sweating my nuts off ferreting in October.

[Guest vin]

I went down to a mates permission yesterday morning for a look at a couple of spots that the landowner has been asking us to thin the rabbits out on.

 

A small paddock with a thick hedge surrounding the whole field...As soon as we got out of the van Molly my dog was straight onto the 1st set and marking up.. Trouble being that it was so thick it was impossible to get in and net up without making that much noise and destruction that we would not be getting any easy bolters.

So we had a good walk around and worked out a couple of slightly smaller sets that were not so stretched out down the hedgeline.. its just basically a continuous long set that just covers the whole circumfrence of the field.. Its one of those places that you need 4 of you to do it..2 on each side of hedge and 2 dogs at least.

 

The sun was out and as i was puttin a few purse nets down I was sweating like a nuns chuff.

 

I put a long net around 1 side of set and went to other side with dog... My mate who i had left to net and stop net the other side said he had done the job and covered all exit routes etc etc..So off went 2 of my little ferts ( micro and a very small jill). After 2 mins pop ! 1st one in the net on my side..sorted.

I should have known,but I carried on and kept hearing the ferts coming up in the bottom of hedge and going back down,whilst the dog was dancing on the spot dwon there also..but I stayed in my posistion on my side and trusted my mate to be doing the same..As you can already guess..he had not put the stop nets through the gaps in the hedge on his side or covered a few holes that he still swears blind were not there ! resulting in at least 4 bunnies going down the hedgeline and away.

I called him a few names and decided to up nets and move to opposite side of field. . .By the way..we dont mind missing a few its all just banter and we know there gonna be there next time..it gives you something to look forward to.

 

On the other side of the field we found a similar set that ran through the hedge with a few holes out into the field and under a tree..it was about 30 holes and around 25 yards long down the hedge...but there was lots of sneaky bolt holes in the long grass all the way through.

We netted up what we could see and I ran a long net all the way around on bothe side and through the hedge compeletely covering all routes,(unless they jump).

I had brought my pack of Jills and wanted to give them all a run through especially the kits...But 1st in was the little Micro and Small Jill...I know what you all think of micros lol ,but in no time they had 1 out and then another straight after..My mates face was beaming..Then it went quiet for a few minutes.. The dog was waiting for number 3 to come and could here it trying but obviously it had run into the little un below..just as i was about to switch on disco stick,bang ! number 3 rolled into net ,with micro right behind it.

At this point the little ferrest had been around most of jsut one end of the set and still had been all the way through to the other end..So we left them in and put 1 of my kits and an adult jill in at the other end of set,I knew there was still some in because the dog was saying so.. Next thing another out on the other side of hedge and into long net,the dog pinned it while i got there,Then another in the purse net on opposite side immediatley after,my mate was buzzing now...it went quiet but there was still movement underground the ferrets kept showing but going back down except for Micro who was nowhwere to be found..they were all moving about very deep down but obviously still chasing something..it seemed to take ages but eventually a big old buck came thundering up from the depths into a net with the dog already waiting to help him out...you could hear him coming all the way...lol...Followed by the kit and adult Jill...the kit was dancing and chuckling about on top..really enjoying itself..We boxed them up and moments later out pops the other small Jill..

All was quiet but there was no sign of the micro...I scanned the hedge with the disco stick and nothing all the way up and down on search..So we go past the set and try further up the hedge in both directions and still nothing...Im starting to get worried..

As we walk back to the set and start to take nets off my mate notices that a purse net ( again on his side ,heheee ) is twitching gently below ground, When he pulls it up theres bunny number 7 and little micro attched...Result ! in the net. . . I put the locator on and guess what..No signal... Now i forgot to mention to my old mrk 1 nocker box mate that the MUCH better mk3 has a magnet at the bottom of receiver that also turns collars off...he had been picking them up at his side of hedge all day ,sometimes with disco stick and fert in same hand 2 or 3 at a time...lol.. I think we were lucky...very lucky.. Not 1 dig and 8 bunnies in a couple of very hot hours in October..Whats all that about ? sweating our nuts off for 8 bunnies... some would say we're crazy.

Im looking forward to some snow . . . in fact I cant wait.

[3175darren 1,102]

I went down to a mates permission yesterday morning for a look at a couple of spots that the landowner has been asking us to thin the rabbits out on.

 

A small paddock with a thick hedge surrounding the whole field...As soon as we got out of the van Molly my dog was straight onto the 1st set and marking up.. Trouble being that it was so thick it was impossible to get in and net up without making that much noise and destruction that we would not be getting any easy bolters.

So we had a good walk around and worked out a couple of slightly smaller sets that were not so stretched out down the hedgeline.. its just basically a continuous long set that just covers the whole circumfrence of the field.. Its one of those places that you need 4 of you to do it..2 on each side of hedge and 2 dogs at least.

 

The sun was out and as i was puttin a few purse nets down I was sweating like a nuns chuff.

 

I put a long net around 1 side of set and went to other side with dog... My mate who i had left to net and stop net the other side said he had done the job and covered all exit routes etc etc..So off went 2 of my little ferts ( micro and a very small jill). After 2 mins pop ! 1st one in the net on my side..sorted.

I should have known,but I carried on and kept hearing the ferts coming up in the bottom of hedge and going back down,whilst the dog was dancing on the spot dwon there also..but I stayed in my posistion on my side and trusted my mate to be doing the same..As you can already guess..he had not put the stop nets through the gaps in the hedge on his side or covered a few holes that he still swears blind were not there ! resulting in at least 4 bunnies going down the hedgeline and away.

I called him a few names and decided to up nets and move to opposite side of field. . .By the way..we dont mind missing a few its all just banter and we know there gonna be there next time..it gives you something to look forward to.

 

On the other side of the field we found a similar set that ran through the hedge with a few holes out into the field and under a tree..it was about 30 holes and around 25 yards long down the hedge...but there was lots of sneaky bolt holes in the long grass all the way through.

We netted up what we could see and I ran a long net all the way around on bothe side and through the hedge compeletely covering all routes,(unless they jump).

I had brought my pack of Jills and wanted to give them all a run through especially the kits...But 1st in was the little Micro and Small Jill...I know what you all think of micros lol ,but in no time they had 1 out and then another straight after..My mates face was beaming..Then it went quiet for a few minutes.. The dog was waiting for number 3 to come and could here it trying but obviously it had run into the little un below..just as i was about to switch on disco stick,bang ! number 3 rolled into net ,with micro right behind it.

At this point the little ferrest had been around most of jsut one end of the set and still had been all the way through to the other end..So we left them in and put 1 of my kits and an adult jill in at the other end of set,I knew there was still some in because the dog was saying so.. Next thing another out on the other side of hedge and into long net,the dog pinned it while i got there,Then another in the purse net on opposite side immediatley after,my mate was buzzing now...it went quiet but there was still movement underground the ferrets kept showing but going back down except for Micro who was nowhwere to be found..they were all moving about very deep down but obviously still chasing something..it seemed to take ages but eventually a big old buck came thundering up from the depths into a net with the dog already waiting to help him out...you could hear him coming all the way...lol...Followed by the kit and adult Jill...the kit was dancing and chuckling about on top..really enjoying itself..We boxed them up and moments later out pops the other small Jill..

All was quiet but there was no sign of the micro...I scanned the hedge with the disco stick and nothing all the way up and down on search..So we go past the set and try further up the hedge in both directions and still nothing...Im starting to get worried..

As we walk back to the set and start to take nets off my mate notices that a purse net ( again on his side ,heheee ) is twitching gently below ground, When he pulls it up theres bunny number 7 and little micro attched...Result ! in the net. . . I put the locator on and guess what..No signal... Now i forgot to mention to my old mrk 1 nocker box mate that the MUCH better mk3 has a magnet at the bottom of receiver that also turns collars off...he had been picking them up at his side of hedge all day ,sometimes with disco stick and fert in same hand 2 or 3 at a time...lol.. I think we were lucky...very lucky.. Not 1 dig and 8 bunnies in a couple of very hot hours in October..Whats all that about ? sweating our nuts off for 8 bunnies... some would say we're crazy.

Im looking forward to some snow . . . in fact I cant wait.

Spot on mate sounds like a good morning,and that little ferret did well,

[johnny boy68 11,726]

No pics...amateur LOL

 

Nice write up vin, thanks for sharing mate. We were out yesterday and it was like a summers day too.

[bushing lad 114]

good write up mate, far from warm up here i tell thee!

[Tiny 7 1,694]

[malc1 544]

well done vin

[TOMO 27,092]

cant read it,,, no pics..........

[stealthy1 3,964]

Was out yesterday setting a few wires, I noticed that we have poppies and other wildflowers coming back into bloom, looks like they think its spring again, nice bag by the way

[Big_Al 5]

good read

[trigger2 3,158]

good write up that vin. theres still some young ones about down here so you done well not to have a dig.

[The one 8,522]

Same here warm day nettles and cover still show no sign of going over reminds me of ferreting in tshirts in the seventy's

[ferretville 69]

Good read vin

[NEWKID 27,687]

Good read Vin.....

[artful212 394]

good read mate it bit cold in morning here atm hope get some frost soon so neetles and stuff die back