Ferreting the stream.

[Ideation 8,216]

After friday mornings ferreting trip not quite working out as planned, i was back out again yesterday. I picked Johnnyboy up early doors, a long with his step daughter, and the two older dogs, and we headed off down the road to check out some permission that we had got the week previously.

 

We knew that there were a good few rabbits on this farm, but guessed that the cover was going to be our biggest problem as its all hedges (mostly) and they had not been flailed. We got to our destination and had a bit of a walk about and saw that our fears were right, there were definatly rabbits in the hedges, the dogs knew it, but it just wasnt going to be practicle to deal with it as thick as it was. We decided to have a wee mooch about and see if we could find anything more promising. Soon enough we came up on a long gully with a stream running through it, that disected a couple of fields. As we approached, the dogs stepped up a gear, and moments later Finn had run one into a set, while Gem was marking at another point in the stream.

 

We decided as the cover here was not too bad, despite being tricky to deal with, we would do the length of the stream, which seemed to be made up of a variety of medium sized warrens, as we had got a few marks a long it's length.

 

We got to it an netted up as far a long as we could. Once done, we positioned ourselves, with JB down in the stream and Caitlin and I up top, with the dogs split between us. Starting one end i dropped two jills in. Soon enough we could hear the rabbits shifting about, and then the bolts started. They came steadily as we moved down the stream, with a total of eighteen bolting. Fourteen of them hit the nets and were held fast, with johnny boy putting on an impressive (and wet) display of heroics, leaping about in the stream to grab rabbits. Four of the wiley coneys managed to skip nets that caught on stuff, the first, leapt high in the air, diving off the bank, and was very neatly snatched out of mid air by Finn, moments later our second escapee made its break, taking the dogs down the stream, in and out of the gully before breaking across the field, weaving between round hay bales. Before it made saftey Finn struck and lifted it well, i have to say i was pretty chuffed. The next escapee never made it out of the stream as Gem intercepted it. THe final rabbit was a lucky little bugger as it managed to sneak out while everyone was busy, and sauntered across the field and into the opposite hedge, totally unmolested. One funny point, was when we saw a rabbit run across a hole mouth, into a stop end, upon reaching in, i could feel the worlds most flexible rabbit, as it tried to kick me with its back legs at the same time as bite me. . . . it turned out to be two very squashed rabbits.

 

The one side of the stream done, we picked up nets and decided to have a little mooch a long the other side, which had a lot less rabbit activity. We were rewarded quickly with a mark on a small four holer, and down went the ferret, who pinned the rabbit inside the mouth of the hole, in reaching distance. A bit further a long, we took another two from another small warren, and finally, the last from under a rusted old piece of farm machinery.

 

WIth the stream done, and a little time left, we decided to have a bit of a look about and see what was what for next time, and maybe also find one more bit to do before we made tracks.

 

There was a lot of rabbit activity around the farm yard, but most of it was in very thick cover. However we managed to stumble across a nice bit of banking, under some thick trees, where the ground was pretty bare. As we approached, i saw a couple of rabbits drop in, and the dogs were indicating that there were a few at home.

 

We netted up, sorted ourselves out and dropped the two jills in. We had a couple of bolts, then it went quiet. We got the disco carrot out and found both the jills about 4.5 feet down, as i got on with the digging, one showed as was re-entered, continuing to bolt rabbits, all but one being caught. The escapee dropped back down further a long the hedge. When the action stopped, we got digging and soon enough dropped on the second jill, but despite being able to get the ferret, we couldnt reach the rabbit and had to abandon it.

 

We had a count up and realised we had finished on 29, i was all for going to dig out that dead number 30, but realised that was a bit mad All the dogs worked well, the company was its usual top standard and i was very impressed with the graft from the two jills who worked their sockes off.

 

Cheers, Jai.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 14, 2012 by Ideation

[irish stevie 32]

Welldone jai,and co great haul and write up..a.t.b..stevie.

[Guest thebigdog]

another great write up, well done lads and lass

[Jamie m 668]

A good day there ideation , av yet to get into anything promising as yet so far this year partly due to cover and ground we have done for a few seasons , hopefully won't be long now though ,

[Ideation 8,216]

Cheers all!

 

Jamie - aye the cover here is really bad mate, we are having to very much pick and choose our spots, and have also had to seek new lands. Hopefully you will drop on some good sport soon

[AirgunGuy 362]

Great write up and pics as usual mate...well done and great looking dogs

 

Wish i had a perm or 2 like that

[The one 8,477]

Nice read and pics mate and twenty nine is a great bag

[Tyla 3,179]

Very nice mate, sounds like a good day

[johnny boy68 11,726]

Good write up and pics as usual butt, turned out a good day considering we could only do bits and bobs. A few good days to be had on there when that cover dies back a bit. Both the dogs a little lame today, maybe it was Luna that ran into the car.

 

Good bit of sport in good company on some good land.......Happy days !!

[Ideation 8,216]

Oh yer, i forgot about the car incident

 

Finn isnt looking to cheery either, although he spent all of last night trying to fight murph, i had to lock him upstairs He must have heard what you said yesterday!

[nothernlite 18,080]

well done lads and lassies looked like hard work atb

[johnny boy68 11,726]

Oh yer, i forgot about the car incident

 

Finn isnt looking to cheery either, although he spent all of last night trying to fight murph, i had to lock him upstairs He must have heard what you said yesterday!

I know mate cars randomly parked around the fields, whats that all about. Aye mate I had a word with Finn about being a gay whippet, it must've worked.

[nighteyes 275]

good stuff lads and lasses , dogs look in top nick too

[Ideation 8,216]

Aye, he was a fecking pain mate

[malc1 544]

well done all great pics and write up thanks for last might jai it was great to have a catch up i would of gone back for number 30 ha ha ha atb malc