Maggie and the pointless polecat

[stroller 341]

 

Havent been out for a couple of weekends due to weather and work but this morning was beautiful so i boxed up the silver and polecat ferrets and with Maggie now 9 months old headed off into the day.

 

Maggie is marking like a veteran and so far her record is 100% if she says there is a rabbit in the set then there is a rabbit in there somewhere.

 

A couple of easy sets about twenty yards apart to start with. I netted them both up trying to keep the noise down to a minimum and trying to keep mags at hand rather than let her hunt on by herself. In went the silver jill by far the best young ferret i have had for years really reliable she may kill in occasionally but doesnt hang around,

 

It wasnt long before the bunnies were running around the set but they werent for bolting so i put in the polecat jill she hasnt impressed me at all this season she runs about the warren but doesnt work the sets just keeps popping in and out upsetting nets and doing bugger all. and today was no different she will need to go i wont breed from her but will take a litter off the silver.

 

First rabbit bolted after fifteen minutes and it was a creeping bolt but mags dived on it and pinned it with her body which is a first for us both, never seen that done before.

 

Then a bit of a disaster when two golden retrievers came running into the field opposite barking their heads off, Mags is of a nervous aggressive nature so she shit herself and barked back before i could get to her. i grabbed her and she shit herself again she is a touchy cow.you would have think i shot her.Caught up the ferrets as quick as i could and moved on to the second set, mags still grumbling with hackles raised.

 

She now seemed to be marking the far end of this set and it bore out, as a rabbit flew out of a hole i had missed she took off but it made the hedge before her.A second bolter was netted and dispatched mags covered this by holding the rabbit properly. As soon as i get there she is happy to let go and never mouths the dead rabbits or even looks at them.

 

Tried a corner set and ferret killed in but came out ok

 

 

Next set was interesting again the front paw and the big ears went up so down went the nets covering as many holes as i could get too as this bugger was in a big holly hedge and had holes were the SAS wouldnt go. in went the silver jill and straight away out popped a creeper out the back of the hedge mags saw it but hit the fence a clatter, next one out came out of the back of the hedge mags dived again and forced it to back net itself, lovely stuff.

 

i thought i would give her a bolt at the next set and she marked at a warren that is next to a wall and i thought was just a run through but i thought i would give it a go. Why is it the worst looking set the one you dont net has all of the rabbits in it!!! four bolted cleanly one after the other the pups head was doing corkscrew impressions.

 

She had a fifty yard course but didnt get up to it i think she is just a bit young for daytime stuff at the minute but these are very healthy rabbits and she is a very inexperienced pup.

 

The final rabbit was out of a warren on the village green a bit of a cheeky one but netted and covered well by mags.

 

Mags is apt to hunt on by herself and i will need to keep her in a bit more so its more heelwork training and she did go deaf once or twice but apart from that she is working very well, very steady around the warrens and when the ferrets are down she tip toes around the set and stands listening with that paw up like a pointer.

 

This will probably be our last ferretting trip this year but i will try her on the lamp in a couple of months i want her to work without the slip so i need to work on the heelwork more. She is a cracking little dog and will be an excellent ferreting companion next season she just needs to mature now physically and mentally

 

[jimmy100 48]

nice read good luck with mags

[theferreter 311]

good write up mate all the best with the wee dog

[lawrence 657]

good read mate. on the subject of the pointless ferret, i've one here that was the same last season, she wasn't working at all, just messing about but what a difference a summer makes, this season she's been our best worker, so don't write her off mate.

[natter79 17]

nice write up mate, i've got a terrier called maggie and she is the polar opposite to your's (permanently deaf, not nervous but overly boistrous and heel work is only something i'll try if i never want to see her again )

atb natter

[lofti 579]

i always enjoy your posts mate

good to hear maggie coming on well for you and shes looking well too.

let us know how you get on lamping with her,

all the best to you.

 

lofti

[wild rover 548]

Good write up, is that a little nick on the leg that needs a bit of super glue, ?

[iceman001979 1,316]

Good write up, is that a little nick on the leg that needs a bit of super glue, ?

was just going say the same looks like a good wee cut on her front right and that was a good read

[stroller 341]

Wild rover you have eyes like a hawk lad, its and old one from last time out mate it was just a scratch not too deep.

 

I didnt gut the last rabbit until after i wrote the post and it was a pregnant doe so that just confirms the end of the ferretting season for us.

 

As for the ferret Lawrence well i might just take your advice and hang on to it over the summer season and see what happens. ferrets are queer little things it might pull round if not it will have to be shipped out.

 

Thanks for your comments lads i enjoy writing maggies early trips out it might help the younger lads see that just cos things dont run smooth that you shouldnt write the dog off. Experience shows you that at under 2 years old and sometimes even after that a dog cant be written off just because of little problems. we all know its bad handling that causes a lot of problems.if it stops one dog being dumped by a sickened kid then its worth it.

[wild rover 548]

Wild rover you have eyes like a hawk lad, its and old one from last time out mate it was just a scratch not too deep.

 

I didnt gut the last rabbit until after i wrote the post and it was a pregnant doe so that just confirms the end of the ferretting season for us.

 

As for the ferret Lawrence well i might just take your advice and hang on to it over the summer season and see what happens. ferrets are queer little things it might pull round if not it will have to be shipped out.

 

Thanks for your comments lads i enjoy writing maggies early trips out it might help the younger lads see that just cos things dont run smooth that you shouldnt write the dog off. Experience shows you that at under 2 years old and sometimes even after that a dog cant be written off just because of little problems. we all know its bad handling that causes a lot of problems.if it stops one dog being dumped by a sickened kid then its worth it.

 

Try pulling the skin together and apply a little super glue, leaving a little gap at the bottom for it to weep, should then heal up quicker. All the best mate, keep up the info over the summer. Cheers WR.