April Ferreting

[comanche 2,799]

April Ferreting sounds a bit like a female news-reader on regional TV but l'm actually referring to ferreting in April.....Which l did today. It was a paid job so it had to be done sooner or later and with a bit of breeze to take the heat out of the Sun, now seemed as good a time as any.

The bury  was a fairly substantial one in sandy soil but in an open field so l didn't feel under-manned . 

First conundrum involved deciding on a longnet pattern. Across to baulk hole hopping, or a classic surround?  I opted for the latter;well  a horseshoe - shaped affair  . Partly  because it might stop escapees fleeing on the flank across the customer's garden in an embarrassing  manner ,but mostly because the  brain -monkey of instinct told me it was the right thing to do .

The decorative effect of my lazy-mesh was complimented by an array of vari-coloured purse-nets and the time came to loose the ferrets .

 Two jills were collared and sent forth like missionaries ,nay crusaders , to punish the unrepentant sinners of Bunnydom .To "Go Among Them!" and wreak havoc .

To be honest it was a bit quiet for a while.A scuttler wrecked a couple of nets and evaded both the dog and myself .Well ,we are both getting- on a bit .

Then,madness! Rabbits everywhere ; in nets ,out of nets, in the dog's grasp,out of his grasp, back in his grasp. Back -netting, front -netting ,knit one,pearl one ; utter madness.

Nothing that bolted escaped ,except maybe a scuttler that made it back to ground.  Yeh ,l know Burt Lancaster's theory about rabbit war parties coming in all sizes- them with a hundred warriors ,and them with one - but l wasn't going to push my luck looking for it.   Actually  Ol'Burt  might've been talking about Apaches. Odd field of expertise for an ex underwear model when you think about it.

Whatever, the staff definately thought it was time to pack-up .

 

Edited April 23, 2021 by comanche

[ZacB 110]

Excellent write up & love the pic’s - esp the last one. Glad the work crew had some fun

[David84 33]

Brilliant little write up. I've had someone asking about shifting a few next week.  Ferreting in April it is then!

[David84 33]

3 hours ago, W. Katchum said:

Brilliant pile of bunnies

[The one 8,395]

We where out last Saturday after a farmer moaned to a mate who has the shooting about the rabbit numbers they bolt really well we got 10 large rabbits and a got number of youngsters using 2" meshed nets , and as my son said if we have flattened the rabbits we got a load of ferret food and its no our permission LOL  

[The one 8,395]

Oh happy days a farmer i shot /ferreted his farm for years and year just phoned , the guy i got put off for as he was paying for the shooting is no longer there LOL . Would i be interested in coming back ?. Only been a couple of years there's going to be a bit of ferreting along a ditch beside the house where there eating the barley but the rest i can thin out lamping . The farmer said that guys no longer here i will fill you with details when i see you LOL wonder what he did ? this guy built a high seat inside a run down cottage for shooting the gear and put out loads of feeders to draw the pheasants in from next door  

[NETS 11]

sand and sun only done side i can see, but open burrow like that for me is heaven no cutting black torn ,gorse etc i had rabbits with young embryos Christmas looks like a great day was had even with the the sun and sand personally im fishing now wont be ferreting till august ,September

good luck