Ferrets For Marking?

[GreyRake 108]

Maybe I'm being ambitious, but fancy trying to read the ferrets body language to tell if a holes occupied or not. I can tell the difference when I lay my jill at the entrance, if she casually wanders down there's a good chance it's empty, if she races down the thumping soon starts. What body language would you guys be watching for if you were just holding them to a hole? They are always scrambling to get out my hand when outside anyway so it would need to be more than that. If I just let my hob wander about he can sense the rabbits, his tail bushes up and he's quick on the move so could maybe put a lead on him and try that. I'll keep netting up the holes I like the look of for now, then check how they react when held to the hole then see if some bolt. Might notice a pattern over time.

Edited September 6, 2013 by GreyRake

[Mick C. 229]

A top ferret will have a sniff turn around and come out if nothing is at home.

 

Usually refuse to enter even when tried a few times.

 

If theres something at home then its a quick shake and there gone.

[GreyRake 108]

Your right, but its just to save me netting up empty holes. I want to read the ferret before entering them.

[Mick C. 229]

Use the dog meself but I can see what you are on about.

[GreyRake 108]

Wish i could take on a dog, but can't at the moment. Getting good results this year just through inspecting holes for kicked dirt and fresh droppings. But its not always that easy, wasted a lot of time last season. Think i'm going to put my hob on a lead and put him down over warrens, see if something takes his fancy. When working a larger warren, he mainly walks around above ground sniffing hole entrances, then fires down then one's he smells a rabbit in. See how i get on.

Edited September 6, 2013 by GreyRake

[Kaiserdog 20]

Interesting subject, I'll have to observe mine closely, keep us updated.

[celtic 28]

mine not go dwn hole if nothing in it

[The one 8,511]

Same here my older jills wont go to ground if its empty , but the lurchers a far better maker

[GreyRake 108]

My ferrets will go down any hole i present them with, they are curious/do what i point them to. But yeah, they will sniff around outside the hole and casually wander down, then just come out seconds after if empty. If occupied, they fly down. Just keen on finding a way of reading their sense of smell (hearing maybe) before letting go of them. Best i can think of, when using my older jill, is letting go of her with one hand, judging how fast she bolts into the hole, then catching her with the other hand.

 

Keen to see if theres a dogless way of marking. The ferrets know if there are rabbits down there early, but laying the ferrets down free to enter could backfire when there are rabbits. Could result in bolts out of un-netted holes.

A dog would be great, but it wouldn't have the best life under my circumstances at the moment.

[jrobsm1 5]

mine just turns straight round and doesn't go in and ive learned to follow the hob as he did it on a least ten sets and I still netted them with nothing in them so now I go with the hob as a 20hole set with nothing in it is a big waste of an hour netting and picking up

[Mick C. 229]

Good test of field craft when you ferret without the mutts.

 

Been caught out in the past.

 

Nothing at home in burrows that look the part.

 

Next thing theres a couple of rabbits making good there escape because I decided not to net the set that was full of leaves.

 

Whats that all about

[Frontbum 76]

stick it in,if not foot over

[Bossie 90]

Mine will have a sniff, will refuse to go to ground or will come back very soon if not occupied. Out of 6 ferrets I've used last and this year 5 have marked like this. I think with some experience almost all will do, especially those that really like hunting bunnies.

 

Problem with using a ferret as a marking animal is that if it actually marks it will probably just go to ground which in some cases might leave you with very little time before rabbits start bolting. Think you'd be running to get the warren netted.

If you don't have a dog it's nice to know what the ferret thinks about a warren so you can move on to the next but you'd still have to net them first.

 

About the dog, you could use almost any dog as a marking dog. My GF's chihuahua cross will mark very reliably. I'm sure she'd like a yorkie after the chihuahua passes, would take him along as well. As a marker you don't need anything very special, some intelligence, some interest and a nose. Maybe there is a dog nearby that you could take for a walk and use him or her as a ferreting companion. It will be worthwile and put a lot more in the bag, especially if it like a bit bushing.

[foxtails 272]

A top ferret will have a sniff turn around and come out if nothing is at home.

 

Usually refuse to enter even when tried a few times.

 

If theres something at home then its a quick shake and there gone.

yep mines the same, if somthings home , i put at the mouth of he hole, its a quick shake and wait for the bolt, ( iv got a terrier to mark though) iv got 1 jill that rushes through the warren not checking it properly, but then my other jill will look in every crook and cranny untill she can either move the rabbit or kill it, although i use collars on the ferrets, i never have to dig, as i get the feeding right before we go out, if they kill theyr never hungry enough to stay with it.