Ferreting Midwest region West Australia

[Sahawk Australia 22]

Ferreting in western Australia

The landscape European rabbits thrive in the region I trap them varies from coastal scrub behind breaches and sandunes, to native tree bushland with black wattle and banksia which form to thick hedge like medium sized trees. When the undergrowth and branches die they create thick piles of sharp deadwood and with the introduced African boxthorn creates a haven for rabbits.

Hills and open farmland with deep sandy soils and valleys and massive boulder rock piles eastward to sandplains and pure desert all of which the rabbit has dominated in its ecological niche.

The weather is usually windy consistent  in summer to 20-30 knots or extremely dry heat to 45 degrees and then humid with thunderstorms in the afternoons.

Winter is a dream with sunshine that a broken by winter storms. And cold mornings and evenings.

In hot weather my ferrets and dogs spend the day and sometimes a night inside the dwelling in air conditioning comfort. 

Out hunting you see all sorts if wildlife.

Large gonnas , European foxes, feral cats, native lizards, bobtails a and geckos, native birds like cockatoos, eagles, songbirds and the egg laying monotreme the echidna.

The most one I'm wary of are the different specie's of poisonous snakes.

The king brown or mulga snake are large, venomous snakes growing up to 2.5 to 3.0 m (8.2 to 9.8 ft) in length in the largest specimens, although 1.5 m (4.9 ft) is a more typical length for an average adult.

I've seen a king brown eating a gwarder another of the various poisonous species that live in this area.

one day I was digging through clay near a creek bed on a sheep farm and after I pulled the rabbit out and the Ferret followed. Before I filled the hole in a 3 foot gwarder snake exited and calmly moved towards the creek.

another snake a four foot gwarder on a track fronted up to the tire of my four wheel drive. Puffed itself up and after a few seconds took off into some long grass.

kangaroos are another animal which can be a pain when using inexperienced dogs. They are not the fluffy friendly animal portrayed to the world. The bucks are tough customers that can easily kill a dog or drown it in water. And Also give anyone a mauling and a beating if threatened.

a few years ago my four dogs bailed a solid kangaroo at the beach.

 

I've only personally used hobs ranging in size and weights. Solo hobs or pairs have done some great days for me.

one small male ferret I got from a breeder who just bred them for colours. Was by far the most gutsy fast paced ferret I've hunted alongside. You very rarely had to dig with him.

I've heard all sorts of stories that digging is associated with males. To me its win win the rabbits arnt going anywhere other than down or out into a dogs mouth or a trap or net.

a veteran ferret of mine was a bit of a wanker compared to his brother but was highly intelligent and size doesn't have alot to do with killer instinct in my ideas. He is slender at the nose and body indicating me to think the amount of digs i did with him throughout his career resulting in dead bodies as opposed to live retrievals must of been very quick at his kill first go. During retrieval his instinct to hold onto his kill was very strong 

ferrets and dogs amaze me when hunting and tracking rabbits. The rabbits are a introduced species that have lead to the bottoming out of biodiversity in this area. They are in my belief a valuable resource for food and fibre products that should be utilised as opposed to poisoning.

 

 

 

[Sahawk Australia 22]

Poisonous snake eating another poisonous snake outside a rabbit hole #ferreting #rabbitcontrol  #ferretingaustralia

 

[Bobtheferret 1,223]

Good post, nice to hear the rabbit is surviving still in Australia despite the RVHD in all its forms you have out there. Gives me hope ours will fight it off and increase in numbers soon in the uk. 

[micky 3,325]

A bit of blood around the Paws do you use  Leg Hold traps ?

[ferret110 27]

Good to see

[Sahawk Australia 22]

Poisonous snake eating another poisonous snake outside a rabbit hole #ferreting #rabbitcontrol  #ferretingaustralia

 

[Sahawk Australia 22]

The virus does its thing but it has to activate with the right conditions and the rabbits build imunity. They geylt back to large numbers as the new vuris and the other one that was mysteriously realised by accident only are effective where its wet all the time. The climate here is semi arid to arid. 

Footholds are illegal in west oz for rabbits its a ridiculous law but poisoning is enforced by government as its cost effective and does stuff all.

I do use rubber jaw legholds on foxes and feral cats as they're both introduced and have caused extinctions to native animals.

 

 

[micky 3,325]

21 minutes ago, Sahawk Australia said:

The virus does its thing but it has to activate with the right conditions and the rabbits build imunity. They geylt back to large numbers as the new vuris and the other one that was mysteriously realised by accident only are effective where its wet all the time. The climate here is semi arid to arid. 

Footholds are illegal in west oz for rabbits its a ridiculous law but poisoning is enforced by government as its cost effective and does stuff all.

I do use rubber jaw legholds on foxes and feral cats as they're both introduced and have caused extinctions to native animals.

 

 

Not knocking you Mate , I was just curious 

[Aussie Whip 3,822]

Good write up and explaination of ferreting where you are mate.

[Sahawk Australia 22]

10 minutes ago, micky said:

Not knocking you Mate , I was just curious 

All good mate be nice if we could use them here.

[TOMO 24,843]

spent a week in perth with a mate...loved the city and the surrounding area....whilst there I went out with a local lad running rews with lurchers....great sport...

also went ferreting in NSW when I was over that side ...with a lad that used to be on these sites.....must say I loved Australia