Double Figures!!!

[Snifferboy 659]

Well, I had my best ever days ferreting today! Not much to some, but after ferreting for a mere 4 years and never beating dizzy record of 4 rabbits in the bag to get 10 rabbits is completely mind blowing!!! ( You can tell I'm excited!!!)

 

So it was still blowing a hoolie when I loaded the dogs and gear up this morning but carried on regardless as this was going to be the only day I could get out this holiday, picked up my mate Alan and his mutt and headed for Sunny Launceston to some permission down there. We could barely see where we going with the rain coming down so hard, truck blowing all over the road, all character building though. Got to Mikes house, got him out of bed and away we went.

 

As we were driving to the first set of banks to work the rain started to subside and after a decent bit of off roading in the truck up a proper dodgy washed out old lane, we managed to make it to the fields and pulled up right beside the first set. Let the dogs out and started to get the gear out as they were marking a few holes well, went to get the camera out as there was some decent sunshine now and the bloody battery was flat, which was a shame… We only set out the long nets all day today to save time which seemed to work well, in went my hob Rusty who is seems to be in good form and it wasn't long before there was a bit of movement thumping around and the first bolt. I had hold of my young beddy whip today just trying to get her in the right places and make it click with her a bit more and she secured the first rabbit in the long net along with herself but she didn't let it go so… We had 4 more bolts from this first set 2 of which secured themselves in the long nets and 2 made there way to the next bank so after re-entering Rusty a few times we picked up and moved there.

 

This next bank we managed to set the long nets the whole way around it was completely pickled in holes right next to a large bit of forestry but it didn't look like it was very busy, the dogs marked one or two holes but there were no strong marks other than the one hole were the previous two rabbits had made good their escape. In went Rusty followed by a small jill called Princess Snuffles ( I have kids (2 of which are girls) what can I say!…shameful I know!!!) They worked their way up the bank and nothing was doing for 30 mins or so and after leaving my locater half way up the bank while I had a coffee, it started going off and with that out came our first bolt. The whip was hot on its tail and crashed the long net again knocking the rabbit clear over it! (tw@t!) The whip made her way free of the net and bowled the rabbit over again but stumbled and let it go, then from nowhere along came Rue my bigger dog and she scooped it up parading it in front of the youngster half way around the field before I could get her back (some more work needed on her too!) We picked up 1 more along the top of the bank which I didn't see and I caught one with my hands as it struggled to get through an old grown over hole, sweet!

 

We did another bank and picked 3 more up, 2 of which had mixy which was bit of a shame but may explain the amount of holes compared to actual number of rabbits. At this point our tally was 9 and it was around about 3.30 but we decided to do one last set and make the most of our day and the weather. This was an open warren with a new fence running straight through it, it was on a good slope so a good one for the dogs to see exactly what was going on below them. Nets went round, Rusty went in, out bolted the first rabbit I let Rue go as she has better manners around the nets, but Mike secured the Rabbit and Rue just watched on. Re-entered Rusty in another hole and boom out comes another almost straight away this time both dogs gave chase and again Mike had hold of the rabbit before they got there, but somehow he managed to let go of it and away the rabbit went with mutts in hot pursuit. Unfortunately the rabbit made it through a gate and into another warren before the dogs got close but it was a good bit of drama to end the day on.

 

So, it could have been 11 in the bag, ended up with 10, 2 of which had mixy and got left out for the buzzards, making 8 rabbits between the three of us, we dropped 2 off for the farmer who was surprisingly really grateful, leaving us left with 2 each. My 2 are being soaked in salt water now ready for burger making in the morning!

 

All in all a good day for me, some might not think so but until somebody invites me up to the Dales for proper bit of ferreting I don't think we will top today for a while!!!

 

All the best,

 

Sniffer

[comanche 2,942]

Reminds me of the conversation I had with my long-term ferreting mate a week or two ago. He is now lucky enought to live in a fairly rabbit-rich area and his lad has grown up having it pretty easy when it comes to decent bags . The lad is pretty competetive in everything he does and sees big numbers equating to a good day rather than any fun factor . When we told him that back in the old days we were overjoyed to have any rabbits at all to go home with and anything over three was a red-letter day he just shrugged and gave us a "why did you bother " look.

You can only catch what is there to be caught . Anyone can get a good haul on ground polluted with bunnies but a small bag winkled from difficult ground is something to be proud of and enjoyed for what it is .

It also makes you appreciate it when you do hit the jack-pot .

May you catch many more !

Edited December 30, 2013 by comanche

[NEWKID 27,114]

Sounds like a good day mate, as Comanche said, you can only catch what's there.. Don't let your head be turned by big numbers, some of the best days are knowing you've caught some hard rabbits and scratched and worked for everyone of them...

I enjoyed your write up mate, you could tell you enjoyed it, and that's what it's all about after all..

Atb

[bugg 84]

Launceston you say, I used to ferret around there until I moved up country, try giving dave prouse a call he has ground there il pm you his details

[GreyRake 108]

Good write up. Double figures is a good day for me too, it's just down to the land your ferreting, see stories on here of people getting six from a four hole warren, that just doesn't happen for me haha

[terryd 8,385]

Thats great day and 8 more than me to day . Sounds like you have to work hard for your rabbits as a rule. The harder it is the more of a buzz you get can't beat it

[Flacko 1,742]

Well done mate,numbers??? Just enjoy the day atb

[robbo 828]

Well done mate. The enjoyment factor is the most important thing about it. I spent my youth. Scratching for the odd rabbit locally . Then started going up the dales getting up a day . Now I live down in Cornwall I'm back to scratching for one or two. I still enjoy it every bit as much. Big numbers are fine but a good day with good company can't be beaten by any amount of rabbits.

[8shot 191]

get to callington robbo theres plenty of bunnys in that area.

[Sirius 1,391]

Good write up!