A Question About Pre Set Nets?

[Tiercel 6,986]

You have traditional long nets and pre set nets, how long ago did the pre-set net become popular? You will be surprised at the answer.

 

TC

Edited February 1, 2015 by tiercel

[Mr Goodcat 69]

Not sure about it becoming popular, but I'm sure I've read about one (although slightly basic compared to modern) in a fairly old book.

But it wouldn't surprise me that much if someone thought of giving it a crack many years ago. Not sure if it's been recorded though?

[NELS0N 457]

You have traditional long nets and pre set nets, how long ago did the pre-set net become popular? You will be surprised at the answer.

 

TC

man has been using longnets to harvest rabbits for hundreds of years, id say the guys/poachers doing this for a living all those years ago would of come up with a pre set net. If i was to hazard i guess i'd say around 1800??? maybe carried in a sack.??

[Tiercel 6,986]

 

You have traditional long nets and pre set nets, how long ago did the pre-set net become popular? You will be surprised at the answer.

 

TC

man has been using longnets to harvest rabbits for hundreds of years, id say the guys/poachers doing this for a living all those years ago would of come up with a pre set net. If i was to hazard i guess i'd say around 1800??? maybe carried in a sack.??

 

Nope, much earlier than that, that said it was not in this country, but I cannot see it being much different here at that time.

 

TC

[Tiercel 6,986]

Take a look at this picture it is a photo of a painting by a Dutch artist painted in approx 1650 he died in 1654 so it has to be before then. What struck me when I first seen the painting was the nets almost a carbon copy of today's pre set nets. Notice there are no bridles on the net and the painter has gone into detail with the selvedges of the net.

 

It's a fair comment that this was in Holland but if it was there at that time, it is no stretch of the imagination to assume they were also used here. It is also quite possible that they had been used for some time previous to the painting being painted.

 

 

TC

[bunny tickler 876]

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/discover/explore/medieval-part-2/1780902/ bit of history here you all probably know of it thetford lodge it says was built around 1400

[krawnden 1,036]

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/discover/explore/medieval-part-2/1780902/ bit of history here you all probably know of it thetford lodge it says was built around 1400

Interesting that it says "Ill-adapted to the English climate and easy prey for native predators, rabbits (or coneys, as mature rabbits were then known) had to be kept in special areas or warrens – often walled or fenced to prevent them from escaping". The implication is that unless they were keepered, rabbits couldn't survive in this country. I wonder what changed? Although I wasn't around in the pre-myxy days, from what I understand in the 1940's and 50's they thrived like weeds and were at plague proportions in many parts of the country. And even now, with myxy and VHD, they're still a major agricultural problem.

[TOMO 25,042]

Love all them old warrens lots of them in the east of England ,,,Lincolnshire as well,,,and I've spent many an hour on them in difrent areas securing a few for the pot,,,just look on the old ordinance survey maps,,,lots of them still have good rabbit numbers

[denison 1]

Take a look at this picture it is a photo of a painting by a Dutch artist painted in approx 1650 he died in 1654 so it has to be before then. What struck me when I first seen the painting was the nets almost a carbon copy of today's pre set nets. Notice there are no bridles on the net and the painter has gone into detail with the selvedges of the net.

 

It's a fair comment that this was in Holland but if it was there at that time, it is no stretch of the imagination to assume they were also used here. It is also quite possible that they had been used for some time previous to the painting being painted.

 

 

TC

That would be a detail from Punishment of a Hunter by Paulus Potter!

[micky 3,325]

Love all them old warrens lots of them in the east of England ,,,Lincolnshire as well,,,and I've spent many an hour on them in difrent areas securing a few for the pot,,,just look on the old ordinance survey maps,,,lots of them still have good rabbit numbers

i go to a place that has artificial rabbit warrens on it , they were put there in the 30s and i met the man that done them ,they were about twenty feet square , two feet high and a 100 yards apart there hard to see now but years ago the fields must have looked they were covered in giant mole hills, when i first came to this place about 40 years ago there was a stable were all the traps hung up and also the wall was covered in hooks to take the rabbits, i do not know if this type of set up was all over the country but i have seen this set up at two other places in Leicestershire all within a few miles of each other. The man who made these mounds was a pro trapper and told me it was knowing when to trap and when to rest was the key to a constant catch

[Tiercel 6,986]

That would be a detail from Punishment of a Hunter by Paulus Potter!

 

Yep, Paulus Potter 1625-1654 I know now the painting was painted in 1647.

 

TC