hard to find good ferrets

[Jamie m 668]

That looks like a nice dig you had there

That fellow in the hole is 6foot two : ) poss 6 three

[fatlad 250]

ive had a good line for a few years now, when i start them i use small setts the first couple of times, then they go in the bigger setts with the older ferrets they work deep sandy setts after there first couple of times out. ive only brought in two hobs from different strains over 20 years one my mate got for me off keeps, the other i got off a lad from near where i live he,s only a year old he,s doing every thing ive asked this year he wont leave a sett till its empty and works as deep as he needs to, to get every bunny out

[paul roberts 88]

10 more kits borne out of a good gill today so should have plenty to try next season plus 14 last week

[Tug 168]

This is why you should always be suspicious of anyone rehoming "good workers" at the end of the season. I wouldn't let a proven good worker go, not for what it costs to keep them through the summer.

[hogie 103]

i touched lucky last year put the word out i was looking a good ferret and the girls nephew rung me to say his mate had a ferret he might sell went to look at it expecting to see a monster but when we got there he was a small sized hob and a real friendly we ferret ive done a good bit of work with him he's a good we searcher and if theres bunny's in the setts he'll get them out the boy give me the ferret for nothing and give me his hutch for £20 plus he's brilliant for my 3 year old to handle

[paul roberts 88]

a good ferret is worth there wait in gold most of them will bolt rabbits but they dont all search

[paul roberts 88]

another 6 kits this morning total 30 got to be some in this lot out of good small gills

[jayjay 264]

another 6 kits this morning total 30 got to be some in this lot out of good small gills

you'll have your hands full with that many.....lol

and they can shift some grub too,

best of luck with them,

 

cheers,

 

jay.

[whippet 99 2,613]

most ferrets bolt rabits but alot of them dont search

you say that mate but if you keep your own strain and only stick to the best when breeding , as the years go by you should have some great workers, trouble is these days people dont want too look after them through the summer, they just get them in every winter. on small warrens i have a jill i can trust there is nothing left in that warren when she comes back, bit different on the big ones tho, i always put a fresh one after to make sure nothing left. alot of people mistreat ferrets and i make sure i dont give them no more. you can have one of mine if you want mate, bearing in mind im in somerset, must be some good working strains closer atb

[Guest vin]

I've got a great little Jill from old working stock going back at least 20 years etc etc..she has bolted loads of bunnies,works very well,goes down deep and stays down etc etc..can take a bit of ruff and tumble..has killed a few rats etc etc...she is my fave worker. a great little worker and a great friendly little thing with a great temprement.

I've also got another Jill thats a great little grafter...that I got from another friend from a working background etc etc.. they both work very well and have done loads of graft in every type of set I can think of and ive dug down to them both on many occasions this last season. I could not fault iether of them in thier working abilities or temperements..they have done me proud so far.

 

I also rescued a Hob from a Box trap up in the yorkshire dales towards the end of the season...he was on top of 9 very dead rabbits in the trap that had been set the night before..He.s a polecat type thats got a wild glint in his eye and a very very wild nature..We think he may have been up on the dales for quite a while before he landed in the box trap..He is a total gentleman to be handled and with the ladies etc etc..but he also is very powerfull and strong.. I havnt worked him yet because he was in a state when we found him..but he,s in fine fettle now and looking very well..I would bet money that he goes through a warren like a tasmanian devil..he,s mental for bunny flesh, he will not eat anything but bunny...ive tried him on everything so far..lol.

 

Anyway I needed a couple more Ferts for next season and so do a few of my friends..So I have let "Box" the hob service my 2 Jills...and So far my 1st Jill has dropped a litter of around 8-9 last weds...the other jill is due in the next week.

 

I can't say they are Worker to Worker because we dont know about the hobs background etc etc...But I can vouch for my Jills being OK .

I like the hob so much I've had him vasectomised so he can stay with my Jills till he pops his cork..He will be getting plenty of work next season without a doubt.

 

Most of them will be spoken for but there may be a couple of spares if anyone needs one ? I dont want any money, just the odd update on if they are doing the job ok etc etc.

 

atb

 

Vin

 

[vermin catcher 219]

a good ferret is worth there wait in gold most of them will bolt rabbits but they dont all search

 

Brilliant statement mate i have kept the same line of good working ferrets for many years and kept a jill and a hob back from last seasons litter.the wee jill went into warrens and did bolt rabbits, but i knew she was not activly hunting for them. she would drive rabbits out that were not too deep or were not giving her the run around and then she would surface. i watched 5 rabbits drop down the same warren as i approached and in she went and she shifted only 1 back out again.i put her in different holes ect but each time was a blank and it was fecking frustrating.we then put her litter brother in and within about 5-10 mins we had them all out.This happened on more than one occasion and there is nothing worse when you know there are bunnies at home and the ferret isnt switched on. That said, i do believe some ferrets genuinely take longer to switch on to the job in hand than others .We kept using the jill in small shallow type burrows as i dont like to give up on any animal so easily and after a few weeks she started to hunt properly and now is as good as any other we have. I firmly believe the key to any thing is repeativity,if you are out week in week out hunting your animals be it dogs or ferrets they will get better and better and know what is expected of them.if you go out just once or twice a month or less and expect to get the best from them its not going to happen.just my opinion of course

Edited April 27, 2012 by vermin catcher

[paul roberts 88]

same as mate just keep trying like you say they do make you scratch your head lol

[hegaross 2]

i started last season with 8 ferrets 2 hobs 6 jills i have 1 hob and 2 jills left the others were useless i saw 7 rabbit go into a burrow i put the hob in and he coundent find 1 after 5 or 10 mins of going in and comeing out he killed one but i wouldent keep a ferret like that so i got rid of him and the same with the jills i bred my good hob with the two jills one is 5 year old the other is 2 year old the hob is last year but he is the best i have had in a long time iwill keep oe or two woung and see how thay get on but thare is no point in keeping a bad thing

[The one 8,482]

'hegaross' timestamp='1335564067' post='2593003']

i started last season with 8 ferrets 2 hobs 6 jills i have 1 hob and 2 jills left the others were useless i saw 7 rabbit go into a burrow i put the hob in and he coundent find 1 after 5 or 10 mins of going in and comeing out he killed one but i wouldent keep a ferret like that so i got rid of him and the same with the jills i bred my good hob with the two jills one is 5 year old the other is 2 year old the hob is last year but he is the best i have had in a long time iwill keep oe or two woung and see how thay get on but thare is no point in keeping a bad thing

 

 

Being honest if a few more folk did that we wouldn't be in the mess where are in but its never going to happen to many guys think its going to be easy cash breeding and selling kits and just breed anything

[vermin catcher 219]

So what your saying from that statement is you gave up on the hob after one outing ,dont think any animal be it lurcher terrier and indeed a ferret is going to show any potential in one outing. There is plenty of shite ferrets out there and i agree they need to be ruthlessly culled when you cross paths with them. But some start off slow and end up crackers and all deserve a fair bit of time not one or two trips out.