On the coast and ferretting the big sand dune banks.

[Guest vin]

I couldnt sleep this morning..was up at 5.30am and nowhere to go so i just filled a flask with coffee and set off blind with no idea where i was gonna go.

 

I went out On the M180 past Scunthorpe and over to North Lincs..as I was travelling I was planning on coming off 180 a bit closer than I did..next thing Im nr Grimsby..So i turned off and headed for the coast below cleethorpes and headed towards Mablethorpe etc etc.

 

I ended up as daylight broke through the clouds at a nice little spot just off the coast down a track to the sea etc etc..I found a nice little fishing pond surrounded by huge sand banks that were riddled with holes . the dog was in a muddle with all the scents and marks.

 

I soon realized I was outmatched by the bunnies with only myslelf and 2 ferrets..LOL..I netted up a bank with about 20 nets where the dog was marking strongly..I dropped both Ferts in at an end each..withing a couple of minutes iwas made to look a complete fool by a couple of bunnies just popping out about 30 yards away down the bank from the huge holes that i thought were another set !

I was soon made to realize I Had bitten off more than I could chew..It was just one huge big bank of holes that were inter-linked with each other over the entire area...I tried a few sections that looked small and not linked up,but everytime I popped a fert in it came out in a place totally unpredicted..There was a good few bunnies about..but the holes were that big they were just running around below ground a giving the ferts a good game of chase..they bolted a few but they just ran back down the next hole and kept bobbing in and out.

I reluctantly admitted defeat and put the ferts back in the box and dragged the dog away from the hole she was still marking..I just didnt fancy a Dig when everytime the fertes went in they were going off the scale on the Deben finder.

I needed a dozen ferrets and some extra hands on deck for this spot next time.

 

I eventually decided to move further down the coast and checked a few more little spots for next seaon.

 

after a few more miles and a couple of stop offs I found a nice spot near a golf course and on the coast..As I was having a coffee and enjoying the View I got chatting to a couple of lads fishing.One of them said he had seen a few sets over the back etc etc..so I had a little walk with the dog and we found a couple of big sets on the sand banks again...but I didnt fancy the big deep burrows again so I found a smaller set a few hundred yards away from the sea..Inetted up and popped the ferts in..as before on ef them came out a couple of mins later about 20 yards away from where i thought the set ended...LOL.. I boxed her up and was just about to try looking for the other one when she bolted a beauty of a bunny out of a hole just below me..at last ! 1 in the bag !

I decided to remove her and move on while my luck was in.

AS i got back toward the car the lads fishing said come and have a look at this set...One of the had found a nice big 20 holes at least on the bank between the golf course and the Sea..it was huge but now there was 3 of us and a jack russel ...LOL.

So i let em net up with me and we were ready in 10 mins to get the ferts in..I dropped one at each end but as you can guess it was like pissing in the wind..LOL.. next thing little uns start running in and out of holes..so smalll they hardly even move the nets..probably about a month or so old..Oh shit panic stations ! ! . I start thinking about digging in all that soft sand and how deep its gonna be .. argh !

Fortunately one of ferts comes out and i manage to get it before it darts back down after the tasty morsels.

only 1 fert in now and its obvious she,s having a good old run around,my dog is marking the holes and can hear them moving about.after 5 mins all goes quiet and the dog moves from where she was...I can tell the ferret has moced away from where it was now but cannot find it on the locator.. eventually after a good 10 mins the dog foes up on the top of the bank and starts hovering around a post...next thing ferret come out of a bolt hole at side of post,but she shoots straight back down like stoat on a mission..as I moved away from hole a big fat bunny hits the net further down the hedge but rolls it and makes good its escape,only to get back netted on the next hole it runs down..the ferret is right behind the bunny,..So i get her out and call it a day and a stroke of good luck that were not still there digging to a nest of young uns.

I gave the rabbit to the lads because they helped me get it out and they didnt catch any fish..They were a decent pair of lads,One was on leave from the army and on his way back to Germany after leave..He said he will be telling his mates how he went fishing and caught a rabbit..LOL

 

A very unsuccessfull day in the numbers game..but im counting my lucky stars I am home in 1 piece and didnt have to actually dig once today.

I found a couple of good spots for next season.

 

As they say..U gotta be innit to win it...well today I lost..LOL... But I still enjoyed myself...what more can you ask these days.

 

 

 

 

[Guest vin]

[johnny boy68 11,726]

Fresh air, nice scenery and out of the house catching a few bunnies, sounds like a good day to me vin.

[darbo 4,776]

great write up. enjoyed reading it.

[robert michem 314]

are they has deep has they look,,

[dymented 2,220]

sounds good till the English nature guys catch you down at sandy lands

[tegater 789]

Good write up.

 

It must be a pretty risky game digging down to the ferrets in that sand, in case of tunnel collapse etc. Glad you didnt have to do it!

[johnrthrfrd 223]

I had a walk along a local sand dune last week end with the dog got there early morn and there was absolutely hundreds of rabbits must have walked for about a mile and it was hard work for the amount of holes a had 3 dogs with me and they only managed to get 3 rabbits as they were never a couple of foot from a hole to disappear down there were holes right down onto the beach wouldn't like to ferret it god knowes how deep they are in the sand.

[irish stevie 32]

l do must of my ferreting on the dunes,like vin says you put the ferret ln and the bunnys pop out 40 yards away,they are very deep you just have till pick you holes there are plenty about.a.t.b.stevie.

[Bosun11 537]

Great write up Vin, enjoyed reading that. I used to do a fair bit of ferreting on the dunes, like Stevie says it is really a case of knowing and picking the right buries, some can stretch forever and be deep as hell. They can be a death trap for ferrets too, with some scary digs in constant caving sand. I've stumbled across plenty of 'lost' ferrets too whilst either lamping there or going for a daytime walk, ferrets that have just gone too far or too deep and youngsters and inexpierienced hunters have simply lost 'em.

Find the right spot though Vin and you can have some fun.

[Guest vin]

are they has deep has they look,,

 

The lad had to put the jack russel on a lead Jim or it would have been able to walk down the holes without even crouching..LOL. They were the biggest deepest sets my little ferts Have been in this year..

 

I would have never even started netting up if I was on my own..it was a disaster waiting to happen..

 

day wasnt totally wasted becasue i did get a couple of decent contacts for a couple of caravan parks that may be needing some help next year..fingers crossed.

[Guest vin]

sounds good till the English nature guys catch you down at sandy lands

 

the greenkeeper on the golf course didnt seem to mind...But I do know It was a lucky day mate. . . Im more ways than one !

 

p.s. still waiting on that invite from theee .. from earlier in the season..

[robbo 832]

i once went ferreting in that area, was doing all right until two irate women told me it was a nature reserve,,, taxii. a hasty exit was made

Edited February 16, 2012 by robbo

[trigger2 3,145]

great write up that mate. ive found out who owns all the alpackers. spoke to there son who was about 30 but not the full shilling, he seems to think it shouldnt be a problem to get on the ground just have to go back tomorrow and clear it with his folks. fingers crossed it should be a tidy day there.

[Guest vin]

great write up that mate. ive found out who owns all the alpackers. spoke to there son who was about 30 but not the full shilling, he seems to think it shouldnt be a problem to get on the ground just have to go back tomorrow and clear it with his folks. fingers crossed it should be a tidy day there.

 

Nice one mate..they wont want all them bunnies making holes for thier expensive horses to be getting damaged with the feet stuck down em..LOL.

 

should get a good few off that spot. . I,ll have to get the extra ferret pack and young Brad with his Spade. LOL