot my arm below and grab the ferret first and then the rabbits head and pull him out. 3rd warren and 3rd rabbit.

 

The longnet catches the next rabbit just after another rabbit goes underneath the net again. I should have took more care in laying the net but brambles didn't help. The 5th rabbit was also reluctant to bolt. This time a open set and the snow wasn't helping. With each step CRUNCH ,CRUNCH. This rabbit could obviously hear us. Then another lurcher came over to check us out, thankfully GEM warned it off with a few barks and bolting towards it. We quickly get back to following the thumping below ground, I watch GEM get close to one of the holes and so I throw my arm below and get a grip of the rabbit and that put an end to that long wait.

 

We move on a final time, only 5 holes under a hedge with sheep fencing one side . Straight away a rabbit bolts heading through patches of bramble and bushes. I thought the rabbit was a goner but i was wrong, GEM was heading back towards me with her catch and for the second time puts the rabbit into my hand. GET IN!! I get her back to work and she follows the noises from underground. Theres another rabbit on the move and GEM chooses the exact hole it bolts from and catches number 7 of the day. Again she was quick to give up her catch.

 

We'll that was it for the day we missed a few but if we used purse nets, the bag would have been an easy 15 had none got away. I had to get back home and be ready for work at 6pm but wasn't bothered as it was such a brilliant day.

 

Thanks for reading

 

good hunting

 

rew

 

 

 

 

 

 

[s.e.s.k.u 1,893]

Excellent rew..great write up. .and well done gem. Atb sesku

[tb25 4,627]

Tut tut no pics...good read that rew

[FERRETBOY 680]

Thanks mate. No video's either. Will try tomorrow as I have the day off.

[nottzhunter08 898]

well done rew plumber keep at them with her