Too Many Bunnys Too Many Holes !

[Sweeney 316]

Just got back from looking at a new bit of ground, the amount of rabbits is unreal taking hundreds. But the warrens run all the way up the hedgline the amount of holes was unreal. Got to be over 100. I just think if you put there ferret down there you would lose it ! I don't know how there feck I'm gonna do it ? Some of the holes you wouldn't be able to get too either as the hedge was just too thick in places.

[pengelli 374]

try and divide the hedge row up into small workable sections by using stop nets going through the hedge and long nets either side long net the hedge on a good windy night

[Sweeney 316]

But surely all the warrens would be linked up from one end of the hedge to the other ? I'm thinking if I put the ferret down there could it not work it's way through the whole warren and pop up down the other end where I won't see it. I've never really done much ferreting as you can probably tell I'm more into my lamping but you'll never sort these bunnys by just lamping them

[jeppi26 1,855]

Get a few of you with ferrets two ferrets ether end and 2 in the middle with long nets ether side of the hedge

[Sweeney 316]

Get a few of you with ferrets two ferrets ether end and 2 in the middle with long nets ether side of the hedge

Yeah think that's gonna be the plan now, cheers

[johnrthrfrd 223]

done a few like that just start at one end net as many holes as you can put a couple of ferrets in and work your way down the hedge any missed rabbits usualy run down the hedge and back down a hole so you get them as you move on any that go backwards are there for another day..

good luck.

[chris87 297]

Lucky you!!

[budgie123 163]

As others have already siad start at one end limited number of ferrets and see how it goes.

 

In situations like this sometimes its one warren and sometimes you will be surprised and it may be individual sets but until you start you wont realy know thats why i would only use 1 or 2 ferrets.

 

If it is a thick hedge one of the main problems is stopping rabbits travelling along inside the hedge hole hopping very frustrating from experience.

 

If allowed every so often with a slasher cut breakes at the base of the hedge and place a stop net but something I read was putting a board or binliners at the base of the hedge which cause rabbits to bolt out from the hedge.

 

In this situation we have found rabbits bolt along the hedge line and stop nets placed either side of the hedge at 90 degrees to the hedge moved along as you go work far better than nets running parellel with the hedge. Unless there is some cover or sets very close they will always try and get back to the holes further along.

 

Sounds a fantastic spot good hunting.

[TOMO 26,681]

This business of setting long nets along parallel with a hedge....

 

Some folk say waste of time ,,rabbits won't bolt out across the field if it's a big field,,,and there's no cover to go to........and of course genraly speaking the correct..........not always you always get the odd kamakarzi. ,,but GENRELY

 

But where some folk make a mistake,,,in my opinion,,,is setting the net running parallel to far out,,,,I'm of the opinion it's better to keep the long net close to the hedge,,,,and I will explain why....

 

Ok some rabbits bolt up and down under the hedge,,,so these need another method,,,big purse nets set on Inner runs ect,,,or a board across ect..

 

But those that bolt out,, very often only bolt out a few feet from the hedge,,,then run down parallel to the hedge and dive back in,,,I believe they do this to get on the fast running ground,,,so if your nets many meters out,,,they don't get that far out

 

Keep the net as close as you can easily work with it...

 

 

Edited September 14, 2014 by TOMO

[Tiercel 6,986]

This business of setting long nets along parallel with a hedge....

 

Some folk say waste of time ,,rabbits won't bolt out across the field if it's a big field,,,and there's no cover to go to........and of course genraly speaking the correct..........not always you always get the odd kamakarzi. ,,but GENRELY

 

But where some folk make a mistake,,,in my opinion,,,is setting the net running parallel to far out,,,,I'm of the opinion it's better to keep the long net close to the hedge,,,,and I will explain why....

 

Ok some rabbits bolt up and down under the hedge,,,so these need another method,,,big purse nets set on Inner runs ect,,,or a board across ect..

 

But those that bolt out,, very often only bolt out a few feet from the hedge,,,then run down parallel to the hedge and dive back in,,,I believe they do this to get on the fast running ground,,,so if your nets many meters out,,,they don't get that far out

 

Keep the net as close as you can easily work with it...

 

 

Have to agree with Tomo people do put nets out too far from the hedge. Personally I prefer little five yard stop net at intervals along the hedge on big fields.

 

 

If I can I will put a net though the hedge where possible. Note the net that was set too far from the hedge on the other side.

 

 

The last 150 yard of the field the field narrows and the rabbits make a bolt across it to get to a railway embankment. so then I run a net all along the hedge.

 

 

TC

[budgie123 163]

Could not agree more with tomo about keeping a net running parellel with hedge close,

 

Set it out and you are wasting your time as we have found out you live and learn.

 

Rabbits in stops has been high in these situations in some locations with stops found well out into the fields and multiple numbers in them.

 

Cracking photos.

[vanman1 411]

This business of setting long nets along parallel with a hedge....

 

Some folk say waste of time ,,rabbits won't bolt out across the field if it's a big field,,,and there's no cover to go to........and of course genraly speaking the correct..........not always you always get the odd kamakarzi. ,,but GENRELY

 

But where some folk make a mistake,,,in my opinion,,,is setting the net running parallel to far out,,,,I'm of the opinion it's better to keep the long net close to the hedge,,,,and I will explain why....

 

Ok some rabbits bolt up and down under the hedge,,,so these need another method,,,big purse nets set on Inner runs ect,,,or a board across ect..

 

But those that bolt out,, very often only bolt out a few feet from the hedge,,,then run down parallel to the hedge and dive back in,,,I believe they do this to get on the fast running ground,,,so if your nets many meters out,,,they don't get that far out

 

Keep the net as close as you can easily work with it...

 

 

Eye thats how i run mine bud,as tight as i can without causing tangles with the hedge/fence etc.Break it up with stop nets at the ends of the hedge and anywhere i can practically get one through the hedge.

[Tiercel 6,986]

Another thing I like to do is when you nearing a corner of a large field is to run a net out from the corner. As once rabbit nears a corner in a hedge they like to cut the corner.

 

 

TC

Edited September 15, 2014 by tiercel

[krawnden 1,036]

Great idea of JohnnyMuddler's to leave your locator switched on partway down the hedge. If it was me I'd be wanting to do a hedge like that with at least one other pair of hands, even if it was relatively open at the bottom. But if it's thick with plenty of cover in the bottom I'd want 4 pairs of hands minimum - 2 people on each side of the hedge. Otherwise if the ferret pops up on the other side of the hedge from you there's a good chance of not seeing it.

 

Like others have said, run stop nets through the hedge at 90 degrees wherever you can.

 

If you're absolutely certain there are hundreds of rabbits you could be in for a hell of a day. But if you haven't actually seen the numbers for yourself and are just basing that on the number of holes, you might be disappointed. In my experience the number of holes/size of a warren is rarely any indication of the numbers of rabbits it holds. I've had 7 or 8 out of little 5 or 6 hole buries and I've done big 100 plus holers like you're describing that have only produced 3 or 4 rabbits.

[Phil Lloyd 10,738]

Hedgerow ferreting used to be, my bread and butter,..and even today , it still pays for the odd bottle of Shiraz How refreshing to hear such sensible advice, generously awarded by rabbiting lads,.. that obviously,.. know the game

 

Cracking thread...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 15, 2014 by Phil Lloyd