Rabbits Above Ground??

[Guest vin]

folding hand saw always comes in handy.

[robcake 13]

Yeah will do. Cheers for the advice lads

[terryd 8,415]

Amazing how far rabbits go once they go into the cover some times they can end up fields away and a lot seem to sit out in the cover around here. Real needle in a hay stack some times with out a bushing dog

[foxtails 272]

here in s wales iv seen loads of rabbits about at night, but ferreted it in the day and theres litrally very little warrens if any at all ! they must be living above ground, it took me months to figure that out, as there was so many of them during the night ! very wierd, and frustrated !

[Jamie m 668]

Went out with the ferrets and dog this morning to a new permission that I have lamped a couple of times and is absolutely covered with rabbits. I was almost certain that a good bag would be taken. I ferreted 1 field set and 2 medium hedge rows and completely drew a blank! When out at night with the Lurcher the place is alive with them but I only seen one today jump into some cover. Would I be correct in thinking the rabbits could be living above ground in cover seen as we have had a mild autumn?

We used to go to a school the rabbits were not afraid of humans so all above ground you had to chase them below in order to ferret them : ) . They were scared of ferrets though : )

[mhopton 807]

Have you tried walking around trying to follow there trails if there is as many as you say on a night the path they use must be visable, bit like a sheep track in the grass ?? We were on new permission last Sunday and there were loads above ground sitting tight some easy to see some nearly standing on them, me and rc1 netted up a good size warren about 15-20 holes just putting the last couple of nets on I nearly stood on a rabbit, it was no more than 2ft from where rc1 had just been stood right on the out side edge of the warren tuck away like a hedge hog in the winter.

[robcake 13]

I had another look out today when it was undisturbed. Crept up to the field where I netted the field set last time and the rabbits were sat out around the burrow. They all all bolted into the bramble bushes and the Lurcher managed to pull one out of a 4ft by 4ft patch of brambles about 10ft away from the hedge! There's quite a lot of bramble patches I can get right around the edge of so I'm thinking try a long net and put the ferrets in? As for the walls I noticed one part where I could see they had been digging in but all the other walls seem really solid with no gaps???

[cookiemonsterandmerlin 145]

The cold weather will drive them to ground its also easy to walk straight up to the buries net up and while the rabbits are still on top its worth dogging in areas around the area to be ferreted if no dog walk beat it in yourself get big old stick and bash all the cover

 

Cookie

[robcake 13]

Could do with a terrier I think! Was on the phone to the old man before and he is going to bring his springer along hopefully put a few out for my Lurcher. Hope the cold does send them to ground, need to get these ferrets out a bit more!

[Giro 2,648]

When the dog marks one in the wall, it would not be obvious to the naked eye first glance..

 

They mark them and it takes a bit of thumbing on your hands and knee looking through tiny cracks less than a centimetre for a glimpse of fur against the light on the other side..

 

If walls are real tight,its just loosening a stone were you can near the mark and having a feel about..

 

Do a search. I think there is better explained advice, than mine lol with pictures etc..

[paul roberts 88]

it seems you are new to the game and got a lot to learn just keep at it atb

[Andrew Beirne 78]

When there above ground its when you get the terrier in and lurcher on the outside

[rob190364 2,594]

just out of curiosity, why on earth did you take a lab ferreting if you've got a lurcher?

[The one 8,477]

If there above ground its for a reason there getting ferreted to often , the burrows are full of water or there dead myxi rabbits in them , easier snaring the runs than hunting them down , or lamping will pick up a few

[robcake 13]

I take the lab out sometimes just because I always used to take him before I got the Lurcher and I enjoy taking him and watching him work every now and again especially as I'm not getting out shooting much. I(The one) I have lamped it a couple of times now and it has been really productive.