just a quick question

[eye in the sky 0]

hi all just a quick question to you experienced ferreters

can you ferret all year round?

i ask because i get a hawk in august and when the hawk goes into malt through this time of year and on up till mid august time usually, i was wondering wether i can take the ferrets out still and net a couple of holes

 

cheers

[longnetter 32]

I don't ferret all year round...spend too much time digging the ferrets out when they find a nest of youngsters plus having the crap stung out of me by stinging nettles don't rate very highly ,in my mind, as a field sport

 

ATB

[Ideation 8,216]

You CAN ferret all year around, there is no official season and some people do ferret in summer for pest control (even though its not a very efficient method this time of year), however as they rabs are breeding in summer the does become terretorial and the nests full of young. This leads to rabbits that dont want to bolt and lots of digs to a ferret thats munching on kits. Also most of us find it distasteful to be killing heavily pregnant or milky does. Besides it ruins next years sport.

 

END OF! Can we leave this now?

 

Jai.

[stubby 175]

. Also most of us find it distasteful to be killing heavily pregnant or milky does. Besides it ruins next years sport.

 

 

 

try telling any landowner your not going to control rabbits in summer, as it spoils nexts years sport, and you could well find someone else with permission, rabbits are pests, and the time they really need controlling, some totally stop, whether its ferreting,hawking,lamping,trapping etc, it still goes on, you still going to be culling pregnant or milky does

 

remember, your sport is someones livleyhood

[anton 0]

. Also most of us find it distasteful to be killing heavily pregnant or milky does. Besides it ruins next years sport.

 

 

 

try telling any landowner your not going to control rabbits in summer, as it spoils nexts years sport, and you could well find someone else with permission, rabbits are pests, and the time they really need controlling, some totally stop, whether its ferreting,hawking,lamping,trapping etc, it still goes on, you still going to be culling pregnant or milky does

 

remember, your sport is someones livleyhood

 

As you have quite rightly said depends on the land owner some want it, some new "clever" farmers don't.

i have some farmers i have to go all year round just keep the permission others are not bothered...

still show my face in the warmer months though to let 'em know i'm about and to keep an eye on for winter

depends on how bad they need my services

pest is a pest at the end of the day

[stealthy1 3,964]

At the end of March I start shooting

[The one 8,479]

You can ferret if you can get into the burrows most of us swap over to shooting ,snaring and traping till the cover die's back and we can start ferreting again

[saxonmaster 74]

i stop end of feb if the weather starts warming up and move on to pigeon shooting and lure fishing for pike and fly fishing for trout and probably back out with ferrets in oct. i hate everything getting caught up in the nets and getting stung every time you put your hands down and like others have said you are always digging and that sucks in the summer. but i know what u mean when u put the harris in for moult u need something to do i was the same when i had my harris before i had my ferrets and shot gun. but im a firm believer in letting things rest because at the end of the day i want to control rabbits and other pests not wipe them out on your permission. give a little you get lots back.

[daidogs99 0]

u can do what u want its just harder coz of the young

[Ideation 8,216]

. Also most of us find it distasteful to be killing heavily pregnant or milky does. Besides it ruins next years sport.

 

 

 

try telling any landowner your not going to control rabbits in summer, as it spoils nexts years sport, and you could well find someone else with permission, rabbits are pests, and the time they really need controlling, some totally stop, whether its ferreting,hawking,lamping,trapping etc, it still goes on, you still going to be culling pregnant or milky does

 

remember, your sport is someones livleyhood

 

 

Yes Stubby - cos this guy is obviously doing pest control with the hawk. Is doing rabbit pest control some kind of badge of pride? Yes i ferret it summer when needs be but it isnt the most efficient way to get the job done.

 

Jai.

[Ideation 8,216]

And even when its needed i still dont enjoy cutting kits out of pregnant rabbits or digging down to kill nests of kits. Sorry if that doesnt make me a 'proper ferreter'.

 

I feel i answered the question posed by the o.p, rather than answering the question 'why do people ferret in summer' or 'why is summer rabbit control needed'. Neither of which questions were asked on this thread.

 

And to be honest most of the farmers / estate owners whose land we work on are happy for us to stop most of the ferreting over summer and just stick to snares/guns/dogs to control the population, and we dont lose any permission over it.

 

Not meaning to get on your case but everytime anyone talks about stopping ferreting over summer someone has to start shouting about how for them its a livelihod not just a sport and they are forced to keep on all your round etc etc etc otherwise the farms will disappear into a big hole. . as if it makes them a 'proper' ferreter rather than just some one who 'plays' at it for a bit of sport for 7 months of the year?

 

jmo

 

Jai.

[kill um with crisps 7]

I dont ferret while theres a chance of kits. Saying that though, theres ALWAYS a chance (albeit a very small one during the winter) of kits. During the summer i shoot with my .22 or lamp with my lurcher and bush with terreirs and lurcher. So long as your doing SOMETHING to be seen to be controlling the rabbits the farmer will be happy.

[saxonmaster 74]

And even when its needed i still dont enjoy cutting kits out of pregnant rabbits or digging down to kill nests of kits. Sorry if that doesnt make me a 'proper ferreter'.

 

I feel i answered the question posed by the o.p, rather than answering the question 'why do people ferret in summer' or 'why is summer rabbit control needed'. Neither of which questions were asked on this thread.

 

And to be honest most of the farmers / estate owners whose land we work on are happy for us to stop most of the ferreting over summer and just stick to snares/guns/dogs to control the population, and we dont lose any permission over it.

 

Not meaning to get on your case but everytime anyone talks about stopping ferreting over summer someone has to start shouting about how for them its a livelihod not just a sport and they are forced to keep on all your round etc etc etc otherwise the farms will disappear into a big hole. . as if it makes them a 'proper' ferreter rather than just some one who 'plays' at it for a bit of sport for 7 months of the year?

 

jmo

 

Jai.

 

well said

[tjones3862 3,423]

i dont go ferreting in the summer its closed season just like fishing there is a closed season just so they can breed simple as atb tj

[Ideation 8,216]

Also if i didnt stop summer - when the hell would i fish?