Hobs

[goldfinger 135]

I have always worked Jill ferrets, so I am looking to obtain a hob,are there any advantages in working hobs,any advice would be appreciated.

[Col_c88 41]

When I went out with my 2 hobs and my mates jills we used mine as "backup" i guess. Anything the jills could not shift he used my hob and that done the trick, plus the hobs took much more of a kicking than the jills. I dont know if thats just the ferrets themselves or because the hobs can take more punishment but he really enjoyed speeding up stubborn rabbits with a couple of big strong hobs.

 

Its how I will be doing it come september, 2 jills, 1 hob

[Ideation 8,216]

A lot of the time it's down to the individual ferret, and also i suppose what you like.

 

But in general, the advantages of hobs are, they work slower, are more powerful, and stink more.

 

The disadvantages are they can hold and kill bunnies quicker, and sometimes find difficulty going through nets.

 

But this holding power can become an advantage if one wont bolt and you use collars.

 

In my opinion a mixed team is more versatile.

[Ideation 8,216]

The other advantage of course is that they do not need to be taken out of season like a jill, and can be vac'd to take jills out.

 

The disadvantage is you will need to seperate them from your jills in summer if intact.

 

I think few folk these days give hobs a chance and work them, everyone works jills, a good hob is worth it's weight in gold and that is the only hob that should be used to produce future generations, and so working and testing hobs is as important as jills.

 

If someone suggested that they and all they knew only worked jills, would you buy a kit of them?

[goldfinger 135]

Cheers all,some good advice, I will not make my mind up just yet.

[the loner 11]

I have 2 hobs and they work well, sum days we have to dig more but still

get plenty of bunnys

[goldfinger 135]

I do at times get one of my Jill's holed up on a stubborn rabbit,I do use locator collars,usually when they kill they nearly always leave and come out but unless I dig this can take some time and on some of my permissions digging can be almost impossable,I suppose this is were a strong hob could come in very usually.

[goldfinger 135]

How much to get a hob seen to at vets.

[web22 27]

The other advantage of course is that they do not need to be taken out of season like a jill, and can be vac'd to take jills out.

 

The disadvantage is you will need to seperate them from your jills in summer if intact.

 

I think few folk these days give hobs a chance and work them, everyone works jills, a good hob is worth it's weight in gold and that is the only hob that should be used to produce future generations, and so working and testing hobs is as important as jills.

 

If someone suggested that they and all they knew only worked jills, would you buy a kit of them?

 

just to show that someone still puts faith in hobs,i work them and prefer to work them,their strength is the thing for me,i like to know they are bullying the rabbit,not the other way round,albeit they do seem slower and do mess with the nets a bit,and i'm adding more hobs to the team from this years kits...

[johnny boy68 11,726]

A good Hob is priceless.........seen a stinky hob bolt a bunny by his sheer stench.

[Jamie m 668]

The other advantage of course is that they do not need to be taken out of season like a jill, and can be vac'd to take jills out.

 

The disadvantage is you will need to seperate them from your jills in summer if intact.

 

I think few folk these days give hobs a chance and work them, everyone works jills, a good hob is worth it's weight in gold and that is the only hob that should be used to produce future generations, and so working and testing hobs is as important as jills.

 

If someone suggested that they and all they knew only worked jills, would you buy a kit of them?

 

just to show that someone still puts faith in hobs,i work them and prefer to work them,their strength is the thing for me,i like to know they are bullying the rabbit,not the other way round,albeit they do seem slower and do mess with the nets a bit,and i'm adding more hobs to the team from this years kits...

I have a good sized jill out of last years litter fieldsportsman has her sister these jills are powerfull fast and not the most affectionate of ferrets , bollted a stuborn rabbit that had been put to ground by the dog last time out , and when I got the locator out I could not keep up every time I got a mark off like lightning , then out poped a bunny

[Countryplinker 4]

The other advantage of course is that they do not need to be taken out of season like a jill, and can be vac'd to take jills out.

 

The disadvantage is you will need to seperate them from your jills in summer if intact.

 

I think few folk these days give hobs a chance and work them, everyone works jills, a good hob is worth it's weight in gold and that is the only hob that should be used to produce future generations, and so working and testing hobs is as important as jills.

 

If someone suggested that they and all they knew only worked jills, would you buy a kit of them?

 

just to show that someone still puts faith in hobs,i work them and prefer to work them,their strength is the thing for me,i like to know they are bullying the rabbit,not the other way round,albeit they do seem slower and do mess with the nets a bit,and i'm adding more hobs to the team from this years kits...

 

Agree with Ideation & Web , Jills & Hobs complement each other, we always work both, if a jill has cornered a big ol buck & its kickin sh@t outta her the hob will usually get the job done atb.

[goldfinger 135]

Chickened out of buying hob just bought two 8wk Jill's,thanks to all for replaying some good advice given and prob if I go for another it will be a neutered hob.