Will my Hobs be too big!?

[The one 8,463]

Just do what we did in days of old a nice frosty morning ,approach the burrow from down wind ,no noise and no unnecessary walking on the burrow and pack up at least a hour before dark . 

 

Locators are great but we did ferret before they came along 

 

 

[Ideation 8,216]

Just do what we did in days of old a nice frosty morning ,approach the burrow from down wind ,no noise and no unnecessary walking on the burrow and pack up at least a hour before dark . 

 

Locators are great but we did ferret before they came along 

 

 

Aye mate i totally agree with you but then if i had some really big hobs which i was fully expecting might well kill in and stick (and he doesn't know because he hasn't used them before) i might be more inclined to use a locator. I only started using a locator couple of seasons ago but to be fair never really have to dig, the old methods of being quiet and patient seem to do the trick. Also the ferrets i currently use seem to get the idea of pushing them out and usually just bite them on the arse. If they wont shift they usually drag them out by the arse. The hobs i have from this years kits look like killers though. . . . . . so we shall see.

 

(also when exactly were locators invented, because i seem to remember my dad having one when i was a wee kid. . . . but never using it)

[The one 8,463]

Aye but what i was getting at is you can still have a go and untill he does he wont know what they can do .he might go to a burrow and they hole play and have no intension of going down .Id be inclinded to have one wee try before i buy anything.

 

I rember ferreting in the early 70's with my father and uncle we would ferret saturday and sunday and sell the rabbits to Bands of Perth on the monday and we didn't have locators then,them where the days tshirt ferreting LOL ,Cant rember excatly when i got my first locator old age creeping in ,

[Ideation 8,216]

Spot on mate, i'd go for some small sets, 3/4 holers, worst case then if something really did go tits up which is very unlikely, he could just trench them out. Looking at those ferrets though, they seem pretty attached to the lad so i reckon they would come out anyhow to see what was going on.

 

Locators are all well and good but its the excess stuff that gets me, i used to like sticking a ferret in one pocket and some nets in the other and just wandering where i pleased. Bit more difficult with a spade sticking out your trouser leg.

 

O aye, those nets you sent me are spot on, nice and big and as long as you set the cord back far enough purse up a treat, i had a nice double bolt into one the other day.

 

[theferreter 311]

just get your self a nice sized jill for ferreting sorted

[proper22 5]

1) just get a normal sized jill( wil seem tiny compared to your hobs) make sure shes frm a good working line...

 

2)right if you dont ever ever ever want kits then get the jill spayed.... However if you think you may want kits on the future then you can get one of your hobs visectomised (once done there sometimes known as a 'hoblet'), they basiclly block up his testi tube this means that he cant pregnate her but still has the smell and hormones of a full hob that make him mount her etc... this is what brings her out of season.

 

so visectomisation is also a good option if you have more than one jill because the 'hoblet' will serve both jills and bring em both out cheaper than getting them both spayed

 

3) you would have to separate one of the hobs from the other two in spring two avoid fighting over her and obviosly wouldnt put the full hob in with the jill in spring only the visectomised hon 'hoblet'.

 

4) personally i wouldnt work your hobs without a locator..inless you want to highly risk waiting above ground for them possibly all day banging the ground and starting to doubt were they are and then it starts to rain an darkness falls and your in the SH*t. So you have to be patient mate i know the feeling i only started ferreting last year at the age of 15 and was deserate to get going, trust me buy a locater over a period of time and make sure you have a shoval aswell.

 

I hope this helps mate

 

ATB Ben