Out With The Beginers

[trigger2 3,100]

i decided that today was going to be the day i took my kits out and my 7 month old pup and have a steady walk about for a few hours. i also took buster with me as i needed a experienced dog for a sure fire mark so as not to be entering the ferrets into empty warrens.

i got my destination and as i was putting my boots on i realized i had left my spade at home so i loaded the dogs straight back into the car and had a trip back home to fetch the spade so that was a hour out of the day lol.

 

i soon got back to my destination and just let buster do his thing and followed behind watching the pup. both dogs worked alot of scent and went over alot of holes before i finally got a mark on a 8 holer which i netted up and entered my young kit, he needed to be put down every hole before i finally got a bolt, buster was on it stood over the net just incase it managed to wriggle free i got there dispatched it whilst the pup just bounced around.

 

as i was picking the nets up buster went on his way looking for the next mark which he got some 100yds away but between me and buster the pup had found a 4 holer that he seamed to show some interest on so i netted up even though buster hadnt confirmed it. this time i used the other kit who again needed to be entered in all hole before getting a bolt but rabbit number 2 was in the bag. well done the pup

 

we carried on round i tried a couple of warrens that didnt get a mark but as usall the dogs were right. i got 2 more marks of the pup which resulted in a rabbit each time. i had a warren with a strong mark of buster but didnt get a rabbit from it. the one kit was on fire and i had a 4foot and a 3 foot dig to him straight to a dead rabbit both times. i ended the day after just over 3 hours with 6 rabbits in the bag and a little bit of knoweldge about my kits and pup. the one kit was spot on the other was shit but i will give him time just to see if he comes on.

 

all in all a good positive happy start with my young team. i had had a couple of hours out about 6 weeks ago with the kits but the day just didnt go well so i knocked it on the head after 4 warrens.

[king 11,671]

Sounds like a nice afternoon trigger.

Its great watching the youngsters starting out.

[nottzhunter08 898]

Great day for the youngens, pups sounds a great marker ?

[trigger2 3,100]

Sounds like a nice afternoon trigger.

Its great watching the youngsters starting out.

it was king. i am mainly a lamper so anything my dogs do in the day is a bonus to me. i will probably only get out a handfull of times ferreting each year except this on where i will put a little more time and effort into the ferrets and pup.

[Sirblessed 2,511]

Its great when they work straight off the bat, thats said my best ferret was shite first season, all she wanted to do was play, I almost sold her...

[garbs 90]

Ive had a few like that as well but after a bit of time out amongst the warrens they've come good.hope my next gen of kits are spot on there SIRBLESSED

[trigger2 3,100]

Its great when they work straight off the bat, thats said my best ferret was shite first season, all she wanted to do was play, I almost sold her...

to be honest i felt like getting rid but after a chat with one of my mates i decided to perservere with the not so good one. time and patience and a good marking dog is needed so as i know for sur there are rabbits in every warren i enter them into until they are upto scratch

[Tiercel 6,986]

 

Its great when they work straight off the bat, thats said my best ferret was shite first season, all she wanted to do was play, I almost sold her...

to be honest i felt like getting rid but after a chat with one of my mates i decided to perservere with the not so good one. time and patience and a good marking dog is needed so as i know for sur there are rabbits in every warren i enter them into until they are upto scratch

 

The worst thing you can do with a young ferret is put it in an empty warren. There is nothing there to stimulate it's natural hunting instinct so it's starts playing around. Most of the time it's not the ferret that needs training it's the ferreter.

 

TC

[Tiercel 6,986]

This was a short article I wrote back in March 2008, regarding how I enter ferrets.

 

"It is the time of year when people are ordering young ferrets ready for some ferreting this winter. A lot of them will have never used a ferret before; I would like to tell you a system I have evolved over the last 40 odd years to enter young ferrets to work.

First off let me say there is no right or wrong way of entering a ferret. This is the way I do it, other people will enter them differently. I have found that this is the system that works for me.

 

Your first need is a small warren no more than 5 holes if less even better. But and it is a big but. There has to be a rabbit at home, this is crucial for nothing breeds success like success. I like a fine day with a breeze of no more than 15 mph, there has to be some breeze to blow the scent of the rabbit around the warren.
You should now have a small warren with rabbits at home. Go to the down wind side of the warren to enter the ferret, I believe that this gives the young ferret an advantage, in that the scent of the rabbit is blowing towards it. This is where the small warren comes into play, the rabbit may only be a few feet away from the ferret so the ferret will not have to roam yards of tunnels looking for a rabbit. If all goes well and it usually does you should have a bolt pretty quickly.
I have found that 2 or 3 trips like this will give the young ferret a wealth of experience and by gradually increasing the size of the warrens; by the end of the first year they are ready and confident enough to find just one rabbit in really big warrens."

 

First time entering a warren for a young Jill a small three holer.

 

 

Less than two minutes later.

 

 

Where the hell did that go?

 

 

Ah there it is.

 

 

TC

Edited November 7, 2016 by Tiercel

[trigger2 3,100]

This was a short article I wrote back in March 2008, regarding how I enter ferrets.

 

"It is the time of year when people are ordering young ferrets ready for some ferreting this winter. A lot of them will have never used a ferret before; I would like to tell you a system I have evolved over the last 40 odd years to enter young ferrets to work.

 

First off let me say there is no right or wrong way of entering a ferret. This is the way I do it, other people will enter them differently. I have found that this is the system that works for me.

 

Your first need is a small warren no more than 5 holes if less even better. But and it is a big but. There has to be a rabbit at home, this is crucial for nothing breeds success like success. I like a fine day with a breeze of no more than 15 mph, there has to be some breeze to blow the scent of the rabbit around the warren.

You should now have a small warren with rabbits at home. Go to the down wind side of the warren to enter the ferret, I believe that this gives the young ferret an advantage, in that the scent of the rabbit is blowing towards it. This is where the small warren comes into play, the rabbit may only be a few feet away from the ferret so the ferret will not have to roam yards of tunnels looking for a rabbit. If all goes well and it usually does you should have a bolt pretty quickly.

I have found that 2 or 3 trips like this will give the young ferret a wealth of experience and by gradually increasing the size of the warrens; by the end of the first year they are ready and confident enough to find just one rabbit in really big warrens."

 

First time entering a warren for a young Jill a small three holer.

 

 

Less than two minutes later.

 

 

Where the hell did that go?

 

 

Ah there it is.

 

 

TC

thats spot on. a good marking dog is a must when getting young ferrets going. my dog is always right so i can enter the young ferrets with confidence i find it helps you get to understand each ferret better and faster. my polecat ferret is coming out right behind the rabbit so i know hes working well enough. the other ferret is a fare way behind the rabbit at the moement from the 1 ive seen him bolt which makes me think it was more luck than actuall hunting skill.