The last week.

[Ideation 8,216]

I have not put any reports up for a while, as i have not been in the mood, for various reasons.

 

But as its Friday night, i thought i'd stick up a little bit of what i've been doing over the last week.

 

Day 1.

 

Decided to have a day out on one of our permissions, with Johnnyboy and his step daughter Caitlin. We had the three older dogs with us, Gem, Luna and Finn, and had brought my old faithful ruby (a long with the young poley jill), to replace Tilly, who is still on the bench at the moment, but feeling much better. At that time, i was still thinking she was going to die, so we ended up having a late start, with me trying to sort her out.

 

Anyway, got down to our permission just before lunch, and decided, with the cover still being very high, that we would have a mooch about and see what we could find that was workable. First stop was the garden of the farm, where the lawn has some rough edges, with small sets scattered here and there. We had a couple of marks, and so netted up three adjoining sets, and dropped a jill into the first, within seconds, the rumbling started and out popped the rabbit out of a bolt hole i'd missed on the lawn, it was that well hidden that i still couldnt find it, until the ferret popped out of it! Luna was on its arse and it looked dead, until she collided with the ferret box and it made its escape. Not the best start, but that's next years breeding stock. . . . or next weeks victim

 

Anyway, that was all that was at home there, so we moved a long and did the next two sets, resulting in a single from the one and a double from the other.

 

We moved to the other side of the lawn, where we had a mark, a long a small banking, netted up and dropped both jills in, and in rapid style, the bumping began, with the first bunny pursing neatly, the second, pulling out the peg and almost escaping. . . . well, until the crocodile (Gem) snapped it up, the third being dug out by hand, by Johnnyboy, and the fourth shoving a net aside, and taking the dogs on a merry dance around the gardens fruit trees, before Finn lifted it as it made cover.

 

As we were picking up the nets, the dogs started marking another set under some scrap sheeting and an old car. We netted up as best we could and were rewarded with another two rabbits. One that was netted well, and the other picked up on the run by Luna.

 

With nine in the bag and time getting a long, we decided to have a walk and pick one more decent set to do. We ended up at the first set we ever did on this property, and were encouraged to see that it had been extended. With the cover high, and an over grown, fallen tree, now lying across the set, it was a bit of a b*****d to net, but we did the best we could. Positioning ourselves as best we could, we rolled the two jills in and stood back. Although slow to start, we were rewarded with some decent action, with rabbits bolting at varying points of the set (about 30/40 holes), and the dogs earning their keep, being able to get to the netted rabbits much quicker than we could, we ended up with eight netted, one that came out of an unetted hole, but was turned back in by the dogs, and back netted itself, and one that skipped a net, but didn't make it past Johns black bitch.

 

All in all a good day, pretty relaxed, with the usual good company, and 19 rabbits as a bonus

 

Not many photos as i haven't been in the mood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day2.

 

Finished work early so decided to take the dog out local and have a ratch about, see what i could rake up. Had a nice meander through the local woods, had a couple of marks on small sets, one resulted in a dig, one in a bolt. Had an audience at the one set, with a familly out for a walk, but they were pretty cool about it all. Carried on around the edges of the shoot, doing a bit of 'dogging in'. A cock and a hen, just weren't quick enough to take to their wings and joined the coneys in the game bag.

 

 

 

 

Day3.

 

Got asked by a member on here, Lloydy, to come and help him sort a few bunnys on a small horse paddock permission that he had recently aquired. Had to do same shoot stuff in the morning, so went over for about 10am and had a nice couple of hours. The owner was very welcoming and pointed out a rocky banking which had a few sets on it, that had seen a fair bit of activity. Previously it had been covered over with bramble etc, but the owner had cut it all back with a mower, in one sense, good for us, but i think it had pushed most of the occupants across the border into another fern banking on next doors property.

 

Anyway, there were two sets that we could see initially, both a fair number of holes (around 20 each), we netted up the first and sent the ferrets in and after a bit of searching they managed to evict the single occupant, the second set was pretty much the same, with the ferrets tracking down and pushing out the lone coney. I'm always really impressed when the ferrets manage to find a single bunny in such vast tunnel networks, it shows that they are hunting well. Both rabbits were neatly pursed. As we were picking up from the nets from the second set, finn wandered across the slope and started to mark under some boulders.

 

On closer inspection, there appeared to be a number of holes under the boulders and cracks, that may or may not have led into the set. We netted what we could, draping nets over the cracks. Keeping quiet, i dropped only one jill in, trying to avoid a dig, as it wasn't going to be possible here. After a bit of searching, and some rumbling, the bunny was finally evicted from a small bolt hole under one of the boulders. It hit the net draped over the hole, and just pushed it aside, but finn was on it and pinned it within a yard or so.

 

As we denetted, Finn once again wandered off and when we turned around was marking another set in and around a rocky outcrop. I could tell from the way that he was marking that this one contained more than one rabbit. We netted up the rocks, and a couple of holes around a stump that was out in the field, which i was sure was going to be connected (they always are haha). Down went the ferrets, and soon enough the bunnys were on the move, two coming out from the rocks and one of course, coming out of the stump.

 

A couple of very enjoyable hours, in good company. I forgot to mention that LLoydy had never been ferreting before (well, once with me very brielfy where we bolted one on a walk), he did well, learning to lay nets very quickly, and caught his first rabbit in a net he layed We gave one of the rabbits to the owners friend, who was out riding, and it was suggested that we speak to the next door neighbour to secure the rest of the hillside. All in all, a good, and text book ferreting trip. Ended with half a dozen healthy bunnys.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day4

 

Ended up not having to go into work today, and had planned to go and knock a couple of doors, for some more land. Got up early doors, and went a long the road, toward where i wanted some permission, asked a few folk and secured what i wanted. Decided to have a mooch about, with the dog, no ferret, and see if there was anything on the land (wanted it because of the scenery and landscape, less the game). Had a good couple of hours, some spectacular views, and finn had a couple of hunts on rabbits, but no catches, as he was pushing through thick gorse. But definatly a decent place for a walk out and we'll probably catch a few off there with a bit more exploring and a few frosts to thin the gorse out. The dog has a good stretch anyway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a couple of hours stomping about the hills with the dog, i decided to go a long to one of our permissions in the area, which has given us some very good action over the last couple of seasons. We've had a few trips out on it this year, and its been good, but the cover has been brutal. I wasn't expecting to be able to do much, as i was a one man band, and its mostly hedges. Got there and the first thing that i noticed is that the farmer had gone round and flaied all the hedges, and cut back the cover a long the base, giving us perfect access, result!

 

Got my first mark on a long pile of brash, which has about 30/40 holes a long it, last time i did it (last year) it coughed a good few, so i was hopeful, however, after netting it all up and running the ferrets through, i was only rewarded with two. Picked up the nets and sent the dog off to cast about, and he quite quickly marked a small set of about a dozen holes in a hedge, i netted it and up evicted another two coney from it. The sets were not holding as i had expected, and i put it down to the recent flailing. Walked on a bit, and the dog was hunting up well, ahead, he pushed a rabbit out of some cover and was all over it, quickly lifting it. I thought the dog was looking very quick, then realised the rabbit was looking very slow. On closer inspection, it had the bloody mixy f**k! Well, that explains the lower numbers!

 

Moved on and the dog ran one into another set and marked it up, netted it and dropped the two jills in, and had one very quick bolt. As the other occupants were rumbling around below ground, i looked over my shoulder and saw a rabbit sat there just staring at us. As i was wondering what the f**k it was doing, the dog spotted it and was off, i think he expected it to run, because he hit it like a freight train, rolling over a couple of times. He came back, and again, it had mixy. Soon enough another two (healthy) bunnys popped out of the set, one into a net and the other run down by the dog, and we were up to nine.

 

The next set the dog marked contained five, two bolted cleanly, one being netted and one skipping the nets and avoiding the dog, to hide under a trailer that had wierdly been wrapped in black plastic tarps. The next three all had to be dug out, b*****d things!

 

With the day drawing to a close and me needing to go and pick up the missus from a train station, i thought it was about time to call it a day, but couldnt resist evicting the escapee from under the trailer. As i said, it was wrapped in a kind of black plastic tarpaulin thing, i could see a few holes under the trailer, but just netted the holes in the tarp. Dropped a ferret in and got my rabbit, and its buddy as a bonus! The first rolled into a net and the second, pushed it aside, but was dealt with my Finn.

 

With fifteen in the bag, it was time to run. A good day, difficult being a one man band, but very enjoyable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So. . . . that was that, hope you enjoyed it.

Edited November 10, 2012 by Ideation

[Rake aboot 4,936]

Brilliant Right up Jai, glad your getting oot and aboot.

 

That Citroen looks awrite,, any chance yeh`ll get it MOT`d ? lol

[staffyspen 43]

Not been up to much then mate!!!!!

[patterdalejoel 669]

No Dales?????? read it all for nowt

 

good write up pal

[salt fish 67]

Good post and some nice pics mate

[Ideation 8,216]

Rake - That particular farm has vehicles all over the place, there is a citeron 2cv in another field.

 

PJ.That place i went this morning looks a lot like the dales, stone walls an all.

[21dangermouse 86]

Good post their keep them coming. Oh cheers btw for finding my car wondered we're I had left the Citroen. Should start first time like scrap heap challenge. Atb dangermouse

[troter58 1,711]

good read mate dogs look well atb

[BEARINATOR 2,872]

Excellent read and pics mate

[PROPER ORDER 6]

thanks for the read jai

[The one 8,511]

Nice write up mate your getting out plenty

[johnny boy68 11,726]

Good stuff butty...that hill looks nice for a good mooch.

[Tiny 7 1,694]

Nice write of there fellah....!!

 

Looks a handy little whippet that

[Guest vin]

Good to see your back on track Jai... glad that little fert has made it.

[Ideation 8,216]

Good stuff butty...that hill looks nice for a good mooch.

 

I guess apart from the rabbit that Gem snapped up, my dogs didnt do anything else then I remember Luna nailing a couple that skipped the nets and nailing one along that hedge before the scrap car plus catching one that skipped a net by the fallen tree set. There was also that one I dug by hand but hey ho I suppose your allowed a bit of journalistic leeway !!

 

Bloody hell mate, my memory is crap. I'm used to writing them up the same night I remember now, because you thought it was Finn.