Spade, Smoker or Ferret?

[man o kent 269]

Just enquiring what method of shifting rats from their holes you experienced ratters prefer?

[patterdaleboy 32]

Smoker and good pack of terriers and watch the sport

[Big bald beautiful 1,231]

spade, smokers kill more then they move and not fond of the dog getting a face full of gas with his head in the holes.

[man o kent 269]

I have loads of basic questions like these, sorry lads! I had read that smoke messes with the dogs sense of smell and marking, and the new rat smokers dont work as well as an adapted strimmer?

[RANDOLPH 34]

used a smoker on sunday and didnt bolt 1 with it,eneded up digging them out,but not saying they dont work

[OldNog 432]

I let the dogs mark and dig them, not keen on smokers. Ive used them before and dont seem to be better or worse than digging, just stinks and gives me a headache so f**k knows how the dogs must feel haha

[wulf 32]

i prefer letting the dogs mark and then digging them out, i would also prefer to use ferrets than a smoker (depends whether your dogs are broken to them or not) - it is more direct. Rats will sometimes prefer to fall asleep under the influence of the smoke in the hole than try a bolt, if your dogs are like mine and get excited biting the soil / debris away then the rats will definately know you are above ground. A ferret will actively seek out the rats, unlike smoke which takes the path of least resistance through a set of holes.

 

If you are around a water source and you get rats say behind water troughs or in block cavities you can shovel water down the back of the trough or get a bucket to pour in the cavity which usually gets them to bolt.

[wulf 32]

forgot to say, there are circumstances where only a smoker will do, where you cant dig underneath (barn floors) or where there would be risk to livestock (for example poultry houses) where you couldnt put a ferret in

[fitchet 788]

All three have a time and a place. I use the ferrets and spade when im out killing some around feed hoppers/hedgerows but when im at the pigfarms and yards i use the smoker.

[INDIAN GIVER 35]

forgot to say, there are circumstances where only a smoker will do, where you cant dig underneath (barn floors) or where there would be risk to livestock (for example poultry houses) where you couldnt put a ferret in

have to agree with wulf on this one , tho its hard to beat ferrets on open field burrows

[Blackntanman 3]

Any thoughts on the type of oil ur burning in ya smoker? Tried a few different types, I'm sure you get better results with original stuff but its pricey tried all sorts of mixtures, trouble is like OldNog says u don't now what effect it has on your dogs nose let alone ur own. Cant beat a good pack of dogs that work well together, markers, diggers and the blood thirsty hungry f**ckers that want to chew.

[rob190364 2,594]

are rat holes generally quite shallow then? if you're digging them out how far do you usually have to dig down.....approximately?

[lurcher2020 285]

Ferrets as said above the smoker messes with dogs nose atb lurcher2020

[Blackntanman 3]

Found that rat will sit in hole even after a good smoking. When clearing hedge row next to cover strip, going back to holes that you've had no bolt tend to come up with the goods 2nd time round. Always trust a good mark! Never dug very deeper than a foot rattin, depends where u r.