A Foggy Start

[GreyRake 108]

Thought i'd finish up ferreting the hill on Saturday. Assuming rabbits generally use the same warrens i was expecting to bolt three or four... after having lost them on a previous day. The kit hadn't shown much interest in the rabbits the weekend previous, so i removed the food from the cage about eight o'clock the night before, in the hopes she would at least want to try and eat the rabbits

 

 

 

Picked up my ferreting partner and got to the farm about ten. While we were having our coffees the farmer came over and asked us if we would take a look around the lower flat fields. The rabbits had started digging on his side of the fence and it was causing problems with his machinery. He said quite a few bolt away as you approach the far side. Now id went through this field last season, there's about eight single holes, some with one or two bolt holes, but bolted nothing. But obviously we agreed to check it out. Theres a bit of land over the other side that belongs to a company that is packed with rabbits, i knew that's where they would be hiding out.... but getting permission there would be a bit of a wild goose chase.

The mist was hanging low as we had a wander along the field.

 

 

Right enough about five rabbits bolted away into the neighboring land, but one ran off to the side into some cover on this permission. Was about ten holes on very soft unstable ground, had to be careful we didn't cave it in.

 

 

 

Kit was up first. She wasn't keen on entering the hole so tried her on the next one along and she slowly made her way in. A few minutes of silence and out of nowhere a rabbit bolted into the net with her right behind it after dispatching it i showed it to her and she started ragging it Once she was happy it was 'dead' enough we popped her in again. Within seconds she flew out a hole ten meters down the fence.... put her back in the top hole, then same again. Swapped her with my older jill and got her warmed up on the dead rabbit.

 

Within a minute of entering her the thunder started, sounded like it was going in circles. My jill popped her head out and looked at us, must have thought it bolted. Nope, in you go again. More thunder then it bolted out and got away either one of us made a bad job setting that net or a ferret disturbed it without us noticing. But it was was still early, the mist had started clearing and it was turning into a very nice day.

 

 

Worked our way through the field of single holes, took three nets and a ferret in hand each and split up. Took about half an hour and as predicted - nothing. Ferrets were now cooking in the box so we went back to the car, swapped them into the cat carrier and gave them a drink. Decided we would swing up and around the back of the hill to see what was there. Theres a few small warrens under some trees here and we caught nothing there last season but my partner spied a rabbit run over the track and into one of them so we netted up.

 

Just four holes, three along the front and one on the back. Kit first again, just laid her inside the tree and she wandered down into the shadows. Wasn't long and the rabbit flew out the back of the tree across the track. Thought we had lost it at first but it had itself well pursed, peg pulled out with the force. We both scrambled to find our way over the barbed wire fence. After the rabbit was dispatched we ran the older jill through the holes to check, no more. Kit was doing well now

I remembered there was a twenty hole warren just further along the track on the side of the hill so we headed that way to check it out. As we approached my partner spotted another rabbit hop into some thistles. Climbed up to find a thirty five hole warren I hadn't noticed before. Didnt look like it was in frequent use but we knew there was one down there. Just took our time setting the nets as the sun was beating down on us hard. Then we stopped for a drink and checked the ferrets weren't overheating.

 

The kit kept coming back out the hole put her in so we entered the older jill into the far side of the warren to get things started. As soon as the thunder started the kit was keen to investigate. We could hear the rabbits very well and we knew there was more than one now. They we back and forward across the warren for a good few minutes. One bolted out a lower hole into the net with the kit close behind. There was still plenty of action going on under ground so i planted my foot firmly over the hole as I sorted the rabbit. After resetting the net i herd squealing so i jogged up to get the locator. As soon as i had it the rabbit bolted out the same hole and into the net with both ferrets giving chase

Thought we call it a day there, the kit had done very well We walked back to the tree to get our final photos and gut the rabbits. The ferrets wouldn't stay still for their picture

 

Well it turns out the hill might have another day for us yet. Still got the warren on the front side of the hill to work again plus im sure theres a few more around the back. Nice bit of land here, best thing about it, in my eyes anyway, is the big stip of whin and the neighboring land allows the rabbits to repopulate every year.

[The one 8,511]

NIce pict,s and read mate

[B.P.R 2,798]

That blue drum hdpe ...

 

Nice write up ....

[rabbitcatcher 1 287]

Good read mate

Rc1

[mhopton 807]

Well done lads n good right up

[fergy 6]

some nice scenery as well there mate. looks like you had a top day

[max abell 196]

Well done and nice pics