Ferreting Story

[lgray88 4]

i heard a story this evening, this happend years ago where i live this 2 boys where out ferreting, they were only young boys maybe 14-16 years old and now they are through there 50's. So they covered all the holes with purse nets and then entered 2 ferrets, both ferrets bolted several rabbits. Firstly the albino ferret came up from the hole and she was placed in her carrying box, the 2nd ferret never apeared and never apeared. both the boys where quite confused as this ferret wasnt prone to laying up. but in the field next door was a man alot older than the 2 boys , he came over as he realised the boys had lost there ferret, so he took out a whistle from his pocket and blew it, it produced a low tone , i really can't explain it ! but within in seconds of that whistle being blown the ferret came out the hole. i really dont know wether its just coincidence or the ferret reacted to the whistle in someway. any hope you enjoyed i figure id try and make it somewhat interesting.

 

liam

[ferretville 69]

Never heard of the special ferret whistle but if there is one out there , i want one! FV

[MR TEA POT 1,287]

I think they was just pulling your polecat mate

[lgray88 4]

haha yeh me too, dont think it was an actual ferret whistle but the guy who blew the whistle was ferreter himself

[lgray88 4]

nah ive known this man all my life , he really doesnt speak lies , either that or hes extremely good at it , it could be beleiveble story , just a curious ferret

[lorelei0922 2]

Never heard of the special ferret whistle but if there is one out there , i want one! FV

 

 

mine.. especially jills .. come to a squeek noise, from ANYWHERE down a hole or in the nesting box they scramble to us when they hear the noise. My husband can make a squeeky sound.. similar to a rabbit or kit in distress ( which is why i think jills respond best)

 

unfortuantely i cant make this sound so i gotta be all girly and use a little squeeky toy we have used with them since 5 weeks old. whatever works i say..

 

it has helped numerous times when we thought someone was laid up down below.. stick the toy in the hole and squeek.. and out pops a ferret!

 

i was told that a whistle (dog training whistle) would trasmit sound further but have never gotten around to changing our method and its funny to see people's face when a little toy entices my ferret or their tough old workers out of a hole...

[lgray88 4]

so the story could be beleiveable , yipee now i dont feel like such a idiot

[lorelei0922 2]

so the story could be beleiveable , yipee now i dont feel like such a idiot

 

 

if you have jills.. give it a try .. most guys can make that squeek.. or steal a dog toy... thats what ours is. i'd advise you to try it from the other side of the closed hutch door at first though.. my most gentle jill attacked at the sound for the first couple months. which we trained out of her with a treat for coming instead.

[Kay 3,709]

I was sent a book by a member of this forum from the 40's and it sates that the auther teaches the kits to come to his call same thing really as a rattle of a set of keys or a whistle

[Guest craftycarper]

it's something people often do when they are about to feed the ferts, rattle some keys outside the hutch, can't see it working deep down in a tunnel but who knows, if the fert associates it with grub then maybe. Then again if its laid up, it's already had a belly full and having a nap

[lorelei0922 2]

it's something people often do when they are about to feed the ferts, rattle some keys outside the hutch, can't see it working deep down in a tunnel but who knows, if the fert associates it with grub then maybe. Then again if its laid up, it's already had a belly full and having a nap

 

 

you're right.. for my lot anyways... the keys wouldn't work... they aren't gonna hear the keys down a hole.. but that squeek.. brings them out of a dead sleep in the hutch or dashing back with bunny in mouth (only once that happend lol) the dog whistle would in theory work better as the sound will travel better, the idea being blow the whistle in exactly the same way each time you go feed and offer rewards for coming to the sound...

[olliedakennard 0]

I wish i had one, you might not believe me but when i am in a big field and i put my polecat on the ground, he will follow me all the way home. He wont even try and go to a warren as he knows he will get a big hug and loads of treats.

all the best ollie

[jazz_11 5]

i have also been told about this squeeky nose, basically suck your lips together andkeep sucking so you make this nose, tickles your lips the first few times, i have done this to my jill for a while and whenever she hears it she comes to me..... even if she cant see me...

[stubby 175]

if you think about it, all your doing is imatating the sound of a young, or wounded animal, the ferret being a predator is just investigating what could be an easy meal, trust me, its not a magic whistle

[lorelei0922 2]

if you think about it, all your doing is imatating the sound of a young, or wounded animal, the ferret being a predator is just investigating what could be an easy meal, trust me, its not a magic whistle

 

 

lol i totally agree.. nothin magic about it! but a useful handling tool if you need it