Fergus

On the subject of poke nets, does anyone have a poke net pattern that works well. I'm looking to knit a couple for myself. Thanks.

You could try googling 'Haverford netting'' in Sydney Australia. They sell sheet netting and also spun nylon that I used to knit a long net. There aren't too many people that use long nets in my part of Australia and most that do use them in conjunction with ferrets. Kangaroos would smash nets intended for rabbits in many places here at night so it's a bit limited to long netting with ferrets around burrows. I noticed a fair few rabbits around the otago peninsula when I was there ten years ago. All the best

Gee feel sorry for you guys struggling to gain some ferreting permission. In my part of the world it is very rare to get told "no". There are a few ferreters about but there is also no real landholder loyalty to anyone who ferrets on their property. Landholders will likely let another person ferret there after you. This makes little difference as there is more than enough other places to go than I have time for. Saying that there aren't, rabbits everywhere or massive numbers. All the best finding a start.

1 inch heavy duty 316 grade stainless steel rings. Shouldn't rust like some of the cheaper ones I have.

Take all the time you need. The first couple I made weren't very well knotted but with practise you will get it.I found double knots easier and you tube videos will certainly assist you if you don't have someone to show you first hand. Sewing the meshes directly onto the rings works well enough and decreasing meshes on the second last mesh as opposed to the last mesh makes it neater also. Stick with it and you will find it super easy and very rewarding netting rabbits with nets crafted by your own hands.

Ferret kits sell for around 20$ here and the first few to advertise sell quick and then many get stuck with kits that are hard to sell or give away. Basic supply and demand . Then come winter people want to buy ferrets and there are very few about so you can ask for 50$ and likely get it. The hardest part is finding owners that are going to give them as good a life as you give yours or better. Now I've got my working stock I never want to breed again.

Always named mine to identify them especially since they are all polecats and look similar. Unfortunately the old wives tales exist here too like; snap off the canine teeth, feed them bread and milk, vicious ferrets work the best etc. It's all rubbish as you blokes well know. Pity everyone else doesn't know it

Rusty there have been folks in oz importing ferret finders over the years however none to the best of my knowledge currently are. When I looked into a mk3m it was cheaper to buy it from the UK anyway, which I did. Definitely worth the money a locator even though no other ferreters I know own one. Bells can be used when ferreting rabbits in blackberry heaps and the like for rabbits above the ground. I can PM you where I got my locator if you wish, let me know.

That's the pattern I am knitting at the moment, although I haven't had the chance to put them to use yet.

On the topic of shaped nets....Do you guys decrease a mesh on the outermost loop or alternatively the second last/second in? Does it matter if two meshes are knitted together on the net edge or just on the second loop inside the net? Hope that makes sense...

Feed them lean meat and plenty of exercise i would say.

I have a Mk 3m and its really good. They take a bit of practice to get used to. Just one tip- I always go 'search' mode, 'locate' mode and finally 'pinpoint' mode to get the reading before digging. The key is using the pin pointer I reckon. Mk1 are the essence of simplicity and easy to use- albeit no longer made so second hand is your'e only option there.

They're handy pieces of equipment and once you have used one you wouldn't be without it. Makes retrieving a rabbit and ferret easier because you know exactly where and how deep it is to dig to. If its an easy dig it also saves you time by digging out the ferret/rabbit and moving on to the next burrows. Without a box and collar all you can do is wait for the ferret to come out. They also let you ferret areas with some more brush/cover with confidence knowing where your workers are. If you value your ferrets and have the coin-get one and enough collars for all of your troops.

They look like a "friendly rabbit trap". I have a couple and they are marketed to not nessisarily needing to be used in conjucntion with ferrets. Just set them in a warren and come back the next day. You can make your own just out of heavy gauge chicken wire without trap doors to use with ferrets. Just make it like a rolled tube and taper from the opening to a small tight enclosed end. The rabbit gets driven in to the end of the tube net and can't back out. They will catch more than one rabbit which purse nets fail to do if you have one bolt straight after the first. Some ferreters use thes

Thanks for the advice guys and confirmation on the 6z. Unfortunately I have not been able to source anything close to what I want in 4z and the 6z is obviously close but can only find that in 4" mesh. I know it would be easy to get what I wanted if I bought in bulk and ordered a mile of the stuff...but that is way too much for what I want. I'll keep up the search. Might PM Steaming gut. Regards, Fergus