First Day with new Ferrets

[dai bando 2]

I have been out ferreting and shooting for the last year with a few mates. I got my SGC a few months ago and decided to get my own ferrets. My mate built me a cracking double hutch and I had a gill ferret and a hob polecat given to me. The gill had been working but the polecat had apparently been a pet. It doesn't seem that way as when i got him he looks intent on biting me, although he has calmed down a bit now, i'm still a bit weary of him.

 

Yesterday morning 3 of us got out to one of my matess permissions at 8am. First warren we got to had around 5 holes so we netted up and put the gill in. Within about 5 mins there was a rabbit in the net and the gill wasn't far behind it. Happy days 1 working ferret. The next warren was a bit awkward and quite thick but we got a few nets down and dropped the polecat in. Within a few minutes a rabbit bolted and fair play to my mate it didnt get 10 yards before he got it with the shotgun. By now i was pretty happy two working ferrets. After 10 mins there was no sign of the polecat so we put the locator on and he wasn't moving. The lads dug to him and i was getting all the wind-ups that he had fallen asleep and he had caught a mouse..... very funny lads. When they pulled the rabbit out he'd made hell of a mess on it's head!!! My mate pulled the rabbit out and put it down thinking it was dead but a few seconds later it jumped up and luckily my mate was sharp and dived on it.....lol.

 

We were coming up over the brow of a hill when a rabbit dived into a hole in the woods, there were hundreds of holes there but the dogs wern't interested in any except the one the rabbit went down. We decided not to net but had shotguns each end and dropped my mates ferret in the hole while i tried some of the other with my gill. Fair play she was flying through there popping up 15 yards away then going back down. She went right through it but no rabbits. My mates ferret had got 1 though so we dug about 3 foot to him and the lads took a pic of me pulling the rabbit out.

 

 

Last rabbit of the day was a bit odd. 4 holer but one hole was a vertical drop of about 3 feet. Netted up and put the polecat in, he was in about 5 mins but came back out. I put the gill in instead, she was in about 10 mins so we put the locator on and she was still at only around a foot. My mate started to dig and she came straight out the same hole into the net, i picked her up and put the net back. I picked her up and she had a smear of blood up her face. Seconds later my mates terrier was going nuts, we turn around and theres a rabbit in the net the ferret had just come out of!!! The rabbit had been torn on the ass. I guess the ferrets must of been putting it in a block end and coming off???

 

The best bit of the day, well for my mates anyway, was when we were packing up. I knealt down to have a photo and my hat blew off into the next field!! My mate took the photo and i went to get my hat. I climbed up on the fence, slipped and almost completely ripped the leg off my new ski trousers!!!! Needless to say they fell about laughing, i was on my back and bits of the white insulation out of my trousers was blowing up the field. Hahaha cheers lads.

 

I'm really happy with the gill, excellent worker and comes straight out and into the box when she's done. The polecat did good too but can be a bit of a pain, coming out the hole then diving back in when I go to pick him up, he's also hard to get in the box, getting his head out before i can get the lid down, hopefully he'll get better with more handling.

 

I tried to add the other pic but can't reduce the sizes enough??

[Hywel 53]

Well done, keep at it. The rabbits around here have done a disappearing act and I don't mean through over hunting

[dai bando 2]

I know what u mean. I am in south Wales but travelling 2 hrs to get a day in.

[theferreter 311]

[dai bando 2]

Ate my first ever rabbit last night, fried in butter and it was lovely. My 6 year old son enjoyed it too, didn't think he'd eat it after seeing it being skinned but he loved it and can't wait until he's old enough to come out!! Same tonight but trying it in bbq sauce.

[Col_c88 41]

Ate my first ever rabbit last night, fried in butter and it was lovely. My 6 year old son enjoyed it too, didn't think he'd eat it after seeing it being skinned but he loved it and can't wait until he's old enough to come out!! Same tonight but trying it in bbq sauce.

 

loads of recipees for rabbit mate and i havnt had a mingin one yet, our lass does rabbit curry alot cos its easy .. even in a korma its delicous

but my favourite has to be Rabbit Goulash.. me mam makes it when me dad brings a few bunrabs back and its the only time i make a point of going over to see them haha yep.. its so good i actually put up with the parents just to have some!

[Hywel 53]

I know what u mean. I am in south Wales but travelling 2 hrs to get a day in.

 

 

Yep, only thing to do is travel, are you getting much luck?

[dai bando 2]

I know what u mean. I am in south Wales but travelling 2 hrs to get a day in.

 

 

Yep, only thing to do is travel, are you getting much luck?

 

 

Not really. 5-6 rabbits a time. But we get the odd pheasant and i got a woodcock 3 weeks ago which i was well pleased with. Just doesn't seem to be many rabbits about atm.

[Hywel 53]

I know what u mean. I am in south Wales but travelling 2 hrs to get a day in.

 

 

Yep, only thing to do is travel, are you getting much luck?

 

 

Not really. 5-6 rabbits a time. But we get the odd pheasant and i got a woodcock 3 weeks ago which i was well pleased with. Just doesn't seem to be many rabbits about atm.

 

At least you are filling the freezer mate

[tonymantaner 0]

looks like u got a bit of mixie on your face off that rabbit feller were some gloves next time happy hunting

[buddylove 6]

i new a man called dia bando years ago from down the vally we butys under grownd